&BURN ◊ GD

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

                               aurora
where it has been six years

"sweetie please don't put that in your mouth." i coo when going to take the keys that were being sucked on by my son's mouth. he is able to giggle softly when i do as i place kisses to the top of his head. "hey elias, can you please take your son back to the living room. the little rascal sneaked his way into the kitchen!" i holler as my husband emerges from the other room with a smile. his eyes going from me to then the little boy who somehow holds that grin all the time.

"always getting away, aren't you buddy?" he says when kissing his face as he holds him now. "he was there a second ago, i swear." elias says with some sympathy as i scoff playfully. my hand goes to the back of his neck when i laugh softly.

"i'm sure he was. but stop being more interested in the lion king rather than grayson." i state making him nod before he places a peck to my forehead as he walks away with a soft voice speaking to his son. a small sigh leaves my lips as i go back to cutting vegetables for dinner until that is interrupted by the door opening.

"where is my nephew?" i know the voice immediately as i smile faintly with joy.

"cora, stop coming into my house whenever you want? one day elias and i going to be walking around here naked and you will be terrified." i say as she pops into the kitchen where her daughter's hand into hers. my mouth falling a little open as i am faced with my niece. "hello my love." i coo when getting eye level with her as i hug her close.

"why would you and uncle elias be naked?" she asks making me almost choke on air before i look up to cora who smirks and then back to the small girl.

"did i say naked, i mean baking some cookies in the kitchen." i try to hide making her smile as she then glances up to her momma.

"jenny, go find uncle elias and grayson." she informs her as she nods when running off to living room as we watch her. "so what's cooking good looking?" she jokes making me roll my eyes when i turn on the stove.

"what are you doing here? shouldn't you be at home making dinner also?"

"why make dinner when you do it so well for me and my kid." she answers making me glare now as she puts her hand up in surrender. "alright, alright, i actually came here to tell you some very interesting news." she begins making me raise a brow in confusion.

"it's about grayson." she states making a snort form from my voice.

"what did he do something when he went to sleepover your house? it was probably that funny thing with the new toy we got him because-"

"no, aurora. not your son grayson. i mean, grayson, grayson. he's back in jersey." the words have made everything drop. the vegetables in my hand along with my heart. the real grayson being gone from my mind for the past six years. that i had left with just a selfish note saying i could no longer do it anymore. that i had to leave because of freya.

to then find life again with my husband and my child who kept part of that time with me. "aurora, i didn't mean to trigger-"

"how did you know?" i ask with softness, still stuck in my spot as i watch cora try to clean up my mess. yet she stops when she stands up and takes my hand.

"he came to see me. at my doorstep there he was asking for your name. meeting my daughter and seeing the picture of you, elias, and grayson." i nod taking it all in now. my hands starting to shake a little as i finally look cora in her eyes.

"well where is he?"

+

my hands hovered over the wooden door as i stared at the numbers engraved to the surface. my heart beating so rapidly i could feel it in my throat as i finally knock. my hands fidgeting as i await it all as the person who opens the door looses the smile. "aurora." he says with a soft tone and almost a look of astonishment. his lips are slightly parted as i am finally the one to speak up.