Cohabitation With My Ex-Husband

"You don't need to give me money. Here! Take it back!"

That was exactly what Michael wanted to say. However, he swallowed those words.

He remembered that he managed to get Sarah to live here because he said that instead of her looking for another apartment, she can just live here and pay for the rent.

"Okay! Thank you!" answered Michael trying to look nonchalant as he let out a smile and put the medium white envelope on the table.

Sarah nodded and left immediately. She was grateful that Michael decided to accept the money.

Yes, her relationship with Michael is like that. She is just renting.

Michael stared at Sarah's back as she walked into her room. He felt a little strange.

He was confused.

Sometimes, the woman was close to him, but sometimes Michael also realized that Sarah seemed to draw boundaries between them.

Michael sighed. Trying to get rid of his overthinking thoughts.

Sarah said that she wanted their relationship to be taken slowly, so it must be like that.

***

In the VIP room of one of the biggest hospitals in London,  there are many people inside that large room.

Apart from that there were men and women who wore white coats used by doctors. There was an old couple, a man in a suit, and two happy-looking little kids.

"Is grandfather not sick anymore, Mommy?" asked the brown-haired boy, lifting his head to see the face of the woman who was wearing a doctor's coat.

The woman nodded, a big smile on her face.

"Grandpa. I'm gonna hold your hand," said the blonde haired boy then grabbed his grandfather's hand and led him to walk.

"Thank you, Gabriel!" replied the old man with a big smile on his face. He then turned to the man wearing a suit and the woman wearing a doctor's coat.

"You don't need to come here." said the old man who felt bad because those two people must be very busy. Even so, a wide smile appeared on his face.

"You shouldn't say that with a smile on your face," the old woman beside him quipped.

"That's all right, Mr. Collins. I have time to come here for a bit," Sarah replied with a smile.

"I'm busy, but I'll definitely come. Thank you dad!" replied Michael with a facial expression that looked touched. A few months ago he was so hopeless that his father didn't want to do the surgery at all, and thought he was going to lose him.

He never thought that his father would be declared healthy again and would no longer be lying in the hospital bed.

Mr. Collins just smiled at his only son.

"Congratulations on your recovery, Mr. Collins," said Steve who was also there. He always tried to come to see his patients when they were going home.

"Don't forget to keep taking your medicine, and don't do risky activities for a moment, okay?" continued the blonde haired man.

"I understand! You've been saying that since morning!" said Mr. Collins, a little annoyed to hear his doctor who kept saying that. He's old, but that doesn't mean he's senile!

Steve just smiled at the old man's nagging. Looks like he'll miss it a bit later.

"What are risky activities, uncle?" asked Gabriel curiously as he raised his head to look at Steve. "Is grandpa not allowed to play with me?" he continued worriedly.

Steve bent his body slightly so that his position with the boy could be at the same level.

"Your grandpa can play with you guys. But... you can't play tag because Grandpa can't run around. Okay?" Steve said softly while stroking Gabriel's head.

"Aww too bad..." Gabriel looked slightly disappointed when he heard that. "Alright! I'll keep an eye on grandpa so he can't run," he continued with a determined face.

Steve smiled then returned to his position as usual.

After making sure nothing was left behind, finally everyone in the room left and left the VIP ward.

"Sarah," Mrs. Collins called over to Sarah who was walking behind them.

Sarah, who was walking with Michael, was a little surprised when she saw Mrs. Collins suddenly approach her.

"What is it, Mrs. Collins?" Sarah asked confusedly.

Her relationship with Mrs. Collins had improved somewhat, but she still felt awkward with the old woman.

Mrs. Collins stared at her son, the expression on her face as if she was hesitant to say it because Michael was there.

"You can go first, Michael!" Sarah said as she placed one of her hand on Michael's back, telling him to go ahead.

Michael stared at his mother for a while, then finally caught up with his father who was being held by his kids.

"Hmmm... that..." Mrs. Collins said slowly while occasionally looking at her husband and son, to see if they were far enough away so they wouldn't listen to what she had to say.

Sarah just kept quiet, waiting for what the old woman would say.

Mrs. Collins sighed and looked at Sarah.

"That... Have you changed your kids's names yet?" asked Mrs. Collins slowly and carefully.

Mrs. Collins didn't have time to find out about it, and to be honest she forgot about it a bit because her mind was focused on accompanying her sick husband.

When her husband recovered and was able to go home, Mrs. Collins again remembered about her grandson's name not using Collins. They are Collins, they should carry that name!

"Ah!" Sarah's lips parted slightly when she heard Mrs. Collins' words. To be honest, she had also forgotten about it a bit since she was going back to work.

"I'll do it soon," Sarah replied.

Mrs. Collins opened her mouth, but she decided to shut it again and just nodded her head.

To be honest, she thought Sarah had done that because one of the conditions for the kids to inherit from her husband was that they had to carry Collins' name.

However, it seemed that the woman was not so intent on her husband's inheritance that she forgot about it.

Well... Looks like Sarah isn't so bad after all.

***

"So... what did mom talk to you in the hospital?" Michael asked, turning to Sarah as he was picking her up.

He wanted to ask that earlier, but since Sarah still had to work and wasn't coming home with them, he decided to ask her when she got home from work.

He was a little curious.

The two kids who had come with him were in front of them, talking about running a race all the way to the apartment.

"That..."

Sarah didn't finish her words when Michael's hand suddenly clasped hers.

"What? Why did you stop?" asked Michael, trying to look casual.

The only chance for him to walk holding Sarah's hand was when he picked her up because then the kids wouldn't bother him as they were busy running a race.

"Your mother asked if I had changed the kids's names to Collins," Sarah said, holding Michael's hand in return.

She was a bit surprised but that didn't mean she would reject it.

Michael sighed when he heard that.

"Hah! I'm sorry. I've repeatedly told mom not to get involved in that matter. I'm really sorry, Sarah," Michael said, feeling good about Sarah.

His left hand that wasn't holding Sarah clenched tightly. He felt angry. Angry at his mother who again intervened and ignored his words!

Looks like after this he should go see his mother again and talk to her!

"It's fine. I'm fine with that. You don't need to scold your mother," Sarah said softly, trying to calm Michael down.

Yes. She noticed the man's tightly clenched fists.

"Really?" Michael asked, turning to the woman.

Sarah nodded.

"To be honest, I kind of forgot about that. Luckily your mother reminded me," Sarah said with a smile on her face to show Michael that she meant what she said. "You didn't say anything about it either."

"Well... I was waiting for you to do that," Michael replied.

To be honest, just like his parents, Michael also wanted his kids to carry the Collins' name. However, he didn't want to push Sarah too much on the matter and waited until she changed the names of the kids first.

"But are you sure you want to do that? If you are not ready, you can do it later," continued Michael.

Lately, he felt like Sarah was drawing boundaries with him, so he doubted whether Sarah wanted to do it or because of the talks she had with his mother.

"Yes. After all, they are Collins," Sarah replied with a smile. She then looked at her kids. "But I'm a little confused about how to tell them. The problem is that all this time they know their name is Smith, not Collins," Sarah continued with a worried face.

"You have me. Let's tell them together," Michael replied gently when he saw Sarah's concern.

Sarah's lips curved into a smile when she heard that. She felt a little relieved.

Well... she just hoped that her kids would take their name change well.