AFTER 1 HOUR of driving into the city, eli finally reached the restaurant, he stepped out of the car and into the restaurant, waiting as always in utter silence for Alexander to arrive. he knew his place in this flimsy arrangement was of a trophy to be exchanged but he was okay with that, he's patience was immense, as long as he could keep his mother alive.
He fiddled with the tablecloth then He fiddled with the his own clothes, he wondered what kind of face he should make if they were 'accidently' caught on camera by a paparazzi totally hired by the briars, lost in silly thoughts, he chuckled to himself and half an hour passed, a little embarrassment started to pink his cheeks, He calls Alexander's secretary and started to practice in his head stuff he'll scream about as the dial tone continued to ring, fortunately it was picked up at the last ringtone only for elysian to use his sweetest voice, "hello secretary Oh ? Where is young master Hayes, did he forget about the lunch date perhaps?". to call it a lunch date was to mock dates at most it was a meeting to fine tune the contract made between them.
" ah yes young master, there seems to be a emergency meeting, so I dont think meeting now would be possible, let me confirm if the meeting can be rescheduled and get back to you, okay ?". He stated politely, eli could her papers rustling through the phone as he waited.
Elysian could do nothing but agree, after all what Mr. Hayes says goes.
The meeting was rescheduled from lunch to dinner. now eli had approximately 7 hours to do absolutely nothing, he signed and then he looked at the watch and signed again and took a deep breath and left the restaurant with only water in his stomach.
He directly went to a concept cafe ordered a bunch of sandwiches, pastries and tea to go and jogged to a flower shop, to buy a bunch of sunflowers.
Hailing a cab from the main street, he direct went to the hospital where his mom laid comatose.
he changed the flowers he left behind the last time with fresh ones, mother was always silly, he thought, she loved sunflowers, she always said, "sunflowers shared each other's warmth when the sun was not around, isn't that beautiful", and then smiled as she harvested the seeds to snack on, whilst laughing, "plus they provide free snack too."
Elysian's smiled as he remembered the memories of his warm sunny days, and looked at his mother's face which had grown dull from years of laying on the bed, he sat by her bedside, the lines running from her arm and mouth used to shock him, not anymore. now all he wanted was her to wake up and smile at him like before, he talked to her, told her about his week and then as he was getting ready to leave he kissed her forehead and said goodbye.
After gently closing the door. he knocked the room next door after getting a positive response he opened the door and said, " I got the snacks from the new cafe, brother." He lifted his arm to show the tribute.
The man sitting on a chair near the window, looked ethereal and weak, his smiling lips couldn't hide the fatigue on his face, " good! You may enter!" He said as if he were a prince accepting tributes. Well he actually was a prince.
"Yes, your highness Iren, my services will always available you." Elysian bowed like a imperial maid and entered with a grin. Iren was the man whose place Elysian had taken.
Iren glowed like the moon and was gentle like a lake hidden in the depth of forrest untouched by human civilization,
when eli first entered the briar family, they had talked about Iren as if he was a relic of the past, some telling him stories about irven as if he were death some scoffing at him to not be pretentious like irven and know his own worth or he'll end up like dead.
The first time eli had met iren, it was by accident, he had snuck out to visit his mother in the hospital and change her flowers, as he'd been doing in the past, as soon as he'd left his mother's room he saw a sickly young man with his spine straight and pride and alienation in his eyes looking at his mariah Briar with contempt as he said, "i think it'll be better for both of us if you leave right now, mother." listening to this eli had gasped a gasp that he was pretty sure, had echoed throughout the hospital. irven and aunt turned to look at him peeking he'd given them a weak smile and was ready to apologise on his knees, but before he could say anything mariah had stomped past him in a fit of anger leaving him with Iren in a awkward silence, he did not know how to act he was ashamed and thankful to have met Iren, Iren never mistreated him, he always treated him like a true younger brother, teaching him, looking out for him.
It has been 4 years since he'd first met Iren in the hospital, iren never returned to the briar mansion after leaving the hospital, but alas the hospital had become his second home. he had to visit almost daily or sometimes even stay there for weeks.
"your here in formals, meeting with alex got canceled?" iren questioned as he started to unboxed all the food, if you'd ask him iren's flaw, it would be his sweet tooth, eli was pretty sure, iren could be lured by kidnappers with a sweet treat, but he never voice his opinion, he was not a fan of being smacked on his head.
that and he was a grudge holder, "don't waste your precious youth on a old bastard like him" he said rolling his eyes as he shoved a piece of tiramisu in his mouth. alexander Hayes was three year older then iren and was his friend for the better half of a decade.