Nu’s phone blares with a loud ringtone on a nearby coffee table, making him wake up with a groan.
His eyes feel heavy, but he ignores the irritation in his eyes and walks to the table, grabbing his phone and picking it up without checking the ID.
“P'New..”
he hears Sky mumble.
“Sky?”
Nu’s voice was groggy, but he doesn’t give a mind about it.
Instead, he finds Sky’s voice strange
Even at a wee hour, Sky would always sound cheerful.
So finding gloominess in this sunshine’s voice gets Nu concerned.
“What is it Sky, is something wrong?”
Nu asks softly, his full concentration on his sister-in-law.
“P'New….New...Grandma…she….she got a heart attack..sHe..she is in the hospital right now and I….”
Nu hears Sky hiccupping at the end of his sentence and he sucks in a deep breath.
“Skyie, Calm down. Take a deep breath. Ok? Now tell me, which hospital are you at?”
“BK hospital. I... I am not there yet. I just got a call from Gulfy.Prapai and I are on our way now.”
“OK, get there and stay by P'Prapai side. I will be there in a bit. Hmm?”
“Hmm.”
“Ok then. See you in a bit.”
Nu cuts the call, runs up the stairs in a hurry, and bumps into Zee who has just stepped out of his room, still looking disheveled.
“P'Zee..”
“Did you get the call?”
The alpha asks and Nu nods his head.
“Yes, Skyie called me just now and..”
Nu walks closer to Zee and realizes that the alpha is visibly shaking, his distressed pheromones leaking and Nu immediately holding his trembling hand.
When the omega realizes what he had done, he right away lets go of his hand, softly mumbling
“I will drive.”
Throughout their drive, Nu keeps glancing at his husband who sits by the passenger seat, his gaze fixed out of the window with his hands clenched tight in his hands.
Nu furrows, worried, but he doesn’t say a word.
He knows, the atmosphere between them is a bit off but he doesn’t care about it at the moment.
Zee needs him now and he is going to make sure he stays by his side.
By the time they reach, Zee’s family was already there.
Gulf and Gun were on the verge of tears as they hug Off from either side.
Mew stands by the side holding a sleeping Haanu.
It was still too early in the morning, around 4 am, with darkness slowly getting consumed by the morning sun.
Sky was crying in Prapai’s hold and once he spots Nu , he runs up to his brother in law with a cry.
“P'New…”
“It’s ok Skyie baby. Everything is going to be alright. Calm down.”
Nu hugs the younger omega closer, trying to comfort him with his jasmine-scented pheromones.
Zee collapses by his Mama’s side who shifts his head onto his son’s shoulder.
They stay like that in silence for a really long time, waiting for the doctors to come out of the operation theater and tell them something, anything about grandma’s situation but no one steps out of the operation theater for the next 2 hours.
After long agonizing hours, a woman steps out of the OT and bows in front of the family.
“Hello, my name is Rain. I am one of the doctors who were perfuming the surgery. I am here to attend to your concerns.”
“How…How is Mama?”
OFF asks, slowly standing up from his seat.
“Mr. Off, Your mother is in his late 80’s and it is the age of old age and weakness. The heart attack she had wasn’t out of stress but simply out of weakness.
SHe even has hypertension which had been a risk factor for a while now and at this stage, it is really hard for anyone.
But we will try our best but I hope..you prepare yourself.”
The doctor lowers her head in apology and OFf sighs, closing his eyes.
They wait for another half an hour or so till a senior surgeon walks out of the OT, taking off his mask and shaking his head, letting them know of the unforeseen demise.
Off finally breaks into tears and Gun hugs him, crying harder.
Gulf and Sky hug their father tight.
Nu sighs, trying to control his uncontrollable tears.
It might not have been that long since he met Grandma but he still became such a big part of his life.
Losing her…he wasn’t ready.
He takes in a shaky breath, wiping away his tears as his eyes worriedly land on his husband when he sees the alpha shaking violently, a sudden attack of his panic attacks.
He right away runs towards him, wrapping his arms around Zee and bringing his head closer to his heart, burying the alpha’s face into his chest.
“Breath P'Zee, breath. In and out, listen to my heartbeat and try to sink with it. In and out.”
He whispers into Zee’s hair, the alpha tries his best to follow Nu’s instructions.
Once his panic attack settles down, Zee bursts into tears, weeping like a child in Nu’s arms, hugging the omega by his waist and Nu lets him, holding him tighter.
The events that follow happen in a daze.
They have a memorial service for two days, and everyone they hold near and dear visits the service.
The funeral follows the same order of events, similar to what happened all those months ago for Dew’s service, giving Zee a scene of bitter Déjà vu, triggering a couple of panic attacks out of nowhere but Nu was always by his side, helping him through each and every attack.
Zee looks extra drained after another one of his panic attacks and it breaks Nu’s heart to see him in such a state.
He knows, Zee was close to his grandma.
He was the one who bought him up after all.
Every time they have a family gathering, Nu always finds Zee by his Grandma's side, sitting down beside her with his head in the elder’s lap as his grandma runs his fingers throw his favorite grandson’s hair.
Who would do that to him now?
Why does he have to lose someone precious to him at such a close time?
Why does his life have to be so unfair?!
Grandma was cremated on the third day, his ashes stored in a ceramic pot, treasured away in a specially constructed charnel house, his favorite baby breaths decorating the sanctuary.
Zee sits by a bench, completely exhausted from lack of sleep for the past two days, his head leaned onto Nu’s shoulder, and his eyes closed in deep slumber.
Nu sits there patiently, staring away at his father-in-law finishing off the final rituals for his mother.
“Is he asleep?”
it was Gun, his voice husky from all the crying the older omega has been doing for the past three days.
“Hmm.”
Nu hums low, turning his head slightly; making sure his husband is not disturbed.
“He really loved Mom.”
“I know.”
Gun takes in a shaky breath, softly placing his palm on Nu’s thigh, looking up at the younger omega with a small smile.
“Thank you.”
“For what Mom?”
“For being by his side and taking care of him. I was really worried.”
“Mom,IAM his wife.. I always with him till my last breath..."
Nu doesn't know what he is saying...but Gun felt really happy that his son choose a right bride for him.
♡