Entwine

“He wanted an ice cream cone. — Fine, it was me who wanted an ice cream cone. This kid is a saint. You know what he said? He said no… Because he hadn’t had lunch yet. — I’m gonna have to corrupt his upbringing in order for him to have more of a normal childhood. — Well now I owe this kid a trip to the bookstore. I had to bribe him to get junk food by promising him some book about business that just came out. How is it that the scientists is pushing more open mindedness than the spiritualist to this kid? — Fine, I’ll see you in a minute. I’m across the street coming towards you.”

Mia looked down to the small child whose hand she held. “Mom’s coming. We’ll go to the bookstore but first what do you want to eat for lunch?” She smiled as she looked at his small face. As the saying went, this kid was cute as a button. With his beautiful golden tan, black hair, and those unique grey colored eyes that looked back up at her, there was no doubt he would break many hearts when he got older. Good thing he had two strong educated women and two respectful successful men who would raised him with the right morals.

She looked at him with love and pride. With maturity and intelligence not reserved for a child his age, one could say these were characteristics gifted to him in preparation to deal through the life he would lead.

Their eye contact was broken by the loud screeching of breaking tires followed by loud impact noise broke through the air, drawing her attention towards the direction where the noise came from.

Vinnie rushed through the cross walk as the walking signal turned green. Distracted by her thoughts she became unaware of her surroundings; It only took a second. The driver heard his phone vibrate and glanced over as Vinnie’s figure came into view.

Mia held tightly onto Cassian’s hand as she ran towards the accident, dropping it along with their shopping bags as she reached his mom. She searched her pockets frantically for her phone. “There has been an accident. Woman just got hit by a car. We’re at 97th and Penn,” she said to the operator applying pressure an open wound on her friends head. “Vinnie! Stay with me Vinnie!”

“Excuse me, I’m a doctor! Let me through!” Yelled a man who was making his way through the crowd of onlookers who had gathered at the scene. The sirens could be heard from a distance. “Dean, get an operating room ready. I’m coming in with an injured party. Vehicle accident involving a pedestrian. Female, mid 20’s. Looks like, head injury - possible fractures,” he spoke to his head set as he glanced down the unconscious woman.

Victor paced back and forth in the waiting room. He was glad that the doctor who was the first one at the scene of his wife’s accident was Mark Harper, his close friend, However that didn’t ease him from the worries that came from having to wait without any update to his wife’s condition.

As Mark walked towards the waiting room feeling heavy with the anxiety that came with delivering bad news. These news heavier than usual as it was his friend’s wife who he treasured more than anything. “Victor, Vinnie is now out of surgery and doing fine, but you know with her past condition we ran additional tests.”

5 years later

Mia was beyond upset. She felt as though the chair had been taken from underneath her as she found out that Cassian had been sent away to a boarding school. “Really Victor? We go away for two weeks and you ship him off?”

“Hauer went with him too. He will be fine.”

“Oh, yeah that makes it better. Making another family let go of their child so you don’t feel as bad for sending yours alone. Woo. They can be alone together.”

“What do you want me to say Mia? He’s gone. And he will be gone until he graduates.”

“Where did you send him?”

“You’re not bringing him back.”

“You are a piece of work Victor. You didn’t even have the respect or decency to even give me, the woman who is like a second mother to him, a chance to at least say goodbye.”

“Be upset I understand. I could’ve waited but it’s done. This is what he needs.”

“He needs it? Or you?”

Victor sighed. The words ‘he needs or you’ going through his head over and over. “Every time I see him, I see her. I see her okay!? Should I keep the boy around so he can see how his father is not fairing well with his mother’s death!? Huh!? I will not have him here and become weak.”

“He is a boy! A child Victor. It’s not bad for him to know that his father is human and that there are things that are okay to mourn about.”

“He is the heir to this Mia. He has a role to grow into and duties to fulfill. Now are you going to continue to give me shit or are you too going to fulfill yours too?”

“I never cared much for the Victor before Vinnie.”

”Yeah… well me too. Too bad she’s no longer here to keep him away.”