Page 26 of Shattering

The moment suspended, stretching into something fragile, something sacred.

Then, silent tears fell, soaking into the already well-worn fabric.

A memory

Gray's mother had been frail, her body brittle with sickness, her skin pale against the soft lilac scarf she had tied over her bald head. The cancer had taken so much—her strength, her hair, her independence. She had always been a worrier—a woman whofretted over everything, from minor illnesses to whether Gray was eating enough, to whether the world outside their small home was safe enough for him. That worry had followed her all her life, only growing sharper when she was diagnosed with cervical cancer. But now, in these final weeks, something had shifted.

The worry had drained out of her.

It hadn't been replaced with peace—not exactly. But there was something close to relief in its place. A final letting go after the trauma of chemotherapy, after the fight she had waged and lost.

Cadi, six months pregnant at the time, had been sitting beside her as she laboriouslymoved to the edge of her bed, her breath shallow but her eyes warm.

"Come here, love," she had whispered, extending a thin, trembling hand toward the cupboard beside her. "I have something for ya."

Cadi had rushed to help, watching as Gray's mother reached for something tucked away on the highest shelf.

She had pulled it down with care, pressing the folded fabric against her chest for a moment before handing it over.

"This was Gray's."

Cadi had looked down at the red blanket with the tiny fox and rabbit border, her fingers tracing the delicate knitted patterns that had been stitched with such love.

"For the child," his mother had continued, her voice soft, but steady. "I hope he—" she faltered, then smiled, "I hope he loves it as much as Gray did."

Cadi had swallowed thickly, overwhelmed.

"Thank you," she had whispered, and Gray's mother had squeezed her hand, her touch weak but full of conviction.

"Ya are a gift to Gray, after all that he suffered," she had said. "Take care of him, will ya?"

Cadi had nodded, not knowing that three weeks later, the woman who had once been strong against all odds would be gone.

Cadi blinked rapidly, coming back to herself, the blanket still clutched tightly in her hands.

She wasn't aware of how long she had stood there until she turned her head slightly—and saw Gray watching her.

He was standing completely still, his face unreadable, but his eyes held something unfamiliar—not anger, not resentment, but... wariness.

Like she was a wild animal he wasn't sure how to approach.

Without a word, she dragged the suitcase back to the landing before heading toward the master bedroom to retrieve her own.

Her gaze caught on a photograph resting on the bedside table.

A frozen moment in time—an unguarded snapshot of their family after one of Gray's rugby matches.The friendly matches turned a tad competitive more often than not. They were all laughing, drenched in rain, Tomos sitting on Gray's shoulders, giggling at something ridiculous Cadi had said.

The rage hit suddenly.

Before she could stop herself, she snatched the frame and hurled it against the wall.

Glass shattered.

The sound should have been deafening, but somehow, the room felt deathly silent.

She wanted to scream—to rage—but the only thing that came were silent tearsthat trickled down her face, unchecked. She made no move to dry them.

Gray stood motionless at the doorway, his expression unreadable, having trailed her from Tomos' room.

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