"What should I say? Should I tell him that I was informed to be mentally prepared? After all, my dad may not live much longer. Will Asher relate to and sympathize with me?"
"I don't want to take the risk. I don't want to be woken up and blamed in the middle of the night again."
So, I forced a smile like a puppet.
"I will pay attention to it. I won't do so again next time."
"Perfect. Go wash your hands. The food won't taste good if it gets cold later." Asher finally let me go, looking satisfied.
At the dining table, I dared not miss any of his words for fear of missing out on every emotion he expressed.
Luckily, I didn't make any mistakes today.
I watched as Asher had been smiling. Then I cautiously brought up the topic.
"I took a few days off."
Asher's eyes lit up. He asked, "So you mean you can stay at home all the time?"
I struggled to speak. But my words were getting stuck in my throat. I said, "Dad is not doing well. I plan to stay with Mom for a while. I must go to the hospital. So, I won't be coming back here for now."
Seeing him silent, I was frightened and nervous.
"Mom is not in a good state. She has been crying. I am a bit worried."