I Walked Away Seven Years Too Late But Right on Time novel Chapter 197

Over the weekend, Jason drove out to pick up Gwen and her father.

George Grayson's stroke had paralyzed the right side of his body. His right hand was tightly clenched and trembled uncontrollably. He could only drag his right foot when he walked, requiring either a cane or someone to physically support him.

It took Gwen and Jason a massive amount of effort just to maneuver him into the back seat. By the time they finished, Gwen was drenched in sweat.

She glanced over at Jason, whose t-shirt was equally soaked.

Jason grabbed two bottles of water from the trunk, handed one to Gwen, and nodded respectfully to her father. "Mr. Grayson, we're going to head out now. If you need to stop for a break along the way, just let me know."

Gwen knew Jason meant using the restroom. During his hospital stay, her dad had to use a bedpan. Before they managed to hire a caregiver, it had been Jason who helped her dad with his bodily fluids.

Other couples spent their early dating months going on romantic dates. Jason was spending his time at the hospital dealing with her dad's bedpans.

Gwen felt a deep, overwhelming sense of guilt.

They had only been together for three months. Why should he have to suffer through this?

Sophie had said Jason was a man of strong moral fiber and wouldn't just abandon ship when things got tough. But it was exactly because of his strong morals that Gwen felt she couldn't guilt-trip him into staying.

If she were honest with herself, if she were in his shoes, she'd probably want to run. She wouldn't want to be trapped either, so she couldn't force it on Jason.

Everyone's life was hard enough as it was.

During the drive, George signaled that he wanted water. Gwen unscrewed the cap and whispered, "Just take a few sips."

She was terrified that if he drank too much, he'd need the restroom, piling even more work onto Jason.

Because of the stroke, the corner of George's mouth drooped. Half the water he tried to drink ended up spilling out, running down his chin. Gwen could only sit there, constantly wiping his face with tissues.

Catching the scene in the rearview mirror, Jason said, "That's my fault for not thinking ahead. We'll stop at the next service station and grab a cup with a straw."

What should have been a five-hour drive stretched into seven hours due to bathroom breaks and stopping for dinner.

Along the way, George needed the restroom three times. Since he couldn't walk properly, Jason had to carry him on his back, assist him inside, and carry him back, which ate up a lot of time.

Dinner was even slower. His right hand was useless, his left hand was clumsy, and his drooping mouth meant he dropped food everywhere. Even though Gwen tucked napkins into his collar to act as a bib, plenty of soup and sauce still splashed onto his clothes.

It wasn't until they entered the city limits that Gwen finally gave Jason the destination address.

"Don't buy anything else; I have everything at my old place. I'll go over later, pack up my stuff, and get that apartment ready to rent out."

Gwen shot Sophie a deeply grateful look. With a friendship like theirs, superficial pleasantries weren't necessary. The gratitude was understood.

"I'll go give your dad a shower so he can go to bed early."

Gwen nodded. Right now, Jason was the only one she could rely on for this.

She had spent days searching for caregivers online and had called several. Either they demanded too much money, or they only agreed to work day shifts.

But what if her dad needed the restroom in the middle of the night? As his daughter, how was she supposed to help him physically?

She dug out a fresh set of clothes for her father and handed them to Jason. Watching Jason guide her dad into the bathroom, she sighed heavily. No matter the cost, she had to find a 24-hour caregiver.

"How much was the rent?" Gwen asked Sophie, pulling out her phone to transfer the money.

"Don't worry about it. You have enough expenses right now. Just pay me back whenever you're financially comfortable." Sophie covered Gwen's hand with hers.