The Chen household creaked with a different kind of silence these days. Where once there had been warmth and laughter, now every room felt heavy with unspoken worries. The very air seemed to pulse with anxiety, like a heartbeat growing steadily weaker.
Alex's condition had taken a sudden turn for the worse. His already weak heart struggled to keep up with even the most basic functions. The sound of his labored breathing at night carried through the thin walls, each shallow gasp a reminder of time slipping away.
Mik found their parents huddled at the kitchen table late one night, drawn downstairs by the soft murmur of voices. The ancient fluorescent light above the sink buzzed faintly, casting harsh shadows across their faces. Mom's half-empty tea had long since gone cold, a thin film forming on its surface.
"We have no choice, Michael," Jenn was saying, her voice thick with unshed tears. Her fingers twisted the worn silver band on her ring finger. "If we don't do something drastic, we're going to lose him."
Michael's head was in his hands, his shoulders hunched with defeat. The coffee mug before him remained untouched, its surface reflecting the dim kitchen light. "I know, I know. But divorce? It feels so... wrong."
The word hung in the air like poison. Mik must have made a sound, because suddenly both parents looked up, their faces etched with guilt and sorrow. The ancient floorboard beneath Mik's feet creaked, betraying their presence.
"Mik," Michael said softly, his voice rough with emotion. "Come here, kiddo."
Mik approached slowly, their bare feet cold against the linoleum, fear and confusion warring in their chest. "You're getting divorced?" they asked, voice barely above a whisper.
Jenn reached out, pulling Mik into a tight hug. The familiar scent of her lavender shampoo mixed with the salt of tears. "Oh, sweetheart. We don't want to. But we're running out of options to help Alex."
The next day brought another twist. Shae arrived, her usual bright smile replaced by a look of fierce determination. The bangles on her wrist clinked softly as she sat down at the kitchen table with Jenn and Michael. Mik lingered in the doorway, the worn fabric of their oversized sweater providing little comfort against the chill of anxiety.
"I have a proposition," Shae said, her dark eyes intense. "I could marry one of you. My job at OSU comes with excellent health benefits. Alex could be treated at the university hospital, and everything would be covered."
The silence that followed was deafening. Even the ancient refrigerator seemed to hold its breath. Mik watched their parents' faces cycle through shock, confusion, and then a flicker of desperate hope.
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"Shae," Jenn finally managed, reaching across the table to grasp her friend's hand. "We couldn't ask you to do that."
"You're not asking. I'm offering," Shae said firmly, squeezing Jenn's hand. "I love you all. Let me help."
As the adults continued to discuss this possibility, their voices a low murmur of hope and fear, Mik retreated to Alex's room. His old star projector sat silent in the corner, its once-spinning globe now still. The stars it used to cast across the ceiling were just memories now, like so many other things they could no longer afford to fix. Their brother was asleep, his breathing labored even in rest. Mik took his hand, feeling the weakness in his grip even unconsciously. His skin felt paper-thin, like autumn leaves about to fall.
"Hold on, Alex," Mik whispered, their voice catching. "We're going to figure this out. Somehow."
That night, as Mik lay awake in bed, their mind swirling with worry and confusion, they noticed a strange light outside their window. The curtains seemed to glow from within, casting ethereal patterns on their bedroom wall. Heart pounding, they rushed to look out.
There, in the night sky, was another shimmering circle. Larger than before, it pulsed with an otherworldly light that seemed to reach out to them personally. As Mik watched, transfixed, they felt a strange sense of calm wash over them. The circle's light seemed to promise that everything was about to change.
Mik reached for their phone, fingers trembling slightly as they typed:
StarGazer101: Cayde! You won't believe what I just saw! Another one of those sky circles, right outside my window!
There was a pause before Cayde's response came through, longer than usual. The soft blue glow of the screen provided the only light in the room besides the mysterious circle outside.
CelestialObserver: Really? That's fascinating, Mik. Can you describe it in detail?
StarGazer101: It was bigger than the one Alex and I saw before. And it seemed to pulse with this strange light. I know it sounds crazy, but I felt like it was trying to communicate somehow.
CelestialObserver: That doesn't sound crazy at all. The universe is full of wonders we don't yet understand. What do you think it means?
Mik hesitated, fingers hovering over the keyboard. They thought about Alex, about their parents' desperate plans, about the weight of impossible choices.
StarGazer101: Honestly? Part of me hopes it's a sign that help is coming. Things are really tough right now, Cayde. Alex is getting worse, and my parents are talking about desperate measures to get him treatment.
CelestialObserver: I'm so sorry to hear that, Mik. It's unfair that your family is facing such difficult choices. As for the phenomena... while I can't say for certain what they are, I have a feeling they're going to change things. Perhaps for the better.
As Mik signed off, they returned to the window. The circle had vanished, but its afterimage seemed to linger in their vision, like a promise written in light. They pressed their forehead against the cool glass, watching their breath fog the window. Somewhere in the house, they could hear Alex coughing in his sleep, the sound echoing through the quiet halls.
Whatever changes were coming, Mik prayed they would come soon enough. For Alex. For all of them.