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Dad is calling…
The phone rang on the table. Ilya slowly walked over and saw Shane's phone lighting up with an incoming call. When he glanced at the caller ID, a flicker of concern crossed his face. Picking up the phone, he stepped outside and started to look for Shane.
When he found Shane sitting quietly by the dock outside the cottage, Ilya sat down beside him, kissing him gently on the cheek before handing over the phone. “There you are. Your dad's calling. It could be something important.”
“Maybe. I told my parents that I needed a silent retreat, so they wouldn't call me for no reason.” Shane frowned slightly, an uneasy feeling rising in his chest. Right at that moment, the phone started ringing again. The moment Shane answered, his father's panicked voice came through the other end.
“Shane! I finally got through to you. Oh my God! Come to the hospital right now. Your mother collapsed after a fall. The doctors are treating her.”
Shane's worry instantly turned into absolute panic. He stammered, his face turning deathly pale. “What? No... no, how could that happen? What happened? I... I'll be right there."
“Shane, listen to me. Calm down.” David softened his voice to reassure his son. “The doctor said your mom isn't in any critical danger. Just drive to the hospital first, or better yet, get a ride here. I'll text you the address. I need to take care of the paperwork now.”
Shane hung up and stood up in a hurry, turning to speak to Ilya.“Ilya, my mom is in the hospital. I have to go there right now.”
“Shane, calm down. You're shaking.” Ilya jumped up after him, gripping Shane's shoulders firmly to keep him steady.
“I… I have to get to the hospital right now.” Shane's voice trembled, his eyes brimming with tears.
Ilya nodded and took Shane's hand, leading him back inside the cottage.
“Alright, go change quickly. I'll drive you to the hospital.”
“But…” Shane hesitated.
“No ‘but’, malysh. You're still shaking. How are you supposed to drive yourself to the hospital like this?” Ilya's voice became firmer and more decisive.
“...Okay. Let's go.” Shane gave a small nod and obediently did as he was told.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After more than twenty minutes of driving through tense silence, the Jeep Cherokee finally pulled into the hospital parking lot. Only then did Ilya turn to Shane. “Do you want me to go in with you? I can sit and wait outside if you want."
Shane hesitated for a moment, but in the end, fear made him decisive.
“Come with me. I need you. I can't…”
Ilya patted the back of Shane's hand and smiled warmly. “Okey. Let's go.”
While walking toward the elevator, Shane called his father to let him know. “Dad, we're here. We're about to get into the elevator.”
“Good. The doctor just finished checking on your mother, she was transferred to VIP room 10 on the 14th floor. Just head up there.” David sounded much more relieved than their previous call, which was a good sign. It seemed that in his confusion, he hadn’t paid much attention when Shane said “we”.
Shane ended the call and walked quickly toward the elevator with Ilya. Fortunately, there was no one else inside. The trip to Yuna's room went more smoothly than expected. They made their way through the hospital without drawing anyone's attention or running into any obstacles.
Carefully scanning his surroundings, Ilya quietly let out a sigh of relief. His Shane was already dangerously close to the breaking point because of his mother's condition. If someone happened to recognize them now, the situation would undoubtedly become a disaster.
“Shane, you're here, son. The doctor has examined your mother and run all the necessary tests. They said there's nothing serious and they didn't find..."
David smiled and greeted Shane as he saw him enter. Then he stopped abruptly when he noticed the tall figure following behind his son.
“Is that Rozanov?”
Shane didn't reply. He hurried over to the side of the hospital bed, opposite his father. He gazed at his mother's peaceful sleeping face. In truth, he rarely saw her this relaxed. A glaring white bandage remained on his mother’s forehead.
“What is this wound from, Dad?”. Shane asked, heartbroken.
‘We’re cleaning out the storage room when a small trophy fell and hit her on the head, making her faint. But the doctor has already checked her test results. He said he couldn't find anything abnormal inside. It's possible that she has been lacking sleep and exhausted lately, so the concussion was enough to knock her out. She’ll be alright once she wakes up.”
David explained slowly before shifting his gaze toward Ilya.
“And this is…”
Shane finally looked up at him, softly replied, “Yes. This is Ilya…Rozanov. You probably know that. He drove me here.”
Ilya stepped toward David, offered his hand, and flashing a polite smile.
“Mr. Hollander, I'm Ilya. It's a pleasure to meet you.”
“Hello, Ilya.” David returned the handshake. “Just call me David. Thank you for bringing Shane here. I was very worried whether he'd be able to drive here safely after hearing such terrible news. I'm so sorry. I should have broken the news more carefully.”
“Dad, it's alright. Please don't apologize for that. I'm sorry for not answering the phone sooner.” Shane said quickly, his voice filled with guilt.
David smiled at his son before turning to gently pat the shoulder of the man who was supposed to be his rival. He felt like he had a lot of questions, but he didn't know where to start, or whether this was even the right time to ask them.
“Mm... David?”
At this moment, a gentle voice from the hospital bed breaks the silence. Yuna slowly opened her tired eyes, looking toward him and Ilya. David immediately bent down and took his wife's hand.
“Yuna, honey. You're awake? How are you feeling?”
“I feel a bit dizzy. Where am I?” Yuna asked, confused.
“You're in the hospital. That trophy hit your head and knocked you unconscious. I brought you here. Do you remember?”
David spoke gently, his warm voice calm and reassuring. He didn't want to overwhelm Yuna any further.
Yuna fell silent for a moment, as if trying to recall something, then replied, “I think I vaguely remember the trophy falling... That's right. I remember now.”
Then she turns her eyes toward the young man with light brown, curly hair standing next to David.
Before David could explain more about the ongoing situation, she suddenly spoke,
“Oh Ilya, honey. You must have been so scared, right? I'm fine now. I'm sorry for ruining your retreat."
She smiled at Ilya with motherly affection, completely unaware that her words had caused the room into dead silence.
“What?” Shane blurted out in shock. “Mom... why did you call Ilya ‘honey’?"
Only then did Yuna seem to notice the other person in the room. Her expression became even more bewildered than it had been when she saw Ilya earlier.
“Rozanov? What are you doing here?”
“Mom... who did you just call Rozanov?” Shane asked, his voice trembling.
Yuna turned to David, completely flustered. “Why is Shane Rozanov calling me Mom? David, what's going on?” She felt her head suddenly ache much worse. She pressed one hand against her forehead while gripping her husband's hand tightly with the other hand, searching for something to steady herself.
“Easy, Yuna. Everything's going to be alright. I'll let the doctor know you've awakened. Just stay calm and don't think about anything else.” David gently patted the back of her hand with his free hand, trying to soothe her distress. Once he saw her calm down a little, he carefully let go.
He turned to look at Shane across the room. Seeing tears welling in his son's eyes, he simply gave him a reassuring shake of the head. “Let me call the doctor first.”
With that, he hurriedly walked out of the room.
"Ilya."
"Ilya."
The two voices called out almost at the same time. Both owners of those voices looked at Ilya as if expecting an explanation for this incomprehensible situation.
But all he could do was shake his head.
“Let's wait for the doctor to check first, yes?”
Shane nodded, his gaze shifting back to his mother. A sharp ache pierced his heart when he saw the unfamiliar way she looked at him.
She was looking at him like a stranger.
No, worse. She was looking at him guardedly, like he was some potential threat.
Then he watched his mother reach out her hand toward Ilya.
"Ilya, come here." She said,
Ilya remained still,he had no idea what was happening.
Why did Yuna Hollander want me to come closer instead of her own son?
Why was she calling my name?
Why was her voice so gentle?
He instantly glanced over at Shane, silently asking for guidance.Shane gave him a small nod. Ilya stepped closer to the hospital bed.
Yuna naturally reached out and took his hand. She didn't say another word. She just simply held his hand in silence.
Fortunately, at that very moment, David returned with the doctor.
The elderly doctor greeted everyone with a polite nod before turning to speak to Yuna.
“Hello, Mrs. Hollander. I'm glad to see you're awake. How are you feeling?”
“I still feel a little dizzy, and my head hurts. Other than that…” Yuna hesitated,adding, “I'm not sure.”
“That's alright. Could you answer a few simple questions for me?” The doctor nodded slightly.
“Of course.”
“What is your name? Do you remember why you're here?” The doctor started.
“My name is Yuna Hollander. I remember a trophy falling on my head while I was cleaning with my husband.”
“Very good. Do you recognize the people in this room? Could you tell me who they are and how they are related to you?"
The doctor asked the question casually, but Yuna knew David had probably told him something before they came back into this room. This was an important question.
“This is my husband, David Hollander. This is my son, Ilya Hollander.” She pointed at David and Ilya in turn, answering honestly.
Then she pointed at Shane, her voice slowing down. “And that's Shane Rozanov, my son's rival.”
Shane stared at her with wide eyes. The tears he had been desperately holding back finally spilled over. For some reason, the look on his face made Yuna's heart wrench.
How strange.
She felt terrible seeing Shane Rozanov, who is always arrogant and sarcastic at press conferences, now looking at her with a face full of hurt.
She hurriedly corrected herself. “I'm sorry, Rozanov. I mean…”
She turned back to the doctor. “He's also a hockey player, just like my son.”
“Mom” Shane's voice broke. “I am your son. I'm Shane, Shane Hollander. He's Ilya Rozanov. He is the rival…”
“I…” What's happening?
“Shane, son. Don't cry.” David stepped forward and wrapped his arm around his son, comforting him. “Perhaps the concussion has affected your mother's memory.”
“Yes. Memory loss or distortion is fairly common after a head injury. In most cases, it's only temporary. Once the concussion passes, the memories will return to normal.” The doctor, who had been quiet, quickly chimed in to support David.
“Are you sure that my mother's memory will return to normal, doctor?" Shane asked, looking at him with a glimmer of hope.
“I'm sorry, Mr. Hollander. But human memory is an extremely complex area. I can't give you a definite answer. However, based on her current condition and test results, your mother hasn’t been too severely affected. The chances of her recovering her memory are very high.”
He continued to advise them, “For now, your family should slowly talk to her and try to help stimulate her memories, but don't force it. If anything seems wrong, like a headache, you should stop. I'll review and adjust her prescription. If anything changes, call me. Now, if you’ll excuse me.” The doctor's calm explanation eased some of Shane's anxiety.
It's going to be alright.
Shane repeated the words to himself. “Thank you, doctor.”
“Yes, thank you, doctor.” David nodded along.
After the doctor left, silence settled over the room once again. No one knew where to begin.
Finally, David slowly walked over and sat on the edge of Yuna's bed. He gently stroked her hair. “Honey, this is our son, Shane. And this is... um... Ilya Rozanov.”
“That’s not right. How could I mistake my own child? Ilya, Ilya is our son.” Yuna muttered, shaking her head. She wanted to scream, to protest David’s words. But somewhere deep down, she knew her gentle husband would not lie to her. Could she really be mistaken?
David kept whispering softly in her ear. “No, honey. Ilya is our son’s friend.” He still hesitated slightly on the word “friend.”
“Friend? Aren’t they rivals? I remember so clearly that they are rivals.” Yuna was bewildered, the memory feeling unbelievably real to her.
She remembered the images of the two boys facing each other on the ice, the heavy body checks, the provocative chirps.
Was that truly just my imagination? What else had I remembered wrong?
Just as Yuna began to panic, Shane took a deep breath and said, “No, you remember correctly, Mom. In your memory, Ilya and I have always been against each other. You and Dad didn't know anything else about our relationship. Because... because I’ve hidden it from both of you for a very long time.” Shane confesses to Yuna hesitantly. He didn’t want to further confuse her already chaotic memories.
At least she had the “rivals” part right.
“So what have you hidden?” Yuna asked, looking at Shane more seriously, but not out of anger, she just wanted to know the truth.
We’re just friends. I’ve hidden this friendship since the rookie season. Shane could have said that. He shouldn’t confuse his mother any further. The doctor had specifically warned not to pressure her.
“I’m gay. I’m sorry you had to find out this way.” But he didn’t want to lie anymore. He hated lying to his parents. Especially now, when his mother was hurting, when she was already lost in a maze of tangled memories. He couldn’t add another lie for her.
“And I love him.”
Shane held Ilya’s hand as if searching for courage. “He’s…We’re,umm…”
What were they exactly?
It occurred to Shane that he and Ilya hadn’t even figured out what label they were comfortable with.
“Lovers,” Ilya offered.
Fuck, way to choose the grossest possible word, Ilya.
“But...you hate him,” Yuna looked toward Ilya
“No, I don’t.” Ilya shook his head. “I mean, I get that, but no. I love him.”
The surrounding air suddenly fell into silence. Neither Yuna nor David had recovered from their shock. Shane felt his anxiety growing by the second, and he murmured, “Please say something.”
"When did this happen?” Yuna finally asked, her gaze darting toward Ilya. “Wait, was it since the All-Star game? You were on the same team …”
“No,” Shane interrupted gently. “It was... already going on then.”
His father blew out a breath. “You sure fooled us. And...everyone else.”
“So when?” Yuna asked. She seemed desperate to figure out the timeline of this thing. Shane could see her mentally replaying the past several seasons in her head.
“Since, um, our rookie season.” Shane mumbled.
He lowered his head, avoiding his parent’s eyes. He could only imagine how stunned they looked now.
“You can’t have been...since your rookie season?” his mother gasped.
“No,” Ilya said. “That’s not right. Was before that.”
Not helping, Ilya.
“Before that?” Mom asked.
“A little before,” Ilya clarified. “Summer before.”
Oh no, how could I have been completely in the dark like this? Yuna thought in a panic. Observation and analysis had always been the greatest strengths she prided herself on, even to the point of arrogance. But now, her only son was in love with his rival, and she had no idea. Her Ilya wasn't even good at lying. Why did he have to hide it from her? Was it because of something she did?
No, David had said Shane was actually their son. Yuna felt plagued by misery, her heart twisting as if squeezed by an invisible hand. A wave of guilt washed over her, she was a terrible mother.
What kind of mother wouldn't remember the child she gave birth to?
What kind of mother fails to understand her own son?
Her head throbbed like a hammer was pounding against it, feeling as though it were about to explode. Yuna clutched her head, her shoulders trembling as she muttered in hopelessness, “I’m sorry... This is all my fault. Shane... Ilya... I’m sorry …”
Seeing her like that, David quickly wrapped his arms tightly around her to comfort. He soothed, gently rubbing her back. “Alright, alright. Let’s stop right here. You need to rest first, Yuna.”
Shane also asked anxiously, “M-Mom, what’s wrong?”
David turned and spoke softly to Shane, “Perhaps that’s enough for today, Shane. The doctor warned us to stop if your mother feels uncomfortable. Let her get some more rest.”
Shane hesitated for a moment, his face showing clear reluctance, but then he could only nod. “Okay.”
David added, “It’s late. You two should head home first. I’ll stay here with your mother.”
But Shane immediately shook his head. “No, I want to stay here with Mom.”
David spoke slowly, his voice still incredibly gentle but carrying a firm tone. “It’s fine with just me here with her. Your mother only needs to lie down and rest right now. You and Ilya go home and get some rest, too. You can drop by again tomorrow.”
Shane still wanted to argue further, but at that moment, Ilya lightly touched his hand to give him a sign. Understanding the gesture, he reluctantly nodded. “Ok, Dad.” He looked back at his mother, who had quieted down by now. “Get some rest, Mom. I'll be back tomorrow morning.”
She nodded. “Alright, you two head back first. I want to sleep for a bit too.”
Shane wanted to hug her goodbye but feared it might make her uncomfortable, so he could only say instead, “I’ll come visit you early tomorrow. Bye, mom. I love you so much.”
Yuna smiled at him. The smile she gave him was gentler now, no longer filled with confusion and shock from earlier. That tiny change somehow soothed the anxiety swirling inside Shane's heart. Then, she turned her gaze toward Ilya and said, “Thank you for taking time to visit me, Ilya.”
Ilya gave a subtle nod, replying politely, “It was nothing. I hope you get well soon. Goodbye, Mrs. Hollander.”
Yuna suddenly pauses for a moment. A strange feeling welled up inside her chest upon hearing her "son" call her "Mrs. Hollander" so formally.
But she didn't say anything about that, she simply smiled, “Just call me Yuna, Ilya.”
“Yes,Yuna.” Ilya replied obediently.
After that, he and Shane said their goodbye to David before turning to walk out of the hospital room.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Once they were seated inside Shane’s car, the cabin sank into a heavy silence. Ilya didn't rush to start the engine right away either.
“Shane.” Ilya was the first to break the silence.
“I’m such an idiot.” Shane cut him off, his eyes still staring blankly straight ahead at the windshield in front of him.
Ilya remained silent, watching Shane’s profile, patiently waiting for him to continue.
“Why on earth did I choose the exact moment my mom had a concussion to come out?” Shane’s voice cracked with deep self-reproach.
“A little, yeah.” Ilya admitted with a nod.
“Asshole.” Shane shot him an annoyed glare.
“What, kotenok? I agree with you, yes?” Ilya teased with a grin.
“I just…” Shane sighed. “I didn’t want to lie to my mom anymore. I panicked a bit back there and couldn’t think straight. But still, how could my mom possibly think you were her son?” Shane started rambling.
“Maybe she remembers having the best hockey player son, so she naturally assumed it was me?” Ilya thoughtful nod as if he had actually figured out the reason.
“In your dreams!” Shane burst out a little laughing, his voice less tense.
“You know..” Ilya continued, “Your name sounds pretty with my last name, Shane Rozanov. Want to take it? Do you need to wear my jersey, too?” Ilya happily offered, a sudden surge of excitement creeping into his heart and spreading into his eyes.
“Shut up, Ilya Hollander.” Shane lightly smacked Ilya’s arm. Then, his face suddenly dropped, becoming more serious. “What if my mom can't remember me anymore?”
“Shane, you’re overthinking this,” Ilya spoke up quickly, catching Shane's hand and gripping it tightly to reassure him. “Doctor said her situation is very promising. She’ll remember everything soon.”
“Do you think doctor will recognize us? Is anyone at the hospital paying attention to us? I was so careless, Ilya…” Shane started spiraling into the loop of anxiety again.
“Shane, moya lyubov, listen to me,” Ilya patiently calmed him down. “Do you still remember our plan? We’re going to start a foundation together, yes? If anything leaks out today, we'll just push the announcement up a little earlier. Right? It's not like they caught us making out, they’ll believe whatever we say.”
Shane gave a slight nod but said nothing back. He brought both hands up to cover his face, his chest heaving as he gasped under intense stress.
Ilya’s large hand gently stroked his trembling back, calling out softly in concern, “Shane, are you okay?"
Shane said weakly, “I’m fine, I’m just panicking a little bit. Don't worry about me.”
Ilya kept rubbing along Shane’s back, as if trying to give him strength. “Sweetheart, everything is going to be just fine. Your boyfriend is right here by your side.”
Shane slowly lifted his head, looking toward Ilya as he repeated it with a bit of shyness, “My boyfriend?”
Such a ridiculous word. Such a ridiculous, wonderful word.
Ilya shrugged, and grinned. “I think, yes?”
“Yes.”
Hearing the answer, Ilya chuckled softly, leaning in to press a gentle kiss against the corner of his newly boyfriend’s lips. Pulling away after just a brief moment, Ilya smiled and started the engine.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The morning sunbeams filtered into the hospital room, waking Yuna up. With every blink, her mind slowly reassembled the jumbled pieces of her memories. Her eyes gradually regained their usual sharpness. The first thing she saw was almost exactly the same scene she had seen the day before.
Her husband’s deep, warm voice echoed beside her ear. “Yuna, honey. You're awake? How are you feeling?”
A strange sense of déjà vu washed over her, leaving her a bit dazed. But this time, she immediately turned around, looking straight at the one staring back at her with wide, worried black eyes.
Her voice trambled, “Oh Shane, honey. You must have been so scared, right? I’m fine now. I’m so sorry.”
Hearing this, Shane rushed forward to hug his mom, bursting into tears. “Mom, you remember now?”
Yuna gently wiped her son’s tears away, then lifted her eyes to look at the young man who was still standing up straight and serious nearby,“Rozanov?”
Ilya replied politely, “Please call me Ilya, Mrs. Hollander.”
Yuna gave a gentle smile, her eyes full of kindness. “My apologies, Ilya. And you should call me Yuna too, right? Thank you for coming to visit me again.”
Ilya quickly shook his head, “Oh, it’s no big deal, Yuna.”
Yuna continued, “When I’m discharged from the hospital, you absolutely have to come over to our house for a meal. I think we need a proper dinner to thank you and introduce each other.”
Ilya hesitated for a moment before glancing at Shane, silently asking for permission. He looked a bit timid and flustered, entirely different from the confidence she usually saw.
She asked further, “How do you feel about pasta, Ilya? My husband makes it really well.”
Ilya looked straight into her eyes, flashing a bright smile. “That is my favorite dish.”
David, who had been quietly watching all along, also chimed in enthusiastically, “And we even have Russian vodka at home.”
Hearing this, Ilya clapped his hands. “Perfect. I’m really looking forward to it.”
At this point, Shane could only let out a weak sigh, “Oh my god!”
Yuna burst into laughter. She was also looking forward to that dinner. Hopefully, these two boys would be ready for the thousand questions she intended to ask along with the upcoming sponsorship plans.
~~~~~~~~~~End~~~~~~~~~~
Perhaps Yuna really is a witch. Before she could know the truth, her subconscious already whispered to her that Ilya belonged to the Hollander, that he was her son. Her favorite son. 😉