Chris And Hazel - Volume 1 Chapter 31 30

‘Dad, wake up! We are about to land’ Rob shouted shaking Chris’ hand vigorously.

Chris lazily half-opened his eyes to look at his son jumping up and down putting an effort to wake him up.

‘I am awake, honey! Stop screaming!’ he said lifting Robert into his arms.

‘Great, now put me down, I have to go to Hazel and tell her you woke up’ he said getting down from Chris’ lap.

‘Why?’ Chris asked stretching his arms.

‘Because she sent me here to wake you up and I guess… I wasn’t supposed to tell you that’ Robert answered recollecting what Hazel told him before sending him over.

‘Well she didn’t have to, the flight attender would have done it’ he said looking out of the window as his words seemed much farther than they were from their destination.

‘Oh you mean that aunty with the pink dress?’ Rob asked pointing his fingers towards the flight attendant.

‘Yes honey’ Chris answered turning to look at Rob.

‘But they did, but you kept murmuring something and so Hazel asked them not to disturb you’ he answered walking back to his seat.

Chris signaled the attendant to bring him a glass of water and after freshening up he made his way towards Hazel and the kids;

‘You don’t look like you slept well’ he guessed sitting next to her as the kids played opposite to them.

‘That’s because I didn’t’ she answered flipping to the next page on her magazine.

‘Why?’ he asked quite concerned noticing her worn-out face.

Hazel looked up at him opening her mouth to reply but ended up swallowing her words and returned to her magazine.

‘Hazel White I asked you a question’ he spoke out in a stern voice.

‘I think I have answered your question Christopher Finch’ she answered back in a stern voice.

‘You said nothing’ he argued back annoyed by her strange behavior which was going on from the previous day’s evening.

‘Well I don’t think you need to know everything about me and it’s not like you are very honest with me either’ she cried out as her voice pitched both anger and agony.

Chris got up from the seat and moved away from her without having a glance back at her; maybe if he did then at least he would’ve managed to take notice the slight hint of sadness mixed with tears threatening to fall off from the corner of her eyes.

“Why Haze? Every time I take the initiative to come closer, you easily push me away. The reason I am coming towards you is to build some courage and tell you the truth……maybe the next time if you tend to hear me out without lashing out like the previous times, I will take the initiative talk to you about everything that is holding us back…because…now I already lost the courage I had…and all that is left now is my old friend…fear!” he thought to himself as he made his way towards his seat wearing a much disturbed look on his face.

“I am sorry Chris, I really didn’t mean to push you away…though I am kinda happy that you are making an effort to take care of me…I am just afraid that I will get used to it and one day if I have to walk away it’s gonna hurt me more than it did years ago…we belong to different worlds and that didn’t bother me back then but with years gone by… I am just starting to see the differences and I seriously don’t know why it bothers me so much…and it kinda makes me think that there’s no way for our story after this… I really don’t know why I arrived at such a conclusion…maybe…it’s my instincts kicking in…and for the first time in my life I want my instincts to be……wrong” Hazel pondered on her thoughts as she watched Chris walk away, no matter how much she wanted to hold back her tears, they unconsciously flowed down her cheeks. As she noticed her cheeks wet with tears, she quickly turned around managing to wipe them off before the kids could notice.

Chris turned to look back at Hazel before getting into his seat but witnessed her turning her head around making him think that she was avoiding him deliberately;

“I only hope for one thing Haze, please don’t ever consider that loving me was ever a…mistake, the last thing I want you to do is regret loving me…maybe…” Chris sank deep into his thoughts.

Hazel wiped her tears off and looked for Chris and saw that he was already in his seat;

“…I know one thing for sure Chris…loving you was never a mistake and I would never regret falling for a guy like you…maybe it’s just…” she faded into her thoughts looking into a distance.

“Maybe it’s just too late now and the correct time has already passed” they both feared at the same time as the flight landed.

‘You guys arrived early than expected’ Ed said picking them from the airport.

‘Yeah, the weather was quite good than forecasted’ Chris said getting in the passenger seat while Hazel and the kids took the backseat after the luggage were loaded into the trunk.

‘You are early Ed, I thought I should call you after arriving because we arrived earlier than expected’ Chris said as Ed made a U-turn.

‘Well…’ he stopped before continuing and looked back and noticed that the kids were immersed in their own worlds watching cartoon and so continued;

‘I am not talking to Ava…’ he finished.

‘What?’ Chris and Hazel asked in unison totally shocked by listening to Ed.

‘Well…I didn’t know how to face her after talking to her dad over the phone…he seemed to hate me and I couldn’t even man up to make him listen to me before he could hang up…I just froze and so I was too embarrassed to talk to her and kept avoiding her…but today morning as I woke up to get ready…we two were the only ones awake and because I didn’t know how to start a conversation…’

‘Wait let me guess…you drove here earlier than you are supposed to’ Chris said completing his obvious excuse.

‘Yeah…’ Ed answered in a dejected voice.

‘But Ed you can’t run away forever and plus she is the only support you have in your in-laws side and you stopped talking to her? What’s wrong with you?’ Hazel asked worried about what the two were going through.

‘I know Haze but…I just didn’t know what to do’ he answered in a sullen tone.

‘It’s fine, we are here so please stop worrying and also you look hideous while worrying and maybe that’s why Ava’s dad didn’t approve of you’ Chris said trying to cheer him up.

‘What? I don’t look hideous; you do! Especially when you talk about you-know-who’ Ed teased forgetting his worries for a moment.

‘You better shut up or I will throw you out’ Chris warned him fearing that he would get exposed in front of Hazel.

‘Technically, I am driving so I will throw you out’ Ed argued childishly.

Hazel laughed silently looking at the two argue like 10-year olds but she thought it was nice of Chris as he distracted Ed easily managing to take Ed’s mind off of his worries, she knew that he not only did that to make Ed feel better but also himself because she know how much Ed means to Chris, it doesn’t matter if they were apart for six years and so but everyone around knew that Chris and Ed couldn’t replace each other’s position in their lives no matter what.

‘We are here’ Ed said stopping the car in front of a giant brazen gate.

‘Hazel you go inside with the kids and I will come with Ed’ Chris said opening the door for her.

‘Ok’ she mouthed slowly and entered the house with the children.

‘Trouble in your paradise’ Ed asked as he parked the car in his driveway.

‘Yeah…but you don’t worry about that because I am here for you and we will sort it out no matter what it is’ he said smiling positively at Ed as he opened the door to get out.

‘Chris’ Ed called out before they could enter the house.

Chris turned in response to Ed;

‘Thanks for coming, I already feel better’ he continued.

‘Stop it! You make me feel like a stranger. Now come on in, take me to uncle and aunt, it’s been so long since I met them’ he said pulling Ed inside.

‘Fine, stop pulling me’ Ed screamed as his friend dragged him in.

‘Hi?’ Hazel said entering Ava’s room.

‘Hey! You came?’ Ava asked rushing to the door to hug Hazel.

‘I missed you Haze!’ she said in a low voice.

‘I did too Honey!’ Hazel said pulling back.

‘Where’s Charlotte?’ Hazel asked after sitting down.

‘She went out for some work, she will be back soon’ Ava answered as she poured a glass of water for Hazel.

‘Oh shoot! I totally forgot’ Hazel shouted as she received the glass from Ava.

‘Ava, I will be right back’ she said rushing out of the room.

‘When will uncle and aunt be back?’ Chris asked after they found out that Ed’ parents weren’t home.

‘I don’t know Chris, it’s their romantic breakfast day and god knows when they will be back’ Ed said rolling his eyes.

‘They still do that?’ Chris questioned with a surprised smile.

‘Yeah, they are celebrating their Evergreen love’ Ed mocked laughing.

‘It’s nice though!’ Chris said smiling.

‘I know…I know in fact you wanted to do the same with Hazel once you guys get married……ahh!’ he screamed stopping his sentence midway.

‘What’s wrong?’ Chris asked turning to face Ed who was standing still.

‘I am sorry dude’ Ed mouthed and literally rushed away from there.

Chris looked to his left to find Hazel standing there, her skin grown pale.

‘Hazel?’

‘The kids are in my room, I will bring them to your room later’ she informed him and hurried away.