"Markus!" Mr. Ellis face lit up at the sight of his son. He was up out of his rocker and limping over to his son to pull him into his arms. Jayden didn't resist. He allowed his father to hug him and even returned one of his own. He wanted Mr. Ellis to live and to remember. He wanted Mr. Ellis to know who he was and acknowledge that he had wronged him and to give him an apology for abandoning him.
"Where are your mom and Dinah?" He asked as he always did.
"Dinah has her residency. You know how busy doctors are… Mom is still taking care of her mother in Louisiana. It may be another six months before she'll be able to come home."
"Six months eh? Well I guess it can't be helped. If you can't depend on family, then who?" Jacob said in his way that he always did when discussing family.
"Did you take your meds?" Jayden asked as the nursing staff had rehearsed him.
"No not yet… I was waiting on you." Jacob answered truthfully.
"I'm here now so take it… It'll make you better…" He encouraged him as he held his father's pillbox in one hand and a glass of water in the other. Jacob looked at his son and smiled as he took it and opened it up. He shook those six pills out and threw them into his mouth followed by large sips of water.
"Better now…"
"Yea…" Jacob answered smiling at his son. "Let's go on one of our nightly walks Markus. It's been a while since we've done that."
Jayden was taken by surprise. He didn't come here for that. He only came to help the nursing staff calm him down and get him to take his medication.
"It'll be okay… We can just walk the halls of the building. I know you're a big time lawyer and probably have to be in the court nine o'clock sharp."
"Yea, well as long as it's a short walk." Jayden reluctantly agreed. Jacob slipped on his house slippers and tied up his robe. Jayden allowed Mr. Ellis to lead the way as he followed closely behind stepping into his father's steps as if he were actually his shadow.
"Remember when we lived down Cherry Lane Ave" Mr. Ellis started.
"Hmm…" Jayden answered following his lead.
"You used to love walking in that park under the cherry blossom bloom. You used to say it reminded you of pink snowflakes falling from the sky. Do you remember son?"