I was napping one afternoon when Gabriel called that I needed to come to the hospital has Jade was ill. The whole family was there, and I needed to come. Something tugged at my heart, Gabriel already called me an Uber driver who would arrive at my place shortly.

I was in my casuals and didn’t bother to change or brush my hair. Mum offered to come along, when I looked at her surprisingly she explained that Gabriel had spoken with them. The next breath hooked in my lungs. I wondered what was wrong for everyone to be so aware.

It couldn’t have been Gabriel, could it? No he sounded fine, except that he sounded broken. Was Jade dead? Was he in his last moments? “Oh God! I have only just seen him after so long. I didn’t even get to tell him I loved him in the past.”
There was nothing that hasn’t crossed my heart, “did he ask to see me?”.

We arrived at the private center in the state hospital.

Mum held my hands as we got down and walked to the entrance. It was the look in everyone’s eyes, most especially Jade’s sister that made me falter.

Mum squeezed my hands and then let go. I felt like the walls were closing in on me.

Gabriel, I have never seen like that, torn apart within himself. His eyes were swollen, and Jade’s sister always the most expressive, rushed at me, hugging me with a sob. I didn’t understand what was wrong. I was too afraid to ask, she must have sense the fear in me because she released me to speak gently but firmly, “Diana, be with him now, if you deny him now you’d regret it later, enough of running from what you both want, you’re all he needs now” she finished wiping eyes with the back of her hand.

Something broke loose in me, everyone was quiet, each solemnly showing support. These family is so united. They loved Jade, that touched me. Jade’s mum took me in, while my mum was having a conversation with Gabriel.

When we entered into the private hospital room, Jade’s father noded at me.

His mum held my hands and said we’ve known you for years, met you even before we saw you. He’s never loved another girl, we don’t know why you showed up with his brother, because Gabriel is more like his twin, he’s our son. They share everything together.
Seeing you again, first at the burial party, then now, I’m sure you must love him too to have showed up looking so disheveled. Just please be with him for his last days. We are not asking him to choose, you’d have to talk to them both, but we hope you can do it for Jade. Please

“We’ll call Gabriel in shortly. He’s on this, I don’t know why he called you, but he loves Jade the most.” She ended solemnly.

I washed her go, but by now I’m breaking inside. No matter what, I give Jade anything. I don’t know why everyone is so afraid, if I am the only one that can save him, I’d do it, there’s no denying that I loved him, I’ve always loved him. Nothing worked before him. I gave love a chance after waiting and hoping he’d reach out to me for years. I believed he probably didn’t like me or just found someone else. To meet him and find out he’s always loved me, I realized we were both guilty of the same crime, cowardice. I love Gabriel too, and I can’t disappoint him by leaving him for his cousin.

Gabriel came in, he looked like he has aged twenty years older. Looking up from where I stood, he took me into his arms, “Diana, Jade is leaving us, he’s leaving me, and I can’t bear it. I was the first person he called from the hospital bed. I can’t believe he’d keep his health issues a secret from me. He’s my brother, more than just my cousin. He’s my best friend.” He now had tears in his eyes.

He was so vulnerable right now, he placed his head into the curve of my shoulders a minute and I could feel the wetness. I couldn’t take it anymore.

“Gabriel, what do I have to do to save him? Why did you call me?” When he looked away I quickly brought his face back turning his head with my hands. “I know what you meant to him” he said.

“I didn’t know at first, I couldn’t relate that you were the girl he’d opened up to me about when I met you and you said the only reason you won’t be mine is if my cousin objects.

“I didn’t connect the dots until we arrived at the mansion and he reacted like he saw a ghost. I had told him I waa bringing the lady I wanted to marry, and I wanted him to approve of her.” He held my face now looking deep into my eyes. He then continued, “he avoided contact with you, he evaded my questions and I believed he was protecting my feelings. Then he made the band play your favorite song and danced with you.” He swallowed. “I also heard you two talking in the garden, you had a crush on him even though it didn’t appear to you, you also didn’t know he loved you. He worshipped you without your knowledge. Cassandra tried to hurt you because she knew you were the only one he’d ever loved.”

“You were there?” I asked shocked. “Yes” he replied nodding his head. He continued holding my hands, “I thought you were over him because you told him you loved me now. I couldn’t confront him about it because I was selfish. But he needs you now. Let him spend his last moments with you, perhaps you can give him what he wants, perhaps you can help us to save a part of him that we can all cherish.

“You’re the only one that can Diana. He is dying, he doesn’t have long. I love you but, if this is the last thing I’d give Jade, I’d agree. He’s leaving us Diana. Help us to save a part of him” he sobbed.

An unexplainable feeling gripped me then. I couldn’t help the tears that came to my eyes then, they kept falling uncontrollably.

I buried my face in Gabriel’s chest, I was blaming myself for what was going on. I felt like I was losing a part of me. I had pretended until this time, why didn’t I simply confess before now.

I raised my my head after sometime, looked into Gabriel’s eyes and realized he was in pain too. “I’d do it” I said, “I’d do anything for him, I’m not going to a abandon him now, we’ve lost so many years to pride. Just please bear with me, I don’t know if it’s right, but I want you to wait, really wait, for the length of time it takes.”

Gabriel hugged me very tight, kissing my forehead, he raised his head, pulled back a little bit and said “I’d wait, I’m with you on this. Go sit with him now, wait for him to wake up, let him ask you what he wants himself.” He then walked out.

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