16 years ago...
Aether stood in front of the grave, staring at the name etched into the stone with dull eyes.
In loving memory of Stella, his beloved wife and mother of his children.
It's been two months since she passed away, yet the pain still felt as fresh as if it had happened yesterday. Stelle and Caelus turned one year old two months ago, the same age as the day their mother died.
He kneeled down and placed a bouquet of flowers on her grave. He knew that she would have wanted him to stay strong for their children. Thanks to his sister and Kafka for helping him take care of Stelle and Caelus while he focused on grieving and healing.
He spent hours looking at the gravestone, reminiscing on all the memories they had created together. Until the sun began to set and he realised it was time to go home,.
A hand reached out and touched his shoulder. He looked up to see his sister standing there with a smile on her face.
"Ready to go?" she said. Aether nodded and stood up, grateful for his sister 's company on the walk home.
"Thanks for accompanying me," he said.
She shook her head and replied, "No problem at all; that's what family is for." smiling sadly, "And I need to be with you. And I looked after you until you recovered from your grief. Me and Kafka will always be here for you, no matter what."
Aether smiled at his sister , grateful for her unwavering support.
"Let's go home. Stelle and Caelus are waiting for us," Aether said as he turned to walk back towards their house.
Both of them walked side by side, feeling a sense of comfort in each other's presence.
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They reached the front door, and Aether unlocked it and opened it for them to enter. What surprised them was Stelle in her walker stroller, eagerly awaiting their return. . . . . . She was smiling and bouncing up and down with excitement.
She reached out her arms towards Aether, wanting to be picked up and held. Aether smiled back at her, scooped her up into his arms, and kissed her on the forehead. Kafka approached them, holding a sleeping Caelus in her arms.
"Welcome back, you two ," Kafka said softly. "Caelus has fallen asleep while Stelle is energetic, waiting for you both to come home."
Aether chuckled, pinching Stelle's cheek gently before turning to Kafka and saying, "Thank you for taking care of them while we were away." He approached Kafka and gave Caelus a kiss on his forehead. Caelus moved slightly in his sleep but didn't wake up.
Kafka smiled warmly and replied, "It's no problem, Aether. They're like my own children, and I promised Stella that I would always protect and care for them," she said , brushing a strand of hair away from Caelus 's forehead. "How about playing with Stelle for a bit. while I lay Caelus down in their crib ?"
His sister approached Kafka and said, "Let me take care of that, and you need to cook dinner for us tonight." She took Caelus from Kafka and went to the twins crib to lay him down gently.
"Ok, thanks, Lumine," Kafka said, turning to face Aether. "Dinner will be ready in an hour." She went to the kitchen to start preparing the meal.
He looked at Stelle and said, "How about we play while we wait for dinner to be ready?" His daughter smiled excitedly and bounced up and down in agreement. Aether grins, happy to see his daughter so enthusiastic.
He sat down on the mat and began playing with her, feeling grateful for this moment of joy. Before Stelle started to crawl towards the trashcan , Aether quickly scooped her up in his arms.
"Ah, ah, not the trashcan again," he chided playfully. "Seriously, you and Caelus got your mother's trashcan obsession." He sat down on the mat again and tickled her stomach, making her giggle uncontrollably for this moment of joy. As both of them played together. The sound of their laughter filled the room, creating a warm and joyful atmosphere.
"Dinners are ready," Kafka said.
Aether carried Stelle to the dining table and saw Kafka setting the table with their favourite dishes. And Lumine, who was carrying Caelus awake, joined them at the table. He put Stelle on the baby chair next to her brother. Kafka is setting down the baby foods for the twins. And she sat down next to Caelus, and Aether sat down next to Stelle. Lumine sat in front of them all. Looking at them happily. And they all began to eat their dinner. While the twins giggled and made a mess with their food, Kafka wiped Caelus cheeks with a napkin. And Aether does the same with Stelle.
After dinner, Lumine and Kafka carried the twins to take a bath, and Aether offered to clean up the dishes. Kafka insisted that they should do it together. But Aether declined, saying he could handle it on his own. It was at least something he could do after everything Kafka had done for them. Kafka gave up, smiled, and went to take a bath with the twins and Lumine. Aether started to clean up the dishes in the kitchen alone.
A few minutes later, sitting down on the couch, he finished doing the dishes as he watched TV. and waited for them to finish their bath. He heard footsteps approaching the living room. Turning his head, he saw Kafka wearing a purple nightgown, drying her hair with a towel.
"The bath is free, Aether ," Kafka said, smiling.
Aether stood up and said, "Thanks, where's the twins and Lumine ?" he asked as he grabbed his towel and began to head towards the bathroom.
Kafka finished drying her hair and replied, "They 're in their room with Lumine singing them a lullaby," she said.
He nodded his head and headed towards the bathroom to take a quick shower before heading to bed. 10 minutes later, he emerged feeling refreshed and ready for a good night's sleep. Walking towards his room , he couldn't help but smile at the sound of Lumine's soothing voice drifting through the hallway. He stopped, took a peek inside the twins room, and saw them both fast asleep, cuddled up together underneath their blanket. While Lumine was softly singing a lullaby. He left quietly. Closing the door behind him. As he walks away towards his room,.
He arrived at the door and opened it. He stepped inside and fell onto his bed, exhausted. Closing his eyes, he drifted off to sleep almost instantly. But a knock on the door startled him awake. He stood up and walked towards the door. He opened it and saw Kafka smiling at him.
"Can I come in?" she said.
Aether blinks his eyes and steps aside, allowing her to enter. She walked into the room. She sat down on the bed. And Aether sat down next to her. They sat in silence for a moment, unsure of what to say next.
Kafka opened her mouth to speak. "Can I sleep with you tonight?"
Aether hesitated before responding. "Why?" he asked gently. "
"I just want to be with you," Kafka replied softly. She put a hand on his chest, looked into his eyes, and said, "For tonight ." Her face went close to his. Ready to kiss him.
But he stopped her and gently pulled away, saying, "I don't think we should do this." His eyes were averted, not looking at her. "I don't want to ruin our friendship," he said. "You don't deserve to be with me; I just lost Stelle two months ago, and I'm still not over it."
Kafka paused for a moment; she knew he still didn't feel ready to move on. She cupped his face gently and said, "I want to be there for you, and Stelle told me at the hospital that time she wanted you to be happy again one day. Find someone who can make you smile, even if it's not me." She leaned her body into his, kissing him tenderly on the lips and pushing him slowly down onto the bed . and whispered, "My feelings for you will never change. I'll always love you, and I'll always be here for you." She said, "And forgot everything for tonight." She kissed his neck and said, "Focus on me for tonight ." She lowered her nightgown and climbed on top of him.
He sat up and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close and kissing her passionately. Kafka took off his shirt and ran his hands through her hair, lost in the moment. He plucked her over and was on top of her. He kissed her neck and whispered, "Only for tonight, then."
She smiled and whispered back, "Only for tonight, my love."
Both of them closed their eyes, savouring the fleeting moment of passion. And tomorrow , they would go back to their lives as if nothing had happened. Kafka wishes she could stay in his arms forever, but she knows it is impossible. So she cherished every second they had together tonight.
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End