Stay by my side, Mi Confidant

Part 2: Is It Too Late For Us?

After sunset, Liam, exhausted from his tears, has fallen asleep. In the fresh air, Creighton paid a visit to the ground where Lucy was laid to rest. He got down on his knees slowly, hands flinched his hands on his legs hard as tears streamed down his face. His emotional and logical impulses collided and he became even more weak and helpless.

"Please tell me, what am I supposed to do, Lucy? Liam does not recognize you as his mother and it's breaking me into pieces. You said that I should find my own happiness when I am ready, and yet I broke her heart too. This pain in my heart is tearing me apart. Lucy, I've been so enamored with her that I've almost forgotten about you." he exclaimed as he cried, tapping his chest uncontrollably.

**

It feels the same for Lady Agatha who kept locking herself in her room after work. Butler Donald, Carrie, and Ashley were worried because she again ate her dinner alone and did not want to talk to anyone unless it was related to work.

Butler Donald knew that he must find a way... to bring Creighton and Liam back to the mansion.

She wandered a lot in the sanctuary where her family lay to rest. She kept asking herself, for what reason she deserved to be lonely again. Was she too harsh when she said those words to Creighton or was, she so harsh on herself that she ended up alone again? She remembered the time when Creighton held her hand, warmly and passionately. The time when she saw him teary-eyed after Liam called her "Mama". All those expressions of Creighton, the touch of his hands, and the intensity of his compassion kept rewinding into her mind, consciously and unconsciously. All she ever wanted was to feel loved and to be happy. And she had that, she felt the love but then lost it.

"It's better to have loved and lost... than never to have loved at all. Is it?" She thought to herself, "Was I better off without them or this longing is better? Does it even matter when all you get is hurt and loneliness in the end?" Deep inside she knew she wanted them back so badly because she knew that Creighton and Liam are the only ones who have ever really loved her for who she is.

**

The very next morning, Butler Donald did not go to the garment manufacturing company, instead, he drove himself all the way to Kentidale without Lady Agatha's knowledge of his whereabouts.

Liam was sitting cross-legged on the grass with his teddy bear as Creighton chopped wood in the backyard for the chimney. Liam was wearing a khaki shirt and black linen shorts. He made silly noises and babbled as if he was having a good conversation with his teddy bear. As a kind of self-entertainment, he was doing dancing moves while holding the teddy's hand. Creighton, who had taken off his shirt in the middle of the day, was sweating profusely when he heard a vehicle coming down the road.

He stopped cutting the wood, wore his dirty white shirt, and tapped his hands on his linen pants to remove excess dirt. He fetched Liam and went to the front yard. He was surprised to see Butler Donald standing outside of his car with a rested sad face looking at him.

"Butler Donald why are you here?" he approached him through the wooden fence. Liam clapped his hand as he was happy to see Butler Donald.

"We need to talk, Creighton." Butler Donald had a clear and serious approach.

Creighton sadly nodded and let him in the house. Butler Donald sat on a wooden chair as he looked around the small shabby house. Creighton put Liam down on the center bed, and he started playing with his teddy again. He offered Butler Donald an instant coffee in a dented stainless-steel cup.

"I'm sorry Sir Donald, I only have instant coffee to offer you." Creighton said while sitting on another wooden chair.

Without meeting Butler Donald's gaze, Creighton placed his hands in his lap and nodded regretfully. A sense of remorse came from inside himself. Butler Donald took a little sip of the coffee and set the cup down. He took note of Creighton's restless gesture.

"Creighton" their eyes met as Butler Donald called Creighton's name. He saw the puffiness and dark circles under Creighton's eyes. And, he sighed with arms crossed and a slightly-tilted head.

"Are you sleeping well, Creighton?"

"I tried to sleep well, Sir Donald. I tried." Looking down at his hands on his lap.

"Then, why did you leave the mansion?"

"I don't know, it just happened so fast that I ended up hurting Lady Agatha's feelings that night"

"Creighton, you are like a son to me. And, like every father in this world, I am worried and concerned. So, please tell me what exactly happened? Did Lord Douglas threaten you that you left without a word?" he bluntly said.

Creighton was speechless and quiet but Butler Donald sensed that it was Lord Douglas doing.

"Let me ask you?"

"Yes, Sir Donald"

"Have your feelings grown towards Lady Agatha?"

"Yes." Without a thought or hesitation, words slipped out of Creighton's mouth, he didn't even look at Butler Donald.

"Did you tell her that you loved her?"

"No."

"Because you're afraid that Lord Douglas will try and break you apart if that happens."

"Be-cause, because I want to protect Lady Agatha from her greedy and vicious uncle." He exclaimed as he looked at Butler Donald's firm face.

"But you didn't ... instead, you left the mansion, why?" Butler Donald asked with a questioning face.

He slowly nodded again, "Be-cause I have nothing, Sir Donald. I - I have nothing to fight against Lord Douglas. He has the power and money which I - don't, and so I am nothing but just a lowly man that - I can't even protect the person I claim to love."

"Is Lady Agatha nothing to you, Creighton?" his tone softens but is jarring.

Creighton's pride was wounded by the words. His eyes widened as he suddenly came to his senses.

"Did you ever think about that? Why is she clinging to you? And, why she took responsibility to become Liam's mother? Without thinking about what people will say behind her back? It's because she has feelings for you too, Creighton. She cherished you and your son, so much that she is prepared to battle with her own uncle. Because for her, you and Liam are her family now."

Upon realizing his mistake, a tear trickled down his cheek. He gave little thought to what Lady Agatha's genuine intentions were. Love was still the thing that bound them together after all this time. They complete each other in every way. His heart sprang out in an uncontrollable outburst of sorrow. He put his hand to his chest and sobbed loudly in front of Butler Donald.

Butler Donald got to his feet and walked across to the left. In a show of support and sympathy, he put his arm over his shoulder and comforted him.

"She was alone before you, but I have never seen her lonelier" Butler Donald continued, "Let's go home, Creighton. Right now, all she needs is YOU!"