The Monster & The Conspiracy (BWWM)

29. The Ghosts of Julian's Past.

"Who sent you this?" He asked in bewilderment.

"No idea." Lin replied.

"The plot thickens." Julian muttered to himself.

"So it does," Lin replied, her eyes glued to her phone. Her gaze briefly flickered to the smudge of chocolate on his cheek and she couldn't help but ask, "What's on your cheek?"

Julian traced his cheek with his pointer finger and grinned. "Oh that, Charles and I were having our movie afternoon with ice-cream so we had a mini battle about who could eat ice-cream the fastest." He replied proudly. Lin laughed.

She was impressed. Julian had really stepped up these past few days . Half the Whitestone staff was going on and on about how the infamous Julian Greyson was now picking his son up on time. Sometimes Julian drove to the school and dropped off Charles' forgotten lunch. Julian even came to the Opening School Term Meeting! Julian never  showed up for any of the meetings. Never. It was completely unheard of.

"Since when did you start watching movies and eating ice-cream? You hate sweet things, well aside from cupcakes that is." Lin recalled with a slight giggle.

Julian couldn't help but chuckle. "Granted, ice-cream has an acquired taste but it grows on you, so does that silly cartoon Charles loves to watch all the time." Julian shuddered in disgust at the word 'cartoon'.

"I'm proud of you." Lin expressed.

He smiled.

A painful silence ensued between them. Lin's heart was slamming against her chest and there was a hot lump in her throat. She longed to be curled up in a blanket with them, watching a movie and shoving ice cream down her throat as well. She wanted to say all of this to Julian but she didn't know how. She didn't want to embarrass herself by baring out her soul only to be rejected. Julian was unpredictable and she hardly ever knew what would come out of his mouth next.

She missed Charlie and Julian terribly. She always looked out for Charlie at school. Lin even asked Charlie's new teacher, Mrs Tink about his progress in class. During his basketball practice, she would sit far away from prying eyes and watch as he dribbled the ball and run across the field with a happy grin. Charlie was happier and it hurt that she wasn't there to be a part of his life anymore. Lin stopped torturing herself and forced a smile on her face. It was too late though, Julian had already seen her pained, longing expression.

"Well, it was great to see you again. Thanks again for taking me to the wedding yesterday. G-Goodluck with the artifacts and Corinne a-and everything else. I'll forward this message to you and I guess I'll see you around." Lin smiled sadly before pocketing her phone in her jacket. She quickly jogged down the stairs and made her way to her car.

Julian stood by the door, his heart coaxing him to call her back. He wanted her inside the Manor, warm and eating all the tubs of ice-cream he had purchased. Julian wanted her in his arms. But he couldn't call her back. He wouldn't. He had to curb his desires and put Charles first. Charles was here and he wasn't ready to see Lin. He had to respect that wish, so he looked at Lin longingly one last time before trudging  back into the Manor to finish ice cream and movie afternoon with Charles.

°°••♤••°°

"The Kingdom of Eswatini." Julian stated as he took a seat on his chair at the Museum office.