His Redemption, Her Legacy

Part 21

'Let me not pray to be sheltered from dangers,
but to be fearless in facing them.

Let me not beg for the stilling of my pain, but
for the heart to conquer it.'

-Rabindranath Tagore
***

Bradford Estate;

Brandon wiped his palms against the fabric of his trousers, trying to sooth his nervousness, while Geoffrey sat looking at him with a concerned expression.

“Maya was right. You are definitely not yourself.”

Brandon fidgeted even more upon the mention of his sister. He knew she had to be the one responsible for his uncle’s visit. For, no matter how angry she was at him, she would never abandon him…unlike what he did.

“I suppose you are not going to tell me what is wrong.”

Brandon considered his words, knowing well enough that he was right.
He could not disclose the truth to him.

For as long as he could remember, Brandon had strived to be like Geoffrey. He wanted to be the man he had admired.
If Geoffrey knew what he had done…

Not a second went by where he did not think of his sister’s words. They echoed in the confines of his mind, torturing him with their intensity.
It had not taken him long to compute their truth.

She had been absolutely right- he had indeed turned into the monster that he always designed his father to be.

The mere thought of what he had done to Emma, sent him through a blaze of self-depreciation and remorse. He knew that no matter what he did, he could never repent for that.

His mind played tricks on his conscience, causing him to envision Emma leading a content life with his brother. He pictured them as a happy family- with his child looking up to Averey as his father.
These thoughts corroded his peace of mind.

He had not had a moment of ease in the past three months, since Emma’s wedding.

Now, he sat before the one man whom he had never wanted to disappoint; for this man had been more of a father to him than his own. And the thought of letting him down, filled him with even more disgrace.

Geoffrey saw the conflict on Brandon’s face and sighed heavily.
When Maya had expressed her concern about Brandon’s wellbeing, he had not wasted another moment and had rushed to the Bradford Estate.

She had not been particularly clear about the reason behind her bearing, but Geoffrey had detected her unease and reluctance and had decided to see for himself.

However, now, as he sat facing Brandon, he knew it had been the right decision.

There was definitely something plaguing his mind. He looked a shell of his old self. The pallor of his face was a clear indication of him spending little to no time under the sun, while his body had certainly lost much of its mass.
Concern for his health welled up in Geoffrey. But he knew better than to be upfront with his questions.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Brandon raised his eyes up to him and spoke in a wounded tone,

“Am I like my father, Uncle Geoffrey?”