Wowwww!!!! Thank you everyone!!!! THANKYOU WATTPAD! This story has gone up higher in the rankings, made it to # 39 (out of 3.15k stories) in the loveatfirstsight tag and # 1 (out of 11 stories) in the tragedy tag . . . as of 7:50am today, 01june2018. My joy is just overflowing!!!! Thankyouthankyouthankyou all.
Ashton's POV
Grandmere was now giving me that questioning look I usually found so disconcerting when I did something behind her back while I was younger.
I stared back at her with my brand of look as CEO of SIGoH. I just felt like taunting her, as the Sterling boys used to tease the french lily in the house.
Remembering my grandfather, my Dad and my twin brother brought bitter feelings up my throat and I swallowed them down . . . hard.
"How could I be so remiss Grandmere, in that . . . I'm now your only male member alive in the family . . . and I left you . . . and Nana to fend for yourselves and alone by yourselves."
"It's alright darling . . . we've survived . . . "
""No, Grandmere! Let me finish what I need to say!"
"I've managed to stay away from this home, and the entire time fought hard and buried my memories of them . . . to oblivion. And I still find it hard to mention their names . . ." My throat bobbed as I swallowed down my unhappiness.
"How could I do that to them, Gran. You know how I loved them. How could I be so unbelievably calloused." I grasped my head with my shaking hands, a painful remorse gripped at me. I was utterly stunned with the realization that I had to close my eyes for a brief moment.
"I grew up in a do or die/all for one and one for all atmosphere . . . where love was the common denominator in everything we did." I unhappily declared.
" . . . . this used to be an incredibly solid happy family." I miserably told myself.
"I'm just so sorry Grandmere . . . for having been so oblivious and insensitive . . . and for having neglected and turning my back on you . . ."
"Shhh . . . shhh . . . please, sweetheart. I know . . . and I understand what you've been through. Those were our most painful time, you and me. How I wish I knew how to spare you . . . from the tragedy that . . . occured in the family!" Grandmere took a deep soft sigh.
"But things were beyond our control. And the tragedies that hit us . . . well, most families haven't faced death like ours. But still, there are some who've suffered worst. We have so much to be thankful for to the Almighty, Ashton." And I bobbed my head in agreement.
"Yeah! The family has fared better than many. What's done has been done, it can't be undone!" She said trying to make things philosophically easy, spiritually light for both pur sakes."
Grandmere held my hands, sending the most comforting grip at my sanity up to the deepest recesses of my being.
"What's important right now is that . . . you're here, Ashton. You've come back, you're home. And . . . perhaps, it was just your way of coping up . . . you had no other option, but head on. What you needed was time . . . as time is the greatest healer, you know. Yours only took quite awhile before you realized that you've been gone a long, long time."
I sighed feeling so lucky to have Grandmere.
"Thank you so much Gran for being so understanding! I thought it weird though, you know . . . but I had always felt your presence anywhere . . . everywhere, despite the distance."
"Of course, of course, my dearest grandson! You were never far from my mind, you were never out of it, and please know now . . . that my prayers were always with you. Always have that in mind."
I closed my eyes as things came into focus just now. How I would always feel her presence like Grandmere was there physically in the room with me.
"And now that you've finally shown your face here, I knew I shall be loosening up my 'spiritual wanderings'. I was just so afraid for you Ashton. You had no one. I lost your grandpere . . . I lost your father . . . then your twin brother Anthony . . ." I could just feel a flash of strain in her tone which she hid with much grace.
"Then . . . you told me you won't be coming home . . . for the funerals . . . of Anthony and Margaux . . ." letting out a soft sigh.
"I can't imagine the feeling, Ashton. But I felt your pain and the sense of batrayal . . . "
We fell into silence, each to our own thoughts.
"Well, I hope you've finally seen your folly now, hmm!" Grandmere raised an eyebrow at me, at the same time disguising the hint of sarcasm with her smile.
"Yeah! That . . . I have, Grandmere!" I said, nodding my head reflectively.
This is my home, Grandmere is my family.
My thoughts brought me to the time when she told me how their love story began.
"And, it is one of the reasons why I also came home, Grandmere. To bring you the good news."
"Wha . . . aaat? Ohh!!! . . . I knew it . . . I knew it!"
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Got another update here, guys! This is a sad part, and I can't help it. I had to let this out to lessen the gaps in the lives of my characters.
I've tried reconstructing the original texts of the first 17 chapters, as I've mentioned earlier in the story. All of were unpublished yet. The incident was unforeseen, and I must admit I didn't know much about wattpad, except downloading the stories I liked.
This part is not that close to the original texts. I only hope this will do. Please enjoy it.
Hope you give some comments, and please vote.
Thank you and thank you and thank you. I love you guys. Your reads and votes have kept me going!
Till next chapter . . . ? God bless!!!!