A bead of sweat slid down Kaelin's chin, his face frozen in shock, features blurred by disbelief. He hadn't expected this: his parents sitting in a grand room, its floor covered with a deep red carpet, adorned with elegant chairs, vases, and framed photos capturing their smiles from years ago. Sunlight filtered gently through the windows, casting a warm glow, filling the room with a soft, familiar scent. Yet, amid this comfort, a nightmare took form: the mysterious man who had haunted him with fear all the way here sat with them. His black hat shadowed half his face, a dark echo of Kaelin's father.
Grandfather, in a commanding voice:
– You've come, Kaelin.
His father looked at him, astonished. Silence hung heavy, and Kaelin's inner voice screamed:
What is happening? Can someone explain this to me?
Grandfather, firmly:
– Greet your parents.
His mother jumped to her feet, eyes brimming with tears, rushing to embrace him. Her warmth enveloped him, her tears wetting his cheek, filling his senses with comfort.
Kaelin, trembling:
– Mother…
Mother, her voice choked:
– My son… I missed you.
His father's hands shook as he watched, until the mysterious man lightly placed his hand upon him, a silent reminder of some cryptic presence. The father stepped forward, gently guiding his wife back, his voice soft yet laden with longing:
– Come here, calm down…
Kaelin's father was elegantly dressed in a brown suit, thirty years old, weary yet proud. His mother, in a sleek black robe, radiated youth at twenty-six, her face glowing despite the tears. The mysterious man, seemingly in his forties, toyed with a small iron sphere in his hands, gold rings glinting coldly. Grandfather, at forty-three, stood tall and strong, a crisp white striped shirt and black trousers framing his sturdy frame.
Inside Kaelin, an old echo stirred:
My father always comes at the last moment… then leaves. My mother always overwhelms me with her warmth. I resist, I cling… yet in the end… I lose.
The room brimmed with tension. Mother held him tight, seated to the right of a small table with partially filled dishes. Sunlight slipped through the window, glancing off the plates. Father sat beside him, eyes soaked in longing, unable to pull him from his mother's embrace.
Kaelin lifted his gaze to his father:
– What?
His father smiled faintly, averting his eyes:
– Nothing…
Mother raised her head, a single tear glistening in her eye, offering a fragile smile. Kaelin returned a brief, involuntary smile. Then he demanded:
– Mother… who is this man with you?
She answered softly:
– A friend of your father, a university professor at Lewin… you looked frightened of him, Kaelin, why?
Kaelin, wide-eyed:
– He was following me on the way back.
Mother glanced at her husband, concerned. Father gave a tight-lipped chuckle:
– He enjoys teasing… he usually scares children to keep them close to their family. Did he delay you?
Kaelin, firmly:
– No.
His parents raised their eyebrows in surprise. Kaelin continued, voice heavy:
– I chose to delay.
Mother, tense:
– Why?
Kaelin didn't answer, his lips moving slowly as if chewing them, eyes avoiding theirs.
Father whispered, trying to soften the wall:
– We love you, Kaelin.
But Kaelin interrupted, voice sharp as a blade:
– You say that every time… but your actions say otherwise! You come once a month… sometimes four months pass without a visit! You stay ten minutes… then leave me alone, just me and grandfather!
His words hit like hammers. Father's face crumpled with pain, silent, as if accustomed to this truth. His inner voice screamed:
If only you knew the poverty, the suffering… you'd never speak this way. But you're young, how could you understand?
He tried to hold back his tears, but his hands trembled. He raised a quivering hand to his face, pressing it to hide his eyes. A single tear slipped from his right eye, shimmering alone like a lone star.
He wanted to speak, but his lips betrayed him. Mother sensed it before he could utter a word, steadying herself. After a long, controlled breath, as if carrying the weight of the world, she spoke in a raspy voice:
– Kaelin…
A soft cough followed, Kaelin looked up in surprise. She continued, eyes shadowed with fatigue:
– Do you… want to live with us?
Time froze. Kaelin's expression flickered between astonishment and disbelief. Father's eyes widened with fear, while mother gave a fragile, weary smile, masking her own trembling.
Kaelin whispered, voice shaking:
– And… grandfather?