Begin Again

LONE

It was a Saturday. But neither of the Cadieux had the feeling to enjoy their weekly vacation. Delano, however, was determined to travel alone. He felt the need to sort out the knots in his mind. 

Last night, Delano crept along the corridor silently. He could hear his mother's soft weeping sounds as he passed by his parents' room. It's been two nights since Corinne last saw her husband, or as she would call him now, the cheater. She had given him everything, she had brought up their beautiful son, she had helped him manage his company during his hardest days without asking for a position, she was selfless because she loved him. But he had never fully appreciated her. All she would ask for was a happy family, it was that simple and priceless. He could give her the world, but he could not mend her broken heart. 

As he closed the door of his room, Delano leaned against it. His shirt was soaked in sweat as he had been running down streets. He wanted to escape from reality, and he could only do it by exhausting himself. Apparently, he didn't even think of changing out of his shirt when he ran, it was cotton anyway. With his back on the door, he slid down as his knees felt weak, his head fell backwards effortlessly, resting on the piece of cold wood. 

When his heartbeat returned to its normal pace, Delano pursed his lips, stood up and started packing for the next day. As much as he would love to stay here, to be by his mother's side, he couldn't think of facing his father's lies anymore. Corinne would understand him, he was sure. 

He packed a few clothes into his Victorinox luggage, all the other necessary items were already available at the resort. He plunged into his Majesty Vispring bed, the cool sheets comforting his fragile soul. He didn't know how long he had been awake, sharing the eerie silence with nothing but his own heartbeat, and at somewhere in the middle of the night, he fell asleep. 

The next morning, Delano landed at the island, the place where it used to bore the fruit of happiness, now reminded him of an empty heart. He had the entire Victorian-styled mansion to his own, but some part of him told him that it was probably the last time he would be here. 

He lazed in the enormous library the entire afternoon, indulging in Sherlock Holmes, the preciseness of solving crimes and mysteries never failed to inspire him. How he wished he could do the same to bring his family back together, but deep down he knew that it was impossible for things to go back to the way they were. 

The night sky was somber and starless, it told stories of loneliness and helplessness. For the past few hours of being alone, Delano had hoped that he could find a way to resolve what he was going through, but nothing seemed to help. The island bartender had made him a special cocktail to mend his wounds, it was the absolute taste of bittersweet.

Back in the resort, there was a huge picture of his family which hung on the wall on top of the stairway, it was taken when he was merely five years old, his innocent blue eyes had a spark in them. That spark was gone now, all that's left was a crippled soul. 

Delano stood at the balcony, the land breeze blowing into his face, carrying away his sorrow, he could never feel this calm in any other place. He closed his eyes, hoping that the moment will freeze. Although he wasn't a fan of Sundays yet he never despised it, he wished it would never come.