Lunch
When we arrived home, the old butler, Mr Tang, took our jackets and informed us that Mrs. Azure was waiting for us in the living room. When we walked in, the table was adorned with a traditional Chinese spread of side dishes.
"What's all this?" I asked, intrigued by the unexpected setup.
"It's just a few things I had your maids whip up for us. I've heard you like food from Chinese cuisine," she explained with a smile. "I wanted it to be as authentic as possible."
Jasper sat down and picked up a dumpling, clearly impressed. "Oh wow, you've made a great selection. This is nothing like takeout!"
"You flatter me, Jasper," Mrs. Azure giggled fondly, watching him enjoy the food.
"Where's the old man?" I inquired, looking around.
"My husband is on a hike. Should I call him back for you?" she offered.
"No, I'll meet him next time," I declined, eyeing the chopsticks on the table. I attempted to use them but failed miserably. How could this be an authentic experience if I couldn't even bring the food to my mouth? Who eats with these things?
Jasper, noticing my struggle, picked up some food on my plate with his chopsticks and started to feed me. "It takes a lot of practice to use them."
"Shut up," I mumbled with a mouthful of rice. He always liked to show off that he knew how to use chopsticks, as if we would ever need them!
"You two are so cute," Mrs. Azure sighed, watching us interact. "You know, after I had Elizabeth, I wanted to give her a sibling. Unfortunately, fate had other plans for me and I became unable to conceive again. I never would've thought my husband would let me have my dream after all these years."
"Why didn't you guys just adopt?" I asked, curious.
"The French adoption system is terrible and so is the one in America," she explained, a hint of sadness in her voice.
"What does that have to do with adoption?" Jasper chimed in, puzzled.
"We pissed off the wrong people and got blacklisted," she admitted. "So I gave up on my dream of adopting a baby. You have no idea how happy I was that you signed those papers. Which brings me to the meaning of my visit, I'd like to get to know my son."
"What?" I was taken aback. This was a lot to process.
"I would like to have lunch with you at least once a week, Jasper too," she said. "If you can't do lunch, we can do dinner."
"Sure," I agreed, realizing it wasn't much to ask.
"And I need a spare key to your house so I can check on you when I need to, maybe do some of your laundry and hang out," she added, a hint of desperation in her tone.
"Okay," I agreed, understanding that it was probably important to her.
"I'd also like you to change your last name to Azure," she mumbled, surprising me.
"Why?" I asked, confused.
"My son should have my last name. I'd also like to redo your wedding so I can organize it and get the full mother of the bride experience," she explained. "Not to mention all the bragging rights I'll have."
"What is there to brag about?" I asked, genuinely puzzled.
"I have a son," she said proudly. Her words left me questioning. No one had ever regarded me as someone to brag about or even acknowledge much, so why would she? There had to be another angle I wasn't seeing.
"That'd just be bad for you when I end up chasing all your friends away with my personality. You know it's really bad, right?" I joked, trying to lighten the mood.
Jasper and Mrs. Azure looked at me as if I had just revealed something significant. "Are you really not aware of how many people like you?" Mrs. Azure asked. "Are you not telling him how charming he is, Jasper?!"
"I do, but he doesn't believe it! He won't even believe it when I say he's cute!" Jasper defended me.
"You're totally cute! And your personality is that of a born businessman, everyone loves it! You have no idea how many people called me asking for a way to approach you!" Mrs. Azure confirmed.
"Why does that matter?" I asked. "Aren't I just here to fulfill your dream?"
Mrs. Azure's hurt expression made me realize I had spoken too harshly. "I suppose it sounded like that... maybe it is that. But… I still intend to treat you like I would any other child of mine," she explained, her voice tinged with sadness.
"Sugar, she isn't here to do business," Jasper interjected. "She's trying to be your mom."
I felt a wave of discomfort. I didn't need a mother anymore! I was 22! Mr. Azure never told me I'd have to deal with feelings; I thought I was just a protege. "I'm not sure I understand what's going on here," I admitted.
"You can get married as Alex Azure and they can attend the wedding. And she wants you to think of her as your real mom because that's how she'll be acting," Jasper clarified.
"She wants to integrate us into the family in the correct manner?" I tried to grasp the concept.
"Yeah," Jasper confirmed. "She wants you to be her son."
That was a far cry from what I was used to hearing about myself. Then again, the only things I used to hear were bad things, so I just assumed everyone felt the same way.
"Have you two been talking behind my back?" I asked suspiciously.
"No, you just have a really minimal understanding of emotions, and prison couldn't have helped that," Jasper pointed out.
"I'm pretty sure I understand emotions," I retorted defensively.
"Sometimes, maybe, but not other people's emotions," Jasper corrected. "You lack empathy, tend to lash out by mocking people, are awkward in social situations, and can't connect because you're too paranoid to let your guard down."
"Ok, Dr. Phil, how should I be handling this then?" I asked sarcastically, feeling offended by his psychoanalysis. None of that made sense as to why Mrs. Azure wanted me to be her filial son.
"If it were me, I'd take the chance at having a better family and let go of the Todd upbringing," Jasper suggested.
"I already did that," I replied.
"By 'let it go,' it means name and all. You haven't been a Todd for years now, why not be an Azure? The paperwork's already done after all," Jasper pointed out.
He had a point. What was I actually holding onto by keeping the Todd name? Wasn't I trying to distinguish myself from my grandfather? I'd be forever stuck in his shadow as a Todd. As an Azure, I had endless room to grow and a certain power over people. I've always wanted my name to strike fear into people.
"What's in a name?" I smirked at Mrs. Azure. "That which we call a rose by any other name would smell just as sweet." Reminding her that at the end of the day, the naming of things is irrelevant.
Mrs. Azure replied. "The right to be. It's okay if you don't agree, but I'd like you to have the name too," she added.
I chuckled, satisfied by her answer. While I didn't feel the need to do this, the opportunity was too sweet to not indulge in.
The idea of shedding the Todd name felt almost liberating. It was an official break from a past I wanted to distance myself from—a legacy of cold, weak power that I had no interest in perpetuating much more. Taking on the Azure name seemed like stepping into a new identity, one that was more aligned with the person I wanted to become.
As I contemplated this change, I realized it was also a way to honor Mrs. Azure's gesture of acceptance and embrace. She was offering me a place in her family, not just in name but in spirit. Her kindness and openness were qualities I admired and hoped to embody myself one day.
It must be why she's so likable.
As Jasper said, changing my name wasn't just about fitting in or gaining favor; it was about embracing a new chapter of my life. It was about embracing the idea of family, something I had long yearned for but never truly had.
With a newfound sense of belonging and purpose, I made up my mind. "I'll do it," I said, looking at Mrs. Azure with a genuine smile. "I'll take on the Azure name. But this doesn't mean you have much control over me! Don't forget that I'm a grown man!"
Mrs. Azure beamed with joy, and Jasper nodded approvingly. It was a small change in the grand scheme of things, but it felt like the beginning of a new journey—one where I could finally let go of the past and embrace a future filled with warmth, love, and a sense of belonging.
It felt fucking weird as hell.