Flower Lovers : the confluence of two souls

.Chapter 9.

"June, where have you been for coming home at three am?" Asked the aunt of the young boy worried

"Sorry. I went out for a walk."

"Is everything okay kid?" Asked the uncle who broke out in the entrance of the house

"Yeah, sorry for having worried you, I'm going to my bedroom now."

"Right, go and sleep 'til you're on holidays" said Kathleen

After that, Kathleen and Jonathan went to the conservatory that opened onto the garden. Kathleen sat on a sofa, looking worried. Her husband leaned against the wall and looked at her concerned. She took her head in her hands and said :

"It's so hard seeing June like that..."

Jonathan answered calmly :

"You know, when you're a young boy, you ask yourself a lot of questions and currently, June is going through a hard time. He's reminding his parents and it's not easy seeing him sad and confused. But it's our rôle as his family to make him feel understood and loved. And actually, you do it pretty well Kath."

"Yes, you're right, but I was so busy in the flower shop that I forgot to ask him if everything was fine. I feel so sorry for him... I should try to be a little bit more there for June, especially these days. We should try to worry about him more, I'm concerned about how he's doing. It's true, he never tells us what's wrong..."

"You don't have to blame yourself for that... And you know, we shouldn't be so invasive in June's life, it's better for him that we let him have liberties. He's a teenager, and most of the teens are not so comfortable talking about their problems with adults."

"Maybe... Could you try to have a conversation with him? You're a man after all, it might be easier for him to talk about what he's enduring with you don't you think?"

"I can try..." hesitated Jonathan

"Maybe he would like having an activity on which he could focus."

"He already has a basket, isn't it enough?"

"Actually, his coach has taken some rest because he went abroad to see his mother who's sick, and so June has no basket for a week..."

"When will he come back?"

"I don't know, they said about one month, maybe less, maybe more... Didn't you know someone who runs an art club?"

"Ah yes. You mean Jeanne-Bernadette?"

"Yes, she's a really kind and devoted woman. We should invite her with her husband and talk about signing up June in her club?"

"I don't know if he'll like it, but let's give it a try."

"What would I do without you Jonathan..."

Her husband laughed and said, "You look tired don't you? Let's sleep now."

"Yes, guess it's time to call it a day !"

It was the afternoon in the Jones' Mansion. We could hear voices raising up through the door of Dean's father's office.

"I won't let you act that way any longer ! Your fucking stupid act is over now ! If your mother wasn't there, I wouldn't have been so patient with you Dean ! He slapped Dean's face vehemently. Now get out !"

The young boy left the room, without looking back. His father, Oliver Jones, was a fifty years old man. He had grey hair properly drawn with wax, and had a very short beard. His eyes seemed severe because of his frowned eyebrows. He was most of the time dressed with a dark suit, even if this day he was wearing a black tight turtleneck and lighter pants, neatly ironed. He looked at his hand, sighed and promptly sat in his big armchair. His office was well ordoned, very tidy. There were only a few pieces of furniture, a huge desk, some shelves and a bookcase. Near the window were arranged plants : a monstera deliciosa, a ctenanthe setosa and a great chamaedorea elegans. All of them were gifted by his wife, Aashi. Three canvases were attached to the wall. Two of them were offered by commercial associates of Mr Jones, and the last one was a family portrait in which we could see Oliver Jones standing right next to Aashi Jones, who was sitting on a chair. In front of them, Agami was kneeled and in the back, we could make out Dean and Noah. The whole family was very serious, apart from Aashi who gave a great smile.