Revised: 26/10/24

Chapter 15

Unlike when Victor left the house, it was dark when Justin and Victor returned. The master of the house knew beyond a shadow of a doubt the other kids were going to be in bed, Caroline would have seen to that. He was as sorry for that as he was not. In the end he had been away for more than a day. He had missed the little ones, for all their chatter and light-heartedness. He would catch up with them the next day, but for now he had one more to join their merry gang. Justin. But for now, how he would handle light-heartedness, his uncle did not know.

He had also beyond missed the woman who he thought of as his wife in all but name too.

If there was one thing which Caroline knew Victor did not want her to do right then, it was to get stressed. Both of them knew it was no good for their baby, but she thought even he could forgive her for getting stressed when he was out at the crash site. The fact was Victor had lost a huge

part of his family and there was going to be no replacing that for him. All she could think of was him and how he was dealing with the gravity and the finality to what had happened. It was not easy thing to think you were never going to get to see your family again. She knew that from bitter, bitter experience.

She was worried for him and therefore waiting up for Victor was therefore a no brainer. She sat on the staircase, watching the front door.

Victor had kept an eye on his nephew whenever he could as they drove home. He had thought the journey home would be hellish – but it had been eerily quiet, which was hellish in its own way he supposed. Victor had a feeling even when they got home Justin was not going to take a lot of settling. He was exhausted – in fact he was beyond exhausted and at least for that night, would simply crash when he laid in bed, or so his uncle hoped. But still he could and would settle him better when they were home. The next day Justin could pick out his own room, his uncle thought to himself. He would be a father to this boy of his blood. It was apparent that was what he needed. He knew that as soon as he had got to the crash site.

He did not think he could claim to know Justin well, but no one had to tell Victor Justin was terrified when he had got there. Not only had he been in a car crash, but he had lost his mother and father and been informed of that – his life would now always be different to how it had been in the past. It would never be the same again. And though he was young, he did not need that to be explained to him right then. There was something in his gut that told him that.

So even though it was not as if the two of them were very close, as soon as he saw the face of his uncle, he threw himself into his arms and there he had stayed until they had driven home. Victor was all Justin had had of his past in that moment.

On the way to what Justin was now to call home, Victor supposed that he should have tried to make conversation, but he did not have the heart and could not. And maybe it would have been wrong after all – it did not seem as if he had the energy to talk. He had tried to do that earlier in the day…. They were both in shock – the reality of what was happening was still settling in.

So, when they pulled up outside of the villa it was still in silence.

Now it was time to be the father he believed he should be. Victor turned to the boy and tried to summon some words of comfort. Yet he was spared that by the fact his little nephew had fallen asleep.

For that he was very grateful.

It turned out the small talk could continue to wait.

If he had had no experience with children, then he guessed that carrying the lad into his house could have felt strange. But what was three little ones instead of four. Or should that have been four instead of five. Not long to go now…

When he opened the door, he was greeted by the sight of Caroline in her dressing gown, clearly waiting for his return. She stood on sight of them. She was a little pale – he could only hope it was just tiredness.

"You have not been there, long have you?" asked Victor. She did not look comfortable and she and the baby should be getting some rest.

"No," she lied as she clapped eyes on the boy in his arms for the first time. He was a slight lad with dark hair and fine features. Poor little thing, she thought as she came close and run her fingers through his hair in a motherly gesture.

She did think the Kiriakis men were a handsome bunch. And she could see when he was a grown man, he would be the same.

But her heart broke for him afresh when she saw he had cuts and bruises all over his face. He had been in the crash and it showed. Poor lamb.

"How is the poor little man?" she asked.

"Broken and bruised – and in need of his mother."

Caroline's heart went out to him. She would never be his mother, yet mother him she would.

"And, how are you?"

"I – I do not think I can speak of it right now – but I do know I have to get this little man to bed," there was going to be a lot of time for them to talk later. What they needed now was rest.

"Of course – I have had a room made ready."

Of course, she had.

"You are a good woman, Caroline," he said and she smiled softly and sadly.

Then together, the three of them climbed the wooden hill.

X x x

Caroline woke up the next day to an empty bed. For a moment, she forgot what had gone on and she did not know where Victor was. Then she remembered.

It took her no time at all to jump up and put on her dressing gown. Her first thought was to check on Kayla. Her blonde haired little beauty was sleeping peacefully. Once that was done, she went on the hunt for Victor. When she found him, in the room where she had left him. He was sat up by the bed watching over Justin as he slept.

As she walked into the room a very wry smile appeared on her face and she could remember how it had been her who had sat up with the kids on their first night in Greece.

Funny how life turned out which was a thought she was soon to shelve. Nothing about this was funny.

Her heart cried for her nephew – for the boy who would be as another son to her. If she had met him before that day, she would not have known who he was. Now he was one of them.

She put her hands-on Victors shoulder's. They were rigid. She did not know when they had last been relaxed now.

"I can't believe how close we came to losing him as well." Victor said as he covered her hands with his own. His hands were somewhere between warm and cold, and his voice full of despair.

"I - I saw… everything," he said to her and Caroline felt her heart sink. He had said so little the night before. She had feared that had been the case… and now she wished with all of her soul that he had been spared that.

"I am so sorry," she murmured as she dropped a kiss in to his hair. "Did the poor lad get any sleep?" a change of subject was needed before he begun to relive anything.

Victor ran a hand down his face she did not think he had ever looked so much like a parent.

"He did."

It had been somewhat broken, however. When he had first put him to bed, Justin had been in a very deep sleep. Victor had been sore tempted to slip out of the room and crawl into bed next to the love of his life. The warmth of her skin would be welcome, but just as he had been about to go and do so, the lad had awoken screaming and he knew he could not leave him. He had settled once more in time, but it had been the start of a long, dark night. All the comfort he had was Caroline had spent the night in a soft bed. She and the little one had been getting some rest.

But now she was there with him, he had a little comfort and felt that maybe he would find the strength to meet the day – which was lucky, as it was then Justin opened his eyes.

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