A Father's Guilt

Holding a glass of champagne in one hand, François stares at the dancefloor and watches as Aiden dances with Mari. He smiles as he sees him enjoying the dance. He raised the champagne in his hand as a toast to his son who is now a young man.

The light from the dancefloor hit the class of champagne. It sends rays of refractions of the liquid to Francois' face. This makes Francois smile. He slowly sits back on his chair as his thoughts were transported to another time. Though his eyes are fixed on Aiden dancing with Mari, his mind was brought back to his sweet memories of the young Aiden and his beautiful mom. Francois' mind was brought to the scene when he was looking out into the garden from the window. In the garden is his beautiful wife Amilie tending to her favorite roses. Amelie used to do this every morning when the weather is fine. With her is their 6-year-old son Aiden. Francois gazed at the skies as he reflects on the future he has planned for his family.

His attention was called when… "Papa! Papa! Look at Mama, she is copying you! Hahahaha! Look what she is doing", the young boy giggled as he points to his mom. Amilie was massaging her forehead with the fingers of her left hand.

"Do I really do that? Dear, you are exaggerating! hahahaha" Francois shouted.

"Oh, You do! You Do! hahaha." Aiden shouts back and giggles. He then starts copying what his mom is doing!

"Watch out you two, wait till I get you !!!", Francois pretends to be mad and points at his wife and son.

"You can try, hehehehe." Amilie replied as she picks up the garden hose and splashed Francois with water.

Francois tried to close the window, but before he can, his shirt was already wet with the water from Amelie's hose. "AHHHHHHH" you rascals!!!" Francois shouted a.

Baby Aiden rolled on the grass with hands over his tummy, laughing so hard. But after a few seconds, he screamed. He feels he is getting wet. His mom has now started to splash him with water from the hose she was holding. Then the two chased around the fountain, screaming and laughing. Suddenly Francois is now brought back to the present. But the smile on his face remains. "Oh, Amilie, if only you are here!"

How Francois misses his Wife. He misses her loving but strong personality. She is the perfect wife, unselfish and nurturing. She knows when Francois is unhappy, confused, or provoked. She also knew how to bring Francois back on the tract that leads to where he wants to go. But where does Francois want to go?

Amilie is not only a wife. He is also Francois' partner. Not only in marriage or at home but also in Francois' vision. His vision of the future. But this vision comes with a price. This vision has big obstacles that bring casualties. And Amilie became one of those casualties.

He also misses his son. His wife is now dead for 10 years but his son is still very much alive. But they have fallen apart. It is very seldom that Francois spends time with his son. The Son that is now dancing before him. He is no longer a 7-year-old boy but a young man. Francois longs to be with his son. He longs to ask him how he is doing; to know what are Aiden's challenges. But he cannot. It's all because of this vision that he has to restrain himself from being too close to his son. Because of this one big secret. One painful secret. Francois then takes a card from his pocket. This is the card that Harold gave him. As he looked at this card, his face turns into a frown. "Sklashhhh!!!!" Francois dropped his glass of champagne on the floor.

The maid quickly cleaned up the mess. But Francois acted like he did not hear anything. His face reflected feelings of sadness and anger. He rose from his chair and found out that the ball has ended. He must have been lost in his thoughts that he lost track of what has happened around him. His eyes scanned the ballroom for his son and found Aiden walking towards the garden. Francois yearns to join him but restrained himself. He just decided to go to the music room. At least there, he can be alone.

When Francois reached the music room, the lights were off. He reached for the switch and turned the Chandelier on. The glass crystals sparkled like a bunch of stars. Francois stared at them for sometime before he sits at the stool in front of the grand piano. He smiles. "We use to sit here together. Do you still remember?", Francois softly uttered. He remembers how he and the pregnant Amelie used to play the piano together before they retire for bed. "But I guess I have to play this piano all by myself now.". François was about to press the first key when a cold breeze blows from an open window and knocked off a picture frame placed on top of the piano. Francois reached out for the frame to fix it. As he is about to put it down, the photograph of Aiden on the frame seem to stare at him. The face of Aiden on the photograph was not smiling but seem to be very serious. As Francois stares back at the eyes of Aiden, he had goosebumps. The boy's eyes seem to yearn for attention…for love. Francois' tears fell from his eyes. "I'm sorry my Son. I forgot that I'm not alone. We still have each other. Someday, we can play this piano together."

Francois was not able to play the piano at all. He just sobbed like a little child. He let go of all the pain he has kept inside him. After sometime, Francois stopped crying. When he has wiped his tears away, his phone rings. It's a number he doesn't recognize. Its not saved on his contacts. Francois pressed the button but did not say a word. He can hear the breathing of the person on the other end of the line.

"I know you can hear me. Stop messing with me or I will start messing with what's left of what you have. You know me. I always start with the most precious." Francois's whole body trembled. He ended the call and rushed out of the music room to look for the most precious thing he has- his SON. "AIDEEEENNNNNN!!!"

Francois ran to the garden where he last saw Aiden. Before he got there, he can see from a distance that a pair of paramedics are carrying a stretcher bed with Aiden lying on it "NOOOOOO!!!! , MY SONNNN!!!! Francois is out of breath but he hugged Aiden who was sleeping on the stretcher.

"How is he?!!! How is he?" Francois panicked and checked Aiden's body for injuries.

"He is in a stable condition, sir. He is napping to recover from the shock and bruises he received but his vitals are fine." says the doctor who assisted the paramedics.

Francois place his hands on each of Aiden's cheeks and kissed his son's forehead. He whispers, " I'm sorry my son for suffering all this. Know that Dad cares for you!"

Aiden feels the trembling hands on his cheek and the warm tears falling on his forehead. He heard all that his dad whispered. He does not want to spoil the moment. He just kept his eyes closed and savor his Father's expression of affection. It's been ten years that he missed this. He feels that all the pain and bruises he received tonight are nothing compared to his father's affirmation of care. Aiden feels calm as the paramedics rushed him to the nearest hospital.

As Aiden was being carried away to the hospital, François just stood stiff and stared at the departing ambulance. Panic and fear have now let him. A new emotion surges in his heart and starts to overwhelm him. It is hatred. His hands are clenched into a fist. "How dare you touch my son! I will never let you hurt him again." He reached for his phone in his pocket and dialed a number.