Chapter 3: The Unexpected Connection
As Franclon navigated the halls of his new school, he found himself drifting further into the rhythms of his new life. The all-boys school was strict and orderly, a far cry from the more relaxed environment he was used to. But Franclon was adaptable. He made a few friends, mostly quiet ones like himself, and found solace in the structured routine that the school offered. It was a welcome distraction from the chaos that had once ruled his life.
However, the therapy sessions continued to loom over him like a dark cloud. Every week, he sat in the sterile office with Dr. Hastings, a kind but relentless therapist who pushed him to confront his past. Franclon often felt like he was drowning in his thoughts, the memories of why he and his father had to relocate still too fresh, too painful to revisit. But he knew he had to do it—if not for himself, then for his father, who was clearly struggling in his own way.
It was during one of these sessions that Franclon first brought up his father's unhappiness. "I think he's lonely," Franclon said, staring at the carpeted floor of Dr. Hastings' office. "He never talks about it, but I can see it. The way he sits in the living room after work, just staring at nothing. He told me he wanted to meet with someone and I felt at first but now I told him he should meet them because he clearly needed…..someone."
Dr. Hastings nodded thoughtfully, her pen scratching against her notepad. "And how did he respond to that?"
"He seemed surprised," Franclon said. "But then... he seemed to think it was a good idea. I think it gave him something to focus on, other than work and... everything else."
And so, Mr. Junior began to search for a companion. Franclon was glad to see his father smiling again, going on dates, meeting new people. It was almost as if a part of their old life was returning, the part before the police had knocked on their door with news that had changed everything.
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Three months passed, and in that time, Mr. Junior met Mrs. Collen. She was introduced to him through one of his friends, an architect helping her design a warehouse for her cosmetic business. From the moment they met, there was an undeniable connection between them. They both had an entrepreneurial spirit, a passion for their work, and a deep sense of responsibility towards their children.
Mrs. Collen, like Mr. Junior, had experienced loss, though hers was in the form of a painful divorce. She was raising her daughter, Lisa, alone, while trying to expand her business. Their conversations flowed easily, filled with laughter, ideas, and the kind of understanding that comes from shared experiences. It wasn't long before they started dating seriously.
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While their parents were getting closer, Lisa and Franclon were also forming a connection of their own—albeit unknowingly. Lisa lived in Bristol, with her mother and the Scatts family, who had taken her and her mother in after the divorce. Lisa's best friend, Amaya Scatt, was a constant source of support for her, helping her navigate the emotional rollercoaster of her parents' split.
One evening, while scrolling through Instagram, Lisa came across a profile that caught her eye. The boy in the pictures had a quiet intensity about him, something that drew her in. His name was Franclon, and he posted a mix of moody landscapes, book quotes, and occasional selfies. Intrigued, she decided to follow him.
To her surprise, Franclon followed her back almost immediately. They began exchanging messages, first casually commenting on each other's posts, then gradually moving to direct messages. Their conversations were light at first—favorite movies, music, books—but they quickly found that they had more in common than they expected.
Neither of them knew the other's full story. Lisa hadn't mentioned her parents' divorce or the move to Bristol. Franclon hadn't talked about his relocation to Connecticut, England, or the reason behind it. They were just two teenagers, finding solace in their conversations with someone who seemed to understand them in a way that few others did.
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The weeks passed, and the relationship between Mr. Junior and Mrs. Collen deepened. They started spending weekends together, exploring the countryside, visiting museums, and just enjoying each other's company. Mr. Junior felt a warmth in his chest that he hadn't felt in years, and for the first time since the move, he began to feel like he and Franclon might actually have a future here.
Lisa and Franclon's online friendship grew into something more. They began sharing more personal stories, their late-night conversations touching on topics they couldn't discuss with anyone else. Franclon found himself looking forward to Lisa's messages, his heart skipping a beat every time her name appeared on his screen.
It was strange, he thought, to feel so connected to someone he had never met in person. But there was something about Lisa—her kindness, her empathy, the way she seemed to know just what to say to make him smile—that made him want to keep talking to her.
Lisa felt the same way. There was a quiet strength to Franclon, a depth that intrigued her. He was different from the boys at her school, more thoughtful, more introspective. She found herself thinking about him constantly, wondering what he was doing, if he was thinking about her too.
However, Franclon was getting distracted from the loss of his mom while Lisa was getting distracted of her dad through talking together and loving on each other.
One evening, as Mr. Junior and Mrs. Collen sat in a cozy restaurant after a long day, Mrs. Collen brought up their children. "Lisa's been spending a lot of time online lately," she said, smiling fondly. "She's made a new friend, I think. Some boy from Connecticut, England. She talks about him a lot."
Mr. Junior raised an eyebrow. "Really? That's interesting. Franclon's been doing the same. He's more reserved, but I've noticed him smiling at his phone more than usual."
They laughed, the coincidence striking them both. "Maybe we should introduce them," Mrs. Collen suggested. "It might be nice for them to meet in person."
Mr. Junior nodded. "I think that's a great idea."
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The following weekend, they decided to arrange a meeting between the two teenagers. They kept it a surprise, neither Franclon nor Lisa knowing that their parents were setting them up to meet. But it was impossible at the end.
They kept on falling in love without knowing that they might be siblings if their parents got married, but the truth was rather better untold.