A week later...
“I think your family needs to know and even be here,” Cainan tells Neriah once they walk around the room.
 
Since she got back from the hospital, Cainan moved her into a penthouse he got for her, he told her he rented it for the month, but he bought it in her name because he knows how Neriah would react to him spending so much money on buying a house, he saved himself that detail. It was larger than her previous apartment, wider and much more sophisticated, and it gave Neriah the chance to move around freely and with less stress.
“I will when the time is right,” she says, with a promising tone, just like she said the last time they had the discussion.
 
He rubs his forehead slowly. “When would that be? We talked about it three days ago and you shoved it away, but we both know we don’t have the time. I don’t think it’s fair on them to keep what you’re going through from them,” He tells her.
Every day time gets shorter and as much as it is a gift to have her alive, it is a bargain to place the perfect time to tell your family you’re dying. It was a tough conversation to have, but it had to be done.
Neriah stops walking and Cainan has to stop as well because he can feel her breath going harsh suddenly, “I will tell them when the time is right.” She says again, bringing the conversation to an end.
Cainan doesn’t push further, it’ll only lead them to a place they both do not want to be, so instead, he nods in agreement and they continue their walk.
Just like every day in the past week, they’d taken a walk outside, trying to help strengthen Neriah’s legs. The first few days were tough on her as well as him, but the second wasn’t so much and so was the third and so on. Now Neriah can walk herself a little distance. She’d have to hold on to something after a while, but they were both used to it and prepared.
Aside from walking, Neriah has also made a few more sketches and designs and Cainan had taken it upon himself to help bring her work to light and the attention of the media. It sparked up some comments and controversy that they were dating and hiding it, but like always, they ignored it. They saved themselves the energy of trying to change people’s opinions when those people didn’t know what was even happening. 
Cainan and Neriah also do not know what they are as well, because if asked, they’ll probably say they are just friends but being honest, they both know they are more than just friends now, but one thing is for sure, they love what they are. The closeness they feel when they are in each other’s company.
“Helping someone walk is as slow as watching them do it, isn’t it?” Shawn asks, pulling the window glass away from his lips.
“How did you get in?” Neriah asks, with great surprise in her voice."
He stands up, opening his arms wide with surprise as though just seeing them. “The door was open, so I couldn’t stand and watch him slave away without giving encouraging words. No offence, bro, but I’ve got to say you’re pathetic.”
“I don’t believe there's any taken.” He responds as he follows Neriah and makes sure she’s seated comfortably on the couch.
Shawn pours the red wine into two more glasses, then he walks away from the bar, towards Cainan and Neriah and offers each of them a glass, “Good, but how’s the walk coming along? Three days ago you were still holding her and now she’s walking on her own.”
He nods, tipping his glass to both of them. “Slowly, but surely, she can be a pain though, right?” He turns to Cainan, who nods quickly before Neriah can see him.
“She can hear you!” Neriah informs Shawn, who steps back like he just saw her explode and she sits down on the nearby foam chair.
“Put that energy into your walking and you’d be running next week.” Shawn teases his encouragement.
“Yeah, so I can chase you down and kill you.” She says, dropping the glass down on the table before her and getting up, but when Cainan approaches her, she puts her hand up and stops him. “I’ve got it.”
Cainan stops and watches as she pulls herself up and walks into her room, more like drags.
Once gone, Cainan walk over to Shawn’s side, “Thanks for being here; I know this must be hard for you—”
“Which part? That you are now with the woman of my dreams or that she’s falling for you?”
His eyes twitch a little and he looks up at Shawn before saying, “She isn’t falling for me. We’ve just gotten a much better understanding of each other, but we are still friends.”
Shawn empties the last wine in the glass into his mouth and drops the glass down on the table and huffs a breath. “I’m doing this for her. I still resent you, but she’s perfect and I owe it to her to be here for her.”
“Falling for her was not my choice, believe me.”
He scoffs, “Hard to believe.”
Cainan walks over to him at the counter. “You think that if I had a choice, I’d fall for a girl that’s dying and lose all control of myself and logical reasoning? I was never looking to hurt you. I wanted to hurt her, but I ended up loving her instead.”
“I still don’t like you, but we are both fools in love with a girl that we both can’t save. The only difference between you and me is I’ve let go of a happily-ever-after ending and that’s something you’re yet to do.”