-62-When Milly met Stuart.
"It always gets worse before it gets better. So believe in the process."
...
Summoning up the courage, Milly frantically knocked on the door of Stuart's house, fidgeting nervously as she waited for the door to open.
Creaking it opened and she took a deep breath. Stuart stood in front of her wearing baggy sweatpants and a plain black t-shirt. His scowl turned into a bright smile as his gaze followed from inside to her face.
"Mom..." Immediately his tall figure bent down as he forwarded his arms towards her hugging her.
While Riley stood stiffly inside at the door of his condo. Her hands clenched at her sides. Looking directly ahead of them. Her pursed lips morphed into a grin as she saw them embracing each other. Tears dripping from her mother's eyes.
Breaking free from the hug, Milly Brown placed a hand on his cheek. "Stuart...You are alive. Ah! Let me look at you son. Let me make it clear that this is the reality and not just a dream."
Smiling he placed his hand on hers almost covering it with his own.
"Yes, I am alive Mom. You can look at me all night but first, come inside."
She patted him on the back, a habit that she had since the day she met him to convey she agreed to his words and sauntered into his condo.
Riley and Stuart locked eyes as he slowly leaned closer to her. In an instant, his arm was already around her back as he took her in for a hug.
"I am sorry to bother you at this time Stuty pooh. Mom pleaded with me to take her here."
His hold upon her waist tightened as he breathed in her scent.
"Anything that brings you to meet me can never bother me. Jelly bug."
Warmth flooded her insides, almost melting her. Hesitatingly she removes herself from him, a grin replacing the tight-lipped smile.
"You missed me?"
Grinning he places his hand on her rubbing them affectionately.
"Of course, I miss you in every moment of my life. I miss us, Riley."
Looking up, Her lips stretched into a genuine smile as she uttered.
"I miss us too."
"What happened Stuart and Riley? Should I come out?" Milly yelled standing up from the white feathery plush couch that had helped her to calm down. Sitting on them felt like she was sitting on cotton. It was too comfortable.
Her eyes moved to the side of window blinds where a few pictures were hanging on the wall.
'He seems happy with them. They must be his new family!' She thought to herself caressing his photo.
Immediately after her words were over, they both entered inside while Riley sat beside her mother, Stuart walked into another white door.
"Please have some water mom." He said cheerfully placing the glass tray on the wooden table in front of her.
She drank it gleefully and smiled.
"I have questions to ask Stuart. And Stephen is coming too, I called him just now and he said he is just near Tribeca's street. It will probably take him ten minutes to come here."
His gaze turned hesitant as he looked towards Riley to her.
"Mom, he is always welcome. You don't need to inform me about it like this."
"Hmm. Okay."
"I am here to know what happened? But it can wait Since Stephen is on his way. And probably it will also lessen your time to explain twice."
"Mom, if you want I can tell you now."
"No. I will wait, son."
Stuart nodded at her smiling.
"So how have you been mom?"
"How do you think a mother would be thinking her son died?"
She answered her question.
"Empty. Devastated."
Silence.
Awkward silence.
"Would you like some coffee Mom? Or perhaps dinner?"
"Thank you for asking dear. But I have had dinner earlier."
"Umm. Okay. Would you like to look around the place? I just bought it a few days ago and yesterday the transferring was done."
"It's Nice. Warm. cozy. But perhaps I would do that next time."
"Okay."
Riley tapped her foot on the shiny tiles irritating her with the noise of it.
"Riley, can you stop, please?"
She smiles sheepishly, "yes Mom. Sorry."
"Did you met Mendicate Stuart?"
The smile vanished from his face, as he clenched his hands. Trying to downplay his emotions.
"Yeah. Mom I did. Riley had invited me over for a dinner."
"Oh Really? How come I didn't know about it?" Milly's attention turned to Riley as her brows frowned.
"Yeah. Mom. I wanted to tell you but you didn't give me the chance to discuss how I met him?"
Instantly her brows relaxed and she nodded at her. Locking her black eyes with his blue ones.
"You know Stuart I always thought that there will be one day when you will get married to Riley, and I thought it would be the happiest day of my life. Maybe yours too. Yet, Destiny played its part. The girl whose world revolved just around you is now married to him and not you. Honestly, I would have loved to see you together. But then again maybe God's plan is always the best for us. "
Stuart's expression changed to that of self-deprecation. To mask his real emotions he took the other glass from the table and fluidly weighed it down in one go.
Realizing Milly spoke too much, Riley decided to intervene.
"Mom. What are you saying? He never looked at me that way. He always considered me as his younger sister that he never had."
Milly was almost tempted to scoff at her words and tell her, she was stupid if she believed he considered her sister but they were saved by the bell.
"It must be Uncle Stephen. I will get to the door."
Hesitatingly Stuart explained almost fleeing to the door in hope of saving himself or exposing his emotions.
Telling her he loved her when she was married and in front of her parents might prove drastic to their relationship. Besides, he needed to find loopholes in Her husband first before telling her how he felt about her.
Opening the door he was greeted by his old form. The man had left a solid impression on him from the first day they met. He had possibly laid out 101 rules in front of him before approving them to be friends. And from that day he always called him uncle. Never dad.