Drop in the Ocean (Upper East Side Three)

Epilogue Part II

Part II – Terrified

I never expected the talk I was having with Lolo Alessio and Dad.

"I did it then, Reizo. Your Mom stayed here when I went abroad. Your Lolo did it also."

"But, Dad, Kaela..." Lolo Alessio cut me off.

I watched him sit down and drink on his liquor. "You need to let her go sometimes, Reizo. You need to let her on her own. You must be aware that not every time you are there beside her. You must acknowledge that you are not always behind her shadows. Lead her to her independence, Reizo. Let her know what it's there in the cruel world. Let her find out something without you. I know, being with her is happier. Being with her feels better. But she must stand on her own. Build herself better on her own."

I am always aware of how dependent Kaela was. But I knew she was changing. She's doing better and learning new things that will at least lessen how reliant she is on everyone around her.

But I am also here. I can be with Kaela when things get rough, or she needs something she can't do. But that's not what they want. They want her to stand on her own, and maybe a part of me wanted it for her too because I knew that it would be for her own sake.

"Don't be stubborn. Just give Kaela space, even sometimes, to know the world without you in it. Give her the time to think about herself. If you're doing this for your future with her, give her also her share for the future you're building. Just guide her and let her do it on her own. It will be hard in the process, but it will be fulfilling. Not for you. But for her. It will make her find her true self." He said, which knocked some thoughts in me.

Will it be better if I do it? She'll be left here...

"She was born and raised being dependent on everyone around. I love her as my granddaughter. I love her for you. But sometimes, we need to let go of her hand because we love her. We need to let her grow better alone. I talked to Arcadius and Cillian about this, and this is also what they want. They want you to take it."

"You told them about this?" I looked at Dad and saw him nod.

"Go to Australia, Reizo. And after that, I'll give you the Estates and won't meddle with your relationship anymore. Do it for your future with Kaela. Go to Australia."

In the process of growing, I learned that there will always be good and bad things that will happen. We just have to understand and be critical regarding both stuff as we grow old. Good things happen and so do bad things because that is the true meaning of life — it is not always rainbows and butterflies. And we must know that we have to experience both in order to learn from both.

It was hard to see Kaela avoiding me when she learned about this. I tried to calm her down about this, but she was mad. She ignored my messages and calls, and I was hurt about that.

How can I go if she doesn't want me to? How can I go if she's like that?

I bargained to Lolo Alessio about going home every week, but he declined. I talked to Tito Eero to ask for help. I asked him to speak with Lolo Cillian and Lolo Alessio not to let me go abroad, but he said no. Instead, he told me to go for it because it was for the growth of Kaela and me.

That was when I realized that I couldn't do anything anymore. If I go abroad and earn more accomplishments, I can do something for myself. I can decide for something that they can never intervene anymore.

Kaela tried to understand, and even if it was hard for her to let me go, it still happened. I just found myself spending my days in Australia without her. Something that kept me sane there was when I talked to her virtually.