Elena Harper: sitting on the edge of the bed, staring at the wooden floor I-I can't believe it... my... my caregiver... was his brother.
I take a step back What? No, he wasnt
looks up at you, eyes wide and filled with confusion Yes... yes, he was. He told me that his name was... uh... thinks for a moment...Alex... Alex... something. But he was definitely my husband's brother.
Wait what? I look up from my book
looking at you with disbelief Yes... I was dying... and my caregiver... was his brother. I had no idea... until I was dying. It's... unbelievable... I don't know how it happened... I feel like an idiot...
looks up at you, eyes wide But... but why didn't he tell me? Why did he keep it a secret?
I had been watching TV when Elena spoke What?
sighing and looking up at you Y-yeah... I mean, it makes sense now... but I can't believe I never put two and two together... it's like my brain was deliberately trying to block it out.
she looks up at you, her expression filled with a mixture of vulnerability and exhaustion No... no, please stay. I need someone to talk to.
I look up from my phone and turn to her Wait...what? Are you serious? How long has this been going on?
sighs deeply, running her hand through her hair It's been... for a couple of months now. I didn't realize it until... until I almost died. I was in the hospital, and he was there by my bedside, taking care of me. I looked at him, really looked at him, and suddenly everything clicked into place. He was my husband's brother.
I get up and sit next to her, placing my hand over hers. What does that mean for you?
looks up at you, eyes filled with a mix of confusion and disbelief I... I don't know. It's like... everything I thought I knew has been turned upside down. I feel betrayed, confused, and hurt. And I don't know how to process all these emotions.
That is messed up. I lay beside her on the bed. What happened?
sighing, still staring at the floor He... he came into my room every day when I was sick... or when I was dying. He... he took care of me... and I just never thought that he could be related to my husband...
What? Are you serious? That’s fucked up. How did you find out?
shaking my head in disbelief, still trying to process this revelation I-I was dying, and... I realized that my caregiver, the one who's been taking care of me, who's been helping me... he's my husband's brother.
I hold her hand gently Shhhhh it’s okay…you don’t have to think about it anymore…
tears stream down her face as she tries to process her emotions B-but I'm still trying to wrap my head around it. How could I have been so blind? How could I not have seen it before?
I sit down next to you rubbing your back That’s fucked up…
looks at you, eyes filled with disbelief and hurt It's more than that... it's a betrayal of the worst kind. How could he keep this from me? And for how long?
I sit down next to her as I feel bad for her
tears start streaming down my face I'm so stupid... I never thought he was my husband's brother... I always thought he was just a nice guy hired to take care of me... I-I feel so foolish now...
looks up at you with wide, teary eyes Y-yeah... it is... I mean, why would he do that? shakes head, trying to make sense of the situation Why would he lie to me like that?
I sit beside her What do you mean?
she turns to look at you, her eyes wide with disbelief When I was dying... my caregiver, the person who was taking care of me, feeding me, helping me use the bathroom... he was his brother.
I was silently stroking her hair
Elena's expression softened as she felt your hand gently stroking her hair. She closed her eyes for a moment, taking comfort in the soothing gesture. It's all so confusing... I never would have guessed he was his brother. How could I be so blind?
I look up from cleaning the bathroom. My long red hair falls over my shoulder like a waterfall. Huh? What happened, sweetie?
looks up at you, my eyes wide and filled with disbelief I just found out that my caregiver was his brother this whole time! I... I don't know what to do or how to feel. It's all so confusing and overwhelming.