Adrian paused and sighed. Did he have something else to say to him? He turned to glance at Patrick and saw his eyes welled up with tears.
They both stared at each other, eyes moist and cloudy. At that moment, they didn’t say a word but their eyes did the talking. Two friends, lost their bond and were ready to mend it back
“I missed you, Adrian” Patrick stuttered and took a long strides to him and they both hugged each other tightly. Adrian sniffled and muttered apologies to Patrick.
Patrick just kept sniffling. He held his daughter in a hug and now, he was holding him in a hug. He wants to tell him that Ava is alive and that his daughter is a beautiful girl but he cannot.
He had promised Aurora. He cannot go back on his words. But he has no grudge against Adrian anymore. The person for whom he was mad with him was still alive, beautiful and attractive.
“I missed you more and I thought I would be alone again without you. I lost Ava and my unborn baby, I almost lost you too” Adrian explained, his hands holding Patrick in a hug.
“No matter what, Ava will always be alive. We can always envisage that in our hearts, Adrian” Patrick chimed. Yes, for now, in Adrian’s heart but for him, it’s gone beyond the heart.
The two friends sat down and talked about the times they missed each other and Adrian was the happiest. Looks like he was feeling this happiness after a long time.
They talked and drank wine. And Adrian pleaded that Patrick let him spend the night with him. The latter was reluctant but he agreed. He would have to postpone his video conversation with Aurora until the next morning.
Soon, Adrian said he was going to take a shower before going to bed and Patrick was going to order a pair of pyjamas for him but the latter asked him to stop.
“I’ll use one of your pyjamas. I’ve missed you that sleeping with your pyjamas appeared fun” Adrian explained.
“Alright as you wish” Patrick didn’t object. Aurora was already calling him back and he turned his computer to face him and said “a friend visited”
He stood up and left the room. Adrian went to Patrick’s guest room and took a bath. When he stepped out of the bathroom, he saw a pair of pyjamas and he wore them.
When Adrian woke up the next morning, He told Patrick he was travelling for a conference that morning but he would keep in touch with him.
“And about the investment, would you still want me to help out?” Adrian asked and Patrick said “I will definitely come to you next time but presently, I’ve gotten a back up”
An hour later, Adrian was on the flight, going away from New Jersey. But he has no idea of what awaits him. He hoped to find peace and serenity, to stay away from his past and the memories that taunt him, so he thought.
He arrived at X-city and lodged in the hotel. The first person he called was his friend and the latter was super excited to see him.
“Where are you?” He asked and Adrian gave him his address. An hour later, he had his bodyguard drive Adrian to lunch with him.
The conference begins that evening and he wants to meet him before the time. When they met, Adrian hugged him. Many years have passed but they’re still in contact.
“You’re not doing bad, I’ve read about your company and your name is ranking the topmost position, Santiago” Adrian chimed.
One of the reasons he doesn’t want to have a branch in X-city is, Santiago rules there and he doesn’t want to compete with him in business. He had always left that space for him.
“You’re the richest dude in New Jersey and I’m learning from you” Santiago chimed. They had lunch and Adrian retired to his hotel room.
The next three days, the conference continued and Adrian remained in X-city. He often has virtual meetings with the company in New Jersey.
At the end of the conference, Santiago visited Adrian and he asked him if he would be interested in investing in a new company.
The company would be launching in two days and he felt he should discuss things with him. Adrian shrugged. He would have loved to invest in it, but he wouldn’t be around at the company’s launch, he was leaving for vacation the next day.
“Just wait. You might be interested eventually. It’s a multi billion dollar company and my sister bought it. She’s the largest shareholder and it came under the name of my company…” Santiago urged but Adrian said no.
There would always be opportunity for investment when he is ready. Santiago gave up, Adrian doesn’t want to be a part of it.
Santiago’s phone chirped with a video call and it was Charlotte. He answered “My love” he said but it was Else’s voice and face that came next.
“It’s me, uncle. Will you get me chicken legs when coming? Grandma said I could call you” she said. She wants to eat chicken leg.
“Is that all, Elsie?” Santiago asked, he was smiling. Elsie must have troubled everyone in the house for a chicken leg and his Mom would have instructed Charlotte to call him.
He loves Elsie so much. Maybe he would think of getting her a cousin with Charlotte. She’s the wine of the and everyone dotes on her.
“You see uncle, you know I like chocolate very much and my Mommy would always say ‘Excess of chocolate is not good for you’ and you know how much I love taking chocolate, right?” Elsie says, mimicking her mom.
Santiago bursted into laughter. If Aurora gets to know, she would scold her. This girl makes all of them imagine what Aurora’s life was, when she was a little girl.
“Of course baby. I know. We’ll do it as we’ve always done, our usual secret baby” Santiago assured.
“You’re the best uncle, and I love you more than anything else” Elsie chimed. Uncle Santiago is the best uncle in the world.
“I love you too, baby. Kisses” he said and hung up. He spent the next few seconds still smiling broadly. He loves Elsie so much. She’s taken the place of the baby of the house, away from Aurora.
“It’s my niece. She’s just three but she’s smart and beautiful like her mom. Do you have kids now, Adrian” Santiago asked. He wished he could refer to her as his daughter already.
“No,” he replied. If his baby was born, he or she would have been three years already.
“You’re not married still?” Santiago asked, surprised. Adrian has always been one of the cutest guys among their circles back then. Every woman’s dream man and he only keeps casual relationships with whoever he chooses.
“I was, but I lost her. She died along with my unborn baby” Adrian said painfully. He doesn’t want to talk about it. He’d left that part of his life in New Jersey. X-city should only make him happy.
“Oh! I’m sorry about your loss” Santiago condoled and Adrian said it was nothing.
In New Jersey, Patrick Connor was getting ready for the launch. Aurora surprised him greatly. Within a few days, she got a company and set everything in order. He needs to go over and sign some documents and get ready for the launching.
Should he tell Adrian about it? If he decides to, he definitely would want to know who invested in it. Buying such a large company is worth a fortune.
He would investigate and find out that it’s Aurora and then, he would know her previous identity. Wouldn’t he feel betrayed that he knew about Ava’s existence and his daughter and he kept it away from him?
Then Aurora would know and that meant he’d turned away from the promise he made to her. What will he do now?
Eventually he decided to stay with Aurora. He isn’t going to let Adrian know about the launching just yet. In the future he would know everything, he would create avenues where he would know about his and Aurora’s partnership but now isn’t the time.
On the day when the launching was to take place, Adrian returned to X-city and got ready to honour Santiago’s invitation.