(BL)Alpha Made-Chapter 535: A letter beyond the grave

Ford looked anxious in a way that Andrew had kind of noticed earlier, but he had just chalked it up to him walking him down the aisle and being responsible for the flowers for the day. However, it was clear to him now that it was because of this moment. Andrew stared at Ford, his jaw loose.

"Now that May and I have said our peace as Andrew’s pseudo parents, it’s time to hear a word from Andrew’s real parent." Andrew’s smile dropped from his face slowly, shock washing over his face.

What? He had never heard of this. His Mom hadn’t even left Andrew so much as a letter when she had passed. She had made him promise a lot of things, and had left a will, but letters? Andrew was once again shocked by his Mom’s thorough planning. Plotting, more like it.

Ford cleared his throat, looking around nervously. He glanced at Andrew and Maxwell a few times but never long enough to truly catch Andrew’s gaze.

"I’ve been tasked with a very important mission. One that was given to me years ago and that I worried I would never be able to fulfil. Andy has, however, found a wonderful partner with whom he wants to spend the rest of his life with so I am able to complete my mission." Ford said, his eyes blurry with tears already. Andrew could barely keep his composer. He glanced at Maxwell, trying to see if he had anticipated this moment.

When Maxwell met his gaze, it was soft, warm, and had a sheen on his blue eyes. He had known, and kept it from Andrew. Andrew reached for his hand under the table with both hands, needing support for what was to come.

Ford pulled out an envelope from his inside jacket pocket, next to his heart. It looked stained and crumpled, clearly something aged with time. Andrew didn’t need to be a genius to know who it was from, and several people around them shifted in their seats, their eyes already damp. Andrew could tell that his Mom’s distinctive way of using a floral stamp in wax to seal the envelope had been used.

Ford cleared his throat a few times as he carefully opened the envelope. Thank goodness May was next to him to help. She had to turn the mic away so that the others couldn’t hear him struggling. That seemed to help him focus on opening it properly.

When he had finally opened the letter, his eyes watered immediately and he let out a shaky breath.

"I haven’t seen this letter until this moment, so forgive me if I am unpractised in saying these words. Just know that each one is meant with love, Andy." Ford’s gaze did slide to Andrew’s and he held it for a moment. Both men were already crying. Ford, however, was smiling through his tears. "Dearest Andrew. My pride and joy, I am so sorry that I will not be able to attend your wedding. I just know that you are going to choose the most perfect person to stay by your side and I won’t lie and say that I am not upset I can’t be there to watch you. Be there to hold your hand as you gush about them, see the sparkle in your eye as tell me all of the things that you love about them. Be there when you tell me you want to marry them, promise them forever. I won’t lie to you, or to myself that it does not hurt that I cannot be there to watch you live your life by your side. All I can promise is that I am there with you in spirit. I want you to know that." Ford had to take a break, his hands shaking as he turned the page. May’s hand was a steady force on her husband’s back, but even she was crying at this point.

Andrew was breathing heavily, his tears streaming down his face as he listened to her words through someone else. Maxwell was even dabbing at his eyes, unable to keep his cool. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

"My dearest son, I am so proud of the person you have become. No doubt by now, you know some good and bad truths about me but I hope you were able to use the gifts I left behind for you to start a better life for you and your loved ones. I hope that your proposal went without a hitch, that the butterflies and flowers were in full bloom for you and that your love is as sweet as sugar to you. I wish you nothing but the best moving forward. All I could ever want for a son as kind and thoughtful as you, my dear son, is someone who can cherish your heart.

"You were always such a giving person, Andrew, so much so that I wondered sometimes how someone like you could be born from someone as petty as me, but I realised that it was a promise. A promise from a higher power that we can be better than where we came from. How else would I have gotten a precious son like you to raise me up out of some of the darkest times of my life?" Andrew couldn’t even see Ford at this point. The tears were coming so hard and fast that there was no way he was a pretty groom for Maxwell right now.

"Andrew, take my life as an example, but don’t take any of the negative parts. You were a blessing I had never counted on having in my life, and if I could redo it all over again, I would do it all again just to have you in it. I wish you the best blessings I can think of. May your pillow always be cold, may your blankets never have holes in them, and may your hugs be just long enough. I love you, my son. To the moon and back."

Everyone needed a second to compose themselves, Andrew the worst off. He knew he was sobbing, but he couldn’t help it. He had not anticipated this moment. Couldn’t have. She hadn’t left letters before.

"There’s more." Ford rasped, his voice hoarse from his own tears. He let the others gather themselves before he began. "To the person who my son loves." Andrew felt Maxwell stiffen and Andrew wanted to laugh. Of course his Mom had done that. "I probably have never met you, but I want to thank you for being a part of my son’s life. Thank you for dealing with the stubborn, loveable oaf of a son I’ve created." A few startled laughs from that. "He’s strong willed, just like his Mom, so I do apologise for that. I will say, when it comes to fighting or arguing, there is no better way to resolve it then to hug it out. Do not go to bed angry. It might just mean that you might wake up hungry." Andrew let out a wet laugh.

"I would never." He protested and Ford let out a wet laugh.

"Andrew is probably saying that he wouldn’t let that happen, but I assure you, it has happened once. I never repeated it again." Maxwell laughed, squeezing Andrew’s hand tightly as even in the years that she had been gone, she proved how well she knew her son. "Dear lover of my son, please be kind to his big heart. It breaks easily, and I know that losing me took a big chunk of it. I just hope that you are able to love him as he is, differences and all. My sweet boy is loyal, alarmingly so. I wish you both the best in the next steps that you decide to take, and that you have many, many happy years together before I see either of you here. I may not know you, but anyone that my Andrew has chosen has to be a good one. Thank you for loving him enough to spend the rest of your life with him." Ford finished, folding up the letter as he breathed heavily. He put them back into the envelope before he turned.

Andrew was already getting to his feet, his legs shaky but needing to hug the man. They collided, both men holding onto each other as emotions filled them. Andrew had no idea that Ford had held onto that letter for this long, and it was clear that it took a lot out of each of them.

"Thank you. Thank you." It was all Andrew could get out and Ford just squeezed him, unable to even speak.

The crowd watched, but no one dared to interrupt the moment. Even May didn’t intervene, letting the two men hug it out. When Andrew could finally let the man go, Ford cupped Andrew’s cheek with one hand. HIs eyes filled with love, tears streaming down his face.

"It was so hard to keep that from you." He admitted. "So many times I wanted to give it to you. Especially when you came back into our lives. You’d earned a little bit of your Mom and I worried that I would never be able to fulfill this moment for you or your Mom." He admitted. Andrew shook his head.

"That’s a foolish fear. Thank you so much for keeping this and saving it. I...I won’t lie and say that there are times when I would have wanted it, but it wouldn’t have felt sincere." Andrew told him, sniffing and Ford gave him a smile.

May’s body slamming into them, followed shortly by Rose made the moment feel even more joyous.

"Look at my big cry baby brother, hmm?" Rose teased, her own make up messed up, her eyes puffy from how much she’d been crying. May wasn’t any better.

"Damn Dianna. Always doing stuff like this." May said, trying to sound like she was scolding the other woman, but it had no bite to it. "Another secret she shared with my husband." Ford laughed.

"Don’t get jealous of the dead, my sweet wife." Ford told her warmly and May chuckled.

Andrew continued hugging everyone for a few moments longer before the wedding planner had to put her foot down. They were on a time crunch, and she had budgeted in time for emotion, but they were getting a little off course.

It was time for Maxwell and Andrew to say their thank you speech, and Andrew was a damn mess.

May and Ford sat back down, Andrew staying standing as Maxwell made his way over to Andrew. He smiled at him, taking his hand in his own and squeezing it. Andrew gave him a tight smile, trying to control his emotions. Maxwell, as if able to sense this, didn’t poke Andrew too much.

He didn’t hug him, kiss him, nothing. Allowing the man a bit of space to attempt to control his emotions. Especially as they were supposed to thank everyone.

Andrew could barely remember what he’d said. He knew that he’d practiced with Maxwell what they were going to say, had felt Maxwell look at him to repeat the words they had practiced, but he wasn’t sure if he’d said it right.

It was a damn miracle that they were able to finish the dinner and the family could take a moment to compose themselves, change into their final outfits, and begin the night of fun.

Andrew fucking needed a shot to get his head back in the game. Just one, not anything crazy. After hearing what he’d heard, he just needed something...to shake it all off.

He was barely aware of being tugged to a room with the rest of the family, of Maxwell crawling into his lap and hugging him tightly to his chest until five minutes had passed. When he became aware, Maxwell had his face buried in his neck, inhaling, his arms tightly wrapped around his shoulders.

Andrew’s hands were resting on his hips. When he exhaled loudly, Maxwell glanced up, his blue eyes wet with emotion.

"Have you come back, Baby?" Maxwell asked. Andrew was still a bit dazed, but he nodded.

"I...think so." Andrew whispered and Maxwell squeezed him tightly.

"Do you want to join everyone? It’s okay to say no." Maxwell told him and Andrew found himself frowning.

"No. You never party. You were looking forward to this." Andrew protested. Maxwell stared at him.

"You are more important." He told him. Fuck.

Andrew was not about to let the happiness that his Mom had given him something, years after her death, ruin his damn wedding. He needed to pull himself together.

"Give me a few more minutes. I promise I’ll be okay." Andrew whispered. Maxwell didn’t question him, just nodded. They stayed wrapped in each other for another 10 minutes before Andrew finally felt like he could continue. He better get this party started. For everyone’s sake.