The Stone Knight (gay)✔️

4. A wish fulfilled.

Dylan Stone went through his e-mails with growing suspicion. Nothing from his mother again. Since he took over the Boston branch about 10 months ago, he'd been bombarded daily by her emails. Especially in the last two months, she had repeatedly insisted on his return. He ignored her requests with blatant ease. Since Natalie's death there was nothing in New York that encouraged him to return. He had flat out refused her request to send Jacob to her.
"They have schools here too, mother," was his cool response to her argument that he would soon be starting pre-school.
"Don't you think it's better to do him at school in New York? So he doesn't have to say goodbye to his friends when you return."
"And what if I don't want to?"
The adolescent words of rebellion had slipped out of his mouth.
It had remained silent for a long time on the other side of the line. After a distinctly disappointed sigh and "Give Jacob a kiss from me," she had broken the connection.
Her silence over the past three days was undoubtedly an attempt to get him to take the first step.
"Sorry, Mother," he said aloud in his spacious office. "Not interested."

His gray eyes slid across the Boston skyline. The dark clouds that drifted past reflected his mood perfectly.
"If the Muhammad doesn't come to the mountain, the mountain will come to Muhammad," sounded unexpectedly in the doorway.
"Mrs. Drake! I'm supposed to announce you first."
His mother walked past the stammering secretary.
"And I don't care if you show no interest in returning to New York. You've been successful in your job of getting the Boston branch back in black. Now your presence at the head office is desired."
"Pff," escaped him. "The staff in New York can do just fine without me. Shane Nally does an excellent job."
"Of course he does an excellent job. I trained the man myself. He plays the role of under director with gusto, but he is not Dylan Stone-Knight."
The secretary apologetically winched at her boss.
"Bring us some coffee, Edith."

"I've given you plenty of opportunities to finish your work here on my own initiative. Because you weren't thus inclined, I just forced your hand. You can thank me later."
Demonstratively, she took a seat on the couch. His gray eyes discolored into an ominous black.
"What have you done?" he grumbled.
After a brief knock on the door, Liam Berk appeared. The man had assisted him as a right-hand man with a lot of passion and commitment to get everything back on track.
"It's great to hear you take over the flagship again, boss, but I see you leaving Boston with pain in my heart," he said waving what looked like an internal email. "Good afternoon, Mrs. Drake," he greeted her politely.
Frankly, it had been Dylan's deadly cataracts that had alerted him to her presence.
"It's nice to hear you're going to miss my son, Liam, but that's really not necessary. I wouldn't dare to break up such a dynamic duo. Of course you move with him!" Satisfied with the message she had conveyed, she leaned back with a triumphant smile.

Dylan cursed internally. He didn't care about himself, but his staff was important to him. Liam had assisted him superbly and deserved the promotion he was offered. His selfish reasons for not returning home were completely shot out of the water. "Shane recently admitted to wanting a new challenge. Given the timing, I thought it would be appropriate to arrange the transfer without too many regulations."
After a short knock Edith stepped in with the coffee.
"My message has been delivered. I look forward to welcoming you home soon, Dylan. It's been too long."
Calmly, she left the office, but rushed to leave the building. She didn't want to give Dylan a chance to talk to her. Even before she got into the office, she turned off her phone. Her foresight proved her right when seeing the row of missed phone calls. On the return of Dylan and Jacob, they would all move into the estate. She was looking forward to the moment to have everyone under one roof. Thoughtfully, she bit her lower lip.
'How could she best tell Lucas this news?'

After an exhausting day of compulsory lessons, he was handed an envelope upon returning home by the building's concierge.
"Dear Lucas,
Sorry about the unexpected move, but my son and grandson return from Boston immediately. I've passed the change in address to Soren. Everything is packed up and moved. Noah's already sleeping in his new room. There's a car waiting to bring you to us. I'll see you soon.
Madeleine."