𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐛𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧- 𝐄.𝐌

10. Too good at Goodbyes

Maeve pressed the phone to her ear when she heard the click of the call. "brother bear! Where are you?"

"Right behind you." Maeve flinched and jumped up in surprise hearing Ezekiel's voice in her ear.

"You crazy idiot!" she cursed placing a hand on her chest. "you scared me."

"That was the aim." His lips curved into a smile but his eyes told a different story. Both of the siblings acted like everything was normal knowing their Pops had an ear out to their conversation. Silently both of them conveyed a lot of words, emotions with only their eyes. One thing was sure, none of them were ready for the inevitable.

"We're about to start watching friends. You know it's no fun without you." Maeve tried her best to keep her voice from cracking. Ezekiel pulled his younger sister into a hug.

"He did love to do that. So, I guess I am right on time. Let's go." He said a mock happiness wiping Maeve's tears. 

"Maeve.." a meek voice called her. Behind Ezekiel stood Amara with a tired look. She made her way to the siblings and pulled the young hybrid into a tight hug.

"I'm here auntie. I'm right here." Maeve rubbed Amara's back shushing softly to calm her. She spread her arms to invite Ezekiel into the hug. He wrapped his arms around joining them in the hug.

"Now this is not fair." they pulled away immediately hearing the voice of Kade come from beside them. Kade stood at the doorway of his room looking at the three of them simultaneously with a betrayed face. "You have a family hug and not invite me? Is this what I get for feeding you all, raising you?"

The three smiled immediately going in for a hug. Kade placed both his hands on the back of his grandchildren smiling to himself. Ross stood at a distance watching the family. He used the camera in his hand and snapped a quick picture of all of them.

Ezekiel was the first to pull away hearing the click of the camera. "Excuse me Cadbury." he began in a strict accent which almost sounded British, "what are you up to?"

"Nothing sire but what Mr Kalon instructed." Ross told them showing the camera in hand.

"To click pictures of us all?" Amara concluded turning to look at her father with a questioning look.

"What? I wanted one last nice photo of us all before time is up." Kade reasoned with them.

"Why are you so ready to give up? Why not just take those damn medicines and stay?" shouted Maeve angrily refusing to let go of Kade.

Kade placed a hand on her shoulder tilting his head to a side with a softened look, "I have lived a long life, Maeve. All I wanted before I die was to see my granddaughter. Now I have you, this family complete after nineteen years. I can see my son in your eyes, it feels like I can finally say that goodbye I couldn't the last time."

"But I just got you." Kade hugged Maeve placing a hand flat on the doorway to steady himself, "I am not ready for a goodbye."

"No one is, Pops. We cannot let this be our goodbye." Ezekiel backed up his sister rubbing away his tears with the back of his left sleeve.

"I...I got two grimoires which have this healing spells. It will help you. I can help you." argued Maeve shaking her head.

"Come inside." Kade invited the three inside his room. He settled with much efforts back on his bed and shifted up against the headboard.

"I have lived a good eighty years. Watched my children grow up to these amazing people. Get married and my beautiful grandchildren. What more could I ask for in a life?"