Assassin's Creed (c) Ubisoft
Connor watched as Mindy ladled the two hard boiled eggs into a bowl, as he spread strawberry jelly on some toast, before setting it on the plate. "Thanks for your help Mindy," Connor said, getting the jug of milk and pouring it into the glass.
"No problem, your mom is really nice, closing the place on Mother's Day," Mindy looked around empty kitchen of The Laughing Turtle. "Most places don't close on Mother's Day."
"Ista owns it, so she can set the hours. Besides, she's open on Father's Day," Connor said with a shrug. "So, I guess it balances out." He set the glass of milk on the tray. "I mean, the only holidays we're closed on is Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's. Half hours on Fourth of July, Memorial and Labour Days, and active duty military and veterans eat free on Veteran's Day and their family's get half price!" Connor beamed.
"Well aren't you a little walking advertisement," Mindy chuckled, picking up the tray. "What about Valentine's Day?"
"Ista doesn't believe in Valentine's Day," Connor said, opening the door that lead to the stairwell that lead to the living quarters above The Laughing Turtle. "She says it's a bunch of made-up mumbo-jumbo. Love… true love, isn't real."
"Oh that's nonsense, she loves you," Mindy pointed out. Connor frowned, he'd experience a lot in his eight years, but his mother was older than him and she knew a thing or two about love.
"I think she means love for another person that isn't family. I'm family," Connor said, "so I don't count."
"Aah, what about your father? Does she love your father?" Mindy asked. Connor stopped in mid-step, lowering his foot back down. "Connor?"
"He left," Connor stated, his voice cool and distant. "Ista said he didn't love her anymore, that he didn't love me… so he left."
"Oh," Mindy's face fell, "Jeez, I'm sorry Connor. I didn't know that. I mean, I've only been working here for a few years, not like Alan and Yvonne. They've been working here since your mother opened the place."
"Yeah, they have. Alan slips me sweets sometimes," Connor said, mischief sparkling in his eye. "Don't tell Ista thought."
Mindy chuckled, "Alright I won't." They reached the top, Connor opened the door and stepped inside before accepting the tray. "You pamper your mama, okay Connor? She brought you into this world, and that's her greatest gift to you." Mindy said, tapping him on the nose.
"Alright, bye Mindy, thanks for your help!" Connor said, before kicking the door close and heading to his mother's bedroom. He nudged the door open with his toe. Their calico, Zoë, looked up when she heard the door open and gave a welcoming meow. Ziio was asleep on her stomach, clutching her pillow, legs spread out to take up as much space and her black hair cascading down her back. She grunted in her sleep, clutching her pillow tighter. Connor walked up to her and nudged her arm with the tray a few times.
"Uh…" Ziio pushed herself up. "Ratonhnhaké:ton… what time… nine-thirty, I told you to wake me up at seven!"
"But… it's Mother's Day, Ista… so," Connor looked around, before lifting the tray up higher, "Happy Mother's Day Ista! I made you breakfast!"
"Oh, how thoughtful," Ziio took the tray, shifted and set it on her lap. "Thank you, did you make this all by yourself?"
"Uh-huh! Well… Mindy helped me a little bit, but I made the toast and the milk!" Connor pointed out.
"Very good, my angel," Ziio said, pulling her son close and kissing his forehead. "I appreciate it that you are so thoughtful. You're turning into a real gentleman."
Connor beamed. "But your real present has come yet," Connor said.
"My real present?" Ziio arched her brow. "What are you plotting, Ratonhnhaké:ton?"
"Nothing!" Connor chimed, an impish grin on his face. "Can we go to the park? It's nice out today, so… let's go to the park?"
Ziio chuckled, cracking open her hard boil egg. "Yes, we can go to the park this afternoon, but first we have to clean up the place."
"But it's Mother's Day!" Connor whined.
"You know that Sunday is the day we clean. So we are going to clean it up, and then go to the park."
Connor groaned, flopping back onto the bed. Zoë gave an indigent look at the boy before jumping off the bed to go to her cat tree by the window. "Fine," Connor huffed eventually. "I bet Jacob and Evie's mom isn't making them clean, today."
"I wouldn't be so sure," Ziio said, "I bet their daddy is though."
"Speaking of daddies… can… are you ever…" Connor rolled onto his stomach to look at his mother. "If… my father… if he came back would you be mad at him?"
Ziio sighed, took a bite of her egg and used that as an excuse to think. She swallowed and looked at her son. She ran her fingers through his hair, even now she could see traces of his father in his face, the set of his jaw, the slope of his nose, the width of his mouth. She loved her son's father… once. Hell she probably still loved him, which was why thinking about him hurt so much. "He made his bed and now he has to lie in it."
Connor wrinkled his nose. "What does that even mean?"
"It means, that your father made his choices and now he has to suffer the consequences."
"Okay… but what did he do?" Connor pressed, this was the first time he could remember his mother being so forth coming about his father. "Did he kill someone? Jacob said that the reason daddies leave is because they either murdered someone or are drug dealers," Connor frowned. "Was my father a drug dealer?"
"You shouldn't listen to everything Jacob Frye tells you."
"But he's my best friend!"
"Best friend or not, you shouldn't listen to everything he says," Ziio said. "No… no your father… he was a lawyer. He got me Zoë," Ziio whispered glancing at the cat. "We were in love; it was us against the world."
"And then what happened?" Connor asked.
They are sending me to London, Ziio. I know we aren't married yet, but we can get a license and we can go together. Please, Ziio, come with me. "He felt that his job was more important than me," Ziio finally said.
"Oh… but… did he know I was going to be born?"
"I don't want to talk about this anymore Ratonhnhaké:ton, let's get started on cleaning, so we can go to the park faster," Ziio said, finishing her breakfast.
"Fine," Connor grumbled, slipping off the bed. He grabbed the double plastic bag and the poop scooper and began to clean Zoë's box.
"Hey, Mister! Do you want to be my new daddy?" Connor asked the man selling hot dogs. The man quirked his eyebrow up, looking at Connor. "My mommy is really nice and—mmmffff!" Ziio's hands fell over his mouth.
"I'm so sorry sir, but he's harmless," Ziio said. "He's just upset his father is always working."
"Understandable," the hot dog salesman said as Ziio left Connor off.
"Ista," Connor whined, squirming away. "Can you stop?"
"Ratonhnhaké:ton, I don't know what you're playing at but you need to stop going up to random people and asking if they want to be your father," Ziio said.
"Why? Don't you want me to have a daddy?" Connor asked. Ziio sighed, rubbing her forehead.
"Isn't Mr. Davenport not a good… person? You like spending time at his house."
"No," Connor muttered, "Mr. Davenport is smelly. He smells like old people."
"Ratonhnhaké:ton," Ziio chided.
"It's the truth!" Connor protested. "Plus he's always sleeping and I can't watch cartoons at his place. He says they rot my brain." Connor pouted. "Please, can I ask one more person?"
"No, it's rude and awkward."
"But Ista! I wanted to get you a new daddy for Mother's Day!" Connor sighed. "If I had a real daddy I wouldn't have to go to Mr. Davenport's after school. I don't understand why you don't let me stay over and Jacob's after school, he lives across the little park behind us and Henry, who's fourteen, watches us."
"Ratonhnhaké:ton," Ziio growled. "You know why I don't let you go over to Jacob's after school."
"Jacob jumped outta the tree on his own," Connor protested. "He said he had super powers and could fly like Superman."
"Doesn't matter, now, let's go to the jungle gym over there," Ziio said, taking her son's hand. Connor pulled his hand free. "Ratonhnhaké:ton!" Connor tore off, running to the first man he saw. A guy in a suit, holding a brief case and talking in British accent English. "Ratonhnhaké:ton, get bac here!" Ziio shouted.
Connor stopped breathless before the man, reached up and tugged on the man's sleeve. "One moment," the man said and moved the phone from his mouth. "What?"
"Hello, mister, I have a really important question," Connor said.
"I'm going to have to call you back, Charles, some little boy is lost in the park," the man said and hung up. "Now what is it son?"
"Can you be my new daddy?" Connor chirped, a smile on his face.
"Eh?" the man glanced around, "you're new… daddy?"
"Uh-huh," Connor said, "my real daddy left before I was born and my mommy is sad about that, so… since it's Mother's Day, I'm gonna get her a new daddy!"
"Well, I… I don't know," the man said.
"It's okay, you only have to… to… date her, once," Connor said, "but if you really like her you can go on another date or, if you really-really like her, my friend Jacob says that's when you can naked cuddle her in bed!"
"Oh really?" the man said, shocked. Ziio grabbed Connor by the arm and started scowled him in Mohawk.
"I'm sorry sir, about my son. He's impish sometimes and—"
"Good God, Ziio! Is that you?" the man shouted, placing a hand on her shoulder. Connor looked between his mother and the man. Ziio's face went wooden.
"You know my mommy? Awesome! You're perfect! Isn't he perfect Ista? I'm Connor Kenway!" Connor shouted.
"Connor Kenway?" the man asked, baffled.
"C'mon Ratonhnhaké:ton, we're going home," Ziio said and tugged her son away from the man.
"But… Ista! He knows you! He's perfect, he seems nice and I know I'll really like him," Connor protested as he was drugged away.
"Well, I don't," Ziio growled.
"Ziio, wait! Come back!" the man ran after them. "Ziio, damn it, woman listen!"
"No, I'm done listening to you, Haytham, leave me and my son alone!" Ziio snapped, confronting the man, Haytham. She glowered at him. "You made your choice eight years ago and I made mine."
"Your name is Haytham, too?" Connor asked, before his mother or Haytham could begin arguing. "Cool! Sometimes my mommy will say Haytham in her sleep," he mumbled. "Don't tell he I told you that."
"I'm right here, Ratonhnhaké:ton," Ziio growled. "Now let's go." She tugged her son but Haytham grabbed her arm. "Let go of me Haytham!" she shouted, twisting in an effort to free herself.
"Do you want to cause a scene?" Haytham hissed, eyeing a few of the mothers and fathers at the park. He forced a smile. "You know, that time of the month." He told the on-looking parents.
"It's not," Ziio growled, but she stopped fighting.
"Now, let's… talk… at your place, I'll call Charles and tell him to cover for me," Haytham said and made a quick phone call. Connor looked at his mother.
"He's the one," he whispered, "I can tell." Ziio rolled her eyes and let out an exasperated sigh, placing a hand on her son's head.
They went back to The Laughing Turtle, Ziio leading the way and grumbling unhappily in Mohawk. Haytham stopped in the stairwell that lead to the upstairs living quarters. "So many memories," he whispered, looking at the pictures. A mix of profession achievements and family photos.
"Whoa," Connor gasped, "you've been here before?"
"Of course, I use to—"
"Zoë! Ratonhnhaké:ton, get the cat!" Ziio shouted, as Zoë bolted out the door. Connor squatted at the base of the steps and scooped up the cat.
"Hehehe, you know better than to try to escape Zoë," Connor said, beaming up at Haytham. "My real daddy got Zoë for my mommy." Connor walked up the steps. "But he's gone now. He left before I was born," Connor looked at Haytham, "Jacob says that the reason he left was because he was either a drug dealer or he murdered someone."
"A drug dealer?" Haytham sputtered indignantly, he reached the top step, as Connor slipped into the house. Ziio stepped outside and closed the door. "Are you going to invite me in?"
"What do you want Haytham?" Ziio asked, folding her arms over her chest. She stared him down, protective of her son. "Ratonhnhaké:ton is a very impressionable and he needs a man in his life."
"I see," Haytham sighed, "You know I never minded kids. I've been thinking of settling down and…" he looked at her. "If you give me another chance, I'll be a good father to him. Even though he isn't mine."
Ziio barked a laugh. "Oh he's yours alright," she snipped, a strange smile flickering across her lips. "I was pregnant when you left."
Haytham jaw dropped, he took a step back and had to use the wall to steady himself. He had a son, he met his son, and he never knew the entire time. For eight years he had a son and he never even knew. He swallowed thickly. "Why… why didn't you tell me you were pregnant? I would've—"
"Done exactly as you did originally!" Ziio hissed. "You abandoned me! You left for London and you never came back!"
"I've been back for six years! I did come back! I stood across the street and stared at this place! Saw your and our son's silhouettes in the window and I felt… heartbroken. I thought you moved on," Haytham looked away, "I couldn't… I couldn't bare it… coming to your door and showing me face."
"Moved on? Moved on! Haytham, you asshole, I," Ziio stopped. "The point is, you never bothered to show up, you never bothered to call. I told you I didn't want to go to London, that I didn't want you to go to London. But you went any!"
"So I could provide for you! I went to London because I got better pay! Everything I did was for you! I wanted you to come, I so desperately wanted you to come!" Haytham ran a hand through his hair. "I never stopped loving you. I thought… I tried to call you a thousand times after that argument… I just… as soon as the phone rang I would hang up… I don't know why, I… felt…" Haytham huffed and sat down on the steps. To his surprise Ziio joined him. "I missed you, Ziio, and… if you had told me I would've turned down London. I thought that… since we were going to get married… we could… settle down in London or… I don't know. I don't remember anymore."
"I don't even remember what the fight over the phone was about," Ziio whispered. "I probably said something stupid," Ziio whispered, "and I told you why I couldn't leave. Well… I could have but… I didn't want to." She looked away. "I should've told you… that I was pregnant. I wanted to tell you, I did I just… felt… that you'd leave me."
"Ziio," Haytham whispered, taking her hand, "I was engaged to you," he breathed, bring her knuckles up to his lips. "I would have been happy. I would've stayed…"
"You still left…" Ziio whispered.
"I'm sorry…" Haytham mumbled. "It… It was the worst mistake I made in my life, I lost something precious and I didn't realize how much I missed it until it was actually gone. Forgive me?"
"Eventually," Ziio said, resting her head on his shoulder. "It'll take time but… I think… I think we can work things out. I know Ratonhnhaké:ton—" Ziio was silenced when Haytham kissed her. Connor opened the door just then.
"Hey, Jacob! Your planned worked! I found the perfect guy at the park and he's kissing my mom right now! Yeah, I think he's gonna be my new daddy."
Ziio and Haytham pulled away, flushing in mortification. "Ratonhnhaké:ton…" Ziio growled.
"Hold on Jacob," Connor said, "Yes Ista?"
"This is Haytham Kenway… your real father," Ziio said. Connor's eyes grew wide, a grin spreading across his face.
"Hey, Jacob? Call ya back, I happen to find my real father today in the park! Yeah, I'll tell you all about it at school tomorrow, later," Connor said, hanging up and setting the phone down. He wormed his way between his parents, grinning at both of them. "I told ya he was the one Ista!" Connor whispered. "You had a good Mother's Day right?"
Ziio smiled, looking at Haytham then at Connor. "Yes, I had a good Mother's Day."
And... yeah.
Nothing to say. Belated Mother's day thing.
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Nemo