Chapter 13 The boys
“I am leaving.” Rachel said, putting her bags together.
“Mum, what are you talking about? Where the hell are you going?” Aurora answered in frustration.
“Somewhere far away from here! Since you’ve refused to listen to me.”
“Don’t tell me this is about me getting together with Jimmy.” She rolled her eyes.
“Of course, it is! You always take me as the bad person here, whereas, I’m just trying to help you out.” Rachel answered, pulling her bags out of the room.
“What of Arthur? Don’t you think he can find you out there? We are better here together.”
“You are better off without me. You have your lovely boyfriend, I’m no use here. Just don’t later call my phone, asking for my help.” She retorted, dragging her bag to the front door.
“Is there something you are not telling me, Mum?” Aurora said as she walked up to where her mother stood.
“I’ve told you everything.”
“You claim you’ve spent all your savings to take care of me and the boys. Where did you get the money to make this decision?” She asked, folding her arms and standing in front of the door.
“Do I have to have millions of dollars for me to run from here? I’ll sort myself. Like I always have. Now leave the way.” Rachel uttered firmly, lifting her bags.
“Fine! I’ll tell your grandchildren you didn’t care for them one bit!” Aurora smacked in frustration, moving away from the door.
“You can tell them whatever the hell you want. I don’t care. Later, they’ll understand why I made this decision.” Rachel muttered as she dragged her luggages out of the house.
Aurora watched from the door how she threw her bags into the truck. She didn’t bother looking back at Aurora as she got into the truck and ignited the engine.
“Mom!” Aurora called in disbelief. She couldn’t believe her mother was truly leaving her because she refused to get together with the man she wanted.
Rachel zoomed out of the compound and hit the road without second thoughts.
“I hate her.” Aurora mumbled, shaking her head in disbelief. While she still stood at the door, staring out of it, she saw Jimmy walking down to the house with the boys.
Rowan and Riley held onto his hands, while Ryan was in front of them, running to the house.
“Be careful, Ryan! Don’t trip over!” Aurora yelled from the door, smiling widely and bending down.
“Mummy!” The boys chorused, and she opened her arms, ready to welcome them.
Running into her arms, Aurora’s nostrils were filled with the smell of chocolate ice cream. They had stained their clothes with it.
“You took ice cream again?” She asked, and they nodded, chuckling.
“Uncle Jimmy got us some toys too!” Ryan uttered, pointing to the bag on Jimmy’s shoulder.
“And what do you say?”
“Thank you, Uncle Jimmy!” The boys chorused before running into the house.
“Hey… thank you.” Aurora said to Jimmy, as he planted a soft kiss on her lips.
“Are you okay?” He asked, as he saw through the fake smile she had on.
“She’s gone.” She mumbled, heaving a loud sigh.
“Mum? Why? What happened?” He asked worriedly, and she shrugged.
“I don’t know. I’m glad she left. Now we don’t have to worry about what she thinks about us, right?” Aurora responded, wrapping her arms around Jimmy.
She buried her head in his chest weakly, breathing out heavily.
“I’ve got good news.” Jimmy announced, hoping it was going to lighten up her mood, and it did.
“Really? Let’s go inside.” She answered, holding his hand and pulling him into the house.
They settled on the couch, cuddling up each other as the boys got themselves busy with the toys in Jimmy’s bag.
“It’s about the boys private teacher you’ve been looking for. I think I have someone that can do the job perfectly well.” He told her, and she raised her brows.
“Really? Who is it?” She asked, tilting her head so she could look into his eyes.
“My elder brother. He’s been home for a week now. I told him about you and the boys and he said he’d love to teach them. Trust me, my brother is a lover of children. Better than I am.” He assured her with a grin.
“Wow. But, wouldn’t that be a burden on him? He must have other important things to do.”
“It’s not a burden at all, okay? He even wants to meet you too. I’ve told him so many things about you.”
Aurora smiled softly, nodding her head. “So when is he going to start, and how much am I going to pay him?” She further inquired.
“About the payment, I’ll take care of that, and…”
“No, Jimmy. You don’t have to. I can take care of it.” She said, sitting up.
“I insist. You’ve been working very hard for years. Why am I your boyfriend if I can’t take some burden off your shoulders?? Let me do this, please. I don’t want to feel useless.”
Aurora’s eyes shimmered as she stared at Jimmy. ‘Which kind of love is greater than this?’ She thought, embracing him again.
“Thank you so much for everything.” She mumbled against his shoulder, and he shook his head.
“I haven’t done anything, Aurora.” He answered, brushing her hair with his palms.
“I told him to head over to this place after he’s done with whatever he has to do. He should be here soon.” He added, and she bobbed.
“I should make something for him before he arrives. Let’s go to the kitchen.” She said, pulling his hand as that both walked to the kitchen.
They were busy making pancakes when they heard a knock on the door.
“That must be him. I’ll get the door.” Jimmy uttered, pulling the gloves off his hand and planting a kiss on Aurora’s head before heading out.
Aurora lifted the tray of pancakes and carried them out of the kitchen to the dining area.
While she was setting the table. She heard a familiar voice call her name.
“Aurora.”
She creased her brows and turned to look at who it was. To her greatest surprise, it was Carter.
“Carter?!” Her jaw dropped. Her heart began to beat fast and she ran to where her boys were, standing in front of them.
“I’m not going to let you take them from me! He came with you, right? Jimmy, why did you do this to me?!” She mumbled as she broke into tears.
The boys held onto their mother from behind fearfully, even though they had no clue what was going on.
“Aurora… what are you talking about?” Jimmy asked in great confusion.
“He didn’t come with me, Aurora. I’m not here to take your boys, okay? I stopped working for him a long time ago. I left when you left.” Carter uttered, still staring at her in awe.
“It’s really you.” He uttered, a smile slowly forming up his face.
“He doesn’t know you’re here?” She further asked, still doubting Carter’s story.
“Of course, not. I wouldn’t do that to you, Aurora. You are my friend, and I understand what you did. I would have done the same thing if I were in your shoes.” He answered.
Aurora let out a sigh of relief and fell to her knees. “My heart ceased to work for a minute there.” She mumbled, and Carter chuckled, moving closer to her and embracing her.
“What a small world.” He uttered, and Aurora forced on a smile.
“Why did you leave him?” She asked, and he sighed.
“He blamed me for not being there when you left. I got mad at him and rudely spoke back at him. He said I was fired, and I told him I was done with him anyway.” Carter narrated, and her eyes widened.
“What? You really did that? That is so not you!” She responded, and he chuckled.
“I know. I just couldn’t take his arrogance anymore, so I let it out. I’m so glad I found you again. You look so good, and your boys are looking great too.” He added, looking at her boys and waving at them.
“Are you sure he doesn’t know where you are?” Aurora asked once again.
“I swear on my gay as, I lost contact with him five years ago.”
Aurora chuckled and wrapped her arms around him. “I missed you so much, Carter.” She mumbled, closing her eyes as they hugged.
“Okay… that’s enough catching up now. I’m her boyfriend, Carter, not you. You don’t get to hold her like that in my presence.” Jimmy mumbled, pulling him away from her.
“Thank your stars I’m gay, Jimmy. I’d have gotten together with her first.” Carter teased, and they all broke into laughter.
“Honestly, I’m beginning to think something else about Aurora’s whereabouts. What if something happened to them? Maybe while they were running…”
“Derick can you stop saying nonsense? She is with my boys! How can you think something bad happened to them?” Arthur answered with his eyes glued to his PC.
“I’m sorry, okay? I just don’t know what to do, say or think anymore. It’s been five years and we still haven’t found them.”
“Then we’ll keep searching. I am not giving up on my boys. Never.”
“I know. I just…” Derick’s statement was interrupted by a message that popped into Arthur’s phone.
He picked up his phone to check what it was when he saw it was a message from an anonymous person.
“Who the hell is this?” He uttered, opening the message.
“I know where your boys are.” He read out loud with his eyes opened wide.