Strangely instead of saying exactly what Ellie had said, Henry reconsidered .  He felt in the pit of his stomach that this was something she would appreciate if he kept her true feelings private .  So instead, Henry spoke up . "Ellie is not in the hospital anymore, Nolan . You cannot continue to make decisions for her now that she is nearing full recovery .  She is your older sister so you need to respect her decisions . "

Advertis.e.m.e.nt Nolan's anger reared its ugly head at Henry as his words grew harsher .  "You're just betting on that she won't survive this so you can get the money you need to sustain your lifestyle .  You would be nothing without her . "

Henry was about to open with a retort when Michael strolled into the room offering a calming tray of refreshments and sodas .  He had a spectacular ability of turning the subject from hostility to cordiality in a simple smile . Michael seemed oblivious to the two lions getting ready to rip out each other's manes .

Henry's knuckles were white as he held his Pepsi bottle tightly .  He could see the bottle's gla.s.s beginning to crack under the strain of his fingers .  Henry knew it wouldn't end well so he had made an excuse by saying his colleague had texted him about urgent business before disappearing to a floor Nolan wouldn't have access to .

=//=

It was strange to come home to an empty house .  Henry was so used to Michael chatting him up, even at odd hours of the night when he would come home drunk or with a woman in tow .  Michael had deservingly taken tonight off to care for his ailing wife . The other serving staff had also astonis.h.i.+ngly listened to his requests to be alone .  It was nice one in a while to realize that a house full of thirty people . . . no wait . . . thirty two . . . if he counted his annoying brother-in-law . . . was still his home .

He reached his wing of the manor and began to wait past the huge framed portrait of his happier parents in the early days of their marriage .  Henry was imagining the soft bed that awaited him when he realized that the shadow underneath the painting was much longer than when he last remembered it .  His heart stopped in his chest for a minute as Henry imagined that he was in a horror movie and a killer had come up to finish him off .

He strained his eyes to see and realized with a jolt to jumpstart his heart that it was not that .  It was an emanc.i.p.ated body that belonged to the woman who had been the center of his life for the past few weeks .  Ellie Chen was leaning against the wall, her hands finding support as she moved along the wall . There was a gallery below them where there was a railing to have a view of a chandelier that Henry's mom had designed out of love for his father .  The gallery was a full two stories below them so it was very small as someone viewed it from above .