Being His

Chapter 27

The sun was setting, casting a warm, amber glow over the horizon as the family of three sat down for dinner. Their normally talkative son, Francis, seemed unusually quiet tonight. His parents exchanged knowing glances, sensing something was off. Finally, after what felt like an eternity of uncomfortable silence, he blurted out, "Mom, Dad... I think I've found her." His voice cracked as he spoke, the words barely audible above the clatter of their plates.

His parents' eyes widened in surprise, and their hearts raced with a mix of hope and fear. "Found who, dear?" his mother asked, her voice trembling.

"I... I found her," Francis replied, his voice still shaky. "Her name is Freyja." He took a deep breath before continuing, "Ezekiel called me, she caught his eyes and when he found out she was my sister. She doesn't remember any of us, but..." His parents exchanged glances once more, their hearts racing. This revelation was both astonishing and terrifying. Their long-lost daughter, Freyja was her name now, alive and well... but with their enemy. They struggled to process the emotions swirling within them. Anger, joy, fear, relief... it was all too much. Francis continued, his voice steadier now. "He was so cold when he spoke but I could see the love he has for her in his eyes, he says he's going to tell her. He didn't tell her what happened between us." His eyes stared at his parents. "He loves her, Mom, Dad. He really loves her but can't look her in the face knowing that she's your daughter."

His father, unable to contain his emotions any longer, sighed and leaned back into his chair. "This is getting out of hand," he muttered under his breath.

"He's letting her go".

Francis looked at his parents, his mother, unable to meet his gaze, stared down at the table. "It's not that we don't want to talk to Ezekiel, Francis... it's just that he won't let us".

"You have to try, now more than ever."

His father sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair. "I know, son. I know. But we have to be careful. We don't want to push him too far."

His mother finally looked up, her eyes filled with unshed tears. "Your father and I... we'll find a way to talk to Ezekiel, Francis. We just need some time. And we'll need your help, too. You're the one who knows him best. You're the one who can help us bridge the gap between our families."

Francis nodded, his expression somber. "I'll do whatever I can, Mom. But... please, be careful. Don't push him too far. He's been through a lot, and he's been alone for so long. We don't want to lose him again." His parents exchanged glances once more, their eyes filled with understanding and love. They knew that their son's concern for Ezekiel's well-being was genuine. It was a testament to the bond they had forged throughout the years, before the animosity between their families.

"Don't worry, Francis," his father said softly. "We'll be careful. And we'll make sure that your sister knows the truth, no matter what. We'll need your help, and Ezekiel's too. Together, we can all work through this."

His mother nodded in agreement, her voice trembling slightly. "We just need some time to process everything, and figure out how best to approach the situation. For now, let's focus on being there for Freyja, and making sure she knows that she has a family who loves her, no matter what."

As the days passed, Francis found himself constantly thinking about Ezekiel and Freyja. The brother he lost and the sister he though he would never see again. And now, fate had brought them back together into his life in the most unlikely of ways. His parents, too, seemed to be wrestling with their emotions. They would often slip away from the dinner table, whispering to each other in hushed tones. Francis could tell that they were struggling with the weight of the revelations and the decisions that lay before them and he found himself growing more anxious to talk to Ezekiel. He knew that his father was right; they needed to be careful not to push him too far.

The phone rung pulling him from his thoughts. It was Ezekiel. "Francis, it's me. I told her, she's packed and ready." His voice sounded distant and strained.

Francis' heart skipped a beat. "You told her?".

"Not everything, just that her birth family is alive and was looking for her all this time. I think she's still in shock."

"I understand," Francis replied, trying to keep his voice calm and reassuring. "Listen, we need to talk to you in person about this. Can you meet us at the nearest diner in half an hour? It's important that we all discuss this together."

There was a long pause on the other end of the line before Ezekiel spoke again. "I can't." His voice was barely audible. "I'll be there when you come pick her up but I'll leave after."

Francis felt a surge of panic. "Ezekiel, please, we need to talk this through together. We need to make sure she understands everything."

There was another long pause before Ezekiel finally responded. "I'm sorry, Francis. I can't do this right now. Just come for Freyja. I'll leave when she's safely in you custody."

Francis took a deep breath, trying to calm his racing heart. He understood that Ezekiel was still going through a lot, but he couldn't help feeling frustrated. He knew that they needed to talk to him, to get him to listen to his parents.

"Alright," he said finally, trying to sound as calm and reasonable as possible. "We'll meet you at the diner, then." Francis hung up the phone and turned to his parents, who were both watching him with concerned expressions. "He says he can't meet us there," he explained. "He'll be at the diner when we pick up Freyja, but he wants to leave after that." His parents showed down casted expressions at the situation. "Let's go get Freyja".