Good-byes are Hard
The next day was again a long one as the last of the shipping containers were loaded and sealed. Eric and Gabby timed it right so they could meet they guys after their day of recording and went out for a relaxing dinner.
At breakfast the next morning Lynn asked, “What is your schedule like today?”
Justin swallowed his mouthfull of cereal. “It should be a short day today. The producer has to catch a flight at four. We should be free by two.”
Lynn turned her gaze to Eric.
“Oh! I just need to see that the shipping containers get loaded then my job here will be done. I should be done before noon.”
“Good. Then I will expect you both home so we can have a family dinner,” Lynn announced.
“But why tonight?” Justin whined.
“You guys have been home almost a week,” Lynn pointed out. “And the only time I see you is early in the morning and maybe late at night. Justin, Honey, it’s almost as bad as you being on tour. Tonight is going to be my night. I will expect to see both of you at dinner tonight.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Justin saluted.
Eric’s taxi pulled up in front of Justin’s house just before noon. After paying the driver he noticed a large limousine parked in the circular drive. Eric’s stomach did flip-flops when he noticed the diplomatic license plates. Entering the house Eric called out, “Lynn, why is there a limo out front?”
“Eric, in here, Honey.” Lynn called from the living room.
Eric walked into the living room to find Lynn and Gabby sitting on the couch and two other men sitting on side chairs. As soon as Eric entered the two men stood and silently bowed. Eric’s usually happy face turned to stone. “Major, what has happened?”
“Sir, we received a call this morning from your grandmother,” Gabby said. “Your grandfather has taken ill and she request that you return at once.”
Eric closed his eyes for a minute. “It won’t take me long to pack.”
“We’ve already taken care of that for you sir,” Gabby said. “Your plane is waiting at the airport.”
“Thank you Major.” Eric looked sadly at his mother. “Gentlemen, Major, could you give me a few minutes?”
“Yes, your highness,” the two men said as they left the room.
As Gabby was leaving she stopped next to Eric. “I’m sorry Eric.”
Eric gave her a weak smile, “I know. It was fun while it lasted.”
Eric stood before Lynn not sure what to say or do. Lynn placed her hand on Eric’s right cheek and brushed a tear away with her thumb. Eric turned his head slightly placing a soft kiss in the palm of her hand. In a weak voice Eric said, “Mom, I don’t want to go.”
“I know, Baby. But you know what you must do.” Lynn pulled her son into a hug.
Eric nodded with a sigh. “I was just hopping for more time.”
“What are you going to do about Justin?”
“I don’t know. I don’t like leaving like this with out telling him.”
“Do you want me to tell him?”
“No. It needs to come from me,” Eric said. “I’ll have to find a way to tell him myself.”
“Sir. We must go,” Gabby said from the door.
“I’ll be right with you,” Eric said. Turning back to his mother, “I have to go.”
“I know, Baby.”
Hugging his mother Eric softly said,. “Love you, Mom.”
“I love you, too, Baby.”
Several hours later.
“I’m home,” Justin called out. “Mom! Eric! Where are you guys?”
“In the kitchen, Honey,” Lynn answered.
Justin bound into the kitchen all smiles until he saw his mother. His mother was sitting at the kitchen table with a cup of tea and it looked like she had been crying. “Mom, what’s wrong?”
“Sit down, Honey. We need to talk.” Justin sat down. As he looked at her he realized Eric was nowhere in sight.
“What’s happened? It isn’t Grams is it?”
“No, Baby. It’s Eric.”
“What’s happened? Is he all right?”
“He’s fine. It’s just his grandfather has taken ill. He had to leave.”
“He’s gone? When?”
“He got word just after he returned home.”
“Why did he leave right away? There isn’t any way to get a flight home without some reservations.”
“The Livonian consulate has a private jet waiting for him.”
Justin grew quiet. Eric left without saying good-bye. Justin knew the day was coming, just not so soon. He was having trouble understanding his feelings. He hadn’t known Eric all that long. But the two of them clicked right from the start. Why was his leaving affecting him so?
“You all right, Baby?”
“Yeah, Mom,” Justin said softly as he got up and went into the living room.
Lynn watched her son as he sat in the living room staring out the window into the back yard. She knew he was hurting but didn’t know what to say to make it better.
The phone started to ring. Lynn grabbed it before the second ring. “Hello.”
“Mom, is he home yet?”
Lynn let out a sigh of relief, “Yes, he’s here.”
“How is he doing?”
“Not to well. He’s really upset that you left, without saying good-bye.”
“It’s upset me, also,” Eric said. “I need to tell him about us. Can you put him on?”
“Sure, Honey.”
“Oh, Mom. Will you stay with him? I don’t know how he is going to take this.”
“Sure,” Lynn said as she took the cordless phone into the living room. “Justin, there’s a call for you.”
“Can you take a message? I really don’t want to talk to anyone right now.”
Lynn held out the phone, “Honey, it’s Eric.”
Justin’s face lit up as he grabbed the phone. “Eric?”
“Yeah, bro, it’s me. Justin. I’m sorry I had to leave like this.”
“I understand. Your grandfather is sick. You need to be there.”
“Thanks for understanding. Justin, I need to talk to you about something important.”
“What is it, bro?”
Eric chuckled at Justin’s choice of words. “Justin it’s about just that.”
“About what?”
“About you and me. And our friendship.”
Justin frowned, “Are you trying to tell me you don’t want to be friends?”
“Oh god no! It’s nothing like that. . . . Justin, how do you feel about me?”
“I love you man,” Justin laughed. “You’re my best friend and the big bro I always wanted.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, really.”
“So you always wanted a big brother?”
“Yeah, it was always a silly wish,” Justin said with a blush rising. His mother was sitting nearby smiling at him.
“You know if you wish for something hard enough it just might come true,” Eric said.
“In fairy tales, maybe,” Justin laughed.
“It happened to me,” Eric said. “I never knew my mother. I always wondered what it would be like to meet her.”
“That’s not too easy when your mother is dead,” Justin pointed out.
“She’s not dead,” Eric said.
“But I thought you said she was dead.”
“No. I said that I lost her when I was just an infant. . . Justin, I’ve found my mother.”
“Oh, that’s great, Eric. Have you had a chance to meet her? What’s she like?”
“She’s everything I dreamt about. And you know what?”
“What?”
“And I got a bonus. I have a younger brother, too.”
“Oh, Eric, I’m so happy for you. When do I get to meet your family?”
“Actually right now,” Eric said. “Is your mom near by?”
“Yes, she’s right here. Why?”
“I need you to ask her something.”
“Alright. What?”
“Ask her who you are talking to?”
“That’s silly. She knows who I’m talking to.”
“Justin, please. Just ask her the question.”
“Okay, but I think it’s still silly,” Justin said. Lowering the phone he look to his mom. “Mom, I’m supposed to ask you who I’m I talking to?”
“You’re talking to your brother,” Lynn said.
“Eric, what’s going on? She said I’m talking to my brother.”
“That’s not correct. She should have said you are talking to your half brother.”
“What?”
“Justin, your mother is also my mother. Which makes me your big half brother.”
There was a long silence as Justin stared at his mother. “We have the same mother?”
Lynn nodded.
“But how? I don’t understand?”
“Justin, it’s complicated. They met at the university, fell in love, ran off and got married, and I came along nine months later.”
“Okay, I can follow that. But what happened to break them apart?”
“It was my grandfather. He didn’t approve of the marriage. He forced them to divorce and my father returned to Livonia with me.”
“That bastard!” Justin growled.
“Justin! You don’t understand. At that time. My grandparents viewed the marriage as improper. My father was meant to marry someone else. A woman from my country.”
“That’s so medieval.”
“I know. But at the time that’s how my people thought.”
“Did your father ever marry the proper woman?”
“No, Justin. He never married again. In a letter to me he said he had only one love in his life. And that was my mother.”
Justin was quiet for a long time and Eric was getting worried. “Justin, you all right?”
Eric heard a sniffle at he other end of the phone. “Yeah, I’m all right. It’s just hit me kind of hard.”
“What did?” Eric asked.
“That the dream of a older brother did come true. I would dream about having an older brother, but in the dreams I never could give him a face. After I met you, my dream brother had your face. I knew I was being silly but I liked the idea of thinking of you as my brother.”
“Now you don’t have to pretend,” Eric pointed out. . . “Okay, I’ll be right with you.. . . Justin, my flight is boarding. I have to go.”
“That’s all right. I hope your grandfather is all right.”
“I’m sure he will be. Give our mom a hug and kiss for me. I’ll see you in a couple weeks.”
“I can hardly wait,” Justin said with a big grin. “Love you, big brother, I hope to see you soon.”
“Love you, Justin. Bye.”
TBC