Theodore stayed in the hospital room a little longer with Rebecca. Eventually, Sydney called him out.
"Theo, you should go home and rest," she urged.
"Mom, it's fine. I want to stay with Grandma longer."
"I know you want to be here, but you need to take care of yourself. Look at you! Grandma's worried. She asked me to tell you to go home and rest," Sydney said gently.
Theodore had lost weight, and Wesley couldn't help but feel a twinge of sadness at the sight. "Theo, your mom is right. You should rest, especially since you were injured so badly. Don't make Grandma worry."
"Yeah," Sydney continued. "Once you go back, I'll call Rose to come over."
"Mom, you really think I shouldn't see Rose, don't you?" Theodore asked, his voice heavy with disappointment.
Sydney sighed softly, and patted his shoulder. "Theodore, Rose has been through so much pain, and now you're suffering too. What do you think will happen if you see each other? Do you think you can get back together? If not, it'll only prolong your pain."
Despair crept into Theodore's heart. Even his mother didn't support him; no one was on his side, and he felt utterly alone. His friends seemed to think he deserved this. If that were the case, what was left to salvage? He truly had brought this on himself.
He closed his eyes in anguish, took a deep breath, and said, "I understand. I'll leave now."
Dragging his weary body, he slowly walked out of the hospital. Sydney watched him go, a deep sadness filling her heart.
Wesley stepped forward, and gently squeezed her shoulder. "Sydney, why are you preventing Theo from seeing Rose? Don't you want them to be together?"
Just the other day, she had held Wesley's hand, fabricating a reconciliation in front of Rebecca. If she turned around and divorced him immediately, she would feel like a fraud, which would weigh heavily on her conscience.
For the time being, this marriage needed to continue. Once Rebecca's condition worsened and she forgot more, they could get a divorce. Dementia would only get worse; initially, it might just be little things, but over time, it would become everything, and personalities could change.
Wesley felt a rush of joy—Sydney was choosing not to divorce him for now. He wasn't sure how long this would last, but it was good news for him.
Yet, once the elation subsided, guilt washed over him. He shouldn't be happy; Sydney's thoughts stemmed from Rebecca's illness.
With his mother suffering from dementia, how could he truly be glad? He berated himself internally for being a bastard.
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