Edward had already came back from the store. Pushing the key into the hole he tried twisting it only to realize it was unlocked. He panicked in fear that he had left the door unlocked and was just hoping his mother won't find out.
"Eddie is that you honey?"His mother's voice sounded out from the kitchen.
"Y-yeah.."His voice sounded out a bit shaken as he realized his mother might have already found out what he had hoped to keep a secret, despite being a terrible liar."I got back from the store.."He spoke quietly.
"Don't worry you didn't leave the door unlocked."Maria said with a light chuckle after reading into her son's tone.
Eddie sighed in relief as he closed the door behind himself, making his way to the kitchen, where his mother was."I got the groceries you asked for."He said with a light smile on his face.
Upon walking into the kitchen he spotted a male figure in a black long coat, sitting at the dinner table, drinking coffee.
The man turned towards him and with a wide toothy grin spoke."Long time no see kiddo."Putting his coffee down the man stood up, to greet Edward."You remember me?"He questioned with a warm expression on his face, something he wasn't very fond of doing.
Edward furrowed two blonde eyebrows, with a questioning expression plastered over his face."Um..."He started mentally scratching his head, trying hard to remember where he had seen this familiar face. Bushy graying eyebrows, white streaks in what was left of a gruff brown beard, and a pair of the saddest brown eyes he had ever known, his look completed with a deep scar under his left eye.
The man pat him on the head, messing up his boyishly unkempt locks, with a very familiar smile on his face."It's been a while huh.."He spoke quietly, looking down at the boy, his hand still on Edwards's dirty blonde streaks of hair.
His rough demeanor, his tough affection, the smell of cigarettes similar to the ones his mother sometimes smoked, the voice and that scar. It had been a while since Edward last saw this man, the memories of him were still there.
"Uncle Franky!"Edward spoke loudly out of excitement as realization hit him, right on the face.
Frank grinned visibly happy with the answer."Bingo!"He said with a look that only Maria could read, once she looked at his face. He took his hand away from Edward's head with that sympathetic grin, still curving his white thin lips.
"It's nice to see you again uncle Franky."Eddie spoke with an exited smile, putting his hand out for Frank to shake as a greeting.
Frank took both his hands out of his pockets, and with a saddened smile he pulled Edward into a tight hug. A hug so tight that the boy could feel the heartbeat of the man, a hug you would give your best friend after years when you see each other again.
Edwards's arms fell down, close to his body, his face full of expressions. The boy didn't expect such a greeting, it was new for him. He looked at his mother with a questioning look, realizing her glassy eyes. The boy was very surprised by his mother's expression, he hadn't seen her cry in a long, long time.
Pulled back into reality by Frank's words, the man breathing out the phrase"It's been a while.."
Eddie's arms wrapped around the man, returning the hug with a light smile, his memories racing back to the time when they first met, back when Eddie was just 10 years old."It has.."Eddie spoke, finally closing his eyes, under the warmth of the man's hug. "Way too long, my friend.."