709 45 Million Years of Love

Twain and Shania spent New Year in the hospital ward. Twain was in a critical condition at that time, and neither of them had the mood to celebrate.

He stayed in the hospital for a month and finally received Stanley Meyer's approval to be discharged at the end of January.

When news of his forthcoming discharge was made public, the entrance to the Royal College of Physicians' hospital became jam-packed once again. Media outlets from all over the world rushed over for a shot of Tony Twain, as it would be his very first public appearance since his hospitalization. The reporters had a month's worth of questions for him. It was easy to imagine the scenes that would unfold at the entrance to the hospital.

To avoid bringing trouble to the hospital, disrupting their operations, being harassed by the reporters when he gets discharged, and because Twain enjoys going against the media, even if he is suffering from a heart condition, he chose an unexpected timing for his discharge: 1 A.M.

Needless to say, the timing the hospital released that to the public was that his discharge would happen slightly later in the day at 9 A.M.

The paperwork necessary for his discharge was finished a long time ago. When it was time for him to be discharged, he walked to the entrance under the accompaniment of Shania.

Everywhere around him, be it the front or side of the hospital or the streets, was deserted at 1 A.M. The frigid temperature outside was below zero degrees Celsius and could turn water into ice. There were no reporters who would wait outside the entrance to the hospital under such conditions just for a shot of Tony Twain.

Tony and Shania successfully evaded the reporters by choosing this time. They shook hands and thanked Stanley Meyer and the other hospital staff who had taken great care of Twain for the past month at the entrance to the hospital before leaving the premises quietly.

The two did not return to the house at No.13 Branford Garden Lane. Instead, they drove straight to a fancy neighborhood near the Lace Market, where Shania had previously bought a house.

Unlike Twain's old residence, this house was not as well-known to the media. Twain did not have to worry about reporters waiting to ambush him outside his door for a long time.

This change in residence had been pre-arranged by the doctor. Stanley Meyer wanted Tony Twain to recuperate in peace during this period following his discharge. Twain should not do or care about anything else besides recovering. This meant that he had to stay away from the media as much as possible. If the media really wanted to know about the latest news regarding Twain, they could give Pierce Brosnan a call, for he would be more than happy to play the role of 'Tony Twain's spokesperson' on all things related to Twain.

There were no newspapers related to sports in the house. The television would never switch to the sports channels either.

Twain had to train for half an hour every day, quit drinking and smoking, and cultivate a regular daily routine by sleeping and rising early.

He had to start living a brand new life here.

The medical staff who was specially hired by Shania started work, and that was when Shania could finally take her hands from everything and rest.

In the blink of an eye, another month passed by.

Towards the end of February, Shania published a post on her official website thanking her fans for their concern, and she also revealed the date for her comeback, which was during Milan Fashion Week Spring.

The way in which she had stubbornly pushed aside several jobs suddenly had caused her to lose most of her brand endorsements and some popularity. It did not matter what reasons she may have for refusing the jobs. The modeling industry is very competitive and brutal, and she had to start from the bottom once again, even if she used to be a supermodel. She had to work hard on the runway and win back the endorsements and popularity that she had lost with her abilities.

Twain was a little worried about whether Shania could make her way back to the top, but Shania looked full of confidence and fight.

She had been in good spirits ever since her relationship with Twain had been thoroughly confirmed. None of the problems she ran into at work mattered to her anymore.

If not for the fact that Twain was not in good health, she most likely would have given her body to him a long time ago…

When March arrived, Shania began practicing zealously for her upcoming runway show and became very busy with work. Twain's care was generally left in the hands of the male nurse named Albert Douglas.

Speaking of Mr. Douglas, he was someone who was specially selected by Shania after going through many rounds of tests. He was a conscientious man who was very meticulous about his work. In the beginning, his strictness tormented Twain, but Twain soon came to realize that his only option was to give up against an individual who was even more stubborn than him. Thus, he became obedient and listened to every word that Mr. Douglas said.

Forcing himself to quit smoking and drinking was something that pained Twain both mentally and physically. It was only after a month of perseverance that he realized he could sleep well without thinking about his cigarettes and alcohol.

In Twain's eyes, however, the best part about Mr. Douglas has nothing to do with his professional attitude towards work or his accomplishments as a nurse, but how he could cook authentic Spanish cuisine!

Twain had positively been in for a treat after his arrival.

It forced Shania to give up on her romantic ideas of feeding Twain her home-cooked food after tasting Mr. Douglas's dishes.

The days went by peacefully. Twain would go for a check-up at the hospital every 10 days under the accompaniment of Douglas. They kept his every visit low-key, and he would not say much even if the reporters caught him. The way he wore sunglasses and pulled a long face made him look like a movie star who was putting on airs instead of a football manager.

The feedback he received from the hospital became better and better with each visit, and the time in between his check-ups lengthened.

Both his operations, one to improve his heart condition and the other to implant the pacemaker, were also a success.

On the last day of March, Twain visited the hospital for another check-up once again.

After the check-up, Meyer asked him, "Mr. Twain, why am I not hearing you rant about your life this time round? You've always talked about how your nurse is too strict on you, and how asking you to stop smoking and drinking was like asking for your life, right? Why have none of these come up this time round?"

Twain grinned, looking very proud of himself. "I have quit smoking and drinking a long time ago. Completely."

"That is definitely something worth congratulating you about, Mr. Twain. That's right, are there any areas you are not used to in your life right now?"

Twain hesitated slightly, then he touched his nose and said, "I've forced myself to stay away from football for three months, but I still have not gotten used to life without it."

Stanley Meyer smiled as he nodded his head. "I didn't think you'd get used to it either. Actually, I think it's about time you restart to your previous lifestyle."

Twain did not comprehend what Meyer was saying at first, which was why he sat there unmoving for a moment. When the words finally registered in his mind, he was quite surprised. "You mean I can start working again?"

Meyer shook his head. "No, that's not what I meant, Mr. Twain. What I wanted to say was… Your heart is pretty much fine now, so you can start getting yourself into the mood, but you still can't get back to work just yet. Basically, I want you to get your heart ready for the future when you return to work."

Twain was left mildly dejected at his words but was quick to regain his optimism. "This works as well. At least now I'd be able to know where Forest is ranked…"

Meyer was a little surprised. "You still don't know?"

"I've not looked at a single thing related to football so far. How could I possibly know?"

Meyer sighed after hearing Twain's words. "I thought maybe you'd still learn a thing or two about the current situation of your team. I didn't think you would really completely shut 'football' out of your life."

"I do as I say—always." Twain felt that it was only natural for a man to be true to his words.

"Well, I suppose it's good that you are not in the know." Meyer smiled again. "Finding out yourself is always better than finding out from someone else. Also, Mr. Twain, you can stop coming for check-ups so frequently from now on. You just need to come back once every half a year, as expected of a normal 40-year-old. You have recovered a lot faster than I anticipated."

Twain was pleased to hear his words. It is only when you fall sick that you come to realize how important health is. Now that he has fallen ill, the good wishes that he wanted to hear the most from others were not for him to be successful in his work or to have a prosperous year ahead, but the best of health for him.

They bade farewell to Meyer and exited the hospital soon after. Douglas went to the parking lot and got the car while Twain stood beside the road and looked at the newsstand across of him.

Someone had put a colorful array of newspapers and magazines on display before the black newsstand. However, Twain did not cross the road to buy the papers in the time it took Douglas to drive the white Mercedes jeep before him.

Tony might have acted like he was really excited to learn about the news surrounding Nottingham Forest back when he was conversing with Meyer, but now that he truly had the chance to find out for himself, he was getting cold feet. He was quite worried about the news that he would hear; because he suspected that the team was not performing particularly well even before he heard the news.

The situation was disastrous enough when he was in charge, and he did not think Dunn could do a better job than him and turn things around. If Dunn could, then surely he would have won a match during that time he took over—when Twain was served a three-match ban.

It was easy to imagine the predicament that Nottingham Forest would be in given how they had no money to buy players and had suddenly lost their manager.

Nottingham Forest was a team that Twain had personally built from scratch. He was very familiar with every area, every component, and every person in the team. He could tell the team had not been performing well even with his eyes closed.

Still, he felt that his heart was not fully prepared for what was to come. He was afraid that the news that he would see the moment he bought a copy of newspapers would be news about a team that could not get any worse.

If that were to happen, Twain would probably have to be re-admitted into the hospital. However, fainting right before the hospital makes things a lot easier, and he might also get the chance to witness the prowess of the nuclear-powered pacemaker that was implanted in him, and see if it is powerful enough to keep him alive.

Douglas pulled up the car by the side and stepped out of the car to open the door for Twain. He realized that Twain's gaze was fixed on the newsstand across the street.

"Do you need me to buy a few copies of the newspapers for you, Mr. Twain?"

Twain shook his head and got into the car. "No, there's no need for that. Now's not the time yet."

※※※

Shania returned with endorsements from three world-renowned brands after her work in Milan. Her abilities, popularity, and Mr. Fasal's means had allowed her trip to Milan to be a productive one.

When she learned that Twain's heart was fine, she became so thrilled that she announced on the spot that she would bring Uncle Tony back to Brazil for a vacation!

Twain was taken aback. He understood that there was only one reason they would go to Brazil for a vacation. How could they not meet Shania's parents if they were in Brazil?

How should he handle the situation when he meets her parents? Even if Shania insists that she would not let her parents interfere with her love life, he still felt awkward…

He still remembers the scenes when he last met her parents. Shania's parents treated him as a friend who could take care of their daughter in Britain. Yet, during their next meeting, his status would have changed from 'guardian' to 'son-in-law'…

That gap was not something that everyone could accept easily.

However, he could not find it in him to reject Shania's proposal after seeing how excited she was. All he could do was to force himself to bring along a few pieces of summer wear, and his male nurse Douglas, who was highly conscientious, could cook, could drive, was willing to do anything without complaints, never talked nonsense and was very subservient.

The three of them flew from Britain to Rio de Janeiro the following day.

※※※

Just like the last time he was in Brazil, Twain saw Shania's parents waiting outside the airport the moment they stepped out.

Shania left Twain behind and pounced towards her parents the moment she saw them. Her actions were like that of a child.

On the other hand, Twain stood awkwardly behind their daughter, with Douglas standing next to him with a solemn look on his face.

How should I address her father?

Address him as "Bruce Tenório", perhaps? Does that sound too distant? After all, I am their daughter's boyfriend…

Or maybe address him as 'Dad'?

Stop joking around! We are of the same age. What's more, I haven't gotten married to Shania yet, that's just inappropriate!

Just call him 'Bruce'? That was how he addressed him previously.

However,… Should I really be addressing him in such a chummy way?

As Twain was lost in his thoughts, Bruce Tenório had already reached out a hand towards him. "It's good to see that you have been doing well, Mr. Twain."

So, he reached out and gently shook Tenório's hands. "Thank you for your concern, Mr. Tenório. It's been a while…" His expression and his tone as he spoke were a little unnatural.

However, Tenório did not seem to mind. He extended his hand to Douglas behind him next.

"Hello, this is the first time we meet, Mr. Douglas. I'm Shania's father, Bruce Tenório."

Douglas shook his hand back half-heartedly.

He was not the main character on this occasion and naturally did not care about what Tenório thought of him.

Twain looked at Shania, who was babbling away endlessly in her mother's embrace. It was the only moment that he felt that all three of them looked like a family. Shania was indeed their daughter, and they were truly Shania's parents.

All of them are usually busy with their own lives and only get to meet a few times a year, which is why Twain has the tendency to forget about the existence of Shania's parents.

The ones who are forgotten are the most troublesome.

Mr. Tenório's lack of enthusiasm told Twain that this trip to Brazil was not going to be easy for him.

Sunshine. Waves. Palm trees. Beach. Beautiful women in bikini… As compared to having a vacation in such a country, I would rather be holed up in my damp and cold house in Britain watching a replay of a football match.

Tenório smiled at the sight of Shania in her mother's arms. "All right, let's save the talk for later, Jordie."

It was only then that Shania let go of her mother and returned to Twain's side. She then reached out and hooked her arm over Twain's naturally.

Twain's body was still a little stiff as he gingerly followed Shania into the car. He did not forget to observe her parents' reactions, and he realized that neither Shania's mother nor father appeared to be upset by Shania's gesture.

That was when Twain heaved a sigh of relief.

Shania nestled against him as they sat in the back seat of the car. Twain suddenly felt like he had been acting too cowardly this whole time. Why couldn't he act like how he did the last time they met and be all smiles and jest? Why was he acting so reserved this time around, almost like how someone would respond when they met someone older than them?

In contrast, Shania has not been holding anything back, and she clung onto Twain tightly like an octopus. She paid little heed to Douglas, who was seated next to them and was being a third-wheel.

It seemed like she was intent on showing her parents how far her relationship with Uncle Tony had developed.

※※※

On the way back home, both Tenório and his wife showed concern for Twain's health. They asked him several questions about his heart problems, and the atmosphere in the car could still be considered amicable.

Once they arrived at Shania's house, they each began settling down in their respective rooms. Shania stayed in her own room, while Twain shared the guest room with Douglas, so it was easier for Douglas to take care of Twain.

After they had settled into their new rooms, Douglas wisely went out to the balcony to gaze at the Copacabana beach, leaving behind the other four in the living room.

The red flags in Twain went off. He knew the crux was about to happen.

Shania's mother, Giselle Tenório, looked at her daughter. "Jordie, isn't there something you should tell your parents about?"

Shania pouted and intertwined her arm with Twain's once again. "I thought I've already made things pretty clear."

Twain felt like he could not utter a single word in a family's talk like this. He was almost like a backdrop that one would see at theaters. The only thing he needed to do was to show how deeply in love they were with each other, and… keep his mouth shut unless asked to speak.

Shania's father, Bruce Tenório, opened his mouth to speak. "To be honest, I'm not very surprised at this development." He turned to speak to his wife as he placed his hand gently over hers. "Our Jordie has always been a special child. She never experimented with boys of her age. I still remember asking her why. Do you know what she said? She pouted and said, 'They are too childish'! Haha!"

Mr. Tenório could not restrain a laugh as he talked about Shania as a kid.

"I will never forget how Jordie looked like as a nine-year-old as she said those words. She had a look of seriousness and displeasure." Bruno Tenório averted his gaze onto Shania. "We watched that interview that you did in Hollywood, Jordie. I have nothing else to say. This is an issue that concerns only you. Neither of us has really interfered with what you did growing up. We always gave you as much freedom as possible, and we intend to keep doing that. You have the right to choose who you love or do not love. Your mum and I will never get in your way."

Twain heaved a sigh of relief after hearing his words and his body that had been stiff all along relaxed.

Shania felt the change in tension in Twain's body. She looked up at him and smiled at him, looking very pleased with how things had turned out.

"However, your mum is still very upset at you not calling to tell us you have fallen in love with someone, Jordie," Tenório said.

Shania grinned. "But I brought him back for the two of you to see! Actually, I still have something else on my mind. I plan to get married to Uncle Tony this year!"

Looks of bewilderment were written over both her parents' faces at what Shania just said.

One look was all Twain needed to know that her parents had not expected her words.

It looks like it's still not the time to relax just yet…

"You cannot do that!" Giselle's rejection came out of her mouth with little thought. The smile that would sporadically appear on her face was gone once and for all.

"Jordie, I hope you can reconsider that." Her father, Mr. Tenório, had a solemn look on his face.

"I knew it…" Shania shrugged her shoulders and sighed. "The two of you only give me the freedom to decide on trivial things. You will always do this whenever it concerns something important."

"Jordana." Her father's voice became cold quickly. "We might agree to you being in a relationship with Mr. Twain, but that doesn't mean we agree to your marriage. Marriage is a serious matter. How can you decide so easily?"

"Shania, if you were to get married so early, what is to happen with your modeling career? Or your career in Hollywood? Do you understand what a woman needs to sacrifice when she gets married?" These words came from Shania's mother.

Twain recalled that Shania's mother used to be a model in the past. However, she left the modeling world after getting married to Shania's father and has rarely appeared in the media since then.

Shania once said that Chinese blood runs in her mother's lineage, and it looks to be true. Certain traditional viewpoints are just hard to be rid of…

Shania stubbornly refused to relent. Her obstinate side was surfacing again. "If I have the freedom to fall in love with whoever I want, then why can't I have the freedom to marry whoever I want? I want to get married to Uncle Tony within this year. I know full well what that might bring to my job. I'm not a kid who knows nothing!"

Twain could not help but cough after noticing that the joyous mood was about to dissipate. "I'm sorry… Do you mind if I said a few words? After all, I play a role in this…"

All three turned their gaze onto him.

Twain scratched his head, then said, "Where should I begin? To be honest, I only came to truly understand who it was that I loved about three months ago. I'm a little dense when it comes to these things. But Shania has loved me for five years, from the very first time we met. The love that we have between us is unique. At first, I treated her as my junior, and I sometimes called myself her 'surrogate guardian' in Britain. I'm older than her by 22 years. I can't escape from that fact. I'm just…" He looked at Bruno Tenório, "Younger than you by a few years, Mr. Tenório. The fact that we can be together now is itself a miracle, especially after how I lived through my heart disease and experienced such a big happening in my life. Shania stayed by my side through it all, even at the expense of her endorsements. I am not a religious man, but I can only thank fate for that."

"I think I can understand your worries and concern, but at the same time, I can understand Shania's feelings as well. On the 9th of September this year, I celebrated my fortieth birthday. Half of my life is gone, and I'm a sick person. I have a nuclear-powered pacemaker implanted over here. I don't know when I will suddenly… faint again. To Shania, I am someone who is living in constant danger. She doesn't know when she will lose me forever, and likewise, I don't know when I will lose her. Thus, to both of us, every minute that we can spend with each other feels exceptionally precious. We can't waste even a minute or a second. The reason Shania so desperately wants to get married to me must be because she wishes to cherish the present."

"Shania loves me, and I love Shania. There's no problem with that. To someone like me who has died once before, nothing fills me with more assurance than waking up and seeing that the person I love is still beside me. The two of you cannot imagine just how much I cherish everything that I have in my life right now… Maybe you might even be skeptical about the feelings I have for your daughter. The truth is, I don't know how many more years I have to live, but there's one thing that I'm certain of… that is that right till the moment I die, my feelings for Shania will never change."

Shania looked on in shock as Twain conveyed his deepest feelings. Even when they were alone, Uncle Tony would always act like he's the elder, and would rarely be so forthcoming with his words. She thought the Uncle Tony whom she had fallen in love with was someone who was inarticulate, unromantic and did not know how to sweet-talk.

"So, out of consideration for our desire to cherish the present, I sincerely ask the two of you to agree to let me marry your daughter." Twain straightened up on the sofa and said the words in a grave tone.

"Uncle Tony…" Shania did not expect Twain to be the one to bring up marriage. She thought deep in his heart; he did not want to get married too quickly.

Shania's mother looked like she was about to say something, but her husband stopped her. Bruno Tenório said with a smile, "As expected of the manager who is known for his eloquence. I don't doubt the feelings you have for my daughter, Mr. Twain, just like how I don't doubt the feelings that my daughter has for you. It's just that have you ever thought about this, and I'm not cursing you, but your health is truly a worry. If one day you were to suddenly… What will happen to our daughter?"

"Dad!" Shania jumped to her feet. She was very upset that her father had said such words.

Twain tugged on her hand and got her to sit down. Then he faced Tenório and said, "I can't promise anything about the future. That is why I only said my feelings for Shania would not change right until the day I die. However, Mr. Tenório, have you not thought about it this way? It does not matter how healthy a person can look; there will come a day when he or she has to die. Maybe they will suffer from heart disease like me or some other incurable disease, or maybe they will get into a car accident or some other accident. I'm no different from them. Nobody knows when they will die, and nobody knows in what way they will die. Rather than worrying about what happens after death, why not live each day to the fullest? If fear of what happens after death keeps us from getting married, then I think nobody will ever get married." He shrugged. "But please rest assured that I won't die so easily; because I want to enjoy all the time that I can spend with Shania. This heart of mine…" he pointed at his left chest, and suddenly sounded valiant, "This heart of mine is nuclear-powered! The duration of its radioactive half-life would be the duration of my love for Shania."

Shania hugged Twain from behind out of the blue and buried her face in his shoulder. She suddenly remembered the words that Mr. Fasal told her that afternoon in America.

"The truth is, once you make your way into their hearts, you will receive the warmest reciprocation you can ever get. It's just that pirates tend to be a little careless, so they don't really pay attention to the people and things around them. But once they notice them… I need to start racking my brains over what is the best thing to get the two of you for your marriage."

Hearing his words, Bruno Tenório held out his hands and smiled at his wife. "What more can we say? Even I've never said those words to you when I was young, Giselle. 'The duration of its radioactive half-life would be the duration of my love for you'… It seems like our daughter has found the best partner for herself."

He turned to face Twain with a smile on his face. "But Mr. Twain, are you truly prepared to call me 'dad'?"

Twain had acted like a real man just now, but Bruce's words had stunned him.

To call a man a few years older than him 'dad'…

Shania continued to lean against his shoulder. Her mind was still preoccupied with Twain's confession earlier, and she was not aware of the predicament that Uncle Tony was in.

Twain could not count on Shania to help him. He was in a dilemma over what he should do for a while, but he eventually made the right choice in that situation.

Forget it; it's not like we meet each other every day! Let's just pretend I'm still 26 years old right now!

"Dad!" Twain yelled, his voice sounding stiff.

He did not stop there. He turned to Giselle Tenório next and yelled in the same tone, "Mum!"

Bruce Tenório burst out laughing, and he patted Twain's rigid body. "You are a good man, Mr. Twain. I know I can definitely leave Jordie in your hands. Enjoy the time that you have together!"

Twain broke into a stiff smile.

"Are you hungry? Let's get food. We shall treat it as your engagement banquet!"

As he finished his words, he helped his wife to her feet before the two walked outside together.

Twain got up after them but realized that Shania was still leaning against him. He turned his head to the back and saw Shania raise her head, her cheeks visibly flushed. She looked immensely bashful, but there was still a hint of slyness in her bright irises.

"It's good that I've not forgotten this piece of chemistry knowledge… The half-life of uranium 238 is 4.5 billion years. Uncle Tony, you have to love me for 4.5 billion years!"