Forgiving The Past

Recouping over the last couple of days after my cousins had all flown home I was well rested, a lot more approachable and I've had no more unexpected visits from Layton which I was grateful too. My family has continued over the last week to tease me about my Mike Tyson stunt, teasing me about almost being too manly that I may not find someone to marry me again. The teasing was non stop but I didn't care I was preoccupied with booking myself a flight to Wellington to visit my grandfather who was still as healthy as ever. I had informed my uncle that I will be in town for a week and will visit him tomorrow. My eldest uncle had the most laid back attitude out of the entire family and that is why he trained us to be good at business, socializing, interacting with others and how to push your own feelings aside to achieve the end goal. He only stepped in a few times when we would all be fighting one another and it was because he had to stop my three older brothers from pummeling his son Axel when Axel would lose a fight and try cheap shot me but throwing his entire body at me pinning me to ground. Max is the most volatile out of all of us and he would beat Axel unconscious, every time he took it too far and that's when my uncle would step in and pull his son out from under my angry brother. Max was the one that taught me all my fighting techniques as he use to beat me up in training every time not even giving me space to catch my breath, when grandfather decided to switch Max out for Axel when Max turned fourteen. He was going through puberty and his anger was unchecked, so all three of my elder brothers had to train with my father where he never held back and beat all three of them up throughout their high school days so that they knew there place and there strength.

Packing me a suitcase, I took only a small carry on so that it would be easier to move around. Once I was finished packing what i needed too, I carried my bag downstairs and went to speak with my parents as they would be driving me to the airport and my father made sure to come with as he knows my mother would have jumped on a flight with me and so he came with to make sure it was only to see me off. My family had all been quiet about my incident with Layton and it made them panic about my safety when it concerns him and that is why I am flying out tonight under the guise of the darkness my mother said as she sat beside me in the car and talked all the way to the airport. My parents knew that I needed to get away from the city and let me replenish my soul to feel somewhat normal. They also knew that my grandfather had been quite ill these past few months and since I had not seen him since he left Auckland, I volunteer to accompany him while my eldest Uncle and Aunt are about to check on there cousins overseas and needed someone too take care of grandfather until they return. My grandfather was indignant at his children's insistence that someone stay with him and because I needed to get away from Layton, I opted to stay with him and hope he wouldn't to upset that I hid it from him but also to inform him of my divorce and my reasoning behind it. I knew he detested Layton for his lack of respect towards the elders in my family and his blatant refusal to attend any of my families function that I attended alone because he was still trying to make himself a name in the business circle, that he never took the time to realize that I was from a prominent and strong family background and what he was learning when entering the social gatherings I was a natural and managed to help him shake hands with some powerful people who were stunned to see me with Layton, let alone finding out that I was married and had stepped away from families own business. Grandfather was well known among the elite and powerful as he had connections that lead back for generations and to see a few of them while I was married all seemed to understand that Layton never really noticed much around him except how he could talk himself all that way up to his eye balls.

"Hug your grandfather for me and tell him we will fly down in a week a few days before your uncle returns," my mother sniffled as my father was right, my mother would have came with me but i needed this and my grandfather wasn't expecting me and i knew that he would probably pull his grievances out and smack the shit out of me but i am expecting it. Once the plane started to board i told both my parents that i will let grandfather know and kissed and hugged them both. My mother was sobbing and my father was just rolling his eyes at me and then smirking at my mother when she noticed his eye roll and smacked him upside his head as I laughed walking away from them as my father was practically dragging my mother away knowing they were still so much in love that only Jesus knew what they were up too. Entering the aircraft I followed the numbers to my seat placing my carry on in the above compartment and taking my seat since I had the window chair. Situating myself comfortably, I plugged my headphones into the device to listen to music as we prepared for take off. The flight was domestic and it wouldn't take us to long to get there and I had already arranged a car for me to pick up, I just had to rest tonight and know that I was here. The flight there was relatively smooth compared to the weather usually not cooperating with its human counterparts and the flight arrived safely and on time. As I was cleared through customs, my bag was checked and stamped to enter into Wellington, before I made my way out of the airport, heading to the pay station where there are some lockers that the keys and ticket to exit would be in there and that is exactly where they were. Paying the ticket and now I had to head where the car should be parked and realized that everything looks the same, just a few more new places and an open area for you to eat, wait and chill. The space was filled with power plugs and USB ports to charge your devices as you wait for your flight or loved one coming in a flight. The area and the entire place was larger and more spacious. Within five minutes of locating the car I headed out of the airport and to the motel I had booked for myself for the night. Soaking in a beautiful hot bath with my favorite music playing softly in the background while I feel myself relax for the first time in years. The serene feeling I have always gotten from visiting down there, was the feeling of being home and it has been so many years since I had returned for the sole purpose of replenishing my soul and not just driving in on my way out of flying from here to Australia as I always spent time with my grandfather when I found myself free from Layton busy schedule, I would fly and accompany him for certain things since he made us all learn how to fly, bus, train and drive from Auckland to Wellington and back for all of us that lived there and thank goodness that it became easier and closer over the years so that we all knew how to navigate the country safely. As my water turned cold I emptied the bath and had a nice hot quick shower to rinse of all my bubbles before turning the shower off, getting dried and changing into my pajamas, I set my alarm and slipped into bed and before I knew it I was out like a light.

Waking up to the unfamiliar room I was in, I had a blank moment as my tired eyes took in my surrounding before the phone started buzzing and I reached for my phone only too see Layton face pop up that I frowned, rejecting the call and blocking his number before scrolling through my family chat and seeing them all cursing Layton on his latest stunt and saw that Tori had said that just after mum and dad returned home from the airport Layton arrived trying to apologize and wanted come inside to talk, but that his demeanor seemed off and my parents had refused when he refused to leave he made up an excuse to be able to apologize for his past actions and he has seen the error of his ways. I burst out laughing at the description that he had made cause I was just too exhausted that I fell asleep and as I was reading it, I felt better today and sent back a witty reply because I knew my family loved and cared for me and would support all my decisions even if they were wrong, they would catch you when you fell and cheer you up when needed. Stretching my body out, I gradually rose from the comfort of the bed and managed to pad may way to the bathroom to freshen up. If I wanted to arrive in time for breakfast this morning with my family I needed to hurry up, that's what I get for reading my phone first. So I showered, dressed in warm clothes as the weather in Wellington is different, cold and windy so I dressed accordingly to the unexpected weather forecast. Checking out of the motel I stayed at, I put my suitcase back in to the car and headed to my Eldest Uncles house to surprise my grandfather who was in his seventies and if his schedule is correct he would be about to head to breakfast as he was a stickler for rules and we abide by the same rules in every house.

Arriving I was stunned to see my youngest uncle outside, sitting in a chair casually smoking as he played with his phone in the other hand, he had not looked up as I had parked in the driveway but casually continued too smoke on his cigarette absorbed in his phone that I just laughed at the irony that he would be here as I had not seen both my uncles in nearly four years as I was off being a wife head of heels in love with her husband and they both respected that even when I was aware of there dislike of Layton but they both just stayed out of it and now to know that word would have travelled since their children arrived home yesterday and now I was here in Wellington. When my uncles eye rose to meet mine as I was striding towards the door and he was off to the side but with his lack of reaction I was determined to carry on past him and knew I would hurt him. As I was about to step past him, his arms had already enclosed me in his arms as my green eyes meshed with his grey. "Hello Baby," my youngest uncle spoke first as I found his gentle gaze on mine as I gave him a smile, "Youngest Uncle,' i spoke as I threw my arms around his neck as I rested my head on his shoulder, "Thank you for sending the twins with Axel and Rayne," I said as hugged him a little tighter, "I'm divorced," I said as I stepped back and just took in his scruffy look and his unkept clothes that I frowned at him and took in the state of him, "What the hell happened to you?' I asked as I stood in front of his relaxed posture, "What else happens to me when your crazy aunty throws me out,' he said as I laughed and shook my head "You probs deserve it, knowing your personality,' I teased as I headed off inside to see my grandfather finishing the last of his breakfast when I entered the kitchen to see him frowning at me, "Your still alive, bummer," the old man sniped at me as I smiled crossing the distance as I wrapped my arms around him, "Yes wish a little harder," I teased back as I smothered his face with kisses when he swiped and grumbled at him, "What happened, why are you here? Did dickhead knock you up?" he scoffed in my face as he looked like he was bracing himself for my answer, when my heart softened at his reaction that I stood up to my full height and braced myself for his reaction " No Papa, I divorced him and returned back to the home,' I said when my voice cracked as I held myself in check, as I awaited his response to what I said it was known that Marriage was not child play and it should be retained with dignity, even through hardship and knew he would get angry as I went against the family beliefs.

The smile that reached across his face made my heart stutter at the pure joy on his face that I was a little bit stupefied at his reaction and I was utterly confused, that my mouth opened and shut like a fish out of water as I had nothing appropriate to say. "Thats good, thank goodness you took your time," he snarked as I stared at him and just shook my head, "He wasted my time instead of just letting it go and maybe one day we could have been friends, but now I give zero cares, I'm about to be busy," I shrugged as I made my way around the room and sat down too breakfast with my family. "I've moved home and going to return full time to the business and that is going to take a little while before I am up to speed, so Jason will share his projects with me until I am up to bar to take it over fully," I said of my brothers slowly working me into the role without throwing me in the deep end like you would everywhere else but its not how we operate as a unit so it was refreshing to talk to both my uncles and occasionally eldest aunt when she wasn't typing or calling every few minutes that she placed it on silent before addressing our conversation, "I am deeply sorry for what has been happening lately with you darling," she spoke as I nodded, "Thank you eldest aunt, I have been putting one foot in front of the other," i spoke honestly as I sat back drinking my hot coffee, "Your cousins were talking about your temper being exactly like Axel?," she asked as I laughed as my face bloomed bright red, I just shrugged as a response when my face and neck were bright red from embarrassment when my grandfather started chuckling and both of my uncles burst out laughing at me that my youngest uncle had proceeded in detail to recanter the events as if he was standing there when I glared at him, "Your sister has a big mouth," I sniped at my youngest uncle when the older one spoke " She sent us the surveillance footage,' he explained as they all were chuckling and my eldest was glaring at her husband who just shrugged.

I showered and changed into a warm onesie with slippers and padded my way down the stairs to my grandfathers area of the house that housed him and a night nurse in case of dire emergency and so during the day he is with one of his sons or grandchildren who all take turns caring for him, spending time with him and just genuinely take care of him safely instead of placing him in care. All three children share the responsibility of caring for grandfather and now that we are all older, we make it possible for one of them to care for him at a time and each of us get a turn and it has worked for all of us as we are all well adept at his day to day care routines and we have been involved in his care over the past ten years to effectively all care for him properly in case of anything out of our control. So the entire family at one point in time all cared for grandfather as his age started effecting his ability to care for himself, to bathe himself with assistance, to cook him meals, give his medicine on time, visiting all his appointments and keeping him healthy and safe. As the matriarch of our family we valued him more then all his money he earned throughout his life and we got to have him here with us still. Knocking on the door, I waited patiently for the night nurse to open the door and when the door opened I saw an older woman who was shocked to see me standing there in my pajamas, "I'm Kara, I will be here while my Uncle is overseas," I introduced myself as I entered and saw my grandfather staring at me from his bed, "Your too big now you can no longer fit," he said as he proceeded to try take up his bed as I smirked at him and laughed, " I already have my own room and a spare bed in here," I nodded at the la-z-boy in the corner with blankets already set up on it and a pillow as I stared at him smiling like crazy, "Your lucky your heartbroken or Ile smack that big head of yours," he snapped as he quickly looked at the couch in the corner before he looked back at me obviously not sure about it, "Well you have a month of my presence to get all your grievances out or you may have to hold on to it forever," I teased him again before moving out of reach in time before his cane cracked me in the face while in the process of trying to escape the room was too small and I ended up face planting the wall with a grunt. "Ow that hurt," i grumbled as I stared at him like he was evil, "Old my ass," i sniped as I made my bed on the couch and turned to face him, "Still got it, you kids are still no match," he boasted as I laughed, "Crazy old man, no wonder you taught us, we got our attitude from you," i said as he laughed and nodded "Skipped my children but it definitely got you lot, my most prized treasures," he said like he did when we were children we all knew he meant us all and we all basked in it as well. "Go to sleep Papa,' I said as I knew he was fighting to stay awake cause he was use to me always returning home when he was asleep, so I stared at him as he slept and stared at him as I took in the gaunt in his face and the fact that he was not responding to treatment meant we had only limited time left with him and I knew that he was smaller then the last time I had visited for two days and he again fought to stay awake while I was there that I spent all my time with him.