Fan Fiction |
by Ling
“Dad, I’m home”
“Hey! You’re back! Hungry?”
“Famished”, he replied, smiling lovingly.
“Give your mum another half an hour. She’s engaged at the moment. Don’t worry, you’ll get your dinner." Ximen’s father, David teased.
‘Where’s mum? Is she held up at work or something?"
“No, she just finished work. She’s rushing her way here now. Uncle Shane is driving her here."
“Oh, ok. I’ll go wash up then. Call me once she’s here!”
“Right on.”
Upon this, Ximen went into his room and slack on the couch, loosening his tie. He smiled, thinking about his parents. Yes, his parents have been divorced for more than 2 years. But yet, it still doesn’t feel as though he was in a broken family. No, his parents made sure that he never felt that way. And although they did not know that he still hasn’t got over the divorce totally, he just wanted his parents to be happy. Since the day that he decided on the happiness of his parents, he had strived to put on a front so as to assure his parents, ensuring that they would not be worried about him.
Ximen felt thankful that his parents are not as strict as Ah Si’s family. No, he was very lucky that both his parents are open-minded people. Despite the fact that his parents were divorced, they wanted to ensure that Ximen would not be adversely affected by their decision, thus, the weekend dinners they have been having since the divorce. Throughout the dinners, his parents have found that they managed to get along very well, and as a result, found best friends in each other that neither had found before in the marriage.
15 minutes later, he finished dressing and went down just in time to greet his mother, Felicity, at the front door. Giving her a peck on her cheeks, he went into the kitchen with her to help her with the dishes that she was going to cook for dinner.
‘Thanks dear. Aren’t you tired from a day at work? I don’t need help here. Go ahead and accompany your dad!”, she said, shooing him out of the kitchen.
Pushing her back into the kitchen, he put his arms around her shoulders.
“I can accompany dad every night. It’s not everyday that I can accompany my mum!” he drawled, charming her with that smile of his.
“What can I say about you! Treating your mum as though I’m another one of your meimei!”, Felicity teased mercilessly.
“How can you compare yourself to my meimei? You mean more to me than them! And you know it!”, Ximen replied.
“Alright, alright. we need to get started. If not, your darling father would be complaining that he’s dying from hunger!”
With that, they got onto the dishes, and within 30 minutes, dinner was set. Their dinner was finished within 45 minutes. The three of them spent the rest of the time talking about their happenings in the living room. While they were chatting, Ximen chanced upon his father, and saw something that he had never expected to see. He mentally noted to talk to his father tonight, after his mum left for her apartments.
******
“Bye mum! See you tomorrow!”, Ximen said.
“Bye honey! Bye Dave! See you guys tomorrow!”, Felicity answered.
Again, at this moment, Ximen caught the eyes of his father – and saw the same look he had in his eyes, again.
“Bye Fe!”, his dad replied.
“Dad, want to have our usual chat?”, Ximen asked his dad once his mum left the house. David looked at him with curiosity in his expression since it was seldom Ximen held a serious tone whenever they settle for their usual chats. “Sure. Why not?”
David went over to the sofa while Ximen went into the kitchen to grab drinks for both of them.
“Here you go.” Ximen handed his dad a glass of wine.
“Thanks!”
“Right dad, I’ll ask you directly. You’re still in love with mum don’t you?” Ximen asked. David looked up with a shocked expression and hastily tried to come up with an answer. “Nope."
"Don’t try to fool me dad. I’m your son remember. I know that look.” Ximen interrupted.
“Since you’ve seen through me, I don’t think there’s anything to deny. Yeah. I’m still in love with her. I just want her to be happy that’s all."
Ximen continued drinking his wine thoughtfully, pondering on whether he should tell his dad the truth. “Actually dad, I’m still not totally over your divorce.”
His dad looked up immediately, with a concerned expression on his face.
“No! Listen to me. Don’t worry. I’m more or less over it. 90% if you want a rough estimation.”, adding in the numeric figure being the businessman that he is. “It’s just that I’m feeling the same as you. I just want mum to be happy.”
David just stared at his son feeling guilty inwardly. He'd never meant to hurt him in anyway, but it seems as though Ximen was having a hard time getting over it himself.
Ximen smiled at his dad, noting the guilt on his face. Trying to ease David, he raised his wine glass with the intention of toasting their drinks for the fun of it.
With that, both of them clinked their wine glass, and wandered off into their own world of thoughts.