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AMBER
With Kaden away on business, I’m suddenly finding myself with a lot of free time. To be honest, I’m not sure what to do with it. The house is eerily quiet, so I grab my keys and head out for a drive.
I’m cruising through town aimlessly, still unsure what to do with my time as I stop for a coffee. I continue for a few hours before deciding I want company, and I end up in front of the Williams’ house.
I’m not sure exactly what I’m doing here – perhaps searching for a little bit of Kaden while he’s away?I think to myself, shaking my head and preparing to leave.
As I’m switching the car in drive, Debra, Kaden’s stepmother, walks out the door and waves at me. I quickly realize there’s no way I’m getting out of this now, so I shut off the car and get out, waving back.
As I approach Mrs. Williams, I notice a huge smile on her face. “Hi, sweetheart, is everything okay?” she asks politely when I get close enough to hear her. I smile at her, feeling my nerves jump a little at my being here without Kaden.
“Hello, Mrs. Williams. Yes, everything’s just fine. I apologize for coming by unannounced. I was just driving around and found myself in the neighborhood,” I respond honestly.
God, I hope I’m not intruding, or she thinks this is weird,I think as my anxiety grows by the second.
“No need to apologize, dear. Come on in. This is your house, too,” she exclaims sweetly. I follow Debra into the house. Kaden’s siblings, Catherine and Claude, greet me excitedly. I exchange greetings with them and follow Debra into the kitchen.
I notice Mr. Williams sitting at the table reading the newspaper, a hot cup of coffee steaming in his hand. He looks up, regarding me over the top of the global news section,
“Amber, to what do we owe this pleasure?” he asks kindly, folding the newspaper. He sets it down, giving me his full attention. I pull out a chair and sit adjacent to him as Debra sits across the table from me to his right.
“I apologize for the intrusion. I was out driving around, and I guess I may have been searching for a bit of Kaden while he’s away. It’s strange having the house empty and all to myself for the first time,” I explain, staring at my hands folded neatly on the table.
Mr. Williams chuckles deeply. “No intrusion at all! I’m grateful you feel comfortable stopping by. Hell, my own son doesn’t even do that much,” he says. A look of pain briefly crosses his face, but it disappears as fast as it appears. “Anyways, how have you been doing?” he asks, quickly changing the topic.
“I’ve been great! It’s been slightly hectic learning the responsibilities of a wife and maintaining a huge house. There’s never a dull moment, that’s for sure,” I say, trying to find a new and less sensitive topic. For some reason, I feel oddly comfortable here without Kaden.
They’re making me feel like they enjoy having me here. It’s almost like I’ve been a part of this family forever. I’m not sure I’ve felt more welcomed by anyone other than Kaden.
Kaden’s father smiles at me warmly. “Well, it appears to me you’re doing well. I haven’t seen Kaden this happy in years. It’s crazy to see how much he’s becoming himself again,” he says.
I smile at the thought of young Kaden. It’s hard to imagine what he was like as a child. It seems like it’s been forever since we met in our first year of college, but I’m curious about who he was before that.
“I knew Kaden when we were a bit younger, but what was he really like? If you don’t mind me asking,” I say, hoping to fulfill some of my curiosities.
I notice a look of pure pride and love on Mr. William’s face as he reminisces. “Kaden’s always been a very hard-working person. After his mother died, he stayed with his aunt in San Francisco for a bit. He started college, where he met you, but then he came home to live with us. We were in New York at the time,” he says, smiling at me.
I nod, listening. This explains a bit about the gap in our relationship. Kaden simply withdrew from college one day during senior year. I never saw him again, until our recent run-in. Hearing that he moved back home with his father in New York does answer some questions.
“After that, he spent some time at a school there before going to Harvard for his master’s degree.”
“Harvard is an impressive school. It’s awesome to think that he graduated from there!” I exclaim.
“Kaden’s always been incredibly brilliant. He graduated as one of the top students in his class. He then continued to blow me away by starting his own business and working his ass off for everything he has. Including you,” he says, pride echoing in his voice.
“He went through hell to get here,” Debra chimes in, a pained look crossing her eyes. “He refused help, too. He struggled financially for a while, almost losing the business. Whenever we offered our help, he always said that he built the business from the ground up. If he lost it, nobody was to blame but him.”
Yeah, that sounds like my stubborn husband, but I’m proud of him for it,I think to myself, feeling humbled to learn this about him. “I’m proud of what he achieved on his own, especially when he had the support not to have to do it alone,” I say with a smile.
“That child didn’t ask for our money to earn the fortune he has now,” he says. “I’m damn proud of him, too. Whether he realizes it or not.”
The day passes by in a flash, and I enjoy spending time with them all day. I stay for dinner at their request, listening to more stories about Kaden’s childhood.
It almost makes me fall for him more, knowing how he’s been all these years.
After dinner, I help clean up and start collecting my things against the family’s protest. My heart feels complete that they want me to stay, but I’m exhausted. I manage to devise a compromise, promising to come back tomorrow.
We say our goodbyes, and I start thinking about sleeping tonight as I pull out of the driveway. The thought of the empty bed and not receiving cuddles from Kaden saddens me. It quickly changes my mind about going home, and I end up at my mother’s place instead.
