5. the truth
Chapter five
the truth
"Oh my goodness!" Riko hurriedly stands up and rushes over, hugging Aaron. "I can’t believe it! It’s been so long."
"I thought I'd never see you again," Aaron whispers, overwhelmed.
Yeah, it has been a long time. He hasn’t seen her since her mother passed away, more than ten years ago. He hugs her back, his emotions all over the place. Rion is watching them with raised eyebrows, and when Riko finally lets Aaron go, he breathes.
"Wait, you’re Father’s new boyfriend? Seriously?" Riko asks, her eyes on Aaron in disbelief.
He can’t blame her for being shocked; it must be upsetting for her that her father is dating her childhood best friend. But she would probably be more upset if she knew how their relationship started—that Aaron was using her father for his money.
"Um, yeah. How… How are you? It’s been a while," Aaron says, trying to change the subject.
She smiles, "I’m good, everything’s-"
"So, how do you two even know each other?" Rion asks, looking between them.
This is so weird for Aaron. How is Riko, of all people, Rion’s daughter? She had lived with her mother when they were children and had never mentioned her father. She'd used Choi, her mother's surname back then.
"We knew each other when we were little," Riko says, sitting down and pouring herself a glass of orange juice as if that is enough explanation.
When Rion raises his eyebrows, she blinks.
"Oh, Mum and I were neighbours of Aaron’s family.
We went to the same primary school, and we grew up together.. We were inseparable."
"Oh," Rion says.
This is too freaking weird, Aaron has to get out of here, this is very uncomfortable for him. "I have to go check on my mum. I’ll see you later."
Rion looks up at him with a frown, "Do you have to go now? Stay a bit, eat something and I’ll drive you there myself after breakfast."
"Don’t worry about it. I’ll eat with her. You just catch up with Riko," Aaron says, forcing a smile. He doesn’t want to just leave and look like he’s running away, so he hesitates a bit and then kisses Rion on the cheek.
He practically does run away after that.
***
How old is Rion? Xander said he was about 50, and Riko is the same age as Aaron, and while he's old enough to be her father, Aaron just can’t fathom it. What is he going to do? What will Riko think of him if she finds out about the true nature of his relationship with her father?
"-dear? Are you listening to me?" his mother’s voice snaps Aaron from his thoughts.
"Sorry, what?" Aaron asks, focusing. He is in his mother’s hospital room, just finished having breakfast with her. She is looking well these days, and nothing makes him happier.
"Dr. Mara says that they just need to monitor me for about another week or so, and I can probably get discharged soon," she tells him with a smile.
"Really?" Aaron asks in surprise. She is looking better, but after so long living in hospitals, he can scarcely believe that she might be coming home soon. "That’s great, Mum!"
"Yeah, I can finally stop being a burden to you and-" Before Aaron can correct his mother and tell her that she’s not a burden to him, the door to her room opens, and in walks Xander, carrying flowers.
He and Aaron stare at each other for a moment; they haven’t talked since their fight, but he knows that Xander came to visit Laura a couple of times.
"Oh, Xander, you came," Laura beams brightly, and Aaron sighs, pushing a chair towards Xander for him to sit.
"Ah, yes. I didn’t know that Aaron would be here. I can come back later-" Xander starts, but Aaron glares at him.
"Don’t be silly. Sit down," Aaron tells him, and Xander complies.
Laura’s smile is very radiant as she looks at them sitting there together.
Her eyes well up with tears. "I never thought I’d see the day when we could be a family again.
If there is one good thing that came from me being sick, it’s that it has brought us all together. I love seeing you boys like this."
Xander scratches his head, "Please don’t cry, Laura. It’s all thanks to Aaron. He brought us all back together."
Aaron purses his lips and looks away. He doesn’t want to see his mother cry, even if it’s from happiness.
"Yeah, once I get out of here, we should have dinner as a family. I want to cook for you boys again, like old times. Then I can thank you, Xander, for what you’ve done for us. You paid the exorbitant fee for my transplant, so thank you," his mother says, taking Xander’s hands in hers.
Aaron tenses up a little; Xander will keep to the lie, right?
"It was the least I could do," Xander affirms with a smile. "Dinner sounds great. Rest up so that you can feel better again. Your cooking was always the best."
She smiles again and nods, "Oh, Aaron, you should invite your boyfriend. I want to thank him for paying for your tuition too."
"What?" Aaron asks, blanching. Why does his mother want to meet Rion? The age gap might make her uncomfortable; after all, she is younger than Rion. "He doesn't have a lot of free time. He’s busy with...business stuff."
"But I want to meet him, to see if he is a good guy or not," Laura insists.
"He is," Xander says, surprising both Aaron and Laura.
"Oh, you've met him?" Laura asks, interested.
Xander clears his throat, feeling the burning stare that Aaron has fixed on him, trying to telepathically tell him not to screw things up for him and Rion.
"Yes, we work together. He is a decent person, and he even has a foundation that helps less privileged business students with their studies in university. "
"Oh, wow." Laura nods her head, clearly impressed. "Well done, Aaron. Usually, you have such awful taste in men, but let's hope that this one sticks around, huh?"
Aaron grumbles under his breath. What is that supposed to mean? Sure, he's had a few... unpleasant boyfriends; okay, most of his dating life belonged in the trash pile, but still, she does not have to put it like that.
"Don't jinx me, Mum," he says, shaking his head and standing up. "You need to get some rest so you can be discharged quickly. Come on, Xander, let's go."
"Ah, yes. It was lovely to see you again, Laura," Xander says, giving her a one-armed hug before following Aaron out.
"I'm happy to see you boys getting along so well," she calls after them, and Aaron rolls his eyes.
The two of them walk in silence, and Aaron debates whether he should just walk away and leave his relationship with Xander as is, but he decides against it. So, he turns to his brother and says, "Thanks for talking Rion up. I know that you guys don't get along all that well."
Taken aback by Aaron's sudden amicability, Xander blinks, "Ah, it was nothing. But when she learns about the age difference, you're on your own. I doubt I can help you out there."
This makes Aaron chuckle. "Sure. And Rion told me that you offered to pay him back for Mum's treatment.
You don't have to; he liked helping. If you really want to, just pay half?
I think that's enough," he says again, and then he starts walking away from Xander.
"And Xander, I didn't mean what I said last time about you and Dad being the same.
He chose to leave this world on his own, chose to leave us with nothing, you, me and Mum.
So, you're not like him; at least you came back. "
Aaron thinks that he hears Xander suck in an emotional breath at those words, but he doesn't stick around to see it.
He's said all he wanted to say, and it would be good if this could be the first step to fixing their relationship, but if not, then this much is enough.
Aaron does not want to dwell on the people who failed to stay by his side, who abandoned him—not now that he has someone who takes very good care of him.
*
Aaron is lying face down on his bed, thinking. What is he supposed to do? James pats his back comfortingly.
"I can’t believe Riko is Rion’s daughter!" he exclaims. "I mean, how is that even possible?"
"I know, right?" Aaron says miserably. "I thought that her dad died before she and her mother moved here. Aargh, this is so messed up, James!"
James sighs and shakes his head. "How is she anyway? It’s been years; is she doing okay?"
"I think so," Aaron says, thinking about it. He’d been so preoccupied with his feelings that he hadn’t checked how she was. "She looked good. She was super nice to me too, but that’s not going to last."
"What, you think that she won’t approve of your relationship with Rion?"
Aaron shakes his head, "Not just that. She might not mind him dating a younger man, even her childhood friend. But there’s no way she’s gonna stand for me sleeping with her father for his money."
When James next speaks, his tone is gentle. "But you’re not, though, are you? You like him."
His whole body tenses up in a moment. Yes, he does, but that’s not relevant right now, and Aaron is not ready to deal with those feelings and his fear of being rejected by Rion.
"It doesn’t matter, James. Rion was always very clear about the type of relationship that he wanted… I can’t ask for anything more from him. He’s just done so much for me, and I-" Aaron stops because his phone is ringing. It’s an unknown number.
"Hello?" he answers, voice still down.
"Hi, is this Aaron?"
"Yeah, who’s this?"
"It’s Riko. I hope you don’t mind. I asked Father for your number," she says, and Aaron sits up abruptly, startling James.
"Riko, hi!" he says quickly. Why is she calling him? Did Rion tell her the truth? "What…um, what’s up?"
"I want to talk to you about something; can you come by the house tomorrow?" she asks quietly.
Aaron doesn’t know what to say, and he bites his lip. "Sorry, I’m working tomorrow. You, um, you can come to me if you like. I’ll send you the address of the coffee shop."
"Alright," she agrees. "See you tomorrow."
Aaron lies back down on the bed after ending the call, face in his hands. "I am so screwed," he says, and there is nothing James can do to comfort him.
*