ADDICTION✓

xxvii(edited)

This chapter was thoroughly edited.

[[|]]

Adam

I look at Bryan over the rim of my glass, scrutinizing him. He looks like his normal self, I don't think I have seen him been nervous before, he's always composed and I guess that'll makes sense considering his career. What doesn't make sense is him marrying Rosa Linda, his longtime  girlfriend, they have been on and off since our college days.

When I asked him his reason for wanting to marry her, he said it was because of how familiar they were to each other. They have dated on and off fir ten years, I never thought they were going to get married. I'm certain he doesn't love her and I'm not sure she loves him too, I don't know her that much. Maybe they just like the comfortability that comes with their relationship.

"Stop looking at me," he says staring blankly at me, I take a sip of my brandy and place my glass on the table.

"So you're getting married," I state peering at him wanting to read his mind for once. He nods not saying anything. "Do you love her?" It's not like I care that much for love, after what happened the last time I fell in love but I want my friend to marry for love, he has gone through a lot in his life. He does not say anything for a couple of minutes, letting me know that answer. "You don't love her."

"I love her," he protests. "Why do you care all of a sudden?"

"I don't want you, man, to end up unhappy," I tell him, meaning it. "What exactly do you love about her? Both of you, has hardly been in a relationship these past 10 years."

He tilts his head to the side, "I don't know, ok?" he sighs, slumping and rubs his face, looking different from minutes ago.

"So you don't know have any reason you might love her?" I ask, even though I already knew he didn't love her.

"I admire her, ok?"

"Now we're talking," I smirk at him, he glares at me. "So why do you want to marry her?"

He doesn't say anything for a while, looking hesitant to tell me. I'm just about to give up ever receiving an answer from him, when he finally talks. "Rosa is sick, she has cancer," he tells me.

I feel very sympathetic to her. My mum died from cancer. I saw how much my mum suffered from it and how weak she was after chemo, she wasn't able to do anything except just lay in bed. "Marrying is on the list of the things, she wants to do before she dies and because of her uncle wants all her money, she wants to sign all of her wealth to me."

"She doesn't have any hope of surviving?"

"Yes, this is not her first time, it came back and her doctor told her, it is more aggressive, so there's just 30% chance of her living," he tells me, then takes his drink in one go.

"That's very sad to hear, I know I'm not really close to her and I know cancer is really difficult. It makes one weak and also plays with someone's mental health," I say.

"Yeah, that's why she doesn't come outside, she's always at home," he says.

"Do you really want to help her fulfil her list and just marry her? I'm sure her uncle wouldn't be happy when she dies and all her property her in your name."

"I'll deal with him, when the time comes," he tells me simply and I believe him, knowing him.

"Well I wish you good luck then," I say and take another sip of my drink.

[[|]]

I type in the pin, my front door unlocks and opens by itself. I step in and it closes back, I remove my one leg of my shoe and place it on the shoe rack.

"You're back?" I hear Kairo's voice and I jump up, surprised to see him, awake.

"Don't sneak up on me like that, Kairo," I reprimand him, he nods but I know it's meaningless, I continue to remove the other leg. "What are you still doing awake? It's...." I check my wrist watch and see it's 15 minutes to 10. "It's 15 minutes to 10." I put my shoe on the rack.

"I woke up about 15 minutes ago," he tells me but I know he's lying, Kairo is a heavy sleeper, the alarm I set to wake him up for school, the alarm will be ringing and he wouldn't even move.

"Liar, you can sleep through an earthquake," I say and he grins, showing me his teethes.

"I was waiting up for you," he tells me, I smile, I guess my boy hasn't changed. I went out this morning to finalize a deal and talk about a new project with my team of architectures and I ended up in a bar with Bryan and I haven't seen much of Kairo, today.

"Oh yeah?" He nods. "What would you like to do with Dad this evening?"

"Let's play the new video game you bought me," he says smiling hopefully at me, I agreed, I wanted to spend more time with my son, even it would be long because it was already night.

[[|]]

"You're such a sore loser," my nine year old kid tells me, you can imagine my surprise when my son was so good at the game, he beat me at least three times, before I accepted defeat.

"I'm not buying you another video game for you again, you lied and said you couldn't play," I say still sulking about my own son beating me in a video game.

"I played once, dad and got my ass whopped,  you're just bad at the game," he says and yawns, he tries to hide it with a cough but I see it and I smile.

"Alright, gamer boy, let's get you to bed."

"But I'm still..." he yawns, I give him a don't mess with me look. "Ok,"he agrees.

"Let's go to your bedroom," I say, walking to him,I grab his hand and he allows me, we walk out of the gaming room to his room which was just two doors away, he climbs into his bed and I lay his duvet on him.

"Dad?" Kairo calls, I turn my head to look at me.

"Hmm?" I answer smoothening his blanket.

"Is mummy going to come visit me soon?" He asks, the question makes me pause a bit from smoothening his blanket.

"I don't know," I say truthfully, I didn't know when with Ella, she always came impromptu and I couldn't bring myself to call her, not even for Kairo, I know how much he loves her but I can't forget how much pain she caused me, if it was up to me, she wouldn't be in his life at all, being in mine by default.

"Ok," he says before he closes his eyes. I know he wishes me and his mother were like normal parents, living together but it can never be like that not after what she did to me. She was living halfway across the world, with her family, leaving my son with drops of her love, sometimes I wished he could hate her the way that I did. But I know he couldn't do that, he is a pure soul and I loved him for it.

🌟
Hey guys,
How are you doing? Hope everyone is staying safe and doing well.
Another chapter from Adam, I hope you enjoy it.
Don't forget to vote and comment. You can also share.
Love you❤️.