Back at the mansion Ayden helped Eryna walk into the garden where the gardener was planting twigs. Eryna narrowed her eyes and looked at the twig from far away trying to figure out which species they belonged to, but soon gave up because she was unable to see it properly.
Eryna stepped on the soft grass with her bare feet and slowly walked closer to the twigs that were to be placed in the soil.
“What is this?” Eryna crouched beside one of the pots and stared at it with a stupid expression.
“Miss, this Myrtle tree, it is very beautiful once it grows up,” the gardener replied in excitement.
“Myrtle tree… never heard of that one…” Eryna pondered for a few seconds and then spoke again.
“Can I plant one?” She asked.
“You can...but, this is messy work, you would get your hands dirty.” The gardener shrugged away the tools and replied in an almost winning voice.
Eryna looked at him with a gaze saying…
‘Seriously? Have you ever heard of soap?’
“Hand it over to me,” Eryna held out her hand, the Gardener sensed her boiling aura and silently handed over whatever Eryna asked for.
“Cool! You are planting now!” Ayden walked in closer.
“Trying my luck! Let’s see how well it grows,” Eryna replied cheerfully and stabbed the soil with the trowel.
Ayden sat by her and looked at her swiftly moving hands with amazement. Time flew and finally Eryna was done with performing a pathetic job. She looked at the sleepy twig with proud mama eyes and blinked a few times.
“How did I do?” Eryna looked at Ayden with a hopeful gaze.
Ayden’s amazement from a while ago had flushed down the drain and right now his face had a sorry expression for that poor twig.
“Great! You did a great job…” Ayden gave a forced smile.
“Haha! I knew I was born to be a gardener, “ Eryna clapped her hands and dusted off the mud on her hands.
“Ayden?...” Somebody spoke from behind them. Eryna turned around swiftly while Ayden froze in his place.
It was Emerald standing a few steps away from them, she was shocked.
“You came back! And...and didn’t even bother visiting me?” Her voice trembled as she clenched her hands.
Ayden bit his lips and narrowed his eyes. He slowly got up and took a step closer to Emerald. He finally parted his lips.
“I am sorry Mom, I wanted to come but—“ he had his head hanging low while he spoke up.
“Then?” Emerald had clenched her teeth tightly and she was holding her tears in.
“It was because I didn’t want to meet Grandpa on my way there,” his tone trembled and he spoke quickly trying to hide his shaking voice.
Eryna stared at them with an odd gaze and out of the blue she felt like she had to do something. She got up swiftly and pushed Ayden closer to Emerald, and made him hug her. Her small initiative sparked light in the mother son’s pair. It looked like they needed a push so their bitterness could be washed away. Eryna saw tears roll out of Emerald’s eyes when she held Ayden tightly in her arms.
Eryna took a deep breath as if she was trying to fill the emptiness of her heart with a lot of air so she would no more feel like a loveless soul. She glanced back at her tree and smiled.
‘Once they go away, I will hug you like she hugged her son—I miss Simba now!!” Eryna thought to herself as her motherly love was overflowing out of her heart.
Eryna was deep in her thoughts that she didn’t realise Emerald walked a few steps closer to her.
“I see you grew a Myrtle tree, I planted one too, alongside Micah’s father.” She spoke softly.
“Huh?...” Eryna looked in her direction with an absent mind.
“There is an ancient saying about Myrtle Tree…” Emerald stepped closer to the tree and stroked her fingers around it.
“What is that?” Eryna asked.
“Myrtle tree is a symbol of Love… and it is said that those who plant Myrtle trees together become forever bonded...Nothing can tear them apart…”
Her voice was deep.
“What about death?” Eryna’s tongue slipped and she muttered.
“Pardon?” Emerald couldn’t catch what Eryna said.
“Oh! Nothing…” Eryna shook her head and smiled lively to brush off the talk.
“Let’s go inside, it’s getting late,” Eryna muttered.
“Yes! I have a lot to talk to you,” Emerald got up and stepped closer to Eryna.
“Come on son, I have a lot to talk to you as well,” Emerald spoke to Ayden who stood like a statue in a distance.
“Yes, I will be inside in a minute, you can go on without me,”
“Okay! Be sure to come In quickly or I will have to call grandpa,” Emerald replied with a tricky voice.
“Yes! I will be there,” Ayden had lost to his mother and spoke in a defeated tone.
“Come on! Let’s have some girly talks…” Emerald giggled and pulled onto Eryna’s hand.
Ayden stared at them walking away in joy, he stood with a serious expression with his hands tucked into his pockets. He closed his eyes and breathed in deeply, his face didn’t have the usual playful expression. He looked like he was having a hard time making a decision.
Finally he let out a sigh and pulled out his hands out of his pocket.