Song: Frank Ocean - Pink + White
Featuring
Brandon Marshall
Cierra: https://images.app.goo.gl/XBWGfavFoAw4usAb8
Jaden: 6 years old: https://images.app.goo.gl/BSfvkaw7RiWYrCno6
College age: https://images.app.goo.gl/NVwmnS4s3vNjjx4x6
Brandon sat at the restaurant table, fidgeting with his hands and looking out of the window. He couldn’t help how nervous he felt. When he would finally see Cierra and Jaden round the corner, he didn’t know if he could withstand the pressure. It took so long to even get in contact with her because she had changed her phone number and blocked him on social media. He knew that he wanted her and Jaden in his life again and that without them contributed to the emptiness and guilt he felt when he was happy and should be focused on his career. He would try to place the situation in the back of his brain, but every time he would, something would remind him of them and he would go back to ruminating over what their life would be like, mainly with Cierra at first. If he was out walking his dog, he would see a family of three, at a bar with his friends, he would hear them say something that would remind him of Cierra. It was time to face it and that’s exactly what he did.
The next best option was to try getting in touch with her dad, which worked after a few weeks. That led to Cierra calling him one Saturday evening. He remembered how annoyed she sounded while first talking to him and how he didn’t care. He lowkey missed hearing her voice. He always tried not to think about her but now he was facing everything. He told her that he wanted to start visiting Jaden again and how he isn’t going to flake out this time. It took a lot of convincing but he ended up getting through to her. Now here he was. At the restaurant. Waiting to see Jaden again after years.
From the corner of his eye, he saw two figures walking past the window. When he looked he saw that it was them. As soon as he saw them come into the restaurant, he stood up quickly and turned around facing the door. Cierra looked through the window at Brandon, still feeling a little apprehensive.
“Hi.” Cierra said while stretching her arm for a side hug.
“Hi. it’s nice to see you.” His nerves were jumbled so his smile formed awkwardly on his face. She nodded her head and looked down at Jaden and nudged his arm
“Jaden, this is your dad, Brandon.”
“Hi.” Jaden said with a blank face. There he was, his son that he hadn’t seen in years. He was so small the last time he saw him and now he was six years old.
“Well let’s sit down and order our food.” Cierra stated while walking to the other side of the table. Brandon noticed Jaden picking up the menu and looking through it.
“What are you going to order?” He asked.
“Umm, probably chicken strips.” he said while looking down.
Some time later, while eating and talking, Brandon noticed how Jaden started opening up more and showing more of his personality, which was a little sarcastic. He was definitely more like his mom, but he also noticed how he also had mannerisms that were similar to his, which was cool to see.
Their plates were now empty and the conversations dwindled.“Well, I think it’s time for us to get going.” Cierra said.
“Oh, right.” He looked down as a way to hide his emotions. As they began getting up from the table, Brandon pulled her aside.
“I enjoyed this. It was really nice.”
Cierra nodded her head with a small smile on her face. Brandon turned back to Jaden, who was standing by the table waiting for his mom.
“See you later, little guy.” Brandon said while holding out his fist to him.
He looked at it for sometime until he finally decided to fist bump him.
Brandon would think about this moment throughout his life, but it was even more bittersweet when years later, Jaden told them that he was going off to music school and pursuing the dream he always talked about and practiced. He was all grown up and it was crazy to think that there was once a chance when he wasn’t going to be there to see this moment - or a time when he didn’t want to be in his life. “I’m glad you’re following your dreams.” That was what he told him when he was getting ready to leave at the airport. He patted him on the shoulder and hugged him. He was trying not to let the tears in his eyes overwhelm him. “Guys, I’m not trying to cry right now.” Jaden said. As they watched him board the airplane, for a split second he saw how the past truly was different from the future.