Swapping a Broken Heart for a New Start novel Chapter 850

“Grandpa!” the little girl chirped. “Is Grandma sleeping? How is she feeling?”

Before Jerry could answer, Melissa leaned into the frame. Hearing her precious granddaughter’s concerned voice melted her heart. “Is that my Lillian? Grandma’s fine, sweetheart. I’m doing great. Don’t you worry.”

Seeing her grandmother lying in a hospital bed on the video call made the little girl’s heart ache, and her eyes grew misty again. “Does it hurt a lot, Grandma?”

The sight of her granddaughter about to cry pained Melissa. “No, no, it doesn’t hurt at all, my sweet girl. Don’t cry, please don’t cry…” She tried to sit up in her haste, but a sharp pain shot through her back, and she grimaced.

The little girl saw it, and her eyes reddened further. “Grandma, you’re lying!”

Melissa knew she couldn’t fool the child. “It just hurts a tiny bit, I promise. The doctor said if I rest well, I can come home tomorrow. If you don’t believe me, you can see for yourself when I get back, okay?”

After much gentle persuasion, she finally managed to soothe her granddaughter.

“Okay, I’ll wait for you at home tomorrow, Grandma!”

“Good girl.” Melissa’s heart overflowed with love. “You have to be a good girl at home and eat all your food and go to sleep on time, otherwise Grandma will be worried too.”

“Okay! I will!” Lillian nodded obediently. “You have to come home tomorrow, Grandma. Don’t break your promise.”

“I won’t…”

The two chatted for a while longer before finally hanging up.

Just then, Susan announced, “Dinner is reheated. You two must not have eaten either. Go have something.”

Camila and Dennis were indeed starving. They agreed and took Lillian to the dining table. At this late hour, Camila didn’t let her eat too much, worried it would upset her stomach and keep her awake.

But it wasn’t food that kept her up. The day’s events had clearly taken their toll. Camila managed to get her to sleep, but she woke up startled a short while later and refused to go back to sleep.

Holding her daughter, Camila felt a fierce urge to curse the Smith family. Every confrontation with them left her own family suffering. Why? She had already moved away from Harrisburg. Why were they still haunting her?

Her eyes darkened with frustration.

She shook her head again.

With endless patience, Dennis took her small hand in his. His tone became more serious. “Lillian, do you remember what Daddy told you before? You have to express your feelings, not keep them bottled up inside. That way, the people who love you won’t worry. Mommy, Grandpa, and Grandma care about you so much. If you don’t sleep, they’ll be very anxious. You’re still growing, and if you get sick, it will make them very sad. You’re a good girl; you wouldn’t want to see them sad, would you?”

His words finally struck a chord. The little girl’s body trembled slightly as she looked up at him, as if she wanted to say something.

Dennis’s dark eyes seemed to see right through her.

He continued to encourage her gently. “How about we make a deal? If you’re brave and tell me what’s on your mind, I promise I’ll make any wish you have come true. How does that sound?”

A flicker of light appeared in Lillian’s big, dark eyes, but it quickly faded.

She asked timidly, “Anything?”

***