As Adrian sat on the edge of his bed, his head supported by both of his hands, he desired nothing at that moment than having Aurora and Elsie in his life.
His mind was filled with a mixture of excitement and yet, fear of what the future holds for him. Even if her pure heart decided to let the past slip away in forgiveness, will she be willing to be his wife again? And all the same, he is excited that she’s alive.
And Patrick, he doesn’t know what to say about him. He was supposed to help him but from the looks of things he might not be expecting any help from him, but betrayal.
How can he not tell him about her, how can he hide that aspect from him? If he hadn’t come, based on Santiago’s insistence, he would have still remained in the dark, completely ignorant.
How can Patrick do that to him? They’ve made up with each other and yet, he kept something so important from him? Something as important as Ava Leon being alive?
Can he still call him a friend?
Nothing excites him more now than Ava Leon being alive. She’s alive, she’s not dead. That is worth more than a fortune for him. That she’s alive, means he would get his family happy again, especially grandfather.
Despite these many years, he still hasn’t recovered from the shock of her death. This will gladden his heart and excite him more than he could imagine.
A genuine smile appeared on his lips, Ava is alive. His wife is still alive and that is the best of gifts he’d ever received. She might change her identity to Aurora, but she’s still the same, the identity didn’t change the personality.
His phone chirped, awakening him from his reverie. He glanced at the caller’s ID and found it was Santiago. Has he succeeded in arranging a meeting for them?
“Santiago” Adrian chimed as soon as he answered the phone but his smile gradually diminished when Santiago didn’t utter a word for some seconds.
“What’s the use of hiding things from me, Adrian?” Santiago demanded, shoving formalities aside. Rather than telling him to get them to meet, he should have just told him the real thing.
He was married to his sister, there isn’t a big deal about it. But perhaps his guilty heart made him ashamed to call himself a husband. Which husband would throw his wife in jail and leave her there, accusing her innocently?
“It’s complicated Santiago, I wish it didn’t get so tangled up” Adrian replied. A heavy burden of guilt descended on him. He quietly wished that Santiago wouldn’t also cast him off.
“You have made my sister a woman who doesn’t believe in love. You hurt her to the deepest part of the soul of any human. Honestly, Adrian, if I hadn’t known you for so long, I would have severed ties with you…” Santiago scowled.
Adrian was quiet for a long time. This has also affected Ava psychologically. “I’m sorry, Santiago. Everything I did, I regretted it so badly that I wished I could change the hands of time, I would have made corrections and made it good…”
“Tomorrow, let’s go to the gym,” Santiago declared and hung up. It wasn’t quite long before he sent the address to him. They needed to talk. It’s not about him meeting with Aurora and Patrick, it’s more about them, meeting to talk.
In New Jersey, Richard stood by the window, staring out in the dark. Things are beyond control and Adrian is not even aware that he was losing his mother gradually.
After the incident that resulted in Ava’s death, Adrian drew a line of demarcation between him and his mother. He seldom relates to her besides saying hello and often that will be at the dining.
Things are getting complicated for his family. Adrian has become a zombie when matters of the family are concerned. All that his son is interested in, is the company and his personal affairs.
Anna has gone through the first phase of chemotherapy and she looked so weak. Confused and exhausted, he decided to call Adrian.
“Dad” Adrian called, as soon as he answered the phone. It’s good that his father called at such an hour. He just needed someone to talk to and he made it happen.
“How are you Adrian?” Richard asked, sighing softly. He was overwhelmed with the happenings around him. Sharing it with his son, might help to lift the burdens afresh from his shoulders.
“I’m fine” Adrian replied before asking “Is everything okay with you?” Why does he have this feeling that his dad is heavily burdened?
“Everything will eventually be okay” Richard declared. How can he say he is fine when he knows he is really far from that word?
“What’s wrong, is grandpa alright?” Adrian asked. He felt worried about his father’s tone. He hopes his grandfather is alright, he wants him to stay alive and healthy to meet Ava again.
“Your grandfather is fine. But your mom is not” Richard informed. There was a long silence from both ends.
“What is wrong with Mom?” Adrian asked. He hadn’t really been checking on her lately. In a part of his heart he was blaming his mom for not acting right but supporting his stupidity back then.
“Your mom has cancer. She’s been using medication and today, she went for her first chemotherapy…” Richard explained.
“Since when has my mom been suffering from cancer that you are just telling me, dad? She was placed on medication and I still wasn’t informed, she went for chemotherapy and I’m just getting to know?” Adrian seethed.
How will anyone not tell him things happening in his family? Has he really been a rejected son by his own parents too? If grandfather did so, should his parents do the same to him?
“You are to be blamed Adrian. We don’t know you anymore. You’re a different Adrian from the one Anna and I had. You have become like a stranger and only passes us a brief glance once in a few days.
We lived under the same roof , but you have separated yourself from us. You are like a shadow of your former self, after Ava died, a part of you went with her.
Why are you blaming me now? Neither me nor your mom should be blamed. We lost our son with Ava. Our family has never been the same anymore…” Richard stuttered.
Adrian Lester was guilty. Dad was right. He was not the same person anymore. He probably was to be blamed. Everything that ever went wrong, can only be blamed on him, just him alone.
“I’m sorry dad…”