Retrograde

Retrograde | Chapter 18 | Part 1

Author's Note:

*claws my way out of the depths of madness to finally post a chapter*

Dears, I'm beyond sorry for the time between chapters.  

I got smug and totally thought I'd get time over Christmas, etc., but with a full-time job, two kids, two MBA subjects every eight weeks, a husband, two cats, and a bloody bernedoodle puppy, I'm spent!

Most weeks, I can barely form a coherent sentence, let alone write something even remotely poetic. 

But I'm constantly motivated by your messages, from checking in on how I'm doing to sending me excerpts of your fave scenes.  Honestly - without knowing that y'all are still here, reading and re-reading our Retrograde babes, I might have not come back to finish the story.  Your love of these characters is what keeps me going.

So...thank you...for all your love and support.

Sending many kisses and hugs,
Ames ❤️

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Previously on Retrograde:

Eren cups his hand over his mouth, struggling to believe he's starting at his two beautiful children together again at last. He reaches a hand out to both their cheeks, his eyes floating between the two.

"Short of seeing your mother again, this is my most favourite sight. Merry Christmas my children."

Emotions swirl amongst the trio as they turn and face Elif, telling her of the last five years and how the rest of their lives start today.

They're so busy chatting and laughing that they don't hear the subtle clicks of the photographer's lens capturing their happy moment in the snow. The Albatross' man examining the images he's secured, and for a moment lamenting that he hadn't just brought his sniper rifle.

This could have ended here.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

The flurries of snow outside the bay windows of the Hampton Estate are turning this Christmas day celebration into a winter wonderland.

Standing at the door to her kitchen, Aydan Bolat takes a plate of hors d'euvres from Rosa, and the women share a soft smile, grateful to be entertaining more than just each other for a change. It's been so long since life was breathed into these walls or where they needed to prepare more than a simple dinner for two.

The remnants from the frantic unwrapping of presents this morning still litter the floor, and the smells wafting from the kitchen are making all their mouths water. She couldn't have dreamed up a more perfect day.

Christmas carols quietly play, and the open fire warms both the room and the faces of her guests in the living room. Aydan can't take her eyes off Eda and Serkan cuddling on her plush cream-coloured couch as they chat animatedly with Eren, who has smiled more today than in the whole of the last six years. His deep laugh reverberates through the house, and Aydan's heart soars.

To the untrained eye, the three of them look like Hallmark commercial. Eren with his aging striking good looks, and the kids both obviously stunning. You'd never think they'd known a hard day in their lives. But in a way only a mother can, Aydan can't help but notice the way Serkan and Eda hold each other.

Serkan anchors the love of his life to his broad chest, betraying an unspoken fear that she'll suddenly unfold her wings and leave his life forever.

Eda, for her part, isn't much better. Despite the radiant smile on her face, her slender fingers turn white at the tips as they grasp both his forearms - a silent plea to for him to stay. Even with him at her back, Eda can't help but turn her face to look between him and her father, afraid that Serkan will have been an apparition after all.