The Happiness Thief (TEGSA)

→03. The window guest←

As the clock strikes midnight, the darkness outside seems to seep inside the car, filling the air with an unsettling silence. Max sits on the backseat, drawing random patterns on his palms. Beside him, Carl is sleeping peacefully, his head resting on Max's shoulder. That annoys Max, and he pushes his brother away, whose head hits the door, but the little one simply wakes up with a jerk, looks around for a moment, and falls asleep again. His eyes travel to the shadowy figures of his family members, their faces illuminated only by the faint glow of the dashboard light.

The tension is still palpable, the weight of last evening's accident lingering like a ghostly presence. As he gazes out the window, Max's attention is drawn to the commotion outside, where his family is gathered, their faces bathed in the harsh light of the car's headlights.

Outside the car, Vincent and Clara, with guilty faces, are bending in 90 degrees and apologizing to David and Ellena about the possible mishap which could have happened. Luckily, for them, the baby was not hurt, but its position was disturbed. On the doctor's advice, David decided to drive back to his home, despite it being 12 am.

"I am extremely sorry, David! All because of Maxwell's..."

David places a hand on Vincent's shoulder,"Vincent... It's alright,nothing happened to the baby. Now,we must leave brother!"

Vincent looks down and nods,"Call me once you reach home."He pulls him in a and whispers another apology before parting.Jaden is sleeping on the backseat,and Ellena slips on the co driver seat while David takes the steering wheel in hand,and wave before driving away. As soon as they are out of sight,Clara places her hand on Vincent's shoulder,who is standing with crossed arms and let's out a sigh.

The engine's gentle purr was the only sound that broke the silence as Vincent drove home, the darkness outside seeping into the car like a chill. Carla's gaze remained fixed on the road ahead, her hand a steady presence on his shoulder. Vincent's eyes, however, were locked on the asphalt, his jaw tense, his mind stuck in a loop of regret, replaying the evening's events like a bad habit.

The silence is oppressive, weighing heavily on their shoulders. They don't need to say a word to each other; they both know that the evening's accident has left its mark.

Finally, they pull into the driveway, and Vincent kills the engine. The sudden silence is almost deafening. Carla gets out of the car, her movements mechanical, and Vincent follows suit. They exchange a look, but neither of them says a word.

Inside the house, Clara tucks Carl into bed, her movements gentle, her face a mask of concern. Once she's finished, she calls out to Maxwell, her voice soft but firm. "Maxwell, can you come into the living room, please? We need to talk."

Maxwell who was getting ready to sleep,feels uneasy despite knowing that the talk was going to happen. He jumps from his bed,and walks with his mother to the living room where his father is already sitting with a stern expression.

Clara takes the seat beside Vincent, while Maxwell sits on his small chair, facing his parents.Vincent cracks his knuckles before speaking,"Maxwell do you realize the consequences of today's accident?"

Maxwell breaks into a small giggle, which shocks Clara while Vincent's expression turns angry,"Sorry sorry mum and dad! It happened yesterday, not today! It's already past 12 a-"

"This is all my fault! It was my extreme love and fondness which has made him so carefree and irresponsible! Maxwell,this matter is not funny and I am extremely disappointed in you." Vincent storms towards his room,while Clara tries to stop him. She gestures Maxwell to go to sleep and turns the lamp off, before calling Vincent's name several times.