Page 106 of Poetry of Flowers

“I’m not famous other than being my- my father’s son.” And I wasn’t even that.

Grand Lee was a small town, where everyone knew everyone. That’s why no one really cared about what my family did for a living. It was my home and I barely ever went elsewhere, so I wasn’t really aware that people thought I was famous.

“My friends didn’t care; they think you’re attractive. Of course, you are because your entire family is so pretty.”

She smiled until her face fell.

“I mean … I didn’t I mean … you are good-looking and all, but I’m in a happy relationship with my boyfriend,” she said so fast, she stumbled over her own words, making me laugh. Faith would love Hope, she was just the same.

“It’s alright, I understand what you mean, also you can tell your friends that I have a girlfriend and that I’m very happy with her.” I rubbed my neck. I had never really paid attention to what people thought about me online.

Partly because I just didn’t care and posted whatever I wanted, but also because the focus was always on Nash. He had modeled for my father’s fashion shows a few years back, and people loved a father and son team.

“That’s nice to hear, I will tell them.” She turned around and walked down the stairs.

“Come, his office is in the basement.” She led me down some stairs and knocked on one of the doors.

“Come in, sweetheart,” he called.

I felt like there was no air to breathe.

I wasn’t an anxious person, so what was happening to me?

Hope opened the door and held it open for me.

“You got a visitor, Dad.” She kissed his cheek and walked back to the door. “It was a pleasure to meet you, Kayden, but I need to get a project done for school, probably have to pull an all-nighter.” She laughed and left, closing the door behind her.

Clark stood up. He was a bit smaller than me, but I felt like I was the smallest person in the room right now.

“What can I do for you, boy?”

He sounded friendly. Hope must have gotten that from him. Maybe I could have been that kind of person too if verbal abuse hadn’t shaped the person I was today.

I wanted to say something, but the words stuck in my throat.

“My name is Kayden Kidd, I’m Olivia’s son.”

Clark’s face fell, and he looked me up and down.

“No- no.” What?

Clark pushed himself off his desk and walked over to me. I instinctively took a step back. He stopped and looked me up and down. Was he scared I would tell his wife and daughter that he had cheated on them with my mother?

“I know, you had an affair with my mother eighteen years ago. No need to be scared, I didn’t tell your daughter anything but- I need to-” I swallowed the tears I had held back for almost a week.

No, no, no, not yet.

There had been no tears when I found out, there had been no tears when I decided to travel to Chicago, but as I was standing right in front of him, I started crying like a fucking baby.

“That night resulted-” Why couldn’t I just say it?!

“I’m your son.” A single tear dropped on my sweater, and I couldn’t move to wipe it away. Suddenly, everything hurt, on the inside and on the outside.

Clark looked down at the floor and took a step near me, grabbing me by the shoulders before I could step back again. I guess I feared what he was going to do, I expected anger.

“Oh Kayden…” And with that, he pulled me in his arms.

He truly pulled me in his arms, holding me tight against him. Had he always known?

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