Chapter 271

Jason Davies’ health was going downhill fast. He wasn’t doing chemo, just getting daily IVs and painkillers from the doctor in the afternoons. Still, in front of the kids, he kept his usual gentle, composed demeanor. On better days, he’d even help them with homework. By evening, he was lying back in a recliner in the gazebo near the villa. Mrs. Henderson had thoughtfully tucked a soft pillow behind him. Under the shady trees, David was playing with his sisters. Georgia’s little nose was dotted with sweat, while Ella, still recovering from surgery, sat neatly on a bench, quietly watching. After a while, David handed Ella a preserved plum. She popped it into her mouth, sucking it contentedly as the sweetness spread. Georgia, exhausted from running around, wobbled over to her dad. She lifted her chubby little hands, asking to be picked up. Jason reached out, trying to lift her, but his hand just hovered there, too weak to manage it. Georgia, still too young to understand, looked up at him