“All night you’ve heard all manner of trivia about me, and you still want more?” “What does the cookies thing mean?” I ask as soon as I hear their door close, and Aiden presses the button for the lift. They wave together, their soft eyes following us down the hall. Goodnight, Elisa.” He clasps my shoulder. “Night, Dad,” Aiden nods at Robert who only hugs Aiden with his eyes. Despite the deluge of details about his childhood, from his first word (“oh, dear, it wasn’t a word, it was a sentence: Mama, where is Daddy?”) to his favorite bedtime story (“he didn’t like baby stories, we had to read him poetry-he loved Byron and Keats”) to his favorite toy (“his chess set!”), I feel parched for more.
Some private joke, no doubt, but one I have to know with a similar urgency as the oxytocin. “Sweet dreams, Aiden-bear.” That same swift exchange happens between them, and he smiles. Yet he holds her for a while longer, despite the tension straining him, before releasing her with a chuckle. In that feather-rock hug, I see the difference between me and everyone else for Aiden: he softens under my touch and tenses with all others, even his mum. He embraces her gently as though she is a soap bubble, but his shoulders turn to granite with memories. Carefully, she steps into his arms on her tiptoes and kisses his cheek. Something flows quickly between him and Stella, and he nods. I sincerely hope you’ve learned your lesson if you want any of us to sleep for the next two weeks.” Aiden’s voice is exasperated, but there is tenderness underneath.
“This is what happens when you get my mother started on baby stories, Elisa. “Goodnight, dear.” Stella kisses my cheeks as we leave their luxury suite at the Inn after dinner on their balcony. On a personal note, this blog is giving me a much needed respite from life, and for that, I’m grateful to all of you. Things are changing… lots of love and thanks for reading and writing to me. Here is a new chapter for you, a day early since I’m technically a couple of days late. Hey gang, how is everyone? I hope your weekend is off to a good start and you all have some R&R planned.
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