THORN LOVE

Pendulum

Flashback ended

Edward was snapped out of his reverie when the waitress placed his espresso on the table. He had asked Kinn to meet him for lunch today, despite arriving half an hour early, the nervousness persists as it will be the first time he sees him since the hospital. And the fact that his grandson hadn't called him in over a week only added to the pressure.

Edward's world revolved around Porsche. From the moment they met, everything changed. The tiny kid effortlessly won over everyone's hearts, and Edward would do anything for him. His love for Porsche transcended words, and reciprocally, Porsche loved him just as much. His grandson was closer to them than his own parents.

When Edward told Porsche that, had he known about the couple's problems, he would have advised a divorce, he meant it sincerely. Maybe if they had gone their separate ways, things wouldn't have spiraled out of control. Now, hurt had turned into resentment, and resentment into hate, leading to a tragic end. The aftermath left them shattered, reduced to nothing but broken pieces. Edward knew Porsche concealed the truth from him out of love, and truth to be told, it pained him to see Kinn wronged by his own family.

He also empathized with Kinn's desperate need for parental love and understood the emotional trauma of witnessing a beloved one's passing. Such traumatic experiences linger forever. The heartbreak and unfairness of their lives weighed heavily on Edward's conscience. The circumstances thrust upon them were unjust, and he felt deep compassion for both his grandson and his grandson-in-law.

He knew the feeling of losing hope all too well and feared for Kinn's well-being if he let him go. Edward didn't want Kinn to be pushed to the brink, losing his sense of self. The thought of anything happening to Kinn was something he could never forgive himself for. That's why he tracked Kinn down to that small town with the intention of bringing him back home. Unfortunately, the encounter left him with even more resentment, something he truly despised.

"Hello, Grandpa," Kinn greeted, removing his coat. The waiter promptly took it for him.

"You look great," Edward smiled.

The waitress arrived to take their order, and a palpable tension settled between them.

"I want to apologize," Edward began, surprising Kinn. "I'm sorry. I was so cold and unfair to you. It was wrong of me."

"What? No, Grandpa..." Kinn began, taken aback by the unexpected apologies.

"No," Edward interrupted. "I was wrong. But you should know that's not how I feel about you, son. I love and care for you just as much as I do for my grandson. The day you lost consciousness, and we rushed you to the hospital, Porsche was completely mess. He was all over the place, crying, begging, yelling, praying, and then crying and begging again. And just like that..." Edward paused for a moment. "

"I never saw him have pain attack for too long. It was scary to see him that way, Kinn. I was so scared."

Edward picked up his glass and took another sip, fighting back the tears threatening to fall. That night was a nightmare for him—seeing Porsche having a panic attack right before his eyes and having Kinn surrounded by doctors, Edward's heart sunk, not knowing what to do.

"Kinn, you are the man who can break him and make him. He loves you so much....more than anyone and that's scary. If there's one thing I've learned about my grandson, it's that without you, there would be nothing left of him. That's how much he loves you, Kinn."

Kinn didn't know what to say, he simply fidgeted with his fingers.

"And to realize that you had his life in your hands just like that, as an old man who probably doesn't have much time left on this earth, scared me. Knowing the fact that I will leave behind my only grandson at your mercy... scared me."