Chapter 2: ONE MONTH Part 2
562 Words
As they walked through the crowd Aidan couldn't help but reminisce about Odette. They had always had a connection even when they were children. Things would have been so different if Aidan and Odette hadn't met when they did. Life would have altogether been different.
He shared a reassuring smile with Kora and then looked towards the people gathered, "Good morning everyone, thank you for being here to honour my mate, my wife, and the mother of my beautiful daughter. One of the people who were instrumental in making sure that I am the man you see before you today..."
"Had it not been for her, I would have never had the thought of being a father, and without her support, I would probably be this extremely self-absorbed, isolated person, unaware of what it feels like to be in love.. my Odette."
"A wonderful person, always beyond ready to help others, too kind, even till the very end. You are all aware that words would not be enough to describe her, but I could go on trying. So I would like to thank you once again for coming and paying respect to our Odette", he said holding Kora's hand.
He made sure to use his CEO voice, to show strength and stronghold. But only Kora and Natalie knew the extent to which this man was broken. He had felt the death of his mate, had been with her in her last moments, and it had almost driven him to madness.
The only reason he was still a semblance of himself, was Kora. She had been like a pillar of strength to him, even though she was only nineteen. Her mother's condition and death had transformed Kora from a young woman to a determined and focused young lady, who dictated authority, just as her mother and father did.
During the time her father could not focus, when they realised the intensity of the situation and what it had meant for her mother, her father had spent all the time possible with her mother; and she had taken over for him as the acting CEO and had handled every situation thrown at her beautifully, with extreme clarity and precision. No one questioned her decisions, but at the end of the day, she would go and discuss everything with her father. She even mentioned to Natalie, "Playing office, and observing mom and dad work taught me way more than I could ever imagine."
She had been the one to convince him to do the talking today, he needed to. This would give him the much-needed push to remember himself. Looking at the way everyone responded, Kora knew that she had made the right decision.
Natalie joint Kora and Aidan once people had started to move towards the lunch table organised with all of Odette's favourites. Natalie's husband, Edgar came along, took Aidan aside and spoke to him privately.
During the lunch, people spoke to the family members and later slowly started leaving, until only Aidan, Kora, Natalie and Edgar remained. They sat silently and finished their lunch. Once they were done Aidan looked over to Natalie, "Thanks for being here today, I know it is as difficult for you as it is my Kora and me, but thank you."
Aidan then excused himself and went to his room, the room he had shared with Odette and shut the door behind him thinking about the past.
- Writer
