Jade had already organized all the most important things for the move to Chicago. Her heart ached at leaving behind so many objects that held memories: the old photo albums, the yellowed portraits, the kitchen utensils Lisa used to prepare the recipes that filled the house with aromas and laughter. Now everything would be carefully packed into boxes and left in the house that would remain closed indefinitely, a forced pause in a chapter of their lives.
She separated all of her mother's medical records, compiling a file with exams, prescriptions, and reports. As soon as she settled in Chicago, she would look for a good hospital to begin the process of exams and placing Lisa on the transplant waiting list.
When the taxi arrived, Jade took a deep breath and in just over an hour, the two were at Northwest Regional Airport. While waiting to board, she felt her heart suddenly race. She looked at her mother sitting beside her, her face weary, but her eyes still held a persistent glimmer of hope.
With the tickets in hand, Jade grabbed her phone and texted Idris.
"Our flight leaves at 3:45 PM. We'll arrive in Chicago around 5:55."
The reply came almost instantly.
"Okay, I'll be there to pick you up."
She frowned.
"No need" she typed. "I have the address of the apartment you got for us. We can take a taxi."
Money was tight, the tickets had been expensive, and taxis weren't cheap either. She wanted to save money and, above all, maintain a certain pride. Accepting help from Idris was harder than admitting it. He had already done too much for her and Lisa, she didn't want to seem like a burden or leave too many loophole.
But his reply was firm:
"Jade, I'll be there waiting for you anyway. Whether you like it or not."
She let out a tired sigh.
"Okay."
She closed her phone and sat down next to her mother. Lisa, from time to time, sipped water, observing the movement around her with silent curiosity.
"How are you feeling, Mom?" Jade asked, placing her hand on her knee, pulling her from her own thoughts.
"I'm fine, dear. Just... nervous about flying." Lisa gave a sweet, slightly embarrassed smile.
Jade chuckled softly. It would be the first time both of them flew.
"Me too, but we'll be together. And it will be quick" she said, trying to convey confidence.
Lisa nodded, but the nervousness didn't subside. She gripped her water bottle tightly, looking at the electronic panel announcing departures and arrivals. When the loudspeaker announced flight AA2203, they stood up and proceeded with their luggage side by side.
Inside the plane, Lisa preferred the aisle seat, jokingly saying she didn't want to see the sky so close yet. Jade smiled, but her heart was restless. The sound of the engines grew louder, and before they could complain about the trip, the plane was already landing on the choppy ground of Chicago.
The impact of the landing made Jade's heart tremble. The cold in her stomach wasn't just from the flight, but from what awaited her there. She felt fear, fear of being left behind again, now in a city where she knew no one but a ghost from the past.
As they descended, the hot, heavy air of the metropolis invaded her lungs along with the smell of burnt fuel. She held her mother's arm tightly and they made their way to the baggage claim area. While waiting for their suitcases, her cell phone vibrated in her pocket.
It was Idris.
"I see you" his voice said, firm. "I'm coming to you now."
Jade's heart sank. She looked around, her eyes scanning the busy hall, trying to identify the face she kept in her memory. But time is relentless, and the boy from before seemed to no longer exist.
A tall man with broad shoulders approached. His blond hair, meticulously combed, his clean shaven face, and his suit without tie, gave him an air of natural elegance. But his eyes… His eyes were the same. A glance only had to meet for Jade to know.
"Jade…" he smiled, stopping before her and looking directly into her eyes. "You're still the same as I remember you."
She felt her face burn.
"A-and you… you're v-very different." She stammered, embarrassed. Idris's presence made her tense and uncomfortable, as if she had forgotten how to breathe.
He chuckled softly, scratching the back of his neck, a gesture she remembered well.
"Hello, Mrs. Marlowe! It's good to see you! How are you?" he said opening his arms to Lisa.
"Idris, dear..." Lisa hugged him affectionately, a smile lighting up his tired face.
They chatted about the trip and the turbulence while Jade stood beside them, observing. The boy she remembered had become an elegant man, even more confident and much more handsome.
"Shall we go?" he asked, easily taking the bags. Jade wanted to protest but gave up.
She followed behind him, holding her mother's hand, her gaze fixed on the nape of his neck, trying to understand how time could have changed everything so much, including how she felt. When they reached the parking lot, an alarm sounded and a white Audi A6 e-tron flashed its lights.
"You can get in" he said opening the trunk. "I'll put your bags here."
Jade and her mother got in carefully, sitting in the back seat. The muffled sound of the trunk closing echoed in their ears. When Idris entered and looked back, their eyes met again for a brief second, and that was enough to make her stomach clench involuntarily. Jade quickly looked away, fixing her gaze on the window, completely uncomfortable.
"Mrs. Marlowe" Idris said staring at the rearview mirror, where only his eyes were visible. "You still like spaghetti carbonara, right?"
"I love it!" Lisa replied excitedly, the sparkle of animation returning to her eyes.
"Great. I'll take you to a restaurant that serves the best in all of Chicago." He smiled sincerely.
"Please, Idris, could you just take us to the apartment you arranged for us? My mother needs to rest."
"She needs to eat too, Jade" he replied firmly but gently.
He was right, and seeing Lisa excited about the idea made Jade give in without another word.
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Later, Idris took them to the apartment. He showed them each room, explaining that everything was furnished and ready. He also said that they didn't need to worry about the rent; it would be a gift from him to Lisa.
Jade glanced at him sideways, suspicious. She knew what that meant, but she didn't want to argue in front of her mother. She let Lisa be charmed; after all, she needed a distraction.
When her mother finally fell asleep, Jade carefully covered her, adjusted the pillows, and returned to the living room. Idris was waiting for her, standing in the middle of the room. The silence between them was thick.
"Look... I know you gave me time to settle in here until I start working, but I need a few more days to get ahead on the tests my mother needs. I requested a transfer to the local hospital." She said without looking at him, her fingers nervously intertwined. "I understand." He adjusted his glasses, attentive. "And it's okay, take all the time you need."
She nodded, taking a deep breath.
"I hope it doesn't take long. Really, Idris... thank you for the opportunity. And for everything you're doing for us."
He opened his mouth to reply, but hesitated before saying:
"Jade, I need to..."
She interrupted him.
"Idris, you don't have to explain anything to me."
"But I want to" she retorted firmly.
"If it's forgiveness you want, I've already forgiven you. Especially since I have more serious things to focus on." Her voice was low but firm. "This job will be important for me and my mother. But... I don't think we should try to be what we were."
The words hung in the air, and he lowered his gaze, thoughtful.
"Okay, I respect that. And I hope that one day you'll trust me enough to tell me what's really going on with your mother. I can help you more than you can imagine."
"No, you can't." She thought.
"With the work you're giving me, I can already take care of everything. You've done so much, Idris. Much more than you should have." There was an attempt to end the conversation there, an invisible boundary she was drawing.
But Idris approached, slowly.
"Right, I won't insist." His voice was low, almost a whisper. "But I still want to explain why I disappeared. Why I broke the promise I made you. Why I left you without answers... why I haven't seen my parents for so long."
Jade felt her chest tighten. His gaze was intense, full of regret. He continued.
"One day, when you feel ready to listen to me" he continued "I'll tell you everything. But I swear, Dedee, I've never forgotten you."
The nickname hit her like a vivid memory, burning inside. He moved closer, so close she could feel his warm breath lightly brushing her skin. For a moment, it was like returning to that night by the fireplace in his parents' country house, when they had almost kissed for the first time.
"Idris... I'm sorry, but I need to ask you to leave." Her voice trembled, even as she tried to sound firm.
She turned away from him, went to the door and opened it, her heart pounding erratically. He didn't answer immediately, turned towards her and stood there, just watching her. Then he nodded slowly.
"It's alright, Jade. If your mother needs anything, call me." He went through the door and left without looking back.
Idris walked down the hall to the elevator and waited patiently, and before entering, he gave her one last look, one that said everything he couldn't yet say. When the elevator closed, Jade leaned against the door. Her body trembled, her heart raced. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, but his scent was still there, clinging to the air and to her memory.
She knew that time had changed everything, but at that moment, she had the terrible feeling that some things had never truly ended. And no matter how much she tried to deny it, a part of her knew that this reunion wasn't just any new beginning. It was the start of something that, sooner or later, could crumble everything again.