Epilogue. Can't loose what y*u never had

Listen to Something Just Like This - The Chainsmokers feat Cold play.

And; How Did We - Skylar Stecker' for the last scene of this story.

-

Seven years later...

Newyork, Rochester.

"Come in." I command, after a knock came in three rows.

The giant ironlike aluminum doors of my second office on the thirty-fifth floor, opens  swiftly, and closes shut quietly, as someone enters and tries to maintain a professional look, but his legs are dancing out of nervousness.

Adjusting his thick lens glasses, he takes the files off his underarms with his fidgeting hands, wipes sweat off his forehead and blows a big puff of breath.

With my eyes and fingers, still focused on in front off me, I can see with my side eye that he is observing me as I continually type into the system.

"I can see you're new here" I formally declare, my voice evoking authority, startling the clumsy boy.

"Uh..mm ma'am." His voice can't work properly, neither can his brain because he is openly ogling at me, like I'm some delicacy on a platter of gold. He looks like a fresh graduate, maybe a year or two below me.

"Do you realize that staring is offensive?" I interject rudely.

"I apologise."

"Good. What's your name?" I query, finally looking away from my screen to him. He is tall with a slender body, olive oil skin, blonde buzz cut hair and dreamy blue eyes. Dressed in a white and black stripes shirt, pinafore that the legs are rolled up to reveal his ankles, and brown leather shoes.

"Mateó Sanchez. I got employed into the Engineering department, and was asked to probably run some errands for you, since your P.A called in sick." He seems a bit confident now as he places the files on my giant executive wooden desk.

He stands aback and watches me take the file off the desk, and flip through the pages carefully.

"I'm through with these. You can now return them back to you head of department." I slap the file on the desk, then attach some dollars at the top of the file. "And also, grab me some black coffee. No sugar, no cream.

"Yes, ma'am."

"Call me Miss Jones."

"Yes, Miss Jones."

"Adequate. On your way out, take that creepy Halloween pumpkin and do whatever you please with it." I order, pointing over at the scary looking empty pumpkin at the top of my water dispenser.

Mateó looks unsure of himself like he misheard me, and stutters. "B-but today's Halloween."

"Don't ever debate with me again, because I wouldn't mind that you resumed as an employee today, you'd hand in your resignation letter." I insist, objecting to listen to him. "And Halloween should go fuck itself."

"Y-y-yes Miss Jones." A tiny bit of amusement jolts on my insides at this. But I still keep a straight daring face on.

"Coffee, now."  I order.

Few seconds later, I hear the sound of the giant ironlike aluminum door slams shut softly, with the dreadful looking pumpkin gone. I have no idea who kept it there. But I won't hesitate to fire the rash employee.

Exhaling an exhausted breath, I take off the suit jacket I have on, revealing my white crisp shirt.

All I'm feeling these days are anger and too much pain. All because I dwell myself in work.

Morning

Afternoon.

Night.

Over the past few years, I've done a great job by masking my destructive emotions with a bossy attitude and mean character.

I had to control and mask them because if I don't, I'd trample. And if such happens, thousands of employees all over the globe who rely on me will suffer joblessness, homelessness and possibly starve.

My mean reputation had my staffs calling me a cold hearted bitch, incapable of any emotions, very arrogant, doesn't apologise, regards myself self highly more than any person because I inherited a billionaire company from my Dad, slash, cash rules everything around me.

What they don't know is that I have feelings like them, especially pain which turned me into a workaholic so I wouldn't dwell in the  shitty past of my teenagehood.

I added three inches to my five point two foot height, took off my boob job and remained with my natural boobs which grew and stayed medium in size. And I stopped the habit of writing quotes after burning my quote diary.

John McCormick, I still don't know where to place him in my life, because he's more than a friend. He saw me got drunk, watched me had meaningless sex with some stranger, helped my stupid ass out of every mess I created. Taught me fighting and self defense, partially mould me into the woman I am today.

I graduated in Business Adminstration out of Lincoln University on the southern part of America two years ago, and inherited 'The Jones's Enterprise' from my Dad.

While four out of his eight companies where passed unto the Mckenzie siblings.

But, there is one sibling who refused everything Dad gave to him.

I assume you know who.

About the Mckenzie siblings, well I'll say Miranda got married to her childhood sweetheart, Leo and moved back to Britain with him. They own one of the largest Modeling Agency worldwide and is expecting their second child.

Evans on the other hand runs Dad's hotel businesses that are elongated worldwide. He and Maggie dated when he was a freshman at the university while she was on her final year in high school. They splited due to lack of communication from their long distance relationship, and Evan who was always cheating. Leaving my friend in a crying mess. He never ceases to squeeze me into a tight Teddy bear hug whenever we cross paths or he visits. Evans stills plays base ball and is still good at car racing.

He's grown more bulkier in size and is currently one of the most richest and sought after young bachelor. But there's one thing he's afraid of; commitment.

Sarah birthed twins; two boys. Finn and Archie. Finn took after his Dad, Clinton Gabe's hard facial features, while Archie inherited his mother's softer features. Sarah is in her final year in the university, studying Financial Economics, since she stayed at home for two years to nurse both babies. She's currently engaged to Clinton Gabe, the father of her children. I'm glad he stuck around for her and the babies. It was comical to see the highest school jock, Clinton Gabe soften into a teddy bear at Finn and Archie's arrival. He even shedded tears.

Sam who both him and his boyfriend are lawyers with different education, runs his own law firm with great assistance from Dad, when he passed out of college last year. John McCormick also taught him how to punch, to fight, to defend himself from bullies. He taught him what he learnt in his Security training school. And Sam gained weight and proudly announces he's gay.

He's grown so much, into a tall attractive man with a great physique. Girls always make advances at him, but he never ceases to be sarcastic and gently shoves them off.

He remains loyal to the bone, to his mixed-race boyfriend, Diáz. He sings too. His childlike voice has grown into a deep masculine voice. He once belonged to a band, but quitted on his freshman year at the university. Although, Sam still pesters me, he never ceases to barge into my office unannounced, and pulls me out of my seat to go outing with him, or sometimes him and Diáz.

And Max, I haven't heard a single thing about him. He was a painful memory, part of my journey in life and not my destination. The Mckenzie siblings made sure not to mention him whenever I was with them. They had informations about him, but thankfully, they chose not to spill. It was sometime last year that Ver phoned me and told me she saw someone that bore a strikingly resemblance to him in Bahamas. That she was certain it was him. She ended up apologizing for bringing him up because I chose to stay mute, and my exhaling of breath was the only thing that could be heard over the phone.

Dad and Doris, well I'd say things didn't turn out that bad for them since they finally got what they wanted; Me and Max far away from ourselves and completely damaged on the inside - I have no idea about Max, but I know about me.

* * *

My phone buzzes with a text message from Molly, ordering me to come meet she and the family for the Halloween festival at the Park, attached with a warning that I must put on a costume.

I put my phone down, rise to my feet to stretch my already aching back. It's eight-thirty in the evening, and the humongous building is devoid of people with all the staffs gone few hours earlier to celebrate Halloween with their friends and families. Except me. I'm still working my ass off; sending emails to several departments concerning meetings and appointments, studying data sheets and inputting the right figures.

Folding the arms of my white sleeve shirt, I pull a pain killer from my drawer and dawn it with water from my water dispenser. Glad for the upteenth time that the scary pumpkin is gone.

After packing my stuffs, I drape my suit jacket on my right shoulder and walk out of my office. After exiting the lift, I hop into my black official Camry at the garage and start driving to the park when the security guards on duty shut the gates.

The parking lot at the park, is jammed with several cars and I spend more than thirteen minutes trying to find an empty spot to park my car untill I find one.

It looks like the crowd at the park consists half of the city's population with everyone putting on a Halloween costume. There is music with excitement lifted in the air tonight.

Not a fan of crowd, I hop out of my car and slam my door shut. Awkwardly walking and merging into the crowd with my phone slammed against my ear, dialing Molly's line, and I accidentally I collide into a kid.

I immediately catch hold of the child before he falls to the ground.

"Are you okay?" I ask him with concern. He's currently clinging unto my waist with both hands trembling out of fright.

He shouldn't be more than four and is dressed in a Batman costume.

"I'm so sorry, Miss." He takes his masks of while apologising. He looks like he has been crying.

I release him and level my height to his.

He has charming green eyes. He looks so familiar, and his eyes reminds me of someone. But he has black hair.

"Are you lost?" I ask him, placing my hand on his shoulder. And he nods, wiping the tears off with the back of his hand.

"Mommy was taking too long to return with the kwandies and chokwolate, Daddy was talking with some friend. So I went in search off her all by myself, but I kwan't find her and now I'm all lost." He replies is obvious agony, and casts his head down in sadness and self pity.

My heart melts at this, urging me greatly to help this kid.

I take hold of his small delicate hand into mine, and say. "Let's go look for your parents kiddo."

Molly can wait.

And the kid looks at me thoughtfully before nodding in agreement.

Together, hand in hand, we start looking for his parents, with me stopping couples and asking them if the kid belongs to them. But no one has any idea who he is. Meanwhile the kid has stopped shedding tears and is currently having a discussion with me.

"You're weally very beautiful." He compliments, looking up at me with interest. It seems he just developed a childlike crush on me.

"Thanks, kiddo." I smile genuinely then offer to buy him some candies from some vendor, when I see him watching little girl who walks by with some teenagers eating candy, but he declines.

"Don't you worry, I'd get you to your parents." He nods, believing my every word, then agrees to that I buy him a candy.

"Dad's a lawman. Stopped playing football when he entered an accident and got a factualed knee." He informs in between chewing.

"Fractured knee." I correct, beaming down at his little face.

"Mommy's the most beautiful girl in the world, Dad tells her all the time."

"I don't know why he kisswis her on the mouth all the time, but kisswis me on my faw-head." He halt and taps on his forehead, looking disappointed. I bubble with laughter. The poor kid has no idea his parents won't quit kissing in front oh him, and his Dad won't give him a kiss on his mouth. Ever.

I marvel at how in the world can this be explained to a four years old kid.

People start recognizing me, even the paps are taking photos of me with the kid, because I'm well known as one of the richest young woman here, and I need to hide or disguise myself because I haven't even met Molly who has been buzzing my phone with calls.

"Cameron!" A man bellows and his voice get lost in the music.

"Oh my God, where is he?" A woman cries whirling to look around her in the crowd. "Regardless of being next to him, you were supposed to watch after him!" She yells at the man, wailing, attracting stares from the people close by.

"Christ, he was right here." The man explains to a cop, jerking his fingers through his hair in a frustrated aggressive manner. And when I turn to take proper view of him and the crying woman, discerning greatly it's the kid parents, the familiar electrifying emotions twirl on my insides, putting to halt the oxygens in my lungs, causing my physical frame to freeze when I see him.

It's him.

It's truly Max and not a figment of my imaginations. He has a worried expression on his face, but I don't fail to take in his facial features. His nose still looks rough, his lips are still perfect, and he has a tiny moustache. Sharp jawline. Even his hair looks different, a darker dirty blonde that is short with a swoosh in the front. He is putting on Marshall's uniform with black military boots.

I can't breath because my heart is swelling up with several emotions I haven't felt in a long while and that was seven years ago.

"Daddy!" The kid I'm holding hollers on seeing Max, and I let go off the him and hide behind a teenage boy putting on Shrek's costume, before Max can snap his head at our direction.

The kid runs untill he collides into a running forth Max, and Max pulls him into a hug, kissing him so hard on his head. 

And the girl with him, a black haired fresh faced beauty, who is heavy with child, wraps the kid in a bone crushing hug.

My mouth parts in shock when my brain finally actualizes the fact that, the kid, the boy I was trying to help get to his parents, is Max's son. No wonder the kid reminded me of Max when I first saw him.

Max has a son, a wife. And his expecting his second child.

It's them the kid was telling me about.

I hide even more when the kid tells his parents something, and the three off them turn, searching for me with their eyes. Probably to thank me because I'm sure the smart kid told them about me.

But it'd best if let my presence unknown. Letting him see me will change nothing. He mentioned in his letter that if he sees me, he'd always wish me well.

After seven years, seven years of longing, seven years of hell, seven years of remembering, I've finally clasp my eyes on him again.

And he looks happy, the light in his eyes as he looks at his wife and son is so obvious that he's happy. He's find happiness, peace.

I can go meet him, introduce myself to his wife, ask him how he is faring, and tell him it's coincidental that I found his son. But it will only make things awkward. I don't want to interfere in his new life.

So it's best staying away because I'm sure he's seen my photos and videos on the newsline, possibly on news papers, or on social media. And chose to stay away and cut off all ties with me for his own reasons.

He's grown so much, into a man. Looking way better than he did when I knew him.

Doubling my steps as I walk away from Max and his family, I smile, holding back the tears, with a new feeling of hope building inside of me because I know I am going to find happiness too.

I smile because I didn't loose Max, no.

I never had him.

Him and I were like a book with the last of it's pages being thrown into the fire, and finally finishes at turning and settling into flames.

I see Molly dressed in Red Riding Hood costume, Hunter dressed like 'Aquaman' with a faded orange wig, and James who's putting on 'Black Panther's costume, walking towards me. Eight years old Dylan who is dressed in 'Iron Man's costume is running ahead of them, his arms spread out wide as he doubles his pace towards me.

     The End.