Hours passed the clock ticking down. Rain clouds darkened the sky with heavy droplets of rain. Roaring thunderclaps shook the window frames of the school. The bells sounded off impatiently the students gathered at the front exits of the school building with haste. Seran's classmates were picked up by their parents a lot earlier Leaving Seran with doubts in his heart.
Eyeing left & right in his little yellow bubble coat he slightly slanted his head downward in disarray. A thought crept into the back of Seran's mind. He said, pained having felt he had got his hopes up.
I... Knew… he wasn't…gonna come.
Clinching his little hands into a fist tightly he shut his eyes.
"Seran!"
Opening his eyes in shock.That deep tone of voice, that black bomber jacket,& squeaking shoes. There stood the man who was the first to leave & hardly to show up. Seran's tiny fingers uncurled overcome by the fire set ablaze in his heart. Seran ran out as far as his stubby little legs could carry him through the flooded waters. Meeting him not far from the exit hoisting him onto his shoulder to shield his head from the rainfall.
The ripples in the rain puddle showed the reflection of Ivor's face. Seran overjoyed shouted.
You came!
"See I told ya I would ."
Standing a few feet from them underneath the umbrella, Seran's Mother & sister awaited them both. Just as Ivor & Andrea closed the distance with their children they exchanged them. Handing Seran into his mother's arms Ivor took Thiolana by the hand as she splashed in the rain puddles childishly. Seran's hands grasped the air at his father wanting to go back to him. However, Ivor hesitated to take Seran back into his arms.
Reluctantly Ivor's body became a bit tense jittering in the pupils of his icy blue eyes making a sensation of emotions pass through Seran's body. Seran could feel that something unable to understand he asked out of worry.
Dad, why are you crying?
Seran said, Confused.
Ivor's face had no visible tears although it was raining making it tough to tell if he was or not. Ivor was surprised that Seran could manage to snuff out troubling things from people including himself. Ivor's silence broke to relay the news to his children.
"Seran...listen to me carefully son. I have to go away for quite some time. I'm not sure for how long I'll be gone so me & your mother decided to keep one of you each with us. I'm going to take Thiolana with me.….& your Mother will keep you with her."
Seran could not believe what he had heard confused with a mixture of emotions of sadness, anger, and jealousy he cried out to Ivor.
No, take me…why can't I go? Why does Lan Lan get to go? We're night buddies Dad remember..night buddies.
Ivor's heart sunk for a time listening to the weight behind Seran's words. Ivor removed a necklace he had never worn before from his neck attached to it was his father's wedding ring.
"That's right son, we're night buddies & night buddies sleep together. So I need you to be Mom's night buddy for me. She'll need you while we're gone so keep her safe at night for me. Do you remember when you felt shaky at night?"
Yeah …
Seran answered back sadly.
"Mom's legs are doing the same right now I need you to be a strong night buddy for her."
Seran's focus turned to his mother it was cold outside she was also shivering. Despite her cold shivers, she was coddling Seran tightly wrenching her eyes closed in hopes. The moment Seran's arm came down from reaching for his father her grip loosened up a bit.
"Night buddies take care of each other, especially at times like these we give each other a gift to help our night buddies sleep better at night."
Putting the necklace over Seran's neck he says to him.
"Can you do that for me?"
Seran nodded yes continuously as his father spoke on the matter. Thiolana wanted to pitch in with a gift of her own to reassure her little brother Thiolana grabbed the white hair clip in her hair handing it to him.
" here take this too. Now we're all-night buddies right Dad?"
Thiolana smiled, confidently assisting her father with the situation made things less complicated for Seran he removed the yellow bubble coat he was wearing & handed it to Ivor.
"You'll catch a cold son you sh-"
No! You can have it your my night buddy it's my favorite one so keep it safe!
Ivor suddenly tossed the black bomber jacket over Seran's shoulders covering him up from the cold rain.
"Then take my favorite it's a limited edition I've had it since I was in high school it's yours now."
Ivor's eyes lowered with sympathy.
L-Lan…Lan… I won't..have anyone…to play with anymore when you go.
Seran whimpered loudly, choking on his own words to convey his thoughts.
Thiolana softly poked Seran catching his attention she puffed up her cheeks. Seran peered down at Thiolana with a phone in her hand.
"We can still play games & talk just call me whenever you want silly, even if I'm gone I'll come back to see you."
Ivor was inspired by Thiolana's high confidence he chuckled with great dignity.
"Someday you'll be able to fit that jacket who knows? You might even outgrow it & that means you've become a whole lot stronger than your old man."
Ivor flexed his right arm chuckling before long a horn honked twice from a black vehicle. Ivor noticed the vehicles honking rather than paying attention to it his icy blue eyes stayed focused on Seran. Another wave passed through Serans body a sensation of a heartbeat pulsating blue specks of sparkles coming from his father's heart. Unfamiliar with what Seran was witnessing he captivated the moment.
"It's time everyone bring it in for a big group"
Thiolana, Ivor, Andrea, & Seran all hugged each other in synchrony as Andrea lectured them balling her eyes out.
"No, staying up past eight o'clock, eat your vegetables, no lots of sugar, dress warmly in the cold, work hard both of you."
Thiolana & Ivor replied to each of her demands.
"Only on the weekdays, I'll let her stay up a little later, Ivor answered"
"Yes ma'am! Thiolana agreed loudly"
The horn honked repeatedly shortening their long hug.
"It's time."
Ivor said, with a slight sigh taking Thiolana by the hand once more they started walking toward the car.
Seran shouted to Thiolana in question.
Lan Lan, you'll come back for me, right?
Thiolana shouted back at him to assure him once more.
"I'll always come back for you knucklehead! I love you!"
The ice-cold fog from Thiolanas mouth was so full of life in her voice that Seran could also see the color of her heart a small tiny silver orb dancing around inside of her lit up her body like Christmas ornaments. Entering the vehicle Andrea paused before yelling out.
"I love you! Take care of yourselves!"
With no more goodbyes left as the vehicle pulled away, Andrea snuggled Seran tightly to her chest walking the sidewalks in the rain with the red umbrella held high over their heads.