Eyes on Iris

8. Colorless Reunion

IRIS

Iris took a deep breath as she held Morgan’s little hand when they arrived at the chapel. With Bella in tow, they entered the crowded place only to see the familiar faces of Walford locals. The scene was to be expected—even people from the nearby cities, like Thayers and Hewt came to express their condolences. Some were old, some were young, but she was certain of one thing; the deceased was admired and loved.

Old Mr Kingston was the epitome of rags to riches. He built his business from the ground up while persistently raising his child as a single father. It was nobody’s expectation that the widower cowboy would become the founder of the largest fastfood chain in the state. Yet, despite all his success, the man remained humble and kind.

I guess it’s true… that the good ones always leave first…

Iris let out a regretful sigh, earning an inquisitive look from Bella. Last night they talked for hours, and she recounted tales from her youth, including the broken ties with the Kingstons. They were akin to family back then…

“Are you all right?” Bella inquired with a concerned look.

Smiling bitterly, Iris shook her head. “I’m fine.”

She felt strange. She thought she could accept the death of the old man after sleeping it off. Yet, there she was, feeling heartbroken as if she had lost a parent, even though she had not seen Old Mr Kingston for several years.

After her divorce, Iris got too preoccupied with her own things that visiting the old man barely crossed her mind. She got too busy mending her broken heart and building her business that even though she had heard rumors about how Hunter had left town; she kept pushing back her plans. Perhaps because she was too ashamed to even show her face to the man who had treated her like she was his own.

Now that she thought of it, she should have swallowed her pride and said hello to her godfather. She should have played chess with him when she had the time. She should have brought Morgan to meet him, knowing that their presence might have lessened his longing for his only child.

She should have…

But she didn’t.

And she regretted it.

Iris found it ironic that even if they lived in the same town and had countless ways to see each other, they never did. Was it because she was too busy? Or was it because the old man was also avoiding her?

Nobody knew, and her guilt was eating her up. If only she reached out first…

Iris swallowed her remorse. It’s been done. You can’t turn back time.

She knew this was one of the many things that would haunt her for the rest of her life.

Time… it’s the unstoppable enemy of humankind. No one can undo what happened in the past and nobody has access to the future.

Biting her bottom lip, Iris’ mind continued to wander. She thought that if she had a time machine, she would certainly go back in time and change all her poor decisions. Then maybe… maybe her life would have been different. Perhaps she could live happily with the people close to her heart.

This thought crossed her mind multiple times, serving as a reminder of all the wrong choices she made. Even though she was content with her current life, Iris knew that she could have had better if she were a little more rational when she was younger.

Alas, there were no ifs in life.

Everything has its own consequences. All she could do was move on and learn from her mistakes.

She was aware deep down that it was impossible to escape from it. She accepted that her life was her own responsibility and that she could only move forward.

Iris snapped back to reality when Morgan tugged her hand. Looking at the little girl, she knew that she would never give her up for anything in the world. Her daughter was the product of her impulsiveness but also the greatest gift in her life.

Morgan was never a mistake.

“Why is everybody wearing black and white, mom?” Morgan asked innocently, pointing at the people coming in and out of the chapel. Her little brows met as her forehead creased. The curiosity in her expression was obvious.

This was one of the many instances that Iris had to bite her tongue. She had to remind herself to keep calm whenever the little one started asking questions about everything she sees and everyone she meets.

But kids are like that. They are innately curious. It’s a natural stage for children.

It was something she had read in books about motherhood.

Patience is a virtue, indeed.

“Because we are mourning,” Iris replied frankly, shaking her head slowly and gently pushing Morgan’s finger down. “Put it away. Pointing at people is rude.”

“What is mourning?” Morgan asked again in her tiny, fanatical voice.

Iris exchanged glances with Bella, not knowing how to explain the word to a child. But it left her speechless when the woman shook her head and looked away shamelessly. None of them has experienced raising a kid. So, whenever Morgan had questions, they would always try to simplify their explanations.

However, when it came to something sensible, Bella would always dodge the topic and shirk away as if she had not heard anything. If they talked about foolishness, the lady would always volunteer as a tribute in answering with detailed descriptions.

Wide-eyed, Iris felt the corner of her mouth twitch at her best friend’s betrayal.

“Uh-oh,” Morgan muttered.

From the corner of her eye, Iris noticed the little girl stopping in her tracks and hiding behind her leg.

“What’s wrong, darling?” she asked curiously.

Morgan was not the type who would easily get scared of strangers. Instead, she liked talking to them. When Iris looked down, she saw the little girl shaking her head shyly, her eyes focused on the direction to her left.

So, tilting her head, Iris focused her attention on where Morgan was gawking at. There, she saw the handsome man too familiar to her not to recognize. How could she forget those dimples that came out of both cheeks without even smiling?

It was Hunter Edward Kingston.

And he was looking back at them.

He was gazing at her.

In silence, Iris couldn’t help but admire how good-looking her friend had become after all these years. He had a mature and well-toned stature oozing with an aura that would make anyone stop and stare. His dark hair was disheveled—probably from all the finger-combing due to frustration. But he looked gaunt and tired… And his eyes… Those hazel eyes that used to be empty and expressionless…

With a blank expression on his face, Hunter stopped in front of them, his height towering over. Then, he squatted down and reached for Morgan’s hair and ruffled it.

“Mourning is when you feel sad and lonely. Usually, when you lose someone or something you love,” Hunter spoke in a flat yet soft tone, pushing a few strands of stray hair behind Morgan’s ear.

Iris swallowed, feeling her heart sink. Hunter’s eyes had an obvious glint of despondency as he carried a gloomy air around him. The distress of the loss of his father came much of a blow that his usual indifferent demeanor could not conceal it.

It stumped Iris.

She did not know what to say. Who would have thought that they would only be reunited because of his father’s death?