Let Go

11: Red

Aiden's pov:

The general atmosphere of the café was silent. The occasional clank of a spoon against a plate, the bell ringing when someone enters, and the casual greetings.

The Mug Drug was the neatest café in town, and my brother Raiden was atop of it all.

The smell of coffee being brewed was a bliss. It was accompanied with freshly baked chocolate muffins and cinnamon cookies.

It felt like a cozy December night.

My train of thoughts was interrupted by a blond man taking the opposing seat to me. He looked at me with a look of determination.

“I can’t break it,” he said. I was so confused. “You look exactly the same. It’s insane,” The blond was looking back and forth between me and my brother, who was standing thirty meters away.

“Do I know you?” I asked politely, to which he slammed the table in defeat.

“Even the voice is the same,” the guy said. “I’m Spencer, the Friday night singer,” Spencer introduced himself. “I know who you are, obviously,” He added.

“Nice to meet you, I guess?” I wasn’t sure of the whole ordeal, but he seemed like a nice guy.

“That’s your daughter, right?” He pointed at Ruby, who was playing with Raiken, my brother’s son and a boy their age. I didn’t know the third kid, but he was just a kid, so I wasn’t anxious.

“Yeah, Ruby Red,” I said.

“Aren’t you a Haile?” Spencer asked.

“I am,” Scarlet was the one who carried Ruby inside her and had to deliver her alone in Canada. I wasn’t there for her, so giving Ruby her mother’s last name was the least I could do. “She’s named after her mom,” I kept my answers short.

I didn’t know this Spencer guy much, but he seemed decent. I knew my brother was wary of strangers. He wouldn’t hire anyone without doing a few background checks.

“Hey Evan!” Spencer called out for the man who just entered the café. I knew Evan Grayson. We were in school together.

He approached us hand in hand with his son, Noah. “Hi uncle Spencer,” Noah greeted the inquisitive man with a hug.

“Hey, Aiden,” Evan greeted, shaking my hand.

“You know each other?” Spencer asked incredulously.

“We were schoolmates,” I said, to which Evan nodded.

Shortly after, Thomas arrived, then Evan’s husband, and a lot more people to count. It seemed like everyone came  to Raiden’s cozy little café to listen to Spencer sing and drink the delicious coffee.

It was missing no one but Harken.

Twenty-eight days later, and he was still in a coma. I visited him every once in a while, but it was useless. He never budged, which was expected for someone in a literal coma. But I had hopes, you know? I wanted that movie moment where the comatose tugs on the main character’s hand. Or suddenly moves a finger and everyone freaks out and things would return to normal.

Nothing in our lives was normal, and this was no exception.

I started spending more time with Raiden. I wanted to make up for the time we lost together. Ruby and Raiken had become friends in the process. It was difficult to separate them, and I kind of hoped they’d remain friends as they grew up. Tatiana was happy that Ruby was making friends, too.

By spending time with Raiden, I realized that I missed so much of our small-town life. I had dedicated all my time to the hospital and Ruby that I forgot my life needed to be lived.

It was sad that I had to lose Harken to regain myself.

I wasn’t sure that I had forgiven him. I knew for a fact that I hadn’t forgotten our past, but seeing him so helpless made me ache. I didn’t wish it on anybody, no matter how much they’d hurt me.

Suddenly, the café was ten times smaller, and I needed to leave.

Spencer had abandoned his seat to claim the stage, and Evan had disappeared into the café. Ruby and Tatiana seemed to be having fun.

“I’m leaving,” I told Tatiana. “Take Ruby home when you’re done,” I handed her the car keys. I needed a walk, anyway.

“Everything okay?” She asked out of concern, but she was used to my sudden anxiety attacks.

“Taking a walk,” I answered and left, giving her no time to ask any follow up questions.

I didn’t realize how warm it was inside until I was hit with the cold, cold breeze of Rivertown. I didn’t have a destination in plan, but I remembered what Harken used to say.

“I seek solace in mindless walks.”

That was what I did. I just walked wherever my feet led me. I didn’t cover much distance before my walk was interrupted by a car horn. The silver Mercedes rolled down its window revealing Thomas. It creeped me out how he was everywhere.

“Need a lift?” He asked politely. I couldn’t look at him and not see Harken’s features in his face. They were so much alike yet so different. Thomas lacked Harken’s cold eyes.

I wanted to tell him ‘No’. I didn’t need a lift to an unknown destination, but I couldn’t for the hell of me reject his offer.

So, I climbed in his passenger seat, rolling down the window all the way despite the chills. He didn’t seem to be bothered by the temperature. His heater was off and his window was slightly parted.

“Fridays at the Mug Drug can be a handful, eh?” Thomas asked, but something about his words felt like he was leading me on to answer an unasked question.

“It’s alright,” I replied, “I’m glad Raiden is doing well by himself there,”

“He’s not by himself at all,” Thomas corrected, “I help him. Spencer helps him. Ryder helps him. Evan and Zac help. Everyone pitches in when they can,” he spoke tenderly. “Point is, you can’t do things alone all the time,”

The car halts to a stop in an oh-so familiar parking lot. Rivertown Hospital.

“I never told you where I was going,” I said, the night getting weirder by the moment.

“I had a feeling we were headed to the same place,” he said vaguely. “I know you have a lot of questions for him, and I’m going to try and answer some on his behalf.” He concluded as we left the car to visit Harken.

A/N: kicking off Part II of the book with this lovely chapter.

Please comment what you think and vote if you liked it, it helps a lot.

This is probably the last chapter before Christmas so Merry Christmas if you celebrate.

I'm celebrating Christmas with my girlfriend so it should be fun.

More soon x.