Cian stood on the dock, a pack slung over one shoulder, sunlight sparkling on the waves of the sea behind him.
Gordon Granger felt a sad tug at his heart as he looked at his eldest son, who had once again chosen the pull of the sea over that of family and friends.
"You can't run away forever, Ci," Gordon was telling his eldest. Though Cian seemed adamant about what he wanted and what he was doing, Gordon worried that he was leaving for the wrong reasons.
"I'm not running away, Da," Cian insisted, shifting the weight of the pack against his shoulder. "I'm doing what I should have done years ago."
Gordon frowned up at his eldest, remembering when he'd just been a boy. Always tall for his age, Cian had never really filled out the way other boys had. Though he ate well enough, he had a slim build, like a gymnast or a dancer. Just like his mother, Gordon thought with an old, familiar tug of grief at his heart. Despite his worries, he smiled warmly up at his son and reached over to give his shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "I know the past few months have been hard, but I want you to be sure you're leaving for the right reasons."
Everything had been hard lately, it seemed. Hard on Gordon, hard on Gabi, hard on Cian, hard on everyone. The grief they had all felt at Frank's passing still lingered just beneath the surface. It would take time to heal, just as it had when they'd lost their beloved Felicity so many years ago.
Gordon sighed and turned to look over the ship on which Cian was taking his leave. It was a tall ship, a beautiful ship, at least to Cian's eyes. Wanderlust had always been strong in his eldest, ever since he'd been a boy. Gordon had always known he'd have to say good-bye one day, the call of the sea and the desire for adventure for too strong for Cian to ignore.
Despite having nearly lost both his sons to tragedy, Gordon was unable to deny Cian - or Gabi, for that matter - anything.
"Don't be sad, Da," Cian told his father, giving him a final hug before heading out. "I'll be back. I promise."
"You'd better be," Gordon warned, his heart heavy with sadness. "Your sister will never forgive you, if you don't."
Cian frowned at the mention of Gabi. After everything that had happened over the last few months, he had finally realized he loved her more than anyone, but he was only in the way here. She needed to live her life, and he needed to live his. Her place was here, but he could never really be happy here, not for long anyway. Not when his heart was a million miles away, longing for adventure.
He shook his head sadly, knowing he'd be missed by a few, forgotten by others. "The whole wide world is out there, Da, just waiting to be explored. I can't stay here when my life is waiting for me out there."
Gordon smiled again, though his heart was aching. "I know, lad," he replied, returning Cian's hug. "Make me proud, Ci, and never forget where you came from. You'll always have a home here, no matter what."
Cian smiled back as he pulled away from his father, tossing him a wave as he started toward the ship that was waiting to take him away to whatever adventures awaited him. "See you soon! Give Gabi my love!" He called back, waving a hand, his voice growing fainter as he got farther away.
Gordon watched as Cian climbed up the plank to board the ship, a tall, slender figure clad in a white shirt and trousers; brown, shoulder-length hair stirring in the salty sea-breeze, and his heart swelled with mingled pride and sadness. He watched as Cian disappeared from view, and he wondered if he'd ever see his eldest son again.
Only time would tell.
Gordon Granger felt a sad tug at his heart as he looked at his eldest son, who had once again chosen the pull of the sea over that of family and friends.
"You can't run away forever, Ci," Gordon was telling his eldest. Though Cian seemed adamant about what he wanted and what he was doing, Gordon worried that he was leaving for the wrong reasons.
"I'm not running away, Da," Cian insisted, shifting the weight of the pack against his shoulder. "I'm doing what I should have done years ago."
Gordon frowned up at his eldest, remembering when he'd just been a boy. Always tall for his age, Cian had never really filled out the way other boys had. Though he ate well enough, he had a slim build, like a gymnast or a dancer. Just like his mother, Gordon thought with an old, familiar tug of grief at his heart. Despite his worries, he smiled warmly up at his son and reached over to give his shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "I know the past few months have been hard, but I want you to be sure you're leaving for the right reasons."
Everything had been hard lately, it seemed. Hard on Gordon, hard on Gabi, hard on Cian, hard on everyone. The grief they had all felt at Frank's passing still lingered just beneath the surface. It would take time to heal, just as it had when they'd lost their beloved Felicity so many years ago.
Gordon sighed and turned to look over the ship on which Cian was taking his leave. It was a tall ship, a beautiful ship, at least to Cian's eyes. Wanderlust had always been strong in his eldest, ever since he'd been a boy. Gordon had always known he'd have to say good-bye one day, the call of the sea and the desire for adventure for too strong for Cian to ignore.
Despite having nearly lost both his sons to tragedy, Gordon was unable to deny Cian - or Gabi, for that matter - anything.
"Don't be sad, Da," Cian told his father, giving him a final hug before heading out. "I'll be back. I promise."
"You'd better be," Gordon warned, his heart heavy with sadness. "Your sister will never forgive you, if you don't."
Cian frowned at the mention of Gabi. After everything that had happened over the last few months, he had finally realized he loved her more than anyone, but he was only in the way here. She needed to live her life, and he needed to live his. Her place was here, but he could never really be happy here, not for long anyway. Not when his heart was a million miles away, longing for adventure.
He shook his head sadly, knowing he'd be missed by a few, forgotten by others. "The whole wide world is out there, Da, just waiting to be explored. I can't stay here when my life is waiting for me out there."
Gordon smiled again, though his heart was aching. "I know, lad," he replied, returning Cian's hug. "Make me proud, Ci, and never forget where you came from. You'll always have a home here, no matter what."
Cian smiled back as he pulled away from his father, tossing him a wave as he started toward the ship that was waiting to take him away to whatever adventures awaited him. "See you soon! Give Gabi my love!" He called back, waving a hand, his voice growing fainter as he got farther away.
Gordon watched as Cian climbed up the plank to board the ship, a tall, slender figure clad in a white shirt and trousers; brown, shoulder-length hair stirring in the salty sea-breeze, and his heart swelled with mingled pride and sadness. He watched as Cian disappeared from view, and he wondered if he'd ever see his eldest son again.
Only time would tell.