Chapter 79

Minutes after Bellatrix walked into her father's room, a loud banged echoed throughout the house, after which complete silence settled. In the quiet of the house, the only thing that seemed to make noise was the soft beeping of Joe's hospital machine and the sound of his labored breath through the breathing mask. Bellatrix sat beside him in a chair, studying his every feature, taking note of how much thinner he has become. The skin at the bottom of his eyes, along with his cheeks, had all gone in so much that she could practically see the outline of his bones. The gentle rise and fall of his chest was the only thing that gave testament to the life he was holding onto. Gingerly, Bellatrix reached out and slipped her fingers into her father's hand. His skin felt cold against her warm one. “Dad,” Softly, she muttered, giving his hand a gentle squeeze, as if doing so would chase away the cold. “Your daughter's back now, so…please wake up.” The only response she got was the sound of the hos