Shadows Of A Forgotten Spring

Chapter 101

awaited him on the other end.

Kevin approached Alexander with measured urgency, the soft glow of the phone screen illuminating his face. "It's the hospital," Kevin said softly, extending the phone to him. Alexander's jaw tightened as he took it, pressing it to his ear, bracing himself for whatever news The voice on the line was calm, steady, even hopeful. His mothers health had taken a turn for the better, and for the first time in four long, grueling years, she was declared fit enough to leave the hospital. Relief, sharp and almost painful, washed over him. Barely had he digested that before giving the order, "Take me to the hospital. Now.

The drive was a complete blur. His heart was pounding in a steady anxious rhythm as they pulled up to the building. As he stepped through the doorway, his eyes scanned and then fell on Vivian. Her dark eyes bright with joy and relief as she held their mother's frail hand. Vivian looked up when he came in; her smile deepened as if to say some silent, triumphant message.

Alexander's eyes settled on his mother- Brianna Black. Her face, once drawn and pale, now held a faint glow of life. The strength he thought he'd never see again flickered in her eyes. He took his seat across from her, softening from his usual firm-lowered posture. Vivian threw her arms over Brianna's shoulders, the laughter light and so very full of unrestrained joy. It was warmth, but then the feeling was whisked out in the next instant when Brianna's gaze, keen and observant, finally came to rest upon Alexander. The edges softened, the fire in those depths faltered as confusion tugged her expression in. Her lips trembled as her words tumbled.

"Where is your ex-wife?"

The question cut through the air like a shard of glass. The smile slid from Vivian's face. Alexander's heart plummeted, and he dropped his gaze to his lap, his hands clenched into fists. Of all the questions she could have asked, this was the one he least wanted to answer. Emma's name felt like a ghost in his mind, haunting him, stirring emotions he'd locked away for years: regret, longing, pain.

He swallowed hard, a lump forming in his throat. "Mom." he began, his voice thick with unspoken grief.

"It's been so long since I last saw her," she whispered, the words heavy with nostalgia. "It would be nice to see her again before I leave this place." Her gaze searched his face for some answers.

his heart. He knew the weight of her words. His mother had

nodded slowly, his voice a whisper of defeat. "Okay, Mom. I'll see what

AAAAA

himself a thousand times not to come, each reason more logical than the last. Yet here he was, standing before her apartment, his

that rattled him. Each step toward her door felt like walking a tightrope over a

the bar, since he heard her moan again, saw fire in her eyes, and tasted her lips once more, he had not been able to sleep. Memories had clawed their way back into his

rapped firmly on the door. He waited, his pulse pounding in his ears. Seconds seemed like eternities. Then finally, the

mask of cold indifference, yet

Dec 18 @

Chapter 101

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behind her, the soft click of the lock sealing him off from the warmth of her arm Arms crossed. "What are you doing here?" Her voice low and

a deep breath, trying to speak through the emotion that weighted the moment. "My mother's been declared fit to