49 This is My Son

"Aye, I will do it. I know these woods the best, just please make me some food. I will go with the young one." Subaru looks at Cedric and gets up off the floor. "I am a herbalist and I have a vast knowledge of these parts. If you are comfortable showing me what you need I will show you where to go. I will however not force you to come with me and that is a choice entirely up to you."

Boss placed a few bundles of food on the counter. "I would accept his offer. He will be able to take you straight to the closest plants and you would not need to hunt it down. He also grows some herbs in his yard and house. When my daughter got sick we all worked really hard to save her but in the end, she succumbed to her illness but she was happy to have lived."

A little boy pokes his head into the room. "Grandfather, I am hungry." He looked at the stranger and hid behind the curtains.

"Come on out Itsuki. It is safe, these people will not hurt you." Boss's gaze softened.

Itsuki ran over and hid behind Subaru. "Papa, is it really safe?"

"Yes, of course, it is. They are here buying food and then I will guide them to find the herbs they are looking for. I will leave you with, Boss. I mean your Grandfather." Subaru kelt down and hugged the boy.

"He is precious. Hello, I am Gabriel. I do not have any candy with me but the next time I come through here if it is alright with your father and grandfather I will bring you something." He went down to eye level with the child and smiled.

Itsuki peeked his head out and smiled at the young man. "I am Itsuki. I am not allowed to accept gifts from strangers but thank you."

Boss looked at the boy, "Itsuki, those two are friends so you can accept something from them. I made you egg roll and onigiri."

"Yay!" Itsuki runs behind the counter and the Boss helps him into the tall chair.

"So as you can see that oaf is my son in law and he did help a lot. So take him with you and you may bring a treat for Itsuki. I am sure that something different would be good for the boy." Boss smiled while placing the food in front of his grandson.

"I will accept your help Subaru. There is a list in the carriage. Would it be better to look at it here or in the carriage?" Gabriel was now looking at Subaru.

"I can grab it and take one dinner to Kosuke. That way he is not waiting for us." Edward got up and grabbed one dinner set and carried it to the carriage.

"Thank you, Edward." Gabriel smiled and invited Subaru to sit with him. "There might be a way that you can help me out long term. If you are willing to help collect the herbs and bring them to me then I could pay you."

"May I ask what is wrong with your girl?" Subaru finally asked the question that had been bothering him for some time.

"We do not know, but I can tell you what I witnessed. I stayed with her all night in the hospital. She started coughing and she puked up blood and it was bad. I got her to take her medication but it was not a pleasant sight to see but I stuck with her the whole time. I did not get to read her file yet but my father has. She gets a lot of fevers and cannot participate in gym class." Gabriel looks at their expressions.

"That means she is not going to live long or wasn't supposed to. She has the same disease my daughter had." The Boss looks sad at the wall and then nods at Subaru.

"Ayame was my everything but she was not sick when we got together. She developed the illness during our first year together. We did not have enough information and she would throw up blood every day. I made all sorts of medication for her and that helped calm the symptoms but it did not stop the disease. She died a month after giving birth to Itsuki but she was happy to hold her baby. I will never forget her."

"Another that has had the same illness!" Edward heard all the ending and rushed to the table with the book and papers. "Amelia has been fighting this since she was little and we were told that it was unlikely that she would live past the age of five then the age of ten and now the estimate is any day could be her last. Gabriel is the partner of my daughter."

"So young. I did not know that it affected the young. The book you are carrying, I know it well. Thank you for buying my book." Subaru bowed.

"Thank you for making such a detailed book. I am going to share with you the medication that has delayed the effects. It was invented by my grandfather and he passed it on to me but not my father. I think that is because I was faster at making medicines out of herbs." Gabriel took the book and bowed at Edward. He pulled out the list page and pointed to the one herb that they needed the most. "I need this the most." Gabriel points to Bo-fu.

"I know where that is grown in abundance. I will take you there but if you know of a way to help those that suffer these symptoms will you be willing to show me?" Subaru asked and bowed his head.

"Yes, I will show you but I need to make it back at the hospital so if you have time and are willing to travel with me I will show you how I get everything done and I appreciate you showing us the herbs." Gabriel sighed in relief. 'Amelia I may get to return back to you sooner.'