Husband With Benefits

Erasmi Frost sat on a comfortable couch as he stared at the man asleep on the bed. The air hung heavy with the scent of age and illness, a palpable tension that seemed to thicken as the old man lay on his deathbed.

Even as he sat there stoically, with nary an expression on his face, his insides were a mess. He’d thought he had hardened his heart to the old man, but as his emotions churned, he knew it was not the truth. Their time had been cut short, first by his accident and then by this.. and now that it had almost run out, Erasmi realized that this weight of grievances he carried might forever remain unresolved.

He watched silently as the old man’s eyes opened, and slowly searched the room, before lighting up a bit as he stared at him. He sighed," Demetri is on his way with the others, old man. You’ll have to make do with me until then. Save your strength."

Unexpectedly, the old man did not ignore him but reached out his gnarled hand to hold his hand. Erasmi felt a surge of conflicting emotions as the old man’s hand clasped his own.

The old man’s voice, though frail, carried a hint of vulnerability. "Erasmi," he rasped, the syllables hanging in the air, heavy with unspoken regrets. In that moment, he saw for the first time, not the proud and heavy-handed Elijah Frost, but an old man, begging for his forgiveness and understanding.

"I’ve made mistakes, Erasmi," Elijah’s voice was a mere whisper. "I know I’ve let you down, let everyone down. But in these final moments, I hope you can find it in yourself to forgive an old man for his faults."

The old man’s apology caught him off guard, making his wonder what was the point in holding onto the pain of the past. It could not be changed. And while he’d wanted to punish the old man, he did not want him to suffer even in the afterlife.

With a heavy heart, he held the old man’s hand and spoke softly," Let the past remain there, old man. The others are going to be here soon, and you’ll be able to come back home soon."

"I’m not going back, Erasmi. I know that. And so do you. My time has run out. But before that, I want to say something to you."

"Erasmi... that time," Elijah faltered, a sudden cough seizing him. The coughs racked his body, echoing in the small room, and Erasmi’s concern deepened. He could see the old man gasping for breath, a hand clutching at his chest as if trying to stave off the pain.

Worry etched his face as he leaned forward, "Easy, old man. Let me call the doctor." Erasmi pressed the emergency button on the side table, the shrill sound resonating through the quiet room. Within moments, the door swung open, and a nurse hurried in, followed by a doctor.

He stepped back quickly as the doctor took his place, administering the medicine to help his grandfather breathe easily.