Complicated Love

Chapter 25

Branch closes their apartment door behind him as Poppy notices the little dragonfly. Poppy's first and new tattoo on her lower back is completely finished. Mick had no trouble doing it and it came out better than it looked on paper and doesn't look like it was as simple as Mick said it was. Then again Mick have done big graphic tattoos.

" Your tattoo really does scream 'Poppy' better than the other designs. ", Branch complements caringly and happily.

Poppy takes the letter from the critter and notices it is dressed to Branch. She immediately knew it was his parents and thought that they must want to tell him something good or wanna know how he is doing. The pink troll happily turns around and shows Branch the letter.

" Your parents sent you another letter. ", Poppy says calmly and happily.

Branch takes the letter gently from his girlfriend and looks at it. He wasn't expecting a letter from them so soon. Poppy walks into the kitchen to get a pain pill since her lower back was still so very sore. Mick had suggested that it would help with the pain since she was new to having a tattoo.

The male troll sits down on couch as he checks the envelope for a card but, there wasn't one. That's strange. His mother always puts in a card to say stuff like " Take care". Then he pulls out the letter and slowly unfolds it unaware of reading it would change his view of what he thought to be true about his grandma.

Poppy drinks down two pain killers with water in her personal bottle as she joins him on couch. Branch was completely quiet as he reads the letter. Too quiet for comfort in fact. His eyes widen like he just received bad news. When Poppy notices this she immediately becomes unease. Branch looked like he was ready to cry or something! Something was definitely wrong...

"Hmm... Branch? ", Poppy says softly and concerned.

" I need to go back to Pop Village now...", Branch blurs out blankly but, yet some panicked still in his voice.

By night fall Branch and Poppy's caterbus finally reached Pop Village hospital. Branch had told Poppy that his grandma was in the hospital in his rush to leave but, she refused to let him go alone. There is no way she is going to let him travel alone in his state of panic! Branch runs into his grandmother's hospital room both scared and worried about her. His heart was pounding.

" Grandma! Are you okay?!", Branch says in panic.

It broke Rosiepuff's heart to see him like this but, she knew what would happen if they continued to keep it a secret. Branch's parents look at him with heavy hearts from the other side of the bed. Poppy and her father just catch up and see the scene from the hall easily. Poppy was just about to go in but, her father stopped her. Poppy turns her head to her father who was holding her wrist. There was a sad look in his eyes like he knew something she didn't.

" I think we should give them some time alone...", Peppy says sadly and knowingly.

" It will be better if you sit down for this, my angel... ", Rosiepuff says with s heavy heart.

Branch looks at his grandma then up at his parents. They all shared the same look like they knew something he didn't. His mother tells him as well to sit down. The mixed troll sits down like they asked not sure what to expect. It was bad enough that he found out his grandma is in the hospital after she fell down but, now...

" The only reason we didn't tell you earlier cause your grandma didn't want you to know before. We just wanted to protect you. ", Noah says sadly.

" What was it that you didn't want me to know? I'm not a little kid anymore. ", Branch says confused and seriously.

Then Rosiepuff puts her hand over her grandson's hand. This moment made it feel like the truth is the hardest thing she could admit but, she had to. It didn't matter of Branch would be able to handle the truth or not. He had the right to know. The grandparent looks Branch directly at his eyes. She could still see the little boy he once was in him.

" Peachfuzz, I'm sick... and there is nothing any of us or the doctors can do anymore. I'm dying and my time left isn't much... I made your parents keep it secret for a few months now. I was truly trying to protect but,then I realized how much you be hurt more. I'm sorry... ", Rosiepuff says slowly, softly and heavily.

Branch couldn't believe it! They kept him in the dark! His grandma was dying and they just -! His mind was racing as his heart started pounding like he was about to have panic attack! He felt like he couldn't breathe! The young troll got up immediately feeling like he needed to be somewhere else. Rosiepuff, Noah and Olivia immediately saw how bad he was taking it but, was there actually a good way to react to all of this? Especially since he denied the truth for so long?

" Branch - ", Olivia says worried but, gets cut off.

" I need to be alone!", Branch yells upset.

Then Branch left the hospital room clearly upset. There were tears in his eyes trying not holding back. He didn't care where he went. Olivia felt like she was gonna cry herself with guilt as they saw run away. Noah hugged her as she started to cry out feeling like she was the worst mother in the world. Noah tried comfort her. Rosiepuff's heart dropped and broke at the same time.

In the hall Poppy sees Branch run pass her. It broke her heart and worried her when she saw him. Without a single thought she decided to go after him and comfort him but, her father grabbed her arm stopping her again. Peppy looked his daughter straight in the eyes. Poppy's eyes showed every emotion she felt in that moment.

" He needs me...", Poppy says softly.

Hearing that made him let out of her not saying anything. He knew she was right. Poppy run in the same direction she saw Branch disappeared in. Soon she found herself outside the hospital and there he was on his knees breaking down. There was nobody but, them outside. It broke Poppy's heart even more to see Branch like this.

This was the first time that he ever did this but, she wasn't going to let that stop her from being there for him. It was her turn to return the favor. Poppy knees down next to her boyfriend and hugs him trying her best to comfort him. She whispers comforting and soft things into his ear basically telling him everything will be okay. Branch continues to sob uncontrollably on her shoulder as he accepted her comfort. He didn't know what else to do...

He was losing his grandma...

AN: 😭I'm trying to keep it together. Don't worry