Secrets and Things (MxM)

Chapter 71 - You're gay?

Note:

- Ok this chapter also got very long and now I have to break it up, again.

- Holy fucking shit this story is long and it still feels like I haven't put enough plot yet. In my defence though, I am focussing on two couples. No one's going to read this story after see its length

- If you haven't realised already, these notes were written while I was writing the chapter, which is most definitely not when I'm posting this. I still have like thirteen chapters stocked.

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POV: Aiden

"Mary!" I practically screamed. She ran to me (and considering her age, it was pretty impressive) and pulled me into a bear-crushing hug. I reciprocated, ignoring all the eyes on us.

She pulled back but kept me at arm's length. "Look at you, my boy, you've grown up so much and so healthy."

I felt tears prickling in the corner of my eyes as I looked at my ex-maid, who doubled as my caretaker. I managed to hold back the waterworks. I smiled my most handsome smile instead and cheerily replied, "Well, I can and can't say the same thing about you. You've turned into an old lady now with all those wrinkles and that hunched back but still looking healthy as ever."

Beside me, Alfie stifled a laugh with a cough and Mary slapped my arm five times before harshly grabbing my left ear and tugging it down. Her Asian eyes were now squinted into a terrifying glare. There was the nanny I know and love. "Aiden! Didn't I tell you it's rude to comment on a women's appearance and age unless it's a compliment," she scolded, "honestly, did my beating stick beat nothing into you. You've turned into a heathen. Oh, I just knew I shouldn't have let you go out of this house alone and I should have gone with you so I–"

I laughed boisterously, effectively cutting her off and grabbed her shoulders to shake her slightly. "I'm kidding Mar, you look beautiful and haven't aged a day. And we all know you couldn't have come with me, nor could've your husband over there," I nodded my head in the direction of Alfie, who was observing our interaction, fondly. "I'm glad you guys stayed here," I continued, "you're in comfort and it's not like they did anything wrong."

The dark brown-haired woman looked at me softly before bringing her hand up to cup my cheeks. "But you're like the son we never had. Or can have. So when you left, it was like I was sending off my son to war, permanently. We had no idea if you were going to survive out there on your own."

My face was saddened as she once again reminded me the couple could never have children. The love they had was enough to not stump them into any sort of depression but I knew sometimes, it got to them and they both mulled over it. That's why they always treated me like their own and I was more than happy to consider them my parents over the legitimate ones.

I brought the hand on my cheek in front of me to kiss the palm. The action caused Mary to blush, removing any sort of sadness from before. I brought the mood up again by being my jester self. In the most dramatic way possible, I asked, "Mary, the lack of faith in me is highly concerning! I am offended and hurt. Did I live such a sheltered life? Do sheltered people get chased around with a shoe for accidentally breaking a vase?"

Alfie chuckled and Mary playfully hit my shoulder again. This time, it was Alfie who answered my dramatics. "If you're going to grow up in the hands of Chinese people, then you're going to grow up the Chinese way, shoes and all." Mary nodded in agreement as she removed her hands from my arms to link with Alfie. Alfie naturally took it and smiled at her.

You could see the love they shared for each other when they locked eyes, even after so many years and I couldn't help but show a toothy grin whilst desperately yearning for that internally. "You two worry too much. Look, I'm fine now and doing better than ever. Best of all, I'm the happiest I've ever been but I'd like to thank you for that. If you guys weren't here to support me during my time here, I might have been broken beyond repair." The grin turned into a melancholic smile before I quickly removed it to avoid the atmosphere from becoming depressed again.