The Unwanted Wife and Her Secret Twins (Mia and Kyle) novel Chapter 408

Mia's POV

The light came through the meditation room windows at an angle that made everything look softer.

Warmer. Like someone had turned down the harshness of reality just a little.

Kyle was still sitting on his heels, his hands resting on his thighs. The hospital-issue yoga pants were too big. The drawstring tied tight at his waist. His t-shirt hung loose.

But in this light. In this particular slant of sun. He looked less like someone dying and more like someone just very tired.

Maybe it was the light. But I let myself believe it anyway. Even just for a moment.

"Mama," Alexander said, tugging on my sleeve. "Did you know Kyle's medicine tastes like dead fish mixed with dirt?"

I blinked. "What?"

"His medicine!" Alexander's face was earnest. "We tried it."

"You tried his medicine?"

"Just a little bit!" He held up his thumb and forefinger, showing me the tiniest gap. "This much. Dr. Norbu said we could."

I looked at Dr. Norbu.

He smiled serenely. "Education is important. The children wanted to understand what Mr. Kyle experiences each day."

"It was disgusting," Ethan added. His face was still neutral but I caught the slight wrinkle of his nose. "Like if you made tea from grass clippings and old socks."

Madison nodded solemnly. "And fish. Dead fish that's been sitting in the sun."

"It wasn't that bad," Kyle said.

Three pairs of eyes turned to him.

"It was exactly that bad," Alexander said. "You're just used to it."

"I'm not used to it. I just don't complain, son."

"Because you're tough?" Alexander added.

"Because complaining doesn't make it taste better."

"But it makes you feel better," Alexander insisted. "When something's bad, you should say it's bad. That's what Mama says. She says holding stuff inside makes it worse."

Kyle's eyes found mine.

I looked away.

"Your mama is right," he said quietly.

"So the medicine is bad?" Alexander pressed.

"Yes. The medicine is very bad."

"As bad as we said?"

"Worse."

Alexander's eyes went wide. "Worse than dead fish and old socks?"

"Much worse."

"But you drink it anyway?" Alexander asked.

"Every morning. Every night."

"Why?"

Kyle was quiet for a moment. "Because Dr. Norbu says it might help."

"Might?"

"Might."

Alexander processed this. "That's not a very good deal. Terrible medicine that only might work."

"No," Kyle agreed. "It's not a very good deal."

Dr. Norbu clapped his hands once. Softly. "Excellent philosophy lesson. But now we must return to the body. Mrs. Williams, you will join us for the closing sequence?"

"I really don't do yoga."

"You do not have to 'do' yoga. You only have to breathe and move. This is something all humans do already. I am simply asking you to do it with more attention."

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