Chapter 5: Remnants of Love

“Damian… the husband, right?” Mike eyed Damian, giving him a nice smile. “I heard about you a lot from our friends. Nice to finally meet you,” he said before walking towards Damian to offer a hand.

That sure calmed Damian’s expression. He turned to Mike, stood up, and then shake his hand with a very little and unfriendly smile on his lips. I shifted my gaze to my son, Elon then.

“Likewise, Mike.” I heard Damian say.

I sat beside Elon. I snaked my right arm around his body to touch his small hand. It was there I noticed a black bracelet I’ve never seen before. Must have been from his dad… or my parents.

“That’s a beautiful bracelet..” I softly commented when I traced it with my fingers. “Is this hand-made?”

“Yeah.” Elon turned to me with a bright look on his face. “Aunt Elizabeth gave it to me.”

Hearing Elizabeth’s name rather than my husband’s, I was a little perplexed. Elizabeth was never close to Damian. She wasn’t even interested in him. That fact alone made it hard for me to maintain my smile.

“Did you thank her?”

“I did! She said she gave daddy one, too…”

I felt like I almost stopped breathing for a while, or maybe I really did. My eyes lasted at Elon for a moment, before my eyes went to Damian’s hand to search it. My gaze then halted at Damian’s left hand, it was exactly the same as Elon, and it made me lose composure.

Had it not been for Damian who cleared his throat, I would’ve remained dazed.

“I’ll get us something to eat. Excuse me,” said Damian before he went out of the room.

I knew Elon and Mike didn’t know anything about it but at that very moment I felt like I was humiliated. Like a laughing stock. I felt ridiculed and I didn’t know how to redeem myself, I was lost.

“Okay….” Mike sat in the chair where Damian sat. “Why don’t you tell me what my new buddy have? I could be of help.”

My lips purse. Though I managed to turn my gaze to Mike, I wasn’t able to respond right away, until Elon poked me.

“Oh..” I stood up, still stupefied, and grabbed my bag to get Elon’s medical consultation. I handed it to him, and then feebly went back beside Elon.

“Elon Dame Alistair, nice name.” Mike read Elon’s name and then give him a glimpse before going down to read it fully.

I watched his expression change from bubbly to serious as more seconds passed. I looked away and held Elon’s hand again, tighter this time. Then I was brought back to where I was supposed to focus on. Elon.

Elon and his condition. Not to Damian, and definitely not to Elizabeth.

“I see..” I heard Mike said, perturbed. He shot me a look. “I’d like to talk to you about this later this day. A coffee later this day.” Mike paused to glance at Elon. “Can I borrow your mommy tonight after you eat?”

Elon smiled and showed Mike his thumbs up. “Of course! Just make sure to bring Mommy back because daddy will surely look for her.”

Mike winked at Elon, before he returned his eyes at me. “I’m sorry, Elle. I didn’t know it was that…” He tilted his head, probably unsure of what term he will use, but I nodded my head to make him know that I get him.

“It’s fine. You haven’t seen Elon anyway so I had no reason to say no.” I gave him a warm look. “Eight this evening?”

He nodded, his concerned eyes toning down. “Eight this evening.”

Mike stayed to catch up with me. The same time, he tried to get to know Elon who seemed to like him despite meeting for the first time. Somehow, I felt a little refreshed. Talking to a friend I haven’t speak to for several years and sharing all the things that happened to me felt like I was given a new breath of fresh air. Though I wasn’t completely honest with him, and I really didn’t feel like I need to because I wasn’t really that open to anybody, it was open.

Talking to Mike was nice, and it took me back to when we were still college.

Our conversation was only disrupted when Mike noticed the time and realized that his break was already over. We already exchanged our contact number then so we’d just text each other later this day. I didn’t think we’d still talk about our personal lives but I had hopes that he might know someone to help Elon so I was interested in meeting him.

“You’re meeting Mike..” Damian deadpanned. “Elon told me.”

He was looking at me as I apply lipstick.

“He’s a doctor here,” I reasoned out. “I figured he might be able to help us get a good doctor for Elon.”

“Really…” Damian responded dryly. “And you weren’t able to talk about that matter earlier?”

“In frot of Elon?” My brows creased.

He didn’t respond. But the way he shot me a look was cold. I saw his jaw thickened before he looked away. And I didn’t know what was that reaction for so I ignored it. Did he not want me to meet Mike?

I breathed. I put back my lipstick inside and closed the bag. I took a glance at Elon who was peacefully sleeping, before I walked out the door with silence.