The Elusive Prince

Oliver's demands

“Are you coming home?” That question Pulled Adrian out of his deep reverie. Oliver asked again. “Are you coming home?”

“ I have booked a suite at Eastlund, I thought you were crashing at the hospital.” Adrian replied stiffly.

“Yes, I was. Doctor says I am allowed to take her home. She has some days left and she should be spending it in her home. " Oliver said in a dull voice. 

“What's wrong with her?” Adrian queried as dread clenched his throat.

Oliver breathed in deeply, “Multiple organ failure. She had mild covid or so we thought. She was treated, cleared and we went home.

2 weeks later she seized, we rushed her here. First 3,4 days we all thought she was going to make it and then she seized again. That's when they moved her to intensive care. The day before she was lucid for a few minutes and she kept calling for you. That's when I decided to call you” 

“You could've called me earlier..” Adrian could feel anger stir in him.

“I wasn't sure I should've called you even today. You made it clear we were nothing to you” Oliver was stiff as a wooden plank now. 

“Dad, I…” a bit of shame crept into Adrians voice now.

Oliver interrupted him with a hint of an anger he kept locked in. “You broke her heart, you broke mine. For a very long time she kept hoping you would walk in through the door, then she gave up. When she finally accepted, you weren't coming back, She lost the light she had. You took her laughter with you.”

“I am sorry” shame now overwhelmed Adrian. 

“I know you are but that doesn't bring back the lost time, the lost happiness.” on a sigh Oliver sunk into the chair. A portrayal of dejection.

“Dad!” Adrian exclaimed, trying to convey his emotions and failed.

“You could've stayed Adrian” Oliver stated flatly. 

“If I had, I would have lost everything” unable to handle the barrage of emotions, he turned towards the window to blindly stare at the skyline. 

Oliver got up and walked towards his child, the paternal instinct to soothe and alleviate his child's pain took over. He gently placed his hand on his son's shoulder. “Or kept everything. Not everything that happened to you was bad, we were certainly grateful for you. You made our lives complete.”

“You also lied,” Adrian spat, wanting to shrug away the hand and also wanting to be comforted.

“To protect you!” Oliver barked. 

“No, because you were afraid.” Adrian faced him, like a bull ready to lock horns.

“Afraid for your life!” bellowed Oliver, almost head to head now. 

“No, you were afraid that lie would get out,” Adrian retorted.

“It's not a lie, you might not be biologically ours, you ARE my son. We loved you from the day we held you.” Oliver gently professed.

The heartfelt confession, wrenched from the pain and love, broke Adrian.

“I am a… a Jihan” he managed to spit the word like the epithet it was.

“No! Do not call yourself that. You are not. ” Oliver now thundered. Furious.

“Aren't I? Wasn't that the reason I am an orphan? ” Adrian whispered.

“You aren't an orphan. That woman gambled her life for you. `` Oliver pointed towards his wife. 

“Dad…” Adrian struggled and lost his composure. 

“Adrian, come home, there are things you should know, the things you would've known on your 18th birthday. Come home Son. It's past time.”