"Waylon!", Alfred clearly stammered on the other end of the line as Waylon took a deep breath. "Yeah... it's... it's me... look... um, I don't exactly have too long with this thing; on a payphone right now, but... I want to finally talk...", he said.
Alfred's eyes began to swell with hopeful tears, "Really, son?", hearing Waylon's voice catch, and Waylon spoke quietly, "You...that's the second time I heard that coming from you...".
"Well, of course, I am going to call you son because you are...I promised your mother that I'd look after you...We would never forget you, Waylon...You're lucky because we're in the middle of packing a few essential things to come down south to the shack...Wait, are you hurt? Are you sick? Oh, please tell me that you're alright!", Alfred replied in worry as he berated himself for not asking first of how Waylon's doing.
"No, no... I'm... I'm alright, just... been thinking more since Halloween. Yeah, I know, she was here too... Jane as well...", Waylon started to tear up.
"I'm sorry that she probably spent more time with us than you.", Alfred apologized. "It was similar with Thomas; just... only for the rest of the night sort of ordeal.".
"Yeah... I'm just at least glad I could talk with her... see Jane... once...", Waylon whispered that last part. Alfred replied, "Yeah...She was so perfect with the heavens making her healthy...I have my own pictures of that night...Did you get your stack of pictures?".
Waylon's voice chuckled, "Yeah, I got them...I appreciated it after Thanksgiving...I...I'm really sorry that I stayed away, Alfred...".
"Waylon, hey, we do not blame you for anything, especially me and Poppy...She really misses her best friend...She took some of those pictures, you know.", Alfred said.
Waylon sighed, "I know...I saw her letter...I fucked up, Alfred...I don't deserve to be your son, her best friend...I was really battling my demons today...if it wasn't for Mama's stern talking-to, I wouldn't be probably here...She got the phone book out, demanding for me to call you...", with a shaky sob.
"Look, Waylon...", Alfred said as Waylon huffed, stopping him before he could say anything more. "No, please, listen to me... come down here. This... what needs to be said, I need to say it to your face, say it to all of you.", Waylon closed his eyes as he was trying to keep himself from tearing up and sobbing over the phone.
Alfred replied, "Son, Waylon Jones, you don't need to worry. We are coming either way. After all, Martha would agree that this is an emergency situation, and we can get there sooner if we get our private pilot to increase speed if the night conditions are good.", glancing at the nearest window, "Yeah, the weather's looking well. So, wherever you are at this payphone, listen to me, go to the shack and stay there, and we will take a rental car or taxi...".
Waylon's voice replied in surprise, "You'd do it that fast?", and Alfred said, "You are part of this family, and we will listen to everything you need to say, so you don't have to face your demons anymore. We love you, Waylon, and if I must repeat it again and again, I would never regret in taking you as my son for you are part of Caroline and Jane, no matter what you look. I am so proud of you for calling me, you didn't fuck this up, son.", doing away with propriety a bit as this is his son, not a wealthy associate of Martha or from Wayne Industries.
"Thanks...", Waylon sighed. "Okay, I'll be waiting at the shack then... try to get here safely...", he said as Alfred gave a confirming grunt, "Of course; you stay safe too yourself.".
Waylon replied, "I...I love you, Alfred..", not ready yet to say 'Dad' or anything like that, but he has a funny feeling that he'd be able to do it soon after confessing everything to the family and Alfred.
Alfred smiled softly, "I love you too, son. Now, I'll see you soon. Get going, git.", trying to take a note from his love of his heart, and heard Waylon chuckle, "Yes, sir.", before he heard the phone click, showing that the call's ended.
Alfred exhaled as he put back the phone and went to grab a Ziploc bag to put all the peanut butter brittle, turning off the stove and everything, and then hastily wrapped the bag in Christmas present wrapping as he left the kitchen, glad that the staff is gone for the evening this late.
He called out, "Martha, Kel, Bruce, Poppy, we gotta wrap up the presents and pack up anything in your hands, and close up! Chop, chop, chop!", putting the urgency in his voice.
Kel, in her physical body, poked her head out from a corner of a hallway, "Why the rush now, Alfred?", as she is helping Martha out with their own presents for Waylon and the kids.
Alfred replied, "Got a call from Waylon!", with a grin, "He wants us down fast, I think he's ready to finally come out of the shadows!", and he heard a yelp of surprise, "WHAT?!", revealing Martha in her astral body, coming around Kel as she was trying to tie a bow to a present, stuck in it as she was distracted to hear what Alfred had to say to Kel's question, and she pleaded, "Oh, please tell me, Alfred! He really wants to see us?!", faintly hearing Bruce and Poppy's running feet in the other side of the manor.
"From the sounds of things, yes... he wants us to come down, talk face to face; now I still don't fully know what he'll exactly say, but I say this is better than anything, right?", Alfred replied with a nod. Kel smiled widely, "Much better than anything we've gotten for him!".
Martha took out her stuck finger from the bow, "Right, I'll call the airport again to get our private plane to agree to the emergency rush for us, and oh, a taxi fast! Of course, we can't drive too fast or fly too fast, as we need to be safe and careful as we can't afford an accident, but the weather reports say that it's all fine for tonight.", with a relieved smile, giving the present to Kel to pack up, whooshing back into Kel, and then Kel shrunk down into Martha, still holding the present, and gave it to Alfred, "Excuse me!", heading straight for the phone in the kitchen to make the call to the airport, hoping that the taxi is already on their way to pick up the Waynes, since they had called the airport a couple hours earlier the first time.
Poppy came down fast, holding up a bag of presents inside with luggage on the other side, tears flying, "Am I dreaming? Is Waylon coming out of the shadows?!", as Bruce followed similarly with his presents and luggage.
"So, he says...", Alfred said. "But please, Mistress Poppy...". Alfred took a deep breath, "I don't know what will come of the conversation. I know what you probably want but I want you to understand there might be a possibility that it may not happen. It'll be his decision.".
"What?", Bruce raised an eyebrow. "You think he'd have us come down just to tell us he wants to never see us again or something?".
Alfred replied, "I don't know, Master Bruce. It took a lot for him to call me because he thought we'd blame him, not love him. If it wasn't for Caroline's stern talk, he might not have called me or considered even the thought of talking face-to-face...He said that he really thought a lot since Halloween, and oh, he appreciated your gift of the pictures after Thanksgiving when he returned to check on the leftovers and all from us, Poppy.".
Poppy blushed with a small smile. "Glad to hear that... though... I think I would've rather heard that from him...", she said as Alfred nodded, "I agree; over the phone and in person are two different things.".
Bruce replied, "And Mom?", and Alfred said, "Martha is calling the airport to make sure that our private plane gets extra motivation as it's an emergency rush situation and seeing if the taxi is already on their way to pick us up.", walking over to put his presents to the small pile of presents on his luggage and Martha's luggage.
Bruce exhaled, nodding, "Good thing that we're rich as we could pay extra incentive and all so the airport and our private plane wouldn't complain about the emergency rush.", and Alfred nodded, "Indeed.".
And yep, after the call and the taxi, the Waynes got to the airport safely yet in record time, and then boarded the private plane, the flight on emergency rush took off, and once again, in good record time safely and all, taking about an hour and a half than the usual 3 hours.
Thankfully, the weather through the south was fine too, and they landed like usual near the town of Eunice, and brought a rental car, heading straight to the shack where the Waynes is elated to see the lights on.
They got out their presents and luggage as they parked the car and clamored out, with Kel whooshing out of Martha, sniffing deeply, "Yep, it's Waylon inside, just himself, and I smell food cooking.".
Alfred exhaled, "Waylon isn't the type to sit too long for waiting...Come on, and we must be calm, not too excited...I know it's hard, Poppy, but we can't afford to scare Waylon into running away again especially when he has been clearly intent on working on dinner for us, being Christmas Eve.".
"So how do you intend to do that?", Bruce asked. "I mean, is simply knocking on the door going to frighten him?", with a frown. "No... I was thinking more of quickly trying to take him into a hug upon first seeing him.", Alfred said.
Martha replied, "So in other words, Poppy, Bruce, we must give Waylon some space and wait until he's ready for hugs and such.", translating for Alfred.
Poppy pouted as she nodded, "I guess that's fair, as I would be happy to see his face and hear his voice for now, I just hope he still is okay with me calling him Wally because I ain't going to stop that.", and Kel replied, "Let's not keep the boy waiting.", with a hum.
The family casually went up the stairs, crossing the porch, with murmurs of respect on glances to Caroline and Jane's tree, glad to see that it's as peaceful and serene, and Alfred knocked firmly yet warmly, calling out gently yet not too loudly to alert Waylon respectfully, "Waylon, son, we're all here...", as they smelled the food now better and closer, hearing sounds of shuffling and footsteps.
It was a few moments before the door opened up. Everyone was trying their hardest not to suddenly rush in and try to embrace Waylon, just trying to keep their composure. "Hey...", Waylon finally spoke as he motioned over. "Would you all like to come in?".
Alfred and the others smiled brightly, as Alfred replied, "Thank you, Waylon.", leading the way into the shack as Martha replied, "It's so good to see you, Waylon.", passing by him, with Kel nodding, "You're looking well.", passing by him too.
Bruce replied, "Can't wait to eat some of your delicious food if they are excellent as the smell of it is, my main man, and I bet I will beat you this time in getting multiple servings of dessert, Waylon.", with a grin as he came next, and then finally, Poppy.
Waylon exhaled deeply as Poppy looked at him longingly, "It has been so long since Spring Break, Wally...We brought presents like usual...I hope our leftovers from Thanksgiving saw you through in the bayou?", barely noticing that the family had put away their presents and luggage into the living room and such, gathering around the indoor dining table as it had been brought in from the porch.
"Yeah, they did...", Waylon nodded. "Thank you for leaving them; it was good. Your work, I assume?", he looked to Alfred as he said the last part. "Yes, well, most of it, everyone chipped in on one or two things.", Alfred told him.
Waylon blinked in surprise to hear that last part, looking at Martha, Kel, Bruce who gave him smiles and nods, showing that they would have done it anytime because, as he's starting to realize it, that they care for him and love him.
Waylon took a deep breath and then looked back at Poppy, closing the door behind them, and rubbed the back of his neck, "And thank you for the pictures of...of Mama and Jane, Poppy...I..I really appreciate it...".
Poppy smiled so radiantly as Waylon's heart pounded at the sight of her glowing like Christmas lights in joy as she answered happily, "You're very welcome, Wally...Come on, let's eat before your hard work goes cold.", with a nod as she skipped on to drop off her presents and luggage into the nearby living room, and then joined the gathered family who is standing around the table in respect, waiting for Waylon to sit down, with two empty seats, one for Waylon, and one for Caroline in honor, with a stool from the kitchen to compensate for Jane's empty baby high chair seat near her.
Not much was really said as they all began to eat; no one really wanted to have a serious talk that easily could be had after everyone could have a full meal on the stomachs. Plus, it would be better to think and talk, no one should be irritable from a lack of food.
Strangely, it was a comfortable, quiet atmosphere with snippets of complimenting on the food as Waylon rightfully had thought it would be a tense, nerving atmosphere, but he was proved wrong.
After dessert was served and shared around, the family insisted on helping in washing, rinsing, drying, and stocking the dishes, while Waylon sat on the couch to gather his thoughts, and upon putting away the last dish, the family took seats around the living room furniture, patiently waiting for Waylon to speak.
Waylon took a deep breath. "I... I don't know how to really start all this...", he admitted. "Just... say whatever comes to you.", Bruce told him as Waylon huffed a bit before nodding.
"Alright then. Well, I guess, first things first... I'm sorry from running away from you guys, and hiding, all these months. I guess the best way to describe all of it was I was just angry at the world and wanted to be alone... wanting to blame someone, anybody for what had happened...", Waylon started to explain.
Kel nodded as she was like that after losing Thomas, and replied, "The anger, the angst, it burned in you, huh?", and Waylon exhaled, frowning, "Yeah...I...I felt hurt so much...that I didn't want to feel anything else much apart from fear and guilt and sadness...I..I'm sorry that I saw all of you as part of the blame...But when I realized that you just kept coming back here...because you all loved Mama and Jane, all that fire, all that anger, it just...it just became guilt and stubbornness as I thought it was my fault in the first place, in not convincing Mama harder to go call Alfred or not listening to my gut when...when she lost Jane, and not following my suspicions even further to save them...", trying not to choke up.
"I should've not listened.", Waylon sighed. "I should've just ignored what Mama said especially after that and just quickly got in contact with you; get her the help that she needed. I don't know if it was too late by that point to save her, but I hate that I at least didn't try...", Waylon teared up.
Alfred slowly moved closer to Waylon on the couch, replying gently to his son, "But you tried, son. You took her to the hospital, and you gave the doctors and nurses to try looking for any way to help her. They tried to help, but in the end, they gave her a bed, a view, and she didn't die alone for you snuck in by the window. You stayed by her, giving her comfort and love, and she loved you in return, and it meant everything to her, to me...I am relieved that you were in my place, and you better know that I'd give anything to be there if I knew sooner, but hear me, Waylon Jones, this isn't your fault for all of it, and I would never blame you, my son.", carefully touching Waylon's shoulder.
Waylon's lips trembled as he looked at Alfred upon the last part, hearing the echo of Caroline's words, the same words Alfred said, and Alfred gave him a soft, understanding look, opening his arms, not moving in, but not leaning back, but just there to wait for him to take the next move, acting like...like the father Waylon always had imagined of having.
"That's probably another reason why I stayed away... I thought you'd be angry at me; that I should've been more responsible for her health...", Waylon said. "Not like I could've done much; she kept her illness pretty well hidden from me for a time, and then when I knew, we just assumed that it was just like a long illness that she could recover from...".