Take Flight

Do You Want To Come ?

"Maddox, honey, can you come here please ?"

The reply is faint. Not only is her son far away, but her mind is blurred. So is her vision. She holds the small piece of paper tightly. She tried to keep it away from the damage of time, but after having folded and unfolded it so many times, it's in quite a state. A single teardrop rolls down her cheek, slowly, painfully.

"Mom?"

Angelina wipes the tear off her face and puts the picture back inside her wallet, hidden behind the other family pictures. She turns aroundwith a weak smile to face her grown son. Her love. She extends her arm to reach him, and he immediately walks towards her, taking her hand in his before sitting next to her on the neatly made bed.

"You know, of course that today..."

"Yes, I do, Mom. Of course I do. But we don't have to talk about it."

"No, it's..."

Her words are cut off by her own sobs making her choke. If after all these years, she has learnt to be happy again, to love again, two days make her break down inevitably. And today is one of them. The day the one person she had ever loved in such away had left for a better place, leaving Angelina behind. Each November, she feared the moment she was going to be reminded of all the pain she had felt years ago. Each November, she wanted to die. But each November, her children, the loves of her life, gave her a reason the hold on, and each November, she knew she could make it for yet another year. Her family had taught her how to live again. First Maddox, then Brad, and all these rays of sunshine that added happiness to her life, more and more everyday. She imagined how much Y/N was probably up there laughing at her finding love in Brad after the conversation they had on their first date. Y/N. She had always been on her mind, but she could live again. But today, that infamous day, is merely pain.

She feels a hand brush her back, and the fact that her own son has to be the one to comfort her does nothing but make her hurt a little more. It should be her role to care and protect her child, yet there they are, switching places again. She slips a hand on Mad's thigh, stroking it soflty, a painful smile on her lips, and her eyes filled with gratefulness on top of the suffering.

"You're thirteen. How fast has time flown."

She brushes his left cheek with her slender fingers, a loving smile painted on her lips.

"I'm so sorry honey."

"What... Why... No ! No, mom ! Don't apologize, it was never your fau..."

"No, honey, it's not... I'm... I meant, I never asked you, not even once, if you ever wanted to come with me."

It only takes a second for Maddox to understand, and he instantly starts shaking his head.

"No, no, I get it, Mom. It's fine, it's your time with her, you need it, alone. I understand, you don't need to apologize, it's totally okay.You don't need to ask me, or take me, just go, on your own if it's what feels best. There's no need to worry about me..."

"But she was your mom. She was your mother too," she marks a pause before whispering, "I had no right to keep you from seeing her. I still don't."

"You didn't. It's okay. I get it, really. Don't worry."

"Do you want to come with me today ?"

Maddox stops talking as she says the words, his mouth still slightly open, looking for the right reply. Angelina can see the hesitation in his eyes. Her heart breaks thinking he never got the chance to visit his own mother after her funeral.

"I don't want to ruin..."

"No, no, Maddox !"

She cuts him off by hugging him tightly. As she breathes she can smell him, and the comforting fragrance of his body eases the pain.

"You could never. It would only be more meaningful. It's up to you. Whether you want to go or not."

"Yeah. Yeah, I think so. I think I'd like to come with you."

"Okay. Okay. We're going together."

After another minute, Maddox parts from his mother, their arms still on each other.

"I'll tell your dad you're coming with me. Wait for me in the car ?"

"Yeah, okay."

He stands up first, a hand still on his mom's shoulder. He starts going away after a last glance, but stops as he's about to walk past the doorframe.

"I love you, Mom."

"I love you too, Mad."

Angelina stays sitted on the bed, her brain still processing the memories and the pain, and only a few minutes after her son left the room, another familiar figure leans against the doorframe. She looks up to him.

"He's coming with me."

"That's good."

"Yes. He deserved to go so much sooner."

"You know he doesn't blame you for anything, right ?"

"Still, it doesn't feel right that I never asked him before."

"You took him to see Ahana. He knows you don't keep him from visiting his lost loved ones. And we all process things differently love. Grief, pain, loss. Everything."

Brad walks up to her and wraps his arm around her, his warmth releasing some of the tension in her body. She lays her head on his shoulder for a minute.

"He loves you so much. He could never be mad at you. Especially for this."

"I know. He's such a good boy. He grew up so well."

They stay in the same position for a while, Angelina fighting her tears, finding comfort in the touch of her lover, and Brad stroking her back to remind her that whatever her mind may tell her form time to time, she is not alone.

"You both go see her. You need it. And I'm glad you're not alone this year, nobody deserves to take on so much pain alone. Going with Maddox now that you feel comfortable asking him can only be beneficial. To both of you."

He kisses the top of her head before staanding up again, helping her do the same.

"Go. He's waiting. And she is too."

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we're getting to the end here. one last chapter after this one, and one long journey is ending. what a ride. i'm not saying i'll be quick to write the ultimate chapter though. you might get it in a month.