"Are we going home already?" Galen asked.

Alexander shook his head. "No, not yet. I'll stay here with you."

Galen said nothing, pursing his lips. His emotions, even as a child, were readily apparent in his gaze. Seeing Galen distressed, especially at such a young age, pained Alexander. He tucked Galen under the blanket and asked, "What's wrong?"

"Grandpa is sick," Galen said, his voice threatening tears.

Despite their frequent bickering—sometimes driving Dominic to distraction—Galen and his grandfather shared a close bond. Dominic adored Galen, and Galen considered him family.

Alexander, moved, softly replied, "Yeah."

"Is he going to die?" Galen asked, his voice trembling. He seemed to have been wanting to ask this for a long time, but his youth and uncertainty had prevented him. He was also afraid of the topic.

Alexander paused, then asked, "Do you know what death is?"

"If someone is dead, it means they've gone somewhere far away, and we can't see them anymore. I saw it on TV," Galen explained, his vocabulary limited, yet his understanding of death was clear: the irreversible loss of Dominic. The word "forever" held a weight that threatened to shatter a child's heart.

Tears streamed down Galen's cheeks. He could no longer contain his emotions.

Alexander, pained by this, wiped away his tears and said thoughtfully, "Everyone will die one day. Some just die earlier than others. Grandpa will die too, but not now."

"When is it then?"

Alexander's words resonated deeply. Galen stopped crying momentarily, gazing at his father curiously.

"I'm not sure," Alexander explained, "perhaps in a few more decades. But it won't be now. We'll treat Grandpa's illness, and he'll treat it too. He's going to recover soon."

While it felt dishonest to outright deny Dominic's mortality, Alexander felt compelled to offer comfort. He wasn't adept at comforting others, especially children. He was naturally direct, avoiding euphemisms.

Confronted by Galen's innocent gaze, it felt cruel to state the inevitable. Alexander had done his best, but his words seemed to confuse Galen. The child momentarily forgot his sadness, wrestling with his father's meaning: Does Grandpa die or not? It sounds like he won't, right?