AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He cups my cheeks, his grip on my unwavering. “No time spent with you will ever be a waste, Esme.” His lips touching mine in a soft but full kiss. Then he pulls back, red-rimmed eyes meeting mine. “Take care of yourself, Esme.”
“You, too.”
He gives me on last smile, then turns, making his way across the bedroom. Just as he’s about to slip into the hallway, he pauses, eyes meeting mine.
“She’s wrong, ya know.”
“Who is?”
“Your grandmother. Love can exist anywhere if you’re willing to fight for it.” He holds my gaze for another beat before disappearing from view.
ChapterForty-One
Creed
I sinkinto the deep leather couch, admiring the Christmas tree standing in the bay window. Tiny lights adorn each branch and glitter against the backdrop of soft white snowflakes falling outside. The sweet aroma of nutmeg and cinnamon fills the living area, our Christmas Eve celebration winding down.
Sipping on my scotch, I can’t help but smile as I watch AJ play with his gifts from my parents, who spoiled him, as they always do.
This is what I need. A reminder of what truly matters. I’d forgotten for a bit. Allowed myself to fall into my old patterns.
Between acting as Esme’s temporary CPO, as well as Anderson’s extensive travel prior to that, I hadn’t been home much. Hadn’t been around Rory and AJ much.
Had forgotten about the promise I made to Adam.
Never again.
This is where I belong.
This is what’s important.
Nothing else.
Nooneelse.
“Look at this, Uncle Creed!”
AJ’s voice forces me back to the present, and I glance toward the dining area, the table that previously held the roast beef, potatoes, and green beans Rory prepared for us now turned into a construction zone for all the LEGO bricks my parents bought him.
“That’s great, buddy,” I say, taking in the start of an intricate pirate ship. “I guess I know how you plan on spending your school holiday.”
“You’ve got that right,” he shoots back, a gleam in his eye.
He may never have known his father, but there’s no mistaking he’s Adam’s son. Not just in appearance, but also in his mannerisms. The older he gets, the more I feel like I’ve gone back in time thirty years and am seeing a younger version of Adam.
He loved building LEGOs, too.
I can only imagine the hours he would have spent with AJ, constructing as many complicated sets as possible.
When you lose someone you love, their absence always seems more pronounced around the holidays. Today’s no exception. But I refuse to dwell on that. This needs to be a happy time. For AJ’s sake.
“Don’t forget you have to start researching topics for your social studies project,” Rory reminds him as she lowers herself onto the couch beside me and takes a long sip of her wine.
“Yes, Mum,” AJ groans, then gives Rory a playful wink.
“How are you doing?” I ask in a soft voice once AJ refocuses his attention on his pirate ship, my mum and dad seeming just as interested in building it as AJ.
While my father and I still have a somewhat strained relationship, he’s been making more of an effort since Adam’s death, especially once AJ was born. When he was younger, he would stop by and take him to the park. Or out for ice cream. Or to a big football match.
