A hour later, Adrian descended the stairs, holding Aurora's hand and chuckling at something from what only he and Aurora knew.
He knew it was time for breakfast and they already perceived the aroma of what could be described as chicken sausage roll. As Adrian got closer to the dinning, his happy expression went darkened.
Everyone was seated including grandfather. It appeared they were waiting for them to come downstairs before they would start having their breakfast. But the faces Adrian saw, sharing the breakfast table made him twitch his brow.
Luna Wesley was seated along with Patrick. There were two empty seats and it invariably belongs to him and Aurora. Heads turned in their direction and an average person could tell they've made up.
Patrick was happy. Silently he sighed in relief. At least Adrian now agrees that Aurora has only been his woman all these years. He'd got nothing to do with her.
Adrian scanned around and didn't see his daughter “Where is Elsie?” He asked, glancing from his father to grandfather without a word of greetings.
“It's a special breakfast and I called for it. What is going to be discussed is not ideal for her, hence I asked Alice to take her breakfast to her in bed” grandfather explained.
He saw the disapproval on Adrian's face. He was not pleased with the faces of Luna and Patrick but he wants to get things settled between them.
“If my daughter is excepted from this table, it only means I'm not welcome here. I want Elsie here” Adrian demanded. Elsie is the daughter of the family and should be regarded as such.
“Of course you are welcome and Elsie is an integral part of this family. But for the sake of what's to be discussed, I ask that you please bear with me” grandfather pleaded.
“Grandfather, I don't like this at all. Elsie is my daughter and whatever you want to discuss, you should do it elsewhere or other time. Why seclude her?” Adrian seethed.
Aurora swallowed hard, still holding hands with Adrian. She tried to tuck him but he pretended not to understand what she meant.
“There's no big deal about this whole thing, Adrian. You're making a mountain out of a molehill” Richard cautioned. But it's like fuel had just been added to a burning fire.
“There's no big deal that my daughter is absent from sitting among her family members but your son and mistress can be seated comfortably and there's no fuss about it, right?” Adrian snapped at his dad.
Richard was taken aback. What exactly is Adrian's problem, why does he find convenient reason to embarrass him at the slightest provocation
“Are you stupid, Adrian? Are you talking to me that way?” Richard scowled and grandfather quickly stepped in “Adrian, apologise to your father, now!”
Aurora pulled his hand from his and Adrian glanced at her, she was staring at him with a frown and he sighed softly before mumbling “I'm sorry”
He sat down and picked dishes. Everyone ate in silence. Patrick and Aurora glanced at each other and smiled. Other than that, the meal was eaten in silence.
Richard was not happy. It's obvious that he was in a bad mood after hearing those words from Adrian. He kept glancing at his son at intervals.
This is not a good idea. He'd told his dad to let things remain the way they are. Adrian is a hard nut when he chooses to be, he couldn't stop blaming others for what happened to his mother without seeing beyond that to what she did that warranted it.
When the meal was almost over, grandfather Lester instructed “No one leaves after the meal. There's a brief family meeting”
Hence, Adrian couldn't leave. He sat down but everyone around can tell that he was emitting an aura that cannot go unnoticed by those around him.
Aurora glanced at him and was quiet. She thought he had outgrown this attitude of his. He remembered Adrian once confronted his grandfather in fury. And from his looks,he would confront anyone that crosses him.
Grandfather cleared his throat as soon as he finished his meal and the dishes were cleared off. He glanced at everyone present and said “Good morning to you all”
Everyone responded except Adrian. Grandfather continued “As the oldest man in this family, I can't turn a blind eye to what is happening even if Richard didn't see anything wrong with it.
Adrian, I want you to accept reality and put the past behind us. I know that you are mad with your dad because of a mere misunderstanding that has been settled yesterday. Thanks for letting go.
And just how you got things back in place with your father, do the same with your brother. Before knowing you are brothers, Patrick has always been your best friend and we know it, Richard and I.
Can you also put the past behind you, forgive every grievance and embrace your friend who has turned out to be your brother, that's the reason for this meeting” old man Lester explained.
Everyone turned their gazes at Adrian but he didn't seem to be interested in what was being said. He heard what grandfather said but he was unconcerned about letting those words make any meaning to him.
“Did you even hear me, Adrian?” Grandfather Lester asked, seeing how unconcerned his grandson looks.
“I don't understand something grandfather and I don't want to be disrespectful. I woke up to have breakfast and I had to encounter some faces I didn't want to see.
And now, you have a family discussion and it has to begin with me? Was the meeting all about me? I stayed back to spend the night here, but you should know I am an extremely busy person.
What exactly do you want me to put behind me, grandfather? That Patrick scandalises me,hits me and says horrible words to bruise my ego or that dad hurts my mom because of his mother? What do you want me to begin with?
Should I go on, and talk about how he'd always have eyes for my woman? Which friend or brother does that to a fellow relative? For Patrick's sake, dad wished that I was not born. Should I keep counting?” Adrian bellowed.
“I've never had eyes for your woman Adrian and you know it. I thought you were behind it and I went overboard myself but don't make it look like I was interested in sharing Aurora with you” Patrick rebuffed.
“Yes you did. You liked her, you would have preferred that she was yours from the beginning. You know how to treat her better than I do…” Adrian was losing his tempers.
“Adrian please, I've told you that Patrick and I are mere friends. Stop insinuating things that don't exist” Aurora pleaded. Everything is just getting twisted. Now, the table was turning in her direction.
“So you're going to take sides with him now, huh? You prefer choosing him over me? Don't you even like me a bit?” Adrian snapped at her,his gaze fixed on her.
Aurora's lips twitched. She felt her temple go blank.