2007.
The months went by and Jack began to slow down. During one of their bike rides, Matt and Jack found themselves far from Vicary City. They were on a different hill, where a panoramic view of the distant mountains unfolded before them. There were green meadows as far as the eye could see, but Matt noticed something was wrong.
There were green meadows as far as the eye could see, making the urban chaos a distant memory, but Matt noticed something was wrong [https://img.wattpad.com/f95f867c8649ebbb95b71a93e90ec16ecd5efeb6/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f572d334d6b3461364761327444773d3d2d313438313039363737302e313830636666313965386662623832383430383331363734373533312e6a7067?s=fit&w=1280&h=1280]
«Are you okay, Grandpa?» he asked, raising his dark eyebrows a bit.
Jack took a deep breath and touched his chest.
«I'm sorry, Matt, but this body doesn't have the strength it used to,» he replied, squinting and slightly opening his mouth.
«Is there anything I can do to help?» Matt asked, dismounting his bike and gently patting Jack's shoulder.
«Matt. I'm old,» Jack replied, raising his gaze. «Maybe I should take these bike rides a bit less seriously,» he continued, his expression tightening from the strain.
«I don't like seeing you like this,» Matt replied, taking a step back and lowering his gaze.
«Don't worry, Matt,» Jack said, giving a wink with his left eye. «My body might be weak, but my spirit's still goin' strong!»
«I don't doubt it, Grandpa. You're the strongest person I know,» Matt replied, sighing.
«Thank you, Matt,» Jack replied after a breath, pulling himself up.
«What do we do now?» Matt asked after scratching his temple.
«A bench would be nice,» Jack said, looking ahead.
«Okay, I'll go find one,» Matt replied, looking around first.
Then Matt spotted a narrow path between a couple of trees facing each other. Curious, he headed toward them, and once he took the path, he walked for a bit and found himself in a really dense forest.
I gotta move faster, the kid thought after glancing back to check that his grandpa was still okay. He picked up the pace and then started jogging. He turned left and found the bench he wanted. The bench was nestled between two big trees.
There it is, the boy thought.
In the middle was an old wooden bench chillin' between two big oak trees. He rushed over and swiped off some leaves. Then, he bounced back to Jack.
«I spotted one!» Matt exclaimed when he got out of the narrow path, pointing toward it [https://img.wattpad.com/1677c99e7a6e96e2f4ca32a3f3ba6addb2b082ce/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f71325a727270754b426b506d36413d3d2d313438313039363737302e313830636666323066316465363963383730333331323835333631362e6a7067?s=fit&w=1280&h=1280]
«I spotted one!» Matt exclaimed when he got out of the narrow path, pointing toward it. «Let's roll on our bikes!»
«Bet!» Jack replied, hopping back on his bike before Matt.
Matt and Jack rolled down the path, and when they hit the clearing, Matt shot a finger at the bench he'd spotted earlier.
«Here it is, Grandpa,» he said, dismounting and leaning his red bike against the tree on their right.
«I've seen this place before,» Jack thought as he continued to pedal, widening his eyes a little.
Jack carefully dismounted, leaned his blue bike against the other oak tree to their left, and then slowly walked toward the bench, with Matt staying close, ready to help if needed. When they hit the bench, Jack plopped down. He let out a big ol' sigh, stretched his legs, and leaned back against the wood.
«Ah, just what I needed,» Jack said, tilting his neck back.
«Have you ever been here before, Grandpa?» Matt asked, sitting down next to him.
«I was thinking about it earlier, I must have come here with your grandmother once,» Jack replied, crossing one leg.
«What was she like?» the boy asked, leaning against his grandfather's shoulder.
«She was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. I was lucky she chose me, haha,» Jack recalled, laughing, then turned his gaze to his grandson. «You would have liked her; she also was a much better cook than I am. Maybe that's why I've gained weight over the years. Haha,» he continued, laughing even more.
«Oh come on, you're still in great shape!» Matt replied, giving him a pat on the shoulder.
The two fell silent for a few minutes, sipping water from their bottles. Matt then noticed that his grandfather had taken on a thoughtful expression.
«What's on your mind, Grandpa?» he asked, leaning in and resting his elbows on his knees.
«Just thinkin' about my life,» Jack replied with a sigh. «I was way too wrapped up in work,»
«But you're making up for it now, right?» the kid asked, pulling his knees back and gazing up at the sky, which was so clear.
Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.
«Maybe,» his grandpa admitted, lifting his shoulders a little bit. «But I should've told your grandma how much she meant to me,» he said, glancing at the branches of the trees to his left. «I thought she knew, but I should've been more open about it...»
Matt stayed quiet and just listened.
«So...» Jack said, looking at Matt, now dead serious. «Whether it's your friends or your girlfriend, don't wait too long to tell them how much you care,» he continued, raising his index finger.
«O-okay, but why are you telling me this?» Matt asked, slightly turning away.
«'Cause I don't want you makin' the same mistakes I did,» his grandpa said, keeping his eyes locked on Matt. «Don't push away the people who care about just to chase something that...» his grandpa paused to choose better words. «Might not even make you happy in the end,» he wrapped up, tilting his head a bit.
Matt diverted his gaze from his grandfather once again, furrowing his brow as he tried to understand what he was conveying.
«I understand, Grandpa,» he said, slightly nodding and staring into space.
About six months later, Basil, Matt's dad, was about to plop down next to him on the couch in the living room. The walls were painted blue and white, popping against the big dark wood bookshelf in front of them, packed with books and family pics. The couch was wide and cushioned, a deep black.
Matt was watching a very intense episode of Dragon Ball Z and was dressed in a black t-shirt and sweatpants, while Basil, with his green eyes and light brown hair pulled back, wore a dark blue sweater [https://img.wattpad.com/f725359e4b4226e6515ccf18845b7050274d4ca7/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f486e50583954726e7879485076773d3d2d313438313039363737302e3138306366663261616262613030303839393933363230353233372e6a7067?s=fit&w=1280&h=1280]
Matt was watching a very intense episode of Dragon Ball Z and was dressed in a black t-shirt and sweatpants, while Basil, with his green eyes and light brown hair pulled back, wore a dark blue sweater.
Matt was watching a very intense episode of Dragon Ball Z and was dressed in a black t-shirt and sweatpants, while Basil, with his green eyes and light brown hair pulled back, wore a dark blue sweater [https://img.wattpad.com/e0f1b5bc90734d54e87f3efa005aedb21a5d51e2/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f5a66782d6e4a362d794e676e7a513d3d2d313438313039363737302e313830636666326433393731633333633834313239383737363239322e6a7067?s=fit&w=1280&h=1280]
His father then grabbed the remote from the table by the footrest and turned off the TV before sitting down next to Matt.
«Hey, what are you doing?» Matt complained, turning toward his father to his left, with an annoyed look.
«Matt, we gotta talk,» Basil said, his eyes getting serious. «It's about Grandpa Jack,» he added after a quick pause.
«Huh?» Matt flinched, as a knot twisted in his stomach after his dad dropped that bomb.
Basil took a deep breath and leaned toward his son.
«I'm sorry to drop this on you, but Grandpa Jack just... passed away,» he said, not making eye contact. «He had ischemia, and... even with the docs doing their best, he... didn't pull through,» he finished, blinking a bit as he broke the news.
«W-what?» Matt stuttered, his eyes going wide. Very, very wide. «Why didn't anyone fill me in, Dad?» he shot back, jumping to his feet.
«Matt, you're still a kid,» Basil replied, keeping his eyes on his son. «We wanted to shield you from this until the very end,» he continued, looking him in the eyes.
«I'm not a child, Dad!» Matt shot back, clenching his jaw. «I should have known Grandpa was sick!» he continued, grinding his teeth.
What gives you the right to... Matt thought as his nose twisted but then he saw Basil sighing and looking away for a moment. His dad then put a hand on his forehead and began to massage it. The news of Jack's death had hit him deeply, too. After all, he was his father.
«I understand that you're angry, and I'm sorry if it seems like we kept something from you,» Basil explained, slightly shrugging. «We just wanted to spare you further pain and keep you safe.»
«Safe? Safe from what?» Matt yelled, tilting his head toward Basil, who was still seated. «Grandpa was my friend!» he exclaimed, his eyes wide.
«I know, and I'm so sorry,» Basil replied, slowly standing up and trying to touch Matt's arms, who looked down, tears filling his face.
«We still had so much... to do together,» the boy stammered, as tears streamed down his face. «He promised me more... bike rides, more... talks...»
«I know, Matt. Grandpa Jack really cared about you,» his dad said, placing a hand on his right shoulder. «Life can be a real curveball sometimes, and it snatches away those we love way too soon. But we'll get through this together,» he assured him with a nod.
«No way, I'll never accept this!» Matt yelled and shoved Basil's hand off his shoulder.
«Matt!» his father yelled, reaching out with his right hand in vain as Matt bolted out of the room.
Matt rushed out of the house and made his way to the park just a few steps from his home. When he arrived, he sank onto a bench.
«Why Grandpa?» the boy whispered, kicking a nearby bottle. «What will I do without you?» he continued whispering, squinting as his vision blurred.
Two days later, Matt found himself next to his grandfather's coffin. There was a heavy silence. He was dressed in a black suit, a white shirt, and a dark tie. The church where the funeral had taken place was simple and adorned with white flowers. About twenty people had gathered to bid farewell to Jack, all of them very old.
About twenty people had gathered to bid farewell to Jack, all of them very old [https://img.wattpad.com/70f0884f268c7d72d4a3ffb646bbed9faf5349dc/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f3963395773435549726b776154413d3d2d313438313039363737302e313830636665633235656466373036633837323337353736313438372e6a7067?s=fit&w=1280&h=1280]
How could this happen? Matt thought, reaching out to touch the wood. Maybe if I hadn't insisted so much on the bike rides, his heart wouldn't have given out, he wondered, blinking.
Is it my fault? he asked himself, finally closing his eyes.
After a few minutes, guilt began to envelop him, and Matt's mind twisted under the weight of his doubts.
I can't... he continued to reflect as his hand touched the wood. I can't face life alone, he told himself, as he tilted his head down.
The funeral concluded and Matt returned home by himself, with his hands in his pockets. As soon as he crossed the threshold, his gaze was then drawn to the house next door, his grandfather's house. The two bicycles still sat in the driveway: his blue mountain bike and Jack's classic red bike with a worn-out handlebar.
The two bicycles still sat in the driveway: his blue mountain bike and Jack's classic red bike with a worn-out handlebar [https://img.wattpad.com/1a19c5d59b5866eb0004639d61c13ff3e188250f/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f2d4d447064314c482d5639676e413d3d2d313438313039363737302e313830636666333232303465653937353635333536393737373336382e6a7067?s=fit&w=1280&h=1280]
He felt a shiver run down his spine and goosebumps rise on his skin. Then, he slowly approached, his trembling hand reaching out to touch the seat of his grandfather's bike, almost hoping to hear his warm voice again.
You'll make it, he imagined hearing him say, as he touched the seat.
Matt then closed his eyes and rested his hand on the saddle. After reliving the days spent at his grandfather's house—lunches, swims in the pool and the sea, chess games, and bike rides—he reopened his eyes, almost as if he had drawn strength from the memories.
I won't let you down, Grandpa, he thought, his lips still trembling. I'll make you proud of me, I promise.
He would have kept pedaling and lived without regrets, just like his grandfather would have.