Chapter 33
“He died when we were eight"
“Oh, I’m so sorry Aiden” he put the picture down and took my hand and led me towards the back of the house, this house is incredible, the back room had a three-seater couch facing the window that showed off the incredible view of the ocean,
“Wow, this is amazing!” I exclaimed gasping at the incredible view.
“I never wanted to come back here but seeing how happy you are makes me think that I made a good decision” he looked at me with a smile as we walked down the narrow stairway leading to the private beach.
“Why wouldn’t you want to come back here? I mean it looks so perfect.” I said looking at him trying to read his expression from what I could see it one of pain.
We sat on the beach and Aiden sighed and looked at me taking my hand.
“My family and I started coming here when Xavier and I were three years old, the Estoica pack’s territory is around here…it means stoic” he said seeing the look of confusion on my face,
“my father wanted their alliance to increase our influence, anyway I remember this one day, all I wanted to do was go to Tivoli World it’s like Gold Reef City back home, but my parents were busy, and they asked Maria to take me, Xavier wasn’t feeling well so he stayed behind. I had the best time and couldn’t wait to tell Xavier all about it, and I came back with the biggest smile on my face I couldn’t wait to tell him all about the rides and I hoped he would come with me the next day I rushed home and burst through the door to tell everyone about the incredible day I had…” his enthusiastic spirit suddenly disappeared, and he looked like the blood had drained from his face.
He took a deep breath and I saw how hard he was trying to hold back the tears; I didn’t know what to say to him, I know that there is nothing I can say right now to make him feel better, so I just put my hand on his letting him know that it’s okay to share this with me and he continued.
“My enthusiasm went away when I saw my mother crunched over on the couch crying and my father looking out the window smoking a cigar, I asked my mother what was wrong, but she was too hysterical to answer me…even at eight years old I knew not to talk to my father when he had that look on his face, but I needed to know, so I mustered up the courage and asked him why mom was crying,
“Maria, take him away NOW” he said without even looking at me. Maria walked in and took me to my room as gently as she could. I asked Maria what was going on and where was Xavier she told me that they couldn't find him, apparently he went off to the beach and got carried off by the current, or so they thought.”
“Oh, my god Aiden, I’m so sorry, I can’t even imagine what you must have gone through” I said wrapping my arms around him and holding him in my arms.
“You want to know what the worst part was, they never found his body, we never got closure, my parents had a ceremony with an empty coffin. I always hoped he would magically appear again, but he never did, and that summer was the last time we came here”
I looked into his eyes, and I saw his pain, and my heart ached because I couldn’t take his pain away,
“Why did you bring me here, does it mean you finally got closure?” I asked hoping with all my being that he had found a way to get over the worst day of his life.
“No but having you by my side made me realise that I’m not afraid of anything anymore and I wanted the first time I came back here to be with you” he said whipping tears that were running down his face.
“Thank you for sharing that story with me, I know it wasn’t easy… I love you Aiden, and I promise to never leave you” I said squeezing him tighter and he smiled back at me
“You’re the only family I have left now Scar” he said squeezing my hand and we sat there on the beach listening to the waves both of us lost in thought not saying a word.
I wanted to ask him about what happened after I left the Ball, but now didn't seem like the right time.
He hasn't said a word about how he left things with his parents let alone the prince and princess, he must be under so much stress and yet he is bottling it up, I need to help him somehow, I need to come up with a way to make him happy again.
It's my turn to go all out for you Aiden, just wait and see.
