“There we go,” he said as the two of them were bathed in a soft orange glow.
“Aiden Joseph Harper, tell me you haven’t been smoking again.”
The tiny flame couldn’t hide his sheepish smile.
“Well, not cigarettes at least.”
“Aiden!”
“I’m joking, Mom! Joking! Relax. I carry it to be prepared. You know, from Boy Scouts.”
Even in the dim light, Aiden could still see Evelyn’s motherly glare soften.
“Thin ice, Mister,” she said. “Help me get the candles.”
Working together, it wasn’t long until the dark space was illuminated in the soft pulsing light from a dozen tiny wicks throughout the room, accompanied by a small, but brightly burning fire in the fireplace.
Aiden stood at the window watching the rain continue to riddle the panes, hearing the heavy gusts of wind roar outside.
“One hell of a storm,” he said.
“Truly an understatement.” Evelyn was back at the bar pouring another glass. “Though I’d hate to be caught outside in a time like this, I do love being warm and sheltered while a storm rages outside.”
“Same.”
Evelyn approached, carrying both glasses and handing one to her son.
“Do you remember when you were in, what was it, fifth grade? When you, me, and your father were stuck in that dreadful storm on New Year’s Eve that knocked out the power all night.”
Aiden smiled.
“I do! You and Dad had said I could stay up until midnight with you and watch the ball drop in New York. I was devastated when we lost the TV. That was supposed to be my first countdown.”
“That’s right. You were so sad, I could hardly bare it,” Evelyn laughed.
“And then Dad-“
“-He ran around the house and changed any analog clock he could find to midnight-“
“-Yes! And he found that beach ball and filled it, then tied that string around it and lowered it from the ceiling fan.”
“And he was trying to do that horrid impression of Regis Philbin.”
“That’s who that was?” Aiden exclaimed, laughing.
“Impersonations were never a talent of his,” she chuckled.
“No one told him that.”
“Trust me, I did.”
Their laughter diminished as they watched the rain.
Aiden looked over at his mother while she stared into the darkness outside. Her eyes shimmered on the brink of tears.
“I miss him, Mom.”
She pressed her lips together, then squeezed her eyes shut.
“I know,” she said. “Me too.”
Aiden wrapped an arm around her, holding her close as they both stared off into the world. Evelyn leaned her head against his shoulder, then let the weight of her body press into him.
For what could have been seconds or minutes, neither parent nor child noted nor cared as time ticked by. Both stood before the storm outside and found comfort in each other.
Eventually, Evelyn looked up to her son.
“Thank you,” she whispered to him.
He looked into her eyes, seeing how they sparkled and danced in the candlelight.
“For what?” he asked.
“For being here.”
“Mom, I already said I-“
“My love, I know that. I never asked you to, but I needed you to. He was my world and my everything and when he was gone, you were there. I don’t know what I would have done without you.”
She wasn’t asking for him to respond, she just needed to say the words, and Aiden understood. He kissed her cheek.
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