Switchblades and Infedelity - The Conclusion

eighteen

A part of Patrick feels guilty for not taking Stello back to Nia immediately like she had asked, but he can't help it. Truth be told, Patrick didn't want to give his son up so soon.

The drive to the lake is silent, with the exception of the radio playing softly in the background. Stello doesn't say much during the ride and instead opts to rest his head against the passenger side window, watching quietly as his breath fogs up the glass. Patrick glances over at one point and smiles to himself as he sees the young boy reach up and draw a series of stars in the fog with his fingers and connect them. Constellations.

Naturally, the thought of constellations causes Patrick's mind to wander back to Nia. However, for the first time in a long time, he doesn't feel like his life revolves around her. Once again, the world is muted as he leaves Nia's orbit.

Before he can dwell on this feeling any longer, though, his thoughts are interrupted by the boy in the passenger seat.

"Are we there yet?"

Patrick chuckles to himself. "Almost, buddy." And he keeps driving.

A few short minutes later, Patrick parks the car. He checks the time on the dashboard before switching the ignition off. 1:11 AM.

Stello hops out of the car and Patrick follows. The pair head to the shore, and the young boy sits down on a rock jutting out of the dirt. Patrick crouches next to him and silently begins skipping pebbles across the water. The reflection of the stars distort as the stones skim across the surface.

"Daddy?" Stello asks softly. It takes a moment before Patrick realizes the boy was talking to him. He still isn't used to the idea of being a father.

"What is it, bud?" Patrick asks as he looks over at the boy. His son.

"When you and Mommy were kids... did you like her? Like, like-like her?" he asks.

"Well... yes. I did. A lot," Patrick admits. "I... I loved her."

There's a lull in the conversation. However, Patrick doesn't feel it to be awkward. On the contrary, it is quite comfortable.

In this moment, Patrick has a realization: this is the first time he had been able to confide with someone on such a personal level in a long time. The last time he was able to... well, it was when he was eighteen years old. With Nia. Now, things are different between the two of them.

Stello picks up a pebble and examines it as he processes Patrick's response. After a while, he speaks up again.

"And you still do," he states as he looks up at his father. It isn't a question.

Once again, Patrick is struck at how similar Stello's features are to his mother's: his hair, a wavy halo around his head; his freckles, a series of constellations dotted across his cheekbones; his eyes, two vast galaxies. This time, Patrick does not feel compelled to avoid the question. He takes a deep breath before responding.

"Yes. I do."

"Does that mean you'll get together? You know, like they do in the stories?"

Patrick opens his mouth to respond, but pauses. He feels his heart drop to his stomach as he realizes he isn't ready to face this question.

Truth be told, he has no idea. Yes, he loves her. Without a doubt. But ever since their reunion, Nia had always been so... unpredictable. It frustrated him to no end. He doesn't even know if she loves him now like she had all those years ago.

His mind flashes back to their childhood. Spending time with her at the lake. She spent hours gazing at the sky, admiring the universe that hung above their heads. Meanwhile, Patrick always watched her. She was his universe.