Do not cross the line

Chapter 17

You couldn't stop thinking about Evelyn and that 'family issues' they mentioned in the note on the door of the bakery.

So in the Sunday morning, you walked on the street, heading to Evelyn's place. You had visited them many times, and you send them a message can you stop by because you were worried.

You choose to take a small flower bouquet to Evelyn to cheer her up, even you had no idea what had happened.

When you waited behind their door so they would open the door, you got a really bad feeling on your stomach.

When the door slowly got open, you noticed it was Evelyn's husband Eric opening the door. The man looked tired, and it looked like he's been crying.

"Hey Y/N. Come in." - he stepped away from the door, letting you slip inside.

You greeted him and walked into the living room, seeing how Evelyn was sitting on the couch, candle burning on the coffee table and a framed picture next to it.

The bad feeling on your stomach only grew when you walked closer, hearing Evelyn's small sniffs while she wiped her eyes with a napkin.

The picture on the table was their son's, Matthew's army picture, and you were sure you knew what had happened.

You put the flowers down on the table, sitting down next to Evelyn, placing your hand on her shoulder.

She turned to look at you with red eyes which poured tears, and you swallowed the lump away from your throat when you felt how you were going to start to cry too.

"Matthew..." - she whimpered, lower lip trembling hard when the rest of the words got stuck in her throat.

You wrapped your hands around her, making her head to lay on your shoulder, hugging her tight as she started heartbreaking cry.

Eric stood next to the couch, looking how you comforted her wife as he tried to hold back his tears when they had lost their own child.

After Evelyn calmed down a little, they made some coffee, the three of you sitting in the kitchen, drinking coffee, few homemade cookies on the table.

"I'm sorry we won't have anything else to offer." - Evelyn apologizes, offering you the plate with the cookies.

"Is fine Evelyn." - you took one cookie from the plate, taking a bite and sipping your coffee.

"They came to the bakery on Friday night. To tell us that Matthew had fallen." - Eric started to talk, Evelyn once again wiping her tears.

You lowed your head, staring at your coffee.

"They said their group got ambushed, a bomb exploding under their car." - Evelyn started to cry again and Eric hugged his wife.

You looked both of them. You never met Matthew, he was a lot away and when he was back to visit his parents, you wanted to them have family time alone, never pumping up to their present.

Sometimes Evelyn joked how you and Matthew would be a perfect couple, but more you get to know her, and becoming closer, she stopped those when she thought you more as a daughter.

Matthew was three years older than you, Evelyn sometimes showed you his pictures from his childhood, telling stories about him and how proud she was of him.

And now they lost him.

They lost their only child.

"We can't even get his body back home." - Evelyn sniffed, wiping her tears away from her face, and you felt how your heart broke.

They can't even say last goodbyes to their son.

"When we have the memory ceremony, would you want to come with us?" - Evelyn looked at you, small hope in her eyes.

"I... I don't know... I never met him and I'm sure you want to have it between family." - you said, a small frown on your face, honored they wanted you to join them, but you thought it would be unappropriate.

"You are family." - Evelyn said, reaching her hand to land it top of yours on the table. - "You are like a daughter to us."

You felt how your eyes started to burn, the tears slowly starting to reach to your eyes.

"And Matthew would want you there. He always wanted to meet you, he was thankful for how much you had helped us with the bakery." - Eric continued and you swallowed hard, trying to hold back your tears, but you felt how tears started to flow down your cheeks.

So you nodded, taking Evelyn's hand, squeezing it as she squeezed it back.

Your mother died a long time ago, you were the only child and as your father drank most of your childhood and teen years, you weren't that close with him.

You were always alone, making your way to where it was now, making sure no-one was in your way to stop you to make you make your dreams come true.

You barely had any friends, because you were too focused on your career because that was the only thing giving your life a meaning.

But now, when Evelyn and Eric told you you were their family, that they consider you as their daughter, it made new feelings grew in your heart.

You smiled small to them, as they looked at you with love and proud.

"You stay for dinner?" - Evelyn asked, and you nodded, the three of you continue drinking your coffee.