The old man turned slightly toward Alaric, his aged eyes full of hope as he spoke again.
"I want to convince him… to come live with me again. Like before. Like the life we used to have. I want him to care for me now, because my body… it's not what it used to be. I know… he'll probably say no," his voice softened even more, and Alaric could sense his pain.
He lowered his head, his lips moving slightly as if trying to hold back a storm of emotions.
"All of my children… they left after getting what they wanted. Even my youngest son."
"Maybe what he got from his older siblings wasn't as much… but it was enough for him to make his own decisions. To live alone in an apartment. To leave home. And to leave me behind."
Silence filled the corridor. No comment came from the lips of the wise young man.
The old man closed his eyes briefly, took a long breath, and calmed himself.
His weary face reflected the weight of a life long endured
