When his best friend murder's his ex, Pierce Grayson finds himself entangled in a complicated web of lies and deceit. Thrown into the oblivion of uncertainty he only knows one thing for sure. He'll protect his son Taehyung at all cost and nothing wi...
I walk out of the Metro and into the busy streets of Paris, the brilliance of the city lights outshines the stars as they cast their glow across the night sky guiding me home like old friends. I stuff my hands in the pockets of my long black coat as I hurry to make it home, feeling like I couldn't get there fast enough with the busy crowds getting in my way. I curse each passerby under my breath for keeping me just a few seconds longer from the beautiful family I called my own.
I finally reach the familiar street and jog the rest of the way to my front doorsteps.
"Bonjour Mr. Grayson, I hope you had a good business trip," The doorman Jaques announces as I come through the main hall.
"Ah yes, but it was a bore I couldn't wait to get back home," I speak openly and he chuckles a little.
"I'm sure, oh! There was a package for you delivered earlier today. I meant to give it to your husband but it looked like he had his hands full so I helped him bring the baby up instead," he says and takes out a small cardboard box, handing it to me.
"Thank you, Jaques, I'm afraid I must cut this short, they've been expecting me for an hour now," I excuse myself as I wave goodbye. Slipping the package under my arm as I hop into the elevator and put in my key to reach the penthouse on the very top floor.
The door opens to the sound of my little girl's wailing and I rush into the apartment.
"Aiden!" I call out my husband's name as I drift into the living room, finding my sweetheart cradling Mahina in his arms as he paced in zombie-like circles, bouncing her up and down. I toss my bag and the package down on the couch before coming up behind him. Gently rubbing his tense shoulders.
"Tae-ah, oh thank god you're here. She's been inconsolable all day and I can't get her to nap or sleep for longer than 15 minutes. I was trying to pack for the trip and get our things together but she just wouldn't stop crying. I haven't showered, I can't sleep, and I'm just..." My poor exhausted husband nearly collapses in my arms and I quickly take Mahina from him before he accidentally drops her tiny body.
"Shh, it's okay I've got her. Don't worry about packing, I'll take care of it. Why don't you go take a shower and get some rest okay baby," I suggest, seeing the dark circles rimming his eyes.
"Mmm that sounds good," he sighs and kisses my cheek as I bounce our crying newborn to my shoulder. He drags himself away from us and sees the package on the couch.
"Oh, good. He gave it to you. I was going to pick it up earlier but Mahina..." He sighs and drifts off in thought before attempting to walk out of the archway and into the hallway, but hits the wall instead. Mahina was disturbed by the sound and stops crying for a few seconds as I quickly rush to his side.
"Aiden are you okay?" I ask and he nods but falls back to the floor instead. Mahina starts to cry again and I put her in her swing before going back to Aiden and picking him up off the floor where he had fainted from exhaustion. I gently carry him up the stairs to our bedroom and lay him in bed. He only groans a little before going back to sleep and I couldn't help but start for just a little too long at the sight of my beautiful childhood sweetheart finally resting peacefully. I take off his clothes, leaving him in his underwear and pull the comforter up to his chin. Wishing I could join him but duty calls as I go back downstairs to face our colicky daughter.
I pick her up from her swing and cradle her in my arms again, gently patting her back.
"So you've exhausted your papa while I was gone huh?" I ask her tearful little face and sit down on the couch, setting her down on my lap and wrapping her up in her favorite blanket that my Appa had sent over and rubbing her back. She finally stops crying and I breathe a small sigh of relief. Not daring to stop for a single second.
"I was only gone for two days baby girl, what happened?" I ask my daughter who coos a little with a tiny adorable little yawn and all is forgiven in an instant.
After a while, I kiss the back of her little head and look over to see she had fallen fast asleep. Stopping her backrub for a second, I reach over and grab hold of the package. The American label telling me it was from one of my dads back home, who I would be seeing soon during our annual trip to Bridgeport, where the entire family goes together once a year. This years family gathering would be a mournful occasion since the death of my uncle Peter, but it was necessary.
I open the box with one hand after a few attempts and find a small brown leather case, with a small note from my father.
"Now that you're a father, I think it's time for you to have this," it says and I open the case to find Dear Taehyung, engraved on the inside and a small tablet held on the opposite side. I quickly open the tablet to find it was a letter long enough to be a novel. I slowly lift Mahina from my lap to my chest as I lay down and start with the first page.
"Dear Taehyung,My sweet precious baby boy, you are currently dying in my arms..."
Contained within were the details of my father's life kept hidden from me until this very moment. I read it all in one go, hours had passed and before I knew it, morning had arrived as I finished the final chapter when my twin brothers were born. It was an emotional read, with tears and laughter every other page as I went through it, cradling my little girl closer as I did so.
When I finished it, I put the tablet aside and stared up at the ceiling in awe of everything my father had done and what he lived through. I look down again and gently toy with Mahina's sweeping brown hair with a quiet sigh before grabbing the tablet again and with Aiden still asleep upstairs I start recording my own voice.
"Dear Mahina, You are currently sleeping in my arms..."
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