Well, that was what Kyle hoped.

However, could young children truly understand?

Even if they were sympathetic towards Lianne, it didn't mean that they didn't feel something.

After all, Kyle was *their* father, not Lianne's.

Sayuri held onto Rory, who was pouting while hiding her face in her chest, while Alex just glared at his father. Kyle noticed this, but ignored them for the time being. He had already explained it to them and right now, the situation wasn't suitable for him to comfort them.

The doctors were there for a consultation, and Lianne was just lying on her bed while listening to it all. Kyle and Stephan were paying close attention as the surgery was the next day.

The tests had been done, but later on, there was going to be a briefing as to the protocols in the CICU (Cardiac Intensive Care Unit). After the surgery, she would be under observation in CICU before she could be returned to the normal wards.

Lianne was rather listless listening to that.

She only managed to keep calm because her mother was here, but in the CICU, her mother would not be able to stay with her. That thought terrified her and she listened impassively as Kyle tried to get some concession.

While the discussion was going on, Rory watched it all with a sad face.

Why was her father being so attentive to Big Sis?

"Mummy, does this mean Daddy doesn't love us anymore?" Rory asked her mother mournfully, "Do I have to get sick like Big Sis for Daddy to

"What are you talking about?" Sayuri asked in surprise, "Of course not! It's not that Daddy doesn't love you or that he doesn't want to pay any attention to you, but right now, Big Sis needs Daddy more."

"But he's my Daddy, not hers," Rory mumbled, gripping Sayuri's shirt as she carried Rory.

Sayuri gave a slight sigh and felt rather helpless.

This was not something she could truly explain to Rory or Alex. Even if Lianne really was their sibling, Sayuri was sure the twins would feel slightly jealous. After all, Kyle had been rather busy the past couple of days.

Times like this, the kids didn't think about all that Kyle had done before, or how he had always put them first. They were only concerned with the here and now, and how they felt now.

It was as if this moment was the most crucial moment and all that Kyle had done before were long forgotten.

Kids were like that.

They were very expressive and felt what they felt at the moment, and they were too young.

Sayuri held onto Rory tighter and tried her best to explain, "To your father, Lianne is not more important than both of you. After all, you are his children. Imagine this, Rory."

Sayuri paused and looked at Rory, "You love Socks, right?"

Rory nodded. Socks was her favourite and she loved Socks to death.

Sayuri looked at Alex, who was listening as well.

"Socks has you, and the rest of the siblings. Not to mention he has both of his parents, Kitty and Aki, right?"

Rory nodded again, not understanding where this was going.

"What if you find a lone kitten, who is hurt? And that kitten meows pitifully at you? Feels safe with you? Would you ignore it?"

"Of course not," Rory said with a huff, "Poor kitty."

"Yes, poor kitty," Sayuri said, "Does taking care of that kitty mean you don't love Socks anymore?"

"Of course I do!" Rory said, her eyes wide.

"Socks can run and jump, play with everyone but the little kitty is scared and sick," Sayuri said, "Would you pay more attention to Socks, or the little kitty?"

"Little kitty!" Rory said, "She is sick, so she needs to be taken care of."

"Right," Sayuri said, "And when you're sick, don't you feel like you want more attention?"

Rory nodded.

Slowly, her eyes began to show some understanding. Still, she didn't like it. She pouted.

"I suppose Big Sis does need Daddy," Rory said, "But but …"

Just then, Kyle came over and scooped her up from Sayuri's arms and rained her face with kisses, "How is my little Princess?"

Then, he looked surprised, "What is this? What is making you look so sad?"

Rory pressed her lips together, not wanting to say anything. Instead, she wrapped her hands around Kyle's neck and sniffled.

Kyle's heart was rather torn at this.

"You're such a strong little girl, you know that?" Kyle whispered in her ear, "Thank you for sharing me with Big Sis Lianne."

Kyle carried her and taking Alex's hand, he walked over to the window. He then crouched, putting Rory on his knee while still holding onto Alex's hand.

"I know this is difficult for you," Kyle said, "And I want you to know that I appreciate it that you are letting me take care of Big Sis Lianne. You know that both of you are my world and I would do anything for you guys."

He hugged Rory, "I love both of you so much, you know that. I'll always. Always. Be there for you."

This was the best that Kyle could do.

He could tell them, but at the end of the day, it's his actions that would prove it to them. And that, however, would take time.

✿ Author only posts on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l. ✿

"I'm sorry," Lianne said softly to Kyle after everyone had gone back home.

Kyle gave her a small smile, and resisted the urge to ruffle her hair, "There isn't anything to say sorry for. I'm just glad I can be here for you."

The day of the surgery was one of the hardest things Kyle had to go through.

He had thought his death day was bad, but this … for some reason, it felt worse.

Seeing how Lianne was just taking it in her stride, Kyle did his best to look as if it didn't bother him at all. Watching as she lay on the wheeled stretcher made his heart lurch. She looked so small on it.

Everyone was there in the ward to send her off, so to speak.

Sayuri and the kids, Stephan, Joseph and Kay, and finally, Zero.

The twins watched with eyes wide as Lianne was wheeled off. Just as Kyle followed behind, he gave a quick kiss to Sayuri on the lips, several butterfly kisses on Rory and patted Alex on the back. He gave a brief nod to Stephan and quickly walked beside Lianne.

He followed her all the way to the surgery doors, where he had to change his shoes into the slippers provided and wear a surgical gown and cap. Lianne was wheeled into a room whereby they started to insert the lines needed.

Despite Lianne's age, she was given some EMLA cream, which is basically a numbing cream on the area where the lines would be inserted. EMLA was normally given to young children in order to minimise the pain, but in this case, Lianne had extreme fear of needles and would get an anxiety attack whenever she had to have her shots.

Thus, Lianne was an exception.

As it would take about an hour for the cream to take effect, the cream had been administered before she was wheeled out of her ward. Kyle held her hand throughout, as they worked around him to place the necessary lines.

When it was time, Kyle was allowed to follow Lianne straight into the surgery room. He watched as the anesthetist started administering the anesthesia and she was asked to count backwards.

After they made sure she was under, Kyle left.

Kyle had to take several deep breaths as he slowly walked out, and together with Stephan, Joseph and Zero, they waited in the corridors. The ladies were waiting in the ward, waiting with the kids.

The operation was supposed to be two hours.

However, even after three hours had passed, she had yet to come out.

Finally, just as the fourth hour passed, Lianne was wheeled out.

She looked so pale and small on the wheeled stretcher. There was such a large breathing tube inserted in her mouth, and some wires sticking out of her neck. As much as he wanted to follow her, he could not.

She was unconscious anyway, and right now, the surgeon was right outside the surgery room, waiting to talk to them.

So they waited, while Lianne was wheeled into the CICU which was right opposite the surgery room.

"The surgery was a success," he said, facing the three men, "The valve could be repaired, and didn't need to be replaced."

Kyle, as well as everyone else, was relieved.

"However, her heart was already enlarged," the surgeon said, "Indicating that it was already over-exerting itself. Thus, it was really good that the surgery was done early."

Again, another miracle and disaster missed. They had earlier been told it wasn't an urgent surgery, but as it turns out, one could never know until one is 'opened up'. The enlarged heart was not seen through the various tests that they had done.

"That's good," Kyle said in relief, "But why did the surgery take longer than expected?"

More so since it was a valve repair, and not a replacement.

The surgeon looked at them seriously, and said, "Though the surgery was a success, her heart rate was rather low throughout. Thus, we had to stimulate the heart a few times."

Kyle paled.

Lianne almost died on the surgery table?!