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It was a cruelly beautiful day to hold Samuel’s funeral. The spring rains had given way to the clear summer skies and the sun seemed to hang lazily in the sky, casting a nice warm feeling over everything it touched.
Birds chirped in perfect harmony, the gentle breeze carrying their song along with the scent of blooming flowers and freshly cut grass through the open stained-glass windows of the church as the priest’s voice droned on and on.
Jayden sat motionless in the pew. His hands, pale and still, rested on his lap, his fingers interlaced in a way that seemed both deliberate and absent. The silence of his heart was louder than the world around him.
‘And Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he dies, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.”‘
The words washed over him, empty and hollow, like a distant echo barely reaching the edge of his consciousness. The pews around him were hushed, the only sound coming from the faint rustling of tissues and the occasional soft sob that broke through the haze.
His mother sat next to him, her fingers flitting restlessly on her lap as if she wanted to reach over and grab his. She never did. He could feel her sorrow and worry rolling off her in waves, but they barely registered on the fringes of his awareness. The space between him and everyone else was too palpable.
‘Let us now stand and recite the Psalm. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want…’
He remained seated as everyone rose to their feet. Eyes fixed on the coffin ahead, he was like a statue, unmoving, unblinking, as if the slightest movement might shatter the thin threads of control keeping him together.
His heart, which had felt so full in what seemed like centuries ago, now felt like a hollow echo in his chest. A lifetime of moments-laughter, arguments, quiet evenings on the couch, a treasure trove of memories-the first time they met, the first time his heart fluttered when he smiled, their first kiss, dancing at their wedding-all flashed behind his eyes, sharp, jagged, painful, each cutting deeper than the last. But still he sat.
Motionless. Unmoving. Unblinking.
The tears had long since stopped, dried up from the days of grief and heartache that had led to this moment. Now there was only emptiness. A kind of numbness that held him in place.
The world continued to move around him as the mourners resumed their seats and the choir began to hum a familiar tune of a hymn he had long forgotten.
Someone gently touched his shoulder, but he didn’t respond. His mother’s voice was gentle as she whispered, ‘It’s time.’
Time.
A meaningless word that stretched on endlessly before him. He had time. Too much of it. What use was having time if he couldn’t spend it with the one who mattered the most in the world.
The weight of his grief suddenly crashed over him, pinning him to his seat. He felt gentle hands guiding him up and they fell into step with the flow of mourners making their way out the building.
The air was warm, but not yet heavy with the intensity of midsummer. It really was the perfect day-one of those rare moments when spring and summer seemed to blend.
The grass, still lush and vibrant from the spring rains, shimmered under the gentle caress of the sun as they moved along the cobblestoned path that stretched between the church and the graveyard just beyond.
Jayden could feel the weight of many eyes on him. Some worried, some pitying, but most were simply just curious. Try as he might, he couldn’t bring himself to care.
Let them look. After all, what does any of it matter now?
The graveyard soon came into view as they slowly reached the end of the path. The rows of gravestones standing like silent sentinels amidst the rolling verdant.
The wrought iron gates stood open, welcoming them inside. Trees lined the edges, their branches swaying gently in the breeze as they made their way deeper into the hallowed grounds.
The sight of the freshly dug earth sent a fresh stab of pain through him. He turned his eyes away and looked upwards instead. The sky above, was a brilliant, cloudless blue, so deep it seemed endless, stretching out in all directions.
The sky.
He closed his eyes. It seemed no matter what, he couldn’t escape the pain.
The priest stepped forward, his voice low and steady as the casket was lowered into the earth.
‘For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.‘
Jayden watched as Samuel’s mother stepped forward. Her grief had aged her. Emaciated and weak, her frail body had to be supported on both sides by her husband and eldest son. She had collapsed from shock when they first heard the news, and her body never quite recovered from the blow.
A thin black veil covered her gaunt face as she reached out with a gloved hand to grab a fistful of dirt. Jayden saw her body shake as she stretched out her hand over the open mouth of the grave and slowly let the dirt fall.
‘Ashes to ashes, dust to dust; in sure and certain hope of the Resurrection to eternal life.’
It was soon Jayden’s turn. For a moment, he just stared at the soil, his hand hovering over the jar of loose dirt. He steeled himself and allowed his fingers to sink into the jar.
The soil was damp, soft, crumbling between his fingers as he scooped a small handful. Slowly, he lifted his hand and stretched it over the open earth, letting the grains slip from his palm like sand through an hourglass.
‘For dust you are and to dust you will return.’
The dust landed with a soft, hollow thud on the casket below and the sound broke something inside him. For the first time that day, he finally felt the pinpricks of tears behind his eyelids.
He turned away and walked back to the spot beside his mother, allowing the tears to flow freely down his cheeks.
The priest concluded the rites, his last words fading into the soft rustle of the wind, and the gravediggers began to return the piled earth back to the place from which it had come.
Around him, he could feel the mourners begin to drift away, murmuring soft goodbyes to each other and offering their final condolences to the family. Some lingered, heads bowed, hands clasped, as if reluctant to leave this moment behind.
Through it all, his mother never left his side once.
At one point it seemed that his friends had come up to comfort him, but through the numbness that clouded his vision, he couldn’t know for sure.
He didn’t know how long he stood there just staring at the mound of earth but when he felt his mother’s hand on his arm, the sun was now hanging low in the sky.
‘It’s time to say goodbye.’
Jayden’s head dipped slightly, barely a fraction of an inch. ‘Can I be alone for a moment?’
His mother nodded and soon he was all alone before the rows of headstones. He continued to stare silently at the mound of earth, unmoving, unblinking.
In what could have been a minute or an hour later, a sudden shadow fell over him.
His eyes moved to his side for barely an instant. ‘In the end, you decided to come after all.’
‘It didn’t seem to be an occasion one should miss lightly.’
Jayden didn’t respond to that. Azrael’s fingers curled around the handle of the umbrella as he studied Jayden’s features with something akin to curiosity.
‘Say what it is you want to say.’
Azrael’s face tightened for a moment before relaxing. ‘You’re sad,’ he pointed out. ‘I can understand why others would be, but you… you know that death isn’t something to be sad about, so why?’
‘If you do not already understand, then there is no point in explaining it to you.’
Azrael didn’t seem satisfied with that answer, but he let it be, choosing instead to stare wistfully at the pack of dirt. ‘I envy him. He’s no doubt off on some great adventure whiles we are stuck here.’
‘You are free to join him.’
Azrael hummed softly. ‘There’s no rush. Life is also an adventure, and the only thing death has going for it is the tantalizing aspect of the unknown.’
They settled into a comfortable silence. It was nice. For a long time now, everyone treated him with pity, with worry. They all walked on eggshells around him as if the slightest misstep would cause him to shatter into a million pieces. While that may have been true, he didn’t care. He wanted to break. Azrael didn’t care about his feelings or whether he broke apart or not.
It was a strange comfort, but a comfort, nonetheless.
‘Thank you.’
Azrael glanced at him but didn’t say anything. Now the only person in the world who understood him as much as he did himself, he already knew what he meant.
Jayden took a step closer to Samuel’s grave. ‘And you as well. Thank you… for everything.’ He took another step closer. ‘I’m not going to say goodbye because this is not goodbye. Remember? It’s never goodbye between us. We will be together again. It might not be today, or tomorrow, or even next year. But one day, we will find our way back to each other. For now, you can rest in peace. I’ll be alright, I promise.’
He took one last look at the place where his husband lay, hesitated, and then turned to leave.
He didn’t look back once.
Azrael watched him go and let out a sigh. He lowered himself to a crouch and placed a gloved hand to the earth.
‘In the end my absence made no difference.’ He sighed and patted the ground fondly. ‘He’s right, you know? You don’t need to worry. People like him, they… they always a find a way to survive.’
He patted the earth softly and rose to his feet. ‘Farewell, old friend. Till we meet again.’
The trees whispered as a gentle breeze wound its way through their branches. The cemetery was quiet now, empty of the mourners that had filled it mere minutes before.
A single daffodil, knocked askew by the breeze, gently floated down until it landed on the freshly turned earth.
Nothing moved, nothing stirred. All was finally at peace.
~
A month after the funeral found Jayden in the drawing room of a country estate. The late afternoon sun filtered in through the curtained windows, casting dappled shadows across the furniture and walls that were lined with portraits of ancestors-stern, severe faces staring down as if to judge any visitor who dared to sit beneath their gaze.
He sat alone, a half-empty cup of tea on the table before him. The room was still save the occasional stray breeze that ruffled the edges of the curtains.
Hearing a faint rustle from the hall, he glanced towards the door, but no one appeared. His gave drifted back to the large windows overlooking the gardens beyond. He had been waiting for the better part of an hour, but he was in no hurry. After all, what he had the most of in the world was time.
The silence pressed in, and he felt his mind begin to wander. Finally, after what felt like half an hour later, the door opened with a soft creak and Pearl made her way into the room.
She settled herself into the chair across his and stole a glance at the half-empty cup lying on its saucer. ‘I’m sorry I kept you waiting.’
‘The delay was understandable. I trust you are well?’
‘As well as can be expected,’ she said with a polite smile that failed to reach her eyes. ‘You never realise how much your life is to change until the child arrives. One month has passed and already it feels like an eternity.’
Jayden was watching her closely. She seemed impeccably put together but there was a tiredness that lingered in her eyes and a certain anxiousness beneath the surface of her polite exterior.
She had grown up, he noted. But then, he supposed they all had.
‘I can imagine. How is he?’
Her face softened at the mention. ‘He is well, thank you. A bit more demanding than I had anticipated. But he is strong, and that, I am told is all that matters. You can meet him shortly; Nanny is just getting him ready.’
‘And you? It can’t have been an easy month for you.’
A sad smile appeared on her face. ‘It can’t have been easy for you either. But we must manage, mustn’t we? There are always… expectations.’
‘Yes, expectations.’
She must have caught the way his tone soured for her eyes flickered to his for a moment before her gaze shifted to the window. ‘I am sorry,’ she said after a while. ‘He didn’t deserve to… I wish I could have attended. I heard it was a lovely service.’
‘If there is such a thing.’
She nodded shortly and an awkward silence descended on the table.
‘Pearl,’ Jayden began, and her eyes snapped to his. ‘There is no shame in doing what is right for you. We are all allowed to be selfish on occasion.’
A look of surprise flashed in her eyes, then guilt, then what appeared to be hope. ‘I… I have been thinking a lot about that actually-‘
She was interrupted when the door opened, and the nanny walked in wheeling a cot. ‘The little one is asleep, Miss. Went out like a light as soon as I was done changing him.’
Pearl stood and walked over to place a gentle hand on her child’s cheek, a fond smile gracing her features. ‘Thank you, Nanny. You can leave him with me.’
Jayden waited until the Nanny had left the room before walking up to stand beside her. He looked down at the sleeping baby.
‘He’s a wrinkly little thing,’ he observed.
Pearl let out a short laugh. ‘Yes, I suppose he is. But he is beautiful all the same.’
Jayden glanced briefly at her before turning his attention back to the baby. ‘You haven’t mentioned his name once.’
Pearl withdrew her hand from the cot. ‘About that, that’s part of what I have been thinking about.’ She hesitated. ‘I was wondering… I was hoping you would want to do the honours.’
Jayden stared at her. ‘What?’
‘I have been thinking a lot. With nothing else, it was all I could do. I thought about what’s best for me, what’s best for him… and what’s best for you.’ She traced the baby’s face with her eyes. ‘I didn’t expect to love him this much. At the beginning I resented it, the loss of my freedom. But now that’s he’s here, I can’t help but love him. I love him so much and so I want what’s best for him.’
She sighed and looked into Jayden’s eyes. ‘I know myself. I was never cut out to be a mother. Love is all well and good, but it is just the bare minimum. It is simply not enough when it comes to taking care of a child. He deserves more than the bare minimum; he deserves far more than I could give him. The original plan was to let my parents be his primary caregivers but well… you’ve met them. I was going to ask his other grandparents if they wanted to take up the role, but I figured I would give you the opportunity to decide first. It was what he would have wanted.’
Jayden said nothing, he simply stared down at the baby with an unreadable expression on his face.
‘I know it’s a lot to ask and you don’t need to say yes. He is my responsibility after all, if it comes down to it, I will do everything I can to be the kind of parent he deserves. As his mother, however, I wanted to give him the best and you are the best person for him, even if you don’t know it yet. He needs you and you need him.’
Jayden stared silently at the wrinkles on the baby’s face as the gears in his head worked themselves furiously. Taking care of a baby, a whole other person, was no mean feat. He didn’t know how to feed with a bottle, or change diapers, or do any of the million other things associated with them. How would his plans fit around him as well? How would he manage with all the other things he would have going on?
Then it hit him. He was thinking about this the wrong way. Those were not the important questions. The real questions that needed answering was did he want to take care of it? Was he really his best option? All other things were secondary to that.
His hands moved absently down, and his fingers brushed the little face as he weighed those questions in his head. It took a while, but the right answer soon became clear to him.
‘Yes,’ was all he said.
Pearl let out a relieved sigh and turned back to the cot. ‘I am glad. For better or for worse, we are a family now and I think that’s what he always wanted. I will still be in his life, but I am much suited to being like an aunt who calls everyday and spoils him rotten with love and presents.’
Jayden nodded absently, stroking the soft cheeks with the back of his fingers. There was a lot that needed to be done.
‘Have you decided on a name?’ Pearl asked.
‘He… Samuel believed that once we saw him, we would know. That he would be the one to give us his name.’
‘And?’
The little bundle suddenly stirred awake with a yawn from the fingers moving against his cheek. A tiny hand wriggled free from the blanket and latched onto the offending fingers that had awoken it.
At the sensation, the baby’s eyelids fluttered open, revealing blue, curious eyes that blinked slowly at the unfamiliar stranger before him.
For the first time in what felt like forever, Jayden felt a ghost of a smile along the edges of his lips.
‘Hello, Sky.’
~
The next few weeks passed by in a flurry of activity for Jayden. There was a lot that had to be done, court documents to sign, baby classes that needed to be attended-he couldn’t rely forever on his mother and their housemaids to take care of his child-and a whole host of other activities that came with growing up.
In the time that passed, he had received both his examination results and his college acceptance letters. Now, he was faced with another decision, which school would he choose to continue his education at?m
He was, however, finding it difficult to think because currently his mother was in his room cooing over her new grandchild.
‘Mum, do you mind?’
‘You know, I think he looks a little bit like me.’
‘Whatever you say,’ he muttered, too tired to argue logic with her. His mind slipped back to the dilemma that had occupied him all morning.
Victoria glanced up and seeing the tired look on his face, came up to place a supporting arm on his shoulder.
‘It can’t be that hard to make a choice. Where do you want to go the most?’
He shrugged. ‘I don’t really have a preference as long as it’s far away from here.’
A sad look passed over Victoria’s face, but she nodded in understanding. ‘Then what do you want to do the most?’
‘Art,’ Jayden answered without hesitation. ‘But which one? On one hand I want to focus on my paintings, on the other I want to continue with my music.’
‘Then just do both.’
Jayden gave her a look. ‘I have a child now. While that was the plan before it’s too much to handle now. I have to choose between the two. You had me at eighteen, how did you do it?’
Victoria sighed and passed a fond hand through his hair. ‘Your father did most of the work, if I am being honest.’
‘Yes, well, his father isn’t around to help, so I can’t exactly rely on him, can I?’
Her hand stilled. ‘Jayden…’
‘It’s fine.’
His mother, however, knew him better than that. She pulled him closer and placed a cool hand on his forehead. ‘No, it’s not. You don’t need to hold everything in.’
‘I have to,’ Jayden’s voice was clipped, as he reined in his emotions. ‘I need to be strong for him now. I can’t let myself fall to pieces every time I think of him.’
‘Allowing yourself room to grieve is not weakness. You have known a great love, and with it comes a great price. I just wish you didn’t have to pay it so young.’
The tears he had held back started to fall freely down his face. ‘It hurts, mother. It hurts so bad. Why do I always have to be strong? I’m tired of being strong.’
Victoria held her son closer to her as she stroked his head. ‘I know. I know, darling.’
‘Am I just born to suffer? What did I do to deserve this fate?’
‘Nothing,’ Victoria answered forcefully. ‘Listen to me, you did nothing wrong, and you are not unlucky. If you focus only on what you lost and not on what you gained, it will appear that way. Your story might not have a happy ending, but it was a happy story. Focus on that. An end is just one of a thousand and one pages. The rest were filled with happiness. Remember that and you will find the strength to continue.’
‘I- ‘
Before he could finish his thought, a tiny, high-pitched sneeze cut through the air. They both turned toward the cot in the corner of the room, where Sky lay, eyes squeezed shut from the force of the unexpected sneeze.
Jayden pulled himself away and rose to walk over to the cot. As he reached the cot, the Sky stirred, tiny fists waving in the air before settling again into sleep.
Victoria came up to stand beside him as he leaned over, brushing his fingers gently across the baby’s soft cheek.
‘I envy him sometimes,’ he whispered. ‘And on others, I pity him. He would never know what he was like, how he could shine as bright as the sun. But at least he was spared the pain of losing him.’
Victoria smiled sadly down at her grandchild. ‘I admit, I was glad when you told me you were adopting him. He could bring you the closure you need, help you move on.’
Jayden removed his hand from the cot. ‘A baby is not a cure for a broken heart. He is not the solution to my problems. If I had thought that he was, I would have never agreed to it. His mother wanted the best for him, and he deserves better than to be considered a replacement for his father.’
Victoria was surprised at this. ‘Why did you agree then?’
‘I used to think that it was impossible to have a non-selfish reason for bringing a baby into this world. No matter how you think about it, whether it’s because you want to have someone to love and care for, or you want to increase the population, it’s all selfish. The baby didn’t ask to be here. They never had a choice in the matter. Maybe I’m wrong, or maybe I’m right, but now that he’s here I want him to have a better life than I did. For his sake, as well as Samuel’s.’
His mind went back to the conversation he had had with Samuel’s mother shortly after agreeing to Pearl’s offer.
~
The sitting room had been quiet, unnaturally still, as though time had stopped. The heavy velvet curtains were drawn, blocking out most of the afternoon light and casting the room in dim, muted tones.
Sandra Asamoah had sat in her high-backed chair, but she no longer resembled the friendly, easy-smiling woman he once knew. Grief had hollowed her out even more since the last time he had seen her. Her face was gaunt, the once-soft lines now sharp and severe and her eyes were ringed with dark circles.
She still wore mourning black, the thin, dark fabric though elegant, hung on her as if it were too heavy for her frail frame.
She was still, unnervingly so, her gaze fixed somewhere past him as if she couldn’t bear to focus on the present moment as she listened to what he had to say.
She had said nothing for a long while after he was done. Her hands, thin and trembling slightly, lay limp in her lap. A teacup had sat untouched on the small table between them, the steam long since disappeared.
‘She’s right,’ she said at last, her voice low and fragile. There was no strength in it, no attempt to mask her grief. ‘It was kind of you to offer but… I don’t think I would be able to stop myself. I raised his father, if I was to raise him as well, I would forever be looking for his father in him. Every step, every smile, every laugh… I wouldn’t be able to see him without seeing traces of my little boy.’
For the first time, her eyes finally met his. ‘You don’t have that problem, do you? You see him for what he is… for who he is. His own person. You are his best option. He deserves to live without the ghost of his father hanging over him.’
Her gaze grew unfocused and lost. ‘I keep expecting him to walk in,’ she whispered as if talking to herself. ‘To come through that door and tell me everything will be alright. That it was all just a bad dream.’
Her hand drifted toward her throat, fingers trembling as they brushed the pearl necklace that had been a Mother’s Day gift from him. ‘No matter how badly I wish to, I cannot allow myself to drown in my grief. I have to hang on for the children I have left. I have already failed two of them, I can’t fail anymore.’
He stared down at his own hands, twisting his wedding ring in a newly found habit he couldn’t seem to shake. What could he say that wouldn’t feel hollow? What could he say that he hadn’t already told himself but to no avail?
‘I never thanked you,’ she said suddenly, causing him to look up in surprise. ‘For loving him the way he deserved to be loved. He truly loved you in turn. Even before he knew it. From the first moment, it’s always been Jayden this, Jayden that. He was obsessed with you, in a good way.’
‘I was obsessed him with him as well.’
‘I know,’ she whispered, the words barely audible. ‘At least he was happy. For the short time he was here, he was truly happy.’
He had hesitated for a moment before standing to cross the small space between them. He knelt beside her, taking her thin, shaking hand in his own. For a moment, there had been no words, no looks shared between them-just the quiet heaviness of the stillness and the shared weight of their loss.
~
Jayden looked up at his mother. ‘I know what I want to do now.’
Victoria smiled. ‘I am glad.’
And so that was how his last month at home went. He found himself swept up in a whirlwind of last-minute shopping, goodbyes, and packing that seemed never-ending. His room, once a prison and a safe haven, had been slowly transformed into stacks of boxes and suitcases.
Between taking care of the baby and checking off items on his list, he barely had a moment to himself to process the reality that he was leaving. Not only his home, but the country of his birth. And with all likelihood, he was never coming back.
The realization hit him on the day of his departure as he stood in the centre of his room, staring at the now-bare walls. It was strange how empty the space felt, how at one time it had been the nexus of his whole world.
His mother stood by the window with Sky in her arms. She hadn’t said much since the day had begun but her quiet silence had been enough to fill the silence that hung heavy between them.
He watched her for a moment, unsure of what to say. It never mattered because she was the first to break the silence.
‘Well,’ she said, with a small smile. ‘I guess this it.’
She walked over to him, smoothing the sleeve of his shirt absentmindedly. ‘You are sure you have everything you need?’
‘Yeah, I think so,’ Jayden replied, glancing around the room one last time. ‘I’ve dreamt about leaving this place for years but now… it feels weird to leave.’
‘I’m sure it does,’ she agreed softly. ‘I remember when we first moved in. You were so excited about having this room, you barely slept that first night.’
The memory drew an involuntary chuckle to his lips. ‘I was so convinced the manor was haunted.’ A reflective look appeared in his eyes. ‘In hindsight, I suppose it was.’
He could see her struggling to hold back tears, and the for a moment, he wasn’t sure if he should say something to comfort her. Instead, he simply stepped forward and pulled her into a hug.
She wrapped her arm, around him while holding on to the baby with the other, and for a second, he felt like he was six years old again, standing in the kitchen after scraping his knee. Despite everything, his mother had always been there, always looking out for him, holding him when the world felt too big even when he didn’t always know it.
‘I should have been a better mother,’ she whispered, her voice muffled against his shoulder.
‘You should have,’ he agreed. ‘But I love you all the same.’
There was a knock on the door, and they broke apart to see the butler standing in the doorway.
‘Forgive me for interrupting, ma’am, but the young master’s friends are here. They are waiting in the parlour.’
‘Thank you, Edward. We’ll be down shortly.’ She turned to Jayden. ‘Shall we?’
Jayden nodded, feeling the lump in his throat return. He grabbed his duffel bag and slung it over his shoulder, following his mother as she stepped into the hallway.
He paused as he reached the doorway and stole one last glance back into his room. There was nothing for him here anymore, all that remained were the memories that clung onto every corner.
The door shut with a final click, and he joined his mother out in the hallway. The manor felt different as they walked through it, each step echoing in a way it hadn’t before. He stole a glance at the portraits of his ancestors as they passed through the gallery, and he couldn’t muster up a sliver of sadness at the fact that it would be the last time he would have to see their disapproving faces judging him from their lofty perches.
Leo was the first one on his feet when they reached the parlour. Before Jayden could even register his presence, he had been enveloped in a tight hug.
‘I can’t believe this is goodbye,’ he cried. ‘We were supposed to be together forever. Leo and his amigos, us against the world.’
Cam rolled his eyes at him but there was a trace of sadness in them. ‘We were bound to grow up eventually.’
‘Besides,’ Noel offered. ‘This isn’t really goodbye. We are still going to keep in touch.’
Paul let out a heavy sigh beside him. ‘Though it is sad that we are going to be scattered all over the world. I was hoping we could have been closer, but Cam is going to MIT, Jayden is off to Juilliard for his fancy music, whilst Leo is going backpacking across half of Latin America.’
‘I need to trace my roots, papi,’ Leo said, still clinging protectively to Jayden. ‘Maybe when I’m done, I’ll come and visit you and Noel when I go hitchhiking across Europe.’
Noel looked excited at that. ‘We can show you around then. Maybe if we are lucky you could get into a good college close by.’
Leo made a face at the prospect. ‘No thanks, hermano. My parents left me a stinking amount of money when they died. Now that I am eighteen, I see no reason to burden my life further with more school. Can’t let their sacrifice go to waste.’
‘At least you two are closer together,’ Cam added. ‘Oxford and Cambridge are practically next-door neighbours.’
Jayden patted Leo’s shoulder awkwardly. ‘It’s not that bad. You will make new friends, and you will still have us. You can call me at any time, except maybe at night in case you wake up Sky.’
Leo’s face perked up at the mention of Sky. He quickly pulled away from Jayden, looking around him. ‘Speaking off, where’s my favourite nephew?’
‘He’s your only nephew,’ Cam muttered, but Leo was not paying attention. He had sighted the baby in Victoria’s arms and made a beeline straight to him.
They gathered around and watched as Leo played with the baby, earning a toothless smile for his efforts.
‘He is lucky,’ Victoria noted. ‘Having a father and uncles who care for him as much as you do.’
Jayden watched him for a moment, before shifting his bag over to his other shoulder. ‘I need to get going. Wouldn’t want to miss my flight.’
Leo looked up, his face falling again. ‘I will miss you, papi,’ he declared, throwing himself back into Jayden’s arms.
‘Me too,’ Noel said, wrapping his arms over both Leo and Jayden. Cam and Paul joined the group hug, and it lasted for longer than a minute. None of them wanting to let go.
They pulled apart after a while and escorted Jayden out to the car, where the footmen had finished packing the boxes.
‘You guys wait here; I’ll be right back.’
They gave each other curious looks as Jayden placed his duffel bag on the ground and walked back into the manor.
Roger Mills was in his sitting room, sipping a glass of whiskey as he watched the scene outside. The door suddenly swung open and there was a muffled sound as the visitor made their way in on the soft carpet.
‘I’m leaving.’
Roger didn’t bother to turn around as his son walked up to stand in front of him. ‘I said I was leaving.’
‘I am aware.’
Jayden looked down at his father and all the feelings he had for him rose to the surface. Anger, sadness, pain, resentment, they all came crushing like a wave against his chest.
He sighed and the turbulent wave stilled. Looking at the man before him now, all he felt was a sense of peace.
‘That night, when I told you about my sexuality the son you loved died.’ There was a sad smile on his face as he continued. ‘I didn’t realize it then, but you died that night as well. I looked at you and did not recognize you. I still don’t recognize you now. It took me a long time to accept it but the man who had held me in his arms, who had spoken my name so lovingly was gone and in his place was a stranger.’
There was a sad look on his face as he continued. ‘You lost your only child that night, and I lost my father. I’ve been clinging to some hope that it wasn’t over, that my father would come back.’ He closed his eyes, and a single teardrop fell down his cheek. ‘But the dead do not come back to life. That is a fact I have to live with for the rest of my life.’
He wiped his tears and smiled at the man before him. ‘Now here we are, two strangers who will never see each other again. Let us say goodbye to each other as a way to lay a last flower on the graves of the people we once were.’
He stretched out his arm and held it out for a full minute, but the gesture remained unanswered. He let it fall back to his side and nodded at the man he once called father.
‘Goodbye.’
He turned to leave and stopped when he saw his mother at the entrance, watching them with a complicated expression on her face. He walked over to her, and she wrapped him in another hug.
‘I am so proud of you,’ she said softly. ‘I love you, remember that always.’
He nodded into her shoulder and pulled away. Taking Sky from her arms, he gave her a final nod and walked out of the room and out of the manor.
She watched from the window as he waved goodbye to his friends after one last group hug and slid into the backseat of the car. She continued to watch as the car pulled out of the driveway and began the long drive to the airport. After Jayden’s friends had driven off that’s when she finally broke away from the window to round up on her husband.
‘I hope you are proud of yourself.’
Roger looked up with tired eyes. ‘Not now, Tori. I don’t have time for this.’
‘Well then make time, because this is the last time we are going to have. I am leaving you, Roger.’
That got his attention. ‘What?’
‘My lawyers have already drawn up the paperwork,’ she continued, her tone impassive. ‘I would like it to be as clean as possible. You can keep the companies, the estates, everything. I wash my hands off them. They have brought me nothing but stress and grief. We were much happier when we had nothing to our name.’
Roger’s eyes widened as he realised that she was dead serious. ‘Tori…’
‘No Roger,’ she cut him off sharply. ‘You don’t get to speak. You are going to sit there and listen to me. For years I have listened to you, did exactly as you asked when it came to our son, even when my instincts were against it, because I believed you when you said they were the right things for him. Look where that has ended us. I don’t think I would ever be able to forgive you. And I don’t think I want to. You do not deserve forgiveness.’
She closed her eyes and allowed the tears to flow freely. ‘Make no mistake we are both to blame for everything that has gone wrong in his life. All the pain and heartache he suffered; they were our doing, and I will never forgive myself for the part I played in this, but at least I am willing to put in the work to make up for what I have done. You on the other hand, you don’t even realise what you’ve done wrong. You still think all your actions are justified.’
‘That’s because they are! You don’t-‘
‘Enough!’ She placed her fingers to her temple. ‘I don’t have the strength nor the will to argue with you. Think what you want, do what you want. I do not care, just leave me out of it. I will not condone your foolishness and cruelty any longer. I allowed my love to blind me to the monster you had become.’
‘You can’t. You won’t, we love each other too much to just give up like this.’ His voice grew desperate. ‘Together forever, remember?’
A sad smile graced her beautiful lips. ‘I do, and that would be my pain and burden to bear till the day I die because while I do love you, I love my son more. It took me a long time to realise this, and I don’t intend on wasting anymore. I plan on spending whatever time I have left with him and my beautiful grandson, if they’ll have me.’
She walked up and placed a soft kiss on his cheek as she took off her wedding band and placed it in his hand. ‘Goodbye, Roger.’
He remained in his position long after the door had clicked shut, staring down at the ring on his finger.
~
The line to board the plane was moving slowly but Jayden didn’t mind. His focus was entirely on the baby carrier strapped to his chest, where Sky sat bundled up and dozing. Every so often, his tiny hand would twitch, as if reacting to some dream, but otherwise, he was blissfully unaware of the chaos around them.
The airport was buzzing with the familiar sounds of rolling luggage, overhead announcements, and the low hum of conversations as people moved toward briskly toward their destinations.
Jayden adjusted the straps, careful not to disturb Sky, and glanced ahead. The line was moving much quicker than before and before long it was finally his turn to approach the gate.
The gate agent scanned his boarding pass and smiled politely, eyes flickering down with curiosity to the baby in his arms.
‘First flight?’
Jayden nodded. ‘First time flying with him, yeah.’
‘I’m sure you’ll be fine,’ she replied with a smile. She handed the pass back and waved them through. ‘Good luck.’
Jayden stepped into the jetway, the noise of the terminal fading slightly as the enclosed space muffled the sounds behind them. The narrow passage ended quickly and as they boarded the plane, the flight attendants greeted them warmly, their eyes immediately softening when they noticed the baby in his arms and how young he looked.
One of them gestured toward his seat, and he carefully navigated the aisle, trying not to bump anyone with the diaper bag swinging at his side. Passengers were already stowing their bags and shuffling into seats, making the narrow aisle feel even tighter.
Finally reaching the row, he let out a breath he hadn’t known he was holding and carefully swung his backpack into the overhead compartment, trying not to wake Sky up.
‘Need any help?’
He swung in surprise at the sound of the familiar voice. ‘Mum? What are you doing here?’
Victoria looked sheepish as she placed her own bag into the compartment. ‘I wanted to… I was hoping… If it isn’t too much of a bother…’
Jayden’s confusion grew at the sight of his mother’s nervousness. ‘Stop stuttering, mother. It’s beneath you.’
‘I… well…,’ She took a deep breath and let it all out in a rush. ‘I wanted to come with you. I promise I won’t be a bother, and I would give you your space. You would need some help settling in and you would need someone to watch over Sky whiles you go for classes, and when you need to study, and when you go to work. I figured it’s better if he was with his grandmother rather than some stranger with a dubious background. He is a Mills after all, standards must be kept, and really-‘
‘Stop digging, you’ve struck gold.’ Jayden looked amused as he considered her. ‘You can come if you want.’
Victoria let out a sigh and collapsed into her seat. ‘Oh, thank God. Thank you, I promise you won’t regret it.’
Jayden settled into the seat next to her with Sky still strapped securely to him. ‘How long have you been planning this?’
‘I… well… ever since we started apartment hunting for you. I noticed the bakery downstairs was up for sale, and I’ve always wanted to run a bakery. I spoke with the landlord and apparently, he was willing to let go of the entire building. It was a bit pricey, but I wasn’t going to let the opportunity pass, so I purchased the lease.’
Jayden stared at her as if she had suddenly grown two heads. ‘You. Bake?’
Victoria huffed. ‘You seem to have forgotten where I came from. I wasn’t always the matriarch of the first family, you know? My background is very humble.’
‘And yet it doesn’t change the fact that you don’t know how to cook to save your life.’
‘I can learn. Look, I’m sitting in Economy, aren’t I? I am already making good progress.’
Jayden gave a disbelieving snort. ‘So, in effect, you are my landlady.’
‘I suppose I am.’ She hesitated. ‘You are not upset, are you? I tried to ask you many times, but I could never seem to work up the courage. I was afraid you would say no.’
‘I’m not upset, just surprised.’ He gave her a look. ‘What about your husband?’
Victoria’s fingers subconsciously brushed against her now naked hand. ‘He’ll live.’
Jayden’s sharp eyes caught the movement, and a shadow crossed his face. ‘You’re not doing this to punish yourself, are you? Just because I lost my one true love doesn’t mean you have too as well. I know better than anyone how much you two love each other.’
‘I love you as well.’ She placed a gentle hand on his cheek. ‘My darling boy, I have already wasted enough time between us, I am not going to waste anymore. I want to spend the rest of my time with you and my grandson. I want to be the mother you need, if it’s not too late, and the grandmother Sky deserves.’
Jayden studied her for a moment then looked away. His tone was casual as he noted, ‘You’re too young to be a grandmother.’
Victoria laughed. ‘I was too young to be a mother, but that didn’t stop me.’
They smiled at each other as the plane began to slowly taxi down the runway. Jayden glanced out the window, his hand instinctively resting over Sky’s back, feeling the steady rise and fall of his breathing.
The engines suddenly roared to life, and just as the wheels left the ground, Sky stirred, blinking up at his father with wide, sleepy eyes.
Victoria smiled and pressed a gentle kiss to the top of his head. ‘How about you tell him a story? It’s going to be a long flight.’
Jayden considered it as he run a hand through his son’s hair. ‘What about it, kiddo? Do you want to hear a story?’
Sky blinked and yawned, snuggling deeper into him, as if to show his assent. Jayden smiled and settled back into his chair as the plane carried them deeper into the clouds.
‘Alright then. This is a story about two boys who seemed as different as night and day. No matter their differences, however, there was one thing they couldn’t deny. They were both under the same sky.’
THE END.
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