"Huh?" Ashley furrowed her brows as she gazed out the window. Then she turned to Lucian beside her in the backseat. "Why are we going ho? Didn’t you say Primo was with Raka?"
A strange situation all around — but she didn’t think having Primo and Nolan stay with Raka for the night was a bad idea.
Lucian glanced at Gustav in the front passenger seat.
"Gin told us they already went ho," Gustav answered, looking back at them. "He said to head straight to the neighborhood."
"Oh," Ashley nodded, not thinking much of it.
She smiled and turned to Lucian, taking his hand and squeezing it. "Our son really is such a good boy," she said. "I hope this didn’t scare him too much."
"I don’t think so."
"Huh?"
Lucian smiled. "Primo is a very smart boy."
"Haha. Of course, he is." She giggled and leaned into his side — then lifted her brows as sothing ahead caught her eye. "What is that?"
Lucian turned toward the windshield, brows drawing together. Gustav did the sa, dipping his head to look, eyes narrowed.
They all read the large banner stretched across the entrance of the neighborhood.
[Welco Back, Everyone!]
Their car slowed as they took in the half-finished banners lining the sides of the road. The cars behind them slowed too, everyone noticing the additions to the neighborhood that hadn’t been there before.
The confusion lifted the mont they neared the couple’s ho.
Standing outside were Nolan, Gin, and Primo — each holding a banner as though staging a very cheerful protest.
[Welco Back, Mama, Papa!]
[Welco ho, everyone! Didn’t doubt you for a second.] — Nolan’s banner.
[Congratulations on your trip, Master, Madam.] — Gin’s banner.
The trio bead as the car pulled up, with several more coming to a stop around the area.
Inside the car, Ashley and Lucian sat still for a mont, staring at the three of them. The corners of their lips curved up, their eyes settling on Primo.
Last night, Ashley had promised Primo she would co for him once it was all over. As she and Lucian had always told their boy, they would co ho to him, no matter what.
But today, Primo hadn’t spent his ti wondering if they’d co ho, or when. He’d used the ti to put up banners to welco them back.
They stepped out of the car, both smiling.
The mont Primo saw them, he ran.
"Oops!" Ashley stopped just in ti as the boy leapt forward, wrapped his arms around her waist, and looked up at her.
Even without a word, his eyes said everything.
Mama, you’re back.
She stroked his hair gently. All the tension, the anger, the danger she had been bracing for since last night — gone. Lucian had already made her forget everything, but with Primo, she was reminded of exactly what it had all been worth.
"Just her?" Lucian stepped to her side, drawing both their attention.
Primo’s smile widened. He pulled back from Ashley reluctantly and, still holding his banner, flipped it toward Lucian.
[Thank you for waking up.]
Lucian smiled quietly and reached down to ruffle the boy’s hair. Then he crouched in front of Primo, studying his face.
"Primo," he said softly. "How could I not?"
Primo blinked — his father’s voice was quieter than usual. Lucian leaned in closer.
"She’s never going to remarry," he whispered. "Not a chance."
He pulled back slowly, catching the brief flash of surprise on Primo’s face. Primo pressed his lips together, then heard his father chuckle.
"I could hear everything," Lucian said, smoothing the boy’s hair once more. "Thank you for waking up."
Raka had kept Lucian from drowning in too much oxygen, but Primo deserved credit too. What Primo had said to him while he lay unconscious had given Lucian sothing to fight toward. Even without Raka, Lucian likely would have woken up on his own and torn the oxygen away.
The re thought of Ashley remarrying — starting over with soone else, building a new life with a new man — was more terrifying than death itself.
There was no way Lucian would allow that. Even if it ant defying death.
Primo and Lucian smiled at each other.
Ashley raised her brows and tilted her head, having missed whatever Lucian had whispered. Nolan and Gin watched the exchange with quiet smiles.
Lucian stood, took Primo’s hand, and turned to Ashley.
"Let’s go in," he said, reaching out for her.
Her smile widened as she clasped his hand. As they approached the door, Nolan stepped to the side.
"Welco back, Master," he said warmly. "Madam."
Ashley and Lucian exchanged a glance, then both looked at Primo. When they turned back to Nolan, they nodded — and said together,
"Glad to be back, Nolan."
There was sothing about Nolan’s greeting that had started to feel like its own kind of ritual. Sothing that made coming ho feel complete. As if it quietly acknowledged everything they had been through — and everything they had made it back from in one piece.
The family of three stepped inside, Nolan following a step behind. Gin remained outside, watching them go with a relieved smile that didn’t leave his face.
But before they could cross the threshold, Primo tugged Lucian’s hand.
"What is it?" Lucian asked. Ashley looked at their son with the sa question on her face.
Primo let go, stepped aside, and returned a mont later with a small bell in his hand. A note was attached to it.
Ring this bell.
Three tis well,
Its toll to clearly say:
My treatnt’s done,
This course is run,
And I am on my way!
Lucian and Ashley tilted their heads. "I didn’t have cancer, Primo," Lucian said.
Even so, he reached for the bell and rang it three tis.
*****
Gin jogged across the street toward his crew, who were stepping out of their car. He was holding a banner.
"Hey!" he called out. "Aren’t you touched?"
Khan’s crew smiled. Red’s crew narrowed their eyes at him.
"What’s written on the back?" Red asked.
"Huh?" Khan, Nelek, Rus, and Warriyo turned to Red with furrowed brows. One look at his deadpan expression, and they swung back to Gin with narrowed eyes.
Gin sighed. "This is why you can’t have nice things," he muttered and flipped the banner around.
It read:
[You’ll be missed, my friends.]
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