ELLIS’ FATHER

Before Eros left home…

continuation

[EROS' POV]

"What do you want to order, Eros?" He smiles as he opens the menu from a coffee shop.

"Maybe, coffee?" I sarcastically said and he laughs at me, "You can't drink coffee! You're still a kid. Maybe, a hot chocolate? Or do you want it in iced?"

"I don't want a drink, I just want to go home and be done with this conversation."

He closes the menu and looks at me.

"Do you want me to formally introduce myself before you get to choose your drink?"

"I said I don't want a drink-"

"Okay, then, I'll introduce myself to you." He smiles as he cuts me off, he didn't even let me finish AND he ignores me.

What is he doing? Did he even hear me? I know I should respect older people like him but I can't even trust him, and I think of him as a stranger.

I sigh.

"I am Ellis's father."

Once I heard what he said, I don't even move, I just stare at him blankly. Did I hear everything right? Or am I hearing things? I mean, how?

But, it makes sense.

Mom never mentions Ellis's father. Ellis never mentioned it either. So, I thought that his father is long gone. I didn't even ask Ellis about his father because, for me, I think it's not important anymore, because Ellis already has mom and me.

"You even know his name," I said.

"Because I'm his father. So, why don't we get something to eat?" He smiles and opens the menu again and scans through the food.

As I looked at him, he has a resemblance to Ellis's features. He has the same haircut and I think if I touch it, it would be smooth and thin. Also, his eyebrows are the same as his and his nose. And based from the picture that mom showed me, the rest is from his mother, Nicole. But, Ellis's feature has given out a girly figure than a boy figure. Maybe, it's because it's more to his mother than to his father.

"I will just have an iced chocolate please." I said to him and he smiles, "Alright, then I'll add some cookies."

I just nodded.

Okay, I'm getting shy knowing that his Ellis' father, but why am I getting shy? I mean, I don't even know if I can trust him even if he is Ellis's father.

He waves at the server and the server comes and takes our order. While ordering, I'm thinking again if I'm trusting him or not? But, how can I be sure if I can trust him? Maybe, he has criminal records or something and that's why he's gone for quite some time now. Or he has bad motives to Ellis, that's why he's looking for him.

When the server went away, I quickly get to the conversation, "I thought Ellis's father is gone."

He looks at me and smiles, "You and your mom are the people who only know that I'm alive."

"Why?"

"Because it's top secret." He says with a wink, it's like he's treating me like a child, but I may not understand things from the point of view of the adults but if it is Ellis, I want to be involved as much as possible.

"So, don't tell anyone about this, okay?"

"And you're trusting a kid like me?"

"Because Rosé told me things about you and how you take care Ellis. You also made an impression to me, you become a real big brother to him. And when you told me your name, I was surprised because it's my first time seeing you, Rosè didn't even show me your picture before." He smiles.

Well, that's a compliment. But, it is not an obligation to become a brother to Ellis. It's my own freewill that I want to be a big brother to Ellis.

"I guessed I should thanked you?" I sarcastically said but deep inside, I was fluttered.

He chuckles, "No worries."

"Anyway, back to our real conversation. Tell me, mister. What's the point of inviting me here in the first place if it is a top-secret?"

He chuckles, "You're a smart kid, Eros. I really like you."

"But I don't like you. I only like Ellis but I will respect you because you are his father. So, tell me."

He raises his hands to gave up, "Alright, alright. I will tell you something and if I tell you this, I want you to keep this a secret, okay?"

Now, I'm getting interesting.

Our order has just arrived. The server placed the iced chocolate in front of me and the coffee for the old man. He also placed the cookies in the middle.

"Ellis will be gone after he graduates from college." He said in a serious tone and he drinks his hot coffee.

Gone? What does he mean?

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"My father, his grandfather, will take him in his service." He answers and he continues, "I think I need some sugar, I will get some."

He stood up from his seat and went to the counter to get some sugar.

Grandfather? Why? Why will he be away? I don't understand. Ellis is my brother. He's part of the family now. He already got our surname. So, why?

I'm getting impatient and I want to know why, I have so many questions and I want to get all of the answers at the same time.

He got back in his seat and opens a sugar, he puts it in his coffee and stir it using a stirrer.

"Why?" I asked.

He didn't answer.

"Tell me, mister, why? What does his grandfather want? Why is he taking away Ellis? He's my little brother, so why will he be gone?"

"It's part of his plan all along." He simply answers and he continues, "My father disapproves of my relationship with Nicole and when he found out that she is pregnant, he..."

"He wants to end my connection with her but that didn't happen. Suddenly, he wants to accept the child but not my relationship with Nicole. I thought it was fine as long as he accepts the child but no, he's planning something bad."

WHAT? Planning something bad? What is this? A villain's plan to take away a superhero?

"Also, Nicole and I are planning to live separately from my father, so that's okay. But, I thought everything's okay then... Nicole, she, she was gone... I don't even know what happened to her, but I know my father did that to her..." He said and I'm just sitting here quietly and not able to drink my iced chocolate.

I want to process whatever I can from his story, so I can protect Ellis and take care of him from his grandfather if he's a bad one.

"I don't know why I'm telling this to a kid..." He laughs and he looks at me.

"I want to know." I said to him in a serious tone and he smiles, "Maybe you can help Ellis in your way."

My way?

"How? Whatever you want me to do, I will help and protect him, mister." I confidently said.

"You can help him by staying by his side before he'll be gone. You can continue being a big brother to him." He says.

"No! What you're saying is not a way! That will not change anything! He'll be gone soon and you just want me to ignore that?" I slammed the table, I'm getting irritated. Even if it is still still years to go, I just want this to stop.

"Shhh, you quiet down, kid." He says and some of the customers are looking at us.

I take my seat and calming myself down. That was intense for me! I mean, I've never been so irritated. I'm known for being calm and quiet but feeling like this, I don't know how to control it.

"Look, nothing will change if we get mad, okay? The plan still stands. You are just a kid, you have to live your life to the fullest because when you grow up, problems will arise and you'll regret of not being happy when you were a kid, do you understand?"

I snort, "So you're not going to tell me how to save him?"

He nods and drinks his coffee.

I sigh.

"About what you've said, you're right, mister..."

"... But, being with Ellis is my happiness and I'm already living my life to the fullest by staying by his side, so, do you know what I will regret the most?" I asked and I'm looking at him because I want him to realize how Ellis means to me.

"Is not to do my best to save him." I added and we kept quiet for a while.

He's looking at me in a serious face and he doesn't move and he said, "I'm still not going to tell you, your mom might lecture me about this." He laughs again and drinks his coffee that almost empty.

"But! I can help him! I promised Ellis that whatever it is, I will bear it, I will keep him safe. And if it is possible to you, we cannot tell my mom about this and I will not tell her about this too." I said, getting annoyed.

"It's risky, and you should not be involved in this mess. Ellis is already in fate to be in his side, no matter what we do."

"I'm already involved in this mess, mister. Mom and I are already involved! So, whatever you do, you need to tell me how to save him."

He sighs, "You're right. After Nicole died, I hid myself from my father and let Rosè take care of Ellis's papers in the orphanage. Because of the incident happened with his mother, he might forget everything that happened before Nicole died."

"You mean, he have amnesia? Or trauma?"

"Your mom said it might be trauma because Ellis is always with his mom and..." He stops and he looks at me and continues, "In short, I have no power against my father."

Trauma. I didn't even know about Ellis's trauma until now. That is why whenever I asked him about his mom, he just said, she is beautiful but nothing else. It means that he doesn't know what happened to his mom because of his trauma.

Ellis's father just stopped talking and made his conclusion that he cannot defeat his father. But I said to him, "And you're just letting him take away from you? From us?"

"I love my son as much as anyone would do. He may not know me because I run away early before he was even born and I'm a foolish dad, and so, before my father takes him away, I will do whatever it takes to save him."

"Then do it. Use me if you may."

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