A Change in Plans

1 A Change of Plans

"Arryn, your father and I want to leave a day early. We can meet up in Cairo when you get there Monday morning." Maeve explained to her son over a video call.

"Mum, that's great you and Father can find the time to do so." Arryn was somewhat relieved that he wouldn't have to travel with his parents. There was something he needed to handle before heading to Cairo.

Ending the call, Maeve smiled at Rory, her husband. Maeve and Rory were both very old half Celestials. They made a living from hunting down religious relics and auctioning them off to the elite.

Their business had grown very competitive to remain #1. This trip to Cairo was set up to meet with the Masons. They were going to negotiate for information to lead them to the long-lost seamless "robe of Jesus Christ."

Arryn was to lead the investigation with a small team to acquire the robe. He worked closely with a few of the archeologists at his family business. Karla was the Assistant Director of Archeology and one of the few in the company he preferred to work with. Karla was supposed to have left with Arryn's parents, but she had to postpone her trip for Sunday.

When the call ended, Rory squeezed Maeve's hand, "A Night in the Caribbean with you will be divine."

Maeve smiled at her husband, "Perhaps we can plan a proper vacation after Cairo?"

Rory chuckled, "Perhaps." Then kissed her.

Colin drove Mr. and Ms. Quinn to the airport and pulled into the couple's private jet. Colin helped the staff get Quinn's belongings on board, then joined them on the plane.

Before takeoff, a flight attendant got everyone's drink orders. She would get them ready and served right after launch. The pilot announced all to be safely seated and enjoy the flight."

He mused, "Also, we will have a clear view as we fly over the Bermuda Triangle before our first stop at the Cayman Islands & then to Cairo the next day.

Maeve smiled, "Rory, I am serious about a proper vacation."

Rory sighed, "Do you really want to have this conversation again?"

"Again, you keep avoiding this. You need to step down and retire." Maeve pleaded.

"And I will…."

"When? And don't tell me how you are waiting for Arryn." Maeve's eyes soften, "Our Son has…."

"He has suffered much loss and closed off from…." Rory squeezed his wife's hands.

"I worry about Arryn and if we were good parents." Maeve frowned.

"Are you still questioning the decision to let Arryn go off on his own all those years?" Rory asked, holding Maeve's hands.

"He was gone so long and came back so…. Closed off… I can't help to wonder if he had stayed with us, then I could have been a better mother and be there for him." Maeve's eyes teared up.

"He is and was then a grown man. He wanted answers, and he wanted to get away from... memories. We respected that; he knew we were still here for him and always would be." Rory wiped a tear from her cheek. "He came back. He can step up and run our business when he is ready."

"But you won't force him to." Maeve finished Rory's sentence and kissed him. "He has always wanted to do things his way and earn his way."

"Yes, my love, my wife, we have done well as we could. And if you want me to retire, I will find a way, but I won't force Arryn to take over TWC, nor will I hand it over to anyone else."

"You would close the doors on the business?" Maeve inquired.

"How often have we closed down one business to rebuild once again? And Arryn should choose what he wants to do." Rory smiled softly and gently kissed his wife.

Rory was right; Arryn never spent time at the corporate headquarters. Instead, he spent most of his time traveling and researching for TWC and himself.

While Rory hoped to step down and have Arryn run the business one day, he knew his son's heart wasn't into running things. Having been adopted, Arryn felt like an outcast no matter how well Rory and Maeve treated him.

He also yearned to learn more about his birth parents. He hoped to find out why he was so different. Diving into research and studying helped Arryn feel like he was doing something toward learning more about himself.

Arryn had an extensive personal collection of books, scrolls, and artifacts. Often the more he found, the more questions he had. It was becoming an endless cycle.

Part of him knew that he needed to let go and move on. However, he struggled to silence his questions and grief.

Arryn knew that he and his cousin were considered 2 of the most sought-after bachelors, not just among fellow celestial descendants but also in the world.

His cousin Gerald enjoyed dating and running his family's clubs and restaurants. While Arryn was more private and introverted, Gerald was the opposite and more outgoing. Growing up as single children, they both bonded like brothers.

They looked out for one another, just about as much as they annoyed each other. But no matter what, the cousins knew they could trust one another with their lives.