Chapter One: The Promise

There were exactly three hundred and twenty eight lights inside Adrian Cole’s penthouse. He knew because he had counted them, not once, not even twice.

Enough sleepless nights had passed with him staring at the ceiling for the number to become impossible to forget.

Three hundred and twenty eight lights, Six bedrooms. A wine cellar that could rival a restaurant’s. A grand piano no one had played in years. A dining table that could seat fourteen people. One toothbrush, one coffee cup, and, yes, one man.The silence was always the loudest part.

Outside, Manhattan glittered beneath the first snowfall of December, every skyscraper dressed in gold and white. Inside, the only sound came from the ticking grandfather clock Eleanor had insisted on buying during their first year of marriage.

“A home should sound alive”, she had said. Now, every tick felt like a reminder that it no longer was. Maybe it never would be again. Adrian loosened his tie and dropped his briefcase beside the marble staircase.

His jacket landed on the same chair it always did. No one was there to complain about it, no one to laugh and pick it up behind him. No one told him he was impossible to live with. He walked into the kitchen and poured himself a glass of water. The entire place seemed to echo after him.

The refrigerator was almost empty. Bottled water, Cheese, Juice, Wine, And sadly, loneliness. The housekeeper came every weekend. She always stocked enough food for two. She still hadn’t accepted that there was only one now.

Adrian stared into the refrigerator for a moment before closing it.

His phone vibrated. Marcus. Adrian stared at the screen until the call stopped.

It rang again almost immediately, with a sign he answered.

“What?”

“You sound charming.”

“I’m busy, Marcus. Whatever it is you want, the answer is no.”

“You’ve been ‘busy’ every night since you returned 2 days ago, and you haven’t even heard what I want to say.” Marcus put enough emphasis on the word busy to make his point.

“Seriously, Marcus. I’m busy.” Adrian said as he ended the call. The phone rang again almost immediately. He stared at it.

“Persistent bastard.” He grumbled as he answered.

“What? I told you I’m busy!” He whined

“I’m pretty sure you’re back from the office, so could you tell me what you’re busy with right now?”

Marcus’s voice had softened.

“I brought work home. I have a deadline to meet. Please stop being a nuisance and leave me alone. Thank you.”

“Bring the work to my place, you have an empty house” Then Marcus continues,

“Adrian I keep telling you that house is too big and too quiet for you.”

Silence.

“I already ate.” Adrian said as a matter of fact.

“I’m not even talking about food, Adrian.” Marcus said calmly.

Adrian closed his eyes. “I’m tired. I can’t drive.” He hoped Marcus would finally take the hint. Instead, Marcus replied calmly, “I know. That’s why I’m on my way to you.”

Another silence. “How come you never listen?” Adrian muttered.

“Because you’re my best friend, and I’m not going to let you wallow in that place alone. You’re welcome.”

Adrian sighed. Then Marcus spoke again after a few minutes. “So… Sarah made lasagna.”

“I told you, I’m not hungry. I ate at the office.”

“You know that’s a bloody lie, Adrian. Besides, she made way too much for the three of us.”

“Well, that’s her fault, don’t you think?.” Adrian said in a mocking tone.

“Adrian, she wants you to come home with me, and I’m not going back without you. You know how she is.”

“I don’t see how that’s my problem.”

“Adrian, will you stop being a princess and come out already? I’m at your place as we speak.”

Adrian closed his eyes. “You are the most annoying person I’ve ever met.”

“I love you too, buddy. Please don’t keep me waiting.”

Despite himself, a smile tugged at the corner of Adrian’s mouth.

Marcus knew it. “There he is.”

“You’re a psycho Marcus, you need to seek help.”

“You’ve got five minutes or I’m coming in there and dragging you out myself.”

“Marcus….”

The line went dead, Adrian stared at his phone. He should have ignored the first call. Instead, he picked up his bag and headed for the door.

………

The Bennett house could be heard from miles away, as always. Laughter spilled through the open windows. Someone was arguing about a football match, while music drifted from the kitchen.

Tonight, however, it was quieter. Only Sarah and Kai were in the house when Adrian and Marcus arrived. The smell of garlic, butter, and fresh bread wrapped itself around Adrian the moment he and Marcus stepped through the front door.

“There he is!”

Sarah Bennett appeared with a wooden spoon in one hand and flour dusted across her cheek. “God! You’ve lost weight, I’m sure you haven’t been eating well.”

“Hello to you too, beautiful.” Adrian pulled her into a hug. She frowned as she looked him over.“When did you last eat?”

“This morning.”

Sarah’s eyes widened. “It is eight o’clock at night.” “I thought you said you ate this evening. You lying piece of shit!” Marcus yelled from behind him.

“Language, Marcus!” Sarah shouted.

“I’m sorry, baby.” Marcus leaned over and kissed his wife before walking toward the kitchen. Sarah shook her head, Then she turned back to Adrian. She didn’t say anything, she simply hugged him again.

For a brief second, Adrian forgot what loneliness felt like. Marcus appeared from the living room carrying two bottles of beer. “Thank you for coming,” Sarah said. “I hope Marcus didn’t bully you into coming.”

“He most definitely did.” Adrian pretended to wipe away a tear. Sarah immediately turned toward her husband.

“You bullied him again, Marcus!”

“Bully? I’d never do that, I just motivated him.” Marcus placed a hand over his chest, feigning shock. Adrian shook his head.

“You never change, Sarah. Always yelling at the top of your voice.” Marcus grinned. “My words exactly!” A loud thud echoed from upstairs. Then another.

Sarah closed her eyes. “If that boy breaks my ceiling…” Before she could finish, footsteps thundered down the staircase.

A teenage boy came flying into the hallway, a basketball tucked beneath one arm and headphones hanging around his neck.

“Kai! Slow…….” Too late. Kai collided straight into Adrian, the basketball bounced across the floor. “Oh!” Kai stumbled backward. “I’m so sor……”

He looked up. Recognition immediately lit up his face. “Adrian!” The apology disappeared completely. Without another thought, he threw his arms around Adrian. The hug was brief and carefree.

Adrian laughed, a genuine laugh, for what felt like the first time in months. He hadn’t smiled much since his six month work trip.

“Easy, you’re going to hurt yourself.”

“Oh my God, You actually came! I thought you wouldn’t, it’s been months! I thought dad was joking when he said you’d come tonight.” Kai said beaming with joy as he looked at Adrian.

“Yes, Kai. I came. And it hasn’t been that long. It’s only been a little over six months.”

“And I brought you lots of good stuff. They’re in the car. We’ll get them later.”

“Yay! Thank you so much!” Kai practically screamed with excitement before throwing his arms around Adrian again.

Marcus smirked. “He spent half an hour staring out the window after making me swear you were coming.”

“Dad! I did not. It was supposed to be a secret.” Kai’s face flushed with embarrassment.

“Oops. Sorry.” Marcus shrugged, not looking sorry in the slightest.

“But you know, you absolutely were. Right?” Marcus asked clearly enjoying his son’s embarrassment.

Kai rolled his eyes. “In my defense, I was…. I was….” He said looking around, obviously looking for an excuse “I was just checking the weather.”

“Through the front yard?” Marcus asked. “Really, Kai? The weather?”

Sarah laughed at their bickering.“Marcus, leave the boy alone. He really was checking the weather.”

Adrian smiled. Then his eyes returned to Kai. He studied the boy standing in front of him. The last time he’d really looked at him, Kai had barely reached his shoulder. Now, he had grown, not dramatically, but enough for Adrian to notice. His limbs were longer. His shoulders were beginning to broaden. His face was slowly losing some of its childhood softness.

His voice had deepened too, a subtle indication that puberty had either begun or was very close. There was still something unmistakably youthful about him, but the awkward little boy Adrian remembered was beginning to disappear.

“When did this happen?” Adrian asked, gesturing toward Kai.

Kai frowned. “What?”

Adrian chuckled. “You, when did all this growth happen? I can see you’re going through a growth spurt.”

Kai grinned and tried to flex his nonexistent muscles. “I’ve been eating my vegetables.”

Marcus snorted. “Oh, not this again. Adrian looked confused. “Not what again? What did I miss?”

Sarah laughed so hard she had to lean against the wall.“Tell him.”

Marcus folded his arms. “Go on.”

Kai sighed dramatically. “So.. you know how vegetables make you taller?.”

“Um, yeah. Not exactly taller, but whatever you say, buddy. They’re healthy, that’s what matters. And you’ve been eating them since you were little, so why are you acting like it’s something new?” Adrian responded.

Kai explains himself. “Yeah….. but I was told the more you eat them, the faster you’ll grow, and i need to grow faster, so I’ve been eating a whole lot more lately.”

Adrian laughed “Okay… but why, though?”

He paused, suddenly suspicious.

“Wait. Hold on. Please don’t tell me it’s because of what I think it is.”

Kai looked at him as though the answer should have been obvious. “So I can marry you, duh! Please don’t tell me you forgot, my friend said if I keep eating my vegetables I will grow up faster.”

Silence.

Then the entire house exploded with laughter, Marcus nearly dropped his beer.

Sarah wiped tears from her eyes, even Adrian laughed until he had to steady himself against the wall. Only Kai didn’t laugh.

He simply crossed his arms offended.

“You’ll see.”

Adrian smiled affectionately and ruffled his hair. “I didn’t forget, my boy, is that why you’ve been eating so many vegetables now.

He shook his head, still amused.

Oh Kai, now I understand the obsession for vegetables? Finish high school first.”

Kai looked up at him with unwavering certainty. “I will.”

“Good boy. Finish high school with good grades, then university. Right after that, we can talk. Alright?”

Kai considered this seriously. “Alright.”

Then he looked up at Adrian again. “Then I’ll come back and marry you, right?”

Adrian laughed. “Finish first.”

“I will.” Kai said with determination.

The laughter started all over again. No one thought to remember the moment. No one imagined that a childish promise made in a noisy hallway would survive long after everyone else had forgotten it.

But years later, every one of them would.