Together

Vulnerable

Oh man, today was rough, y'all. I guess it's days like these that make me so thankful that I can come write and get my mind off of my own life haha. I hope you all enjoy this chapter. Comments and votes are always welcome/appreciated x love you all
-ab

————————————————

December 25, 2025

Patrick

After everyone leaves, it is late, but neither Harper nor I are tired. She doesn't have a matinee tomorrow, and I don't have to work, so since we can both sleep in, we decide to stay up and cuddle for a bit.

"Love," I ask her, "are you sure that you don't want to eat something?" I ask Harper, with hopes that she will agree to do so.

"I don't know... maybe," she admits. "I guess I'm hungry... it was just hard to eat at dinner, with-"

"I know," I say, cutting her off and rubbing circles on the back of her hand with my thumb. "You've gotta talk to him, sweetie."

"I just don't want to upset him."

"Harper, love, this is hard on you and he knows that. You have the right to ask questions and get answers to them."

"I guess," she admits. "But, what if I find out something that I'd rather not know?"

"Then you know it, and you're prepared for the worst but hope for the best."

"Alright," she admits. "Maybe we can talk after tomorrow's show. I think they're coming."

"Perfect," I reply, giving her a sad smile.

I feel her snuggle in closer to me and rest her head on my shoulder, as we lie under the duvet.

It's moments like these which I truly treasure. Those where it seems like it's only us. When the rest of the world fades away and time seems to stop as we sit in silence, but not an awkward one. A perfect silence, where we don't need to talk, because we already know exactly what the other is thinking.

"Well," she says eventually, "I'm pretty exhausted. I think I'm going to get some sleep."

She slides down further under the duvet, and I join her after flicking off the lamp beside our bed.

"Merry Christmas, darling," I whisper to her, but notice that she is already nearly asleep. I know that she hears me, though, as a small smile forms on her face.

I hope that, though she may not have had the greatest evening today, she is able to enjoy this moment. I hope that she feels safe, wrapped up in a cocoon of blankets, and loved, wrapped up in my arms.

It's not too long until both of us are asleep, then we are waking up the next morning.

Since we still have some time before Harper had to be in town for her show, and I can tell that she has some bad thoughts in her mind still, I tell her that she should invite her parents over now. "It'll help your performance later."

She agrees with that, so she sends them a text. Half an hour later, we are back in our positions in the living room, with Harper and I on the loveseat, and her parents on the sofa.

"Ask away," Cooper tells his daughter. "Nothing is off limits. I figured that you'd want to talk more, eventually."

"I guess... I just want to know the answer to the obvious question..." I watch as she takes a deep breath, trying to muster up the courage to ask the dreaded question. "How much longer do the doctors think you'll live?"

"Well, with the way that the treatment is going... not well... they're thinking sometime in the spring."

"Oh."

That's all that she says, stoically as she stares down at her fingers, fiddling with them in her lap.

"But they're going to try a few more things. They really are doing all that they can, love. The doctors here in London know what they're doing."

"Have you seen any other doctors? What about doctors in America?" she blurts.

"Love, we cant afford that. They charge for medical care over there, so even if it were better, which I'm not sure it is, I wouldn't be able to afford it. Please, trust me and trust the doctors. Would you feel better about it if you meet the doctors?"

"I'm not sure."

"I'm going to start an in-patient round of chemo tomorrow. You can come with me then, if you're free and would like to."

"Maybe I will..."

"I think that's a good idea," I encourage my wife.

"And remember, sweetie," Cooper tells his daughter, "even without me, you have your mother. And Patrick takes very good care of you, too. You'll be fine without me around."

"But you're my dad," I hear her say, quietly. "Nothing can replace that."

"Love, please... don't make this any harder on him than it already is," I hear Audrey tell her daughter.

"No, it's fine. I figured she would feel that way," Cooper states. "I really don't know what to tell you, sweetie. I'm sorry."

"No, dad, don't apologize," she begs. "I'm sorry for not coming to visit you more since I've moved to London. I'm sorry for everything I've ever done that has let you down... just, I'm sorry."

"Harper," I say, "you don't apologize either. Nobody could have ever guessed that this would happen. It's nobody's fault."

"Patrick's right," Cooper insists. "We need to just cherish whatever time we have left together. I had to learn that lesson when I was around your age, and my aunt was killed in an automobile accident. I cherished every moment that I had with you, sweetie, and even you, Patrick. You two kids are incredible, and I know that you're going to build an amazing life together. You already have."

I notice a tear running down Harper's cheek. She has the right to cry right now, so instead of trying to comfort her, I allow her emotions to flood out of her. It's something that has needed to happen for a few days now.

I think that, now that she's allowing herself to open up and be vulnerable, she will have an easier time coping with it all. It will hopefully make her life more positive for the next few months.

It's going to be a challenge for her, to balance Anastasia and her issues with her dad, but I know she'll be able to do it.

And I'll be right by her side, helping her every step of the way.