The story of Ellie and Aiden from His Everything continues in Their Forever.
Accompany the two young people on their journey full of self-discovery, opportunities, true friends, and more challenges they will have to overcome.
They say true love know...
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December
Sky loved purses.
Whenever we went for a walk in Paris, she would stop to gape at the windows of one of the countless boutiques that sold them, commenting on the shape, color, and practicality, which, to be honest, was sometimes none. It always ended the same way — with us sighing and walking away, because we couldn't afford to buy a purse that cost the equivalent of the monthly rent.
The purse of the woman in front of me cost more than a month of living in Sky's apartment.
The woman in front of me was the same who abandoned the boy I loved almost four years ago.
"So, I was right. It was Aiden in that painting. How do you know him?"
I stared at the gloved hands clutching the straps of a designer bag. "He's my..." The word fiancé nearly tumbled out of my mouth, but I stopped it just in time. I didn't know if I could trust Aiden's mother yet, and I had no idea about how much I should disclose. "He's my boyfriend."
"Is he here? Where is he?"
A cold droplet landed on my forehead, followed by another one. If it kept on raining, the ground would turn into a giant skating rink in no time. The temperature dropped to below zero this morning as if it wanted to imitate the craziness going on in my life.
"Let's have a cup of coffee. I'm Vivian, in case you didn't know."
"No, I didn't," I muttered, trying to rein in the tremors coursing through me due to the chilly rain.
We walked to the nearest cafe and ordered the drinks. Vivian asked me if I was hungry, but I couldn't imagine being able to eat in my current state.
As we took a table next to the window and I drank a couple of sips of my tea, finally managing to feel warmer, I found the courage to ask Aiden's mother the most important question. "Where have you been all this time?"
Vivian sighed, tapping her nails on the white ceramic cup. "How long have you known my son?"
"For more than a year. It doesn't answer my question."
"There were circumstances, Ellie. It's Ellie, right?"
"It is. What circumstances?"
Vivian shifted on her chair. Now that she didn't have her purse to fiddle with, she seemed to be running out of ways to hide her discomfort.
"You are probably too young to understand, and it's easy to judge others. I felt trapped in my marriage. We weren't close. We were two completely different people living under the same roof."
"Did abandoning your child make you feel less trapped, Vivian? Did leaving him alone with that monster make you feel better?"
Vivian lowered her eyes to her mug. "See, you are judging. I had no idea about anything until I read that Daniel was in jail. It was a shock to me."
