Uncle Funded My Education Journey

Milan Parker took a drag from his cigarette, effortlessly exhaling a series of smoke rings that Aylin Scott found unexpectedly captivating. Taking a breath herself, she inhaled a trace of the smoke. Her action caught Milan's attention, and he softly asked, "Aylin?"

Though he was only her uncle by marriage, Milan often felt a genuine warmth toward Aylin—an affection that came from deep within, not something superficial. However, he was a man of few words, and he worried that expressing his feelings might intimidate her.

Aylin was caught off guard for a moment. She looked at her uncle and gave a gentle smile, responding, "Yes, Uncle?"

Milan responded with a bright smile, "You did well on your exams!" But his attempt at appearing relaxed came off a bit awkward.

"I... I passed?!" Aylin exclaimed with sensitivity, leaping out of the shadow of smoke with her words.

Milan made a secretive gesture, leaning in closer to whisper, "Keep it down; they want to surprise you!"

At that moment, Salem Gibson burst in from the other room, wrapping an arm around Milan's neck. "Dad! That's not fair! We agreed to surprise Aylin, and you've already let it slip. Mom, look at Dad! He's unbelievable!"

Julissa Gibson chuckled as she walked in. "You knew your dad couldn't keep a secret, yet you still told him!"

"Fine, I blew it! But let me tell the rest. Uncle, Granny, Aylin really made us proud this time. She ranked third in the entire city!" Salem announced, sharing the news with enthusiasm.

Aylin's long anticipation was finally fulfilled. She felt as if she had transformed from being invisible to becoming the center of attention—an experience she rarely encountered. She nearly forgot the coldness that surrounded her as her life suddenly seemed vibrant. However, she noticed her grandmother Kayleigh Gardner's tense expression, and her heart sank. Although she couldn’t predict her grandmother’s reaction, she knew it was inevitable.

Kayleigh, who had endured hunger and hardship during the 1960s to raise her children, never concealed her emotions. Among her children, she felt that she had made significant sacrifices. "Don't get too excited yet!" Her sudden outburst caught everyone off guard, disrupting the genuine joy in the room.

"Raiden Gardner, listen to me. If you have the means, pay for your daughter’s schooling—high school, college, even abroad. But if you can't afford it, don’t pretend otherwise. If you're out of funds, let your dear daughter work on the farm! I won’t spare a cent of my savings," Kayleigh declared. Though aware of her limited savings and the fact that Aylin's education was not her responsibility, what truly mattered to Kayleigh was keeping Aylin's mother out of the picture.

Raiden looked at his furious mother in shock, "Mom, what are you saying?!"

"Don't call me Mom! You ungrateful child! Your sister and brother-in-law stepped up to raise that unfortunate girl, and you wouldn’t let them! Now you want her to go to college? Do you have the funds? Where’s her mother? What about your responsibility?" Grandma Kayleigh stormed over, pinching Raiden’s leg. "It's on you! You brought that woman into the family, leaving such a burden. You deal with it!"

As bitterness welled up, Aylin's tears began to fall uncontrollably.

Julissa quickly comforted her, wiping away her tears. Her heart ached for Aylin. But knowing her mother's unyielding nature, Julissa knew she couldn’t argue right or wrong, so she tried to diffuse the tension with lightheartedness. "Mom, come on! We should be celebrating her success, not getting upset."

Kayleigh shrugged off her daughter's hand. "Stay out of this! Don’t waste your kindness on those who don’t appreciate it! Milan, Julissa, mark my words—if Aylin wants to continue her education, neither of you should help. Salem is about to start college; we need to prioritize that!"

"Mom, Julissa and I already discussed this—we'll handle the expenses," Milan said calmly.

"No, that’s not happening," Kayleigh retorted, her tone softening slightly. "I know you mean well, Milan, but it's a significant financial commitment. It wouldn’t be fair to burden your family."

Milan maintained his calm demeanor, “We’ve already planned for this.”

"I said stop!" Grandma Kayleigh banged the table for emphasis.

"If you’re not going to help, that doesn’t mean we can’t," Milan, usually a straightforward man, stood his ground. "Mom, I may be an outsider, but I’ve watched Aylin grow. This achievement is hers, and as her grandmother, you should be proud! Why would you deny her this opportunity? She’s your granddaughter, part of the family's future..."

"Are you suggesting I don’t care for her?" Grandma Kayleigh’s face flushed with anger.

"You know your feelings better than anyone, and I won’t say more!" Milan’s words were sharp, and everyone knew it, though no one intervened. This only fueled Kayleigh's frustration.

“Milan Parker, listen here! You once scraped and saved for Julissa to go to college, but now that life is better, you expect me, an old widow, to fund her education? That’s not my duty! And who are you to lecture me?”

Typically reserved, Milan was now resolute. “I’ll cover Aylin’s education and living expenses, no matter what. Raiden, she may be your daughter, but I don’t care about anyone’s pride in this family. I only care about Aylin's future! You all don’t owe me anything!”

With that, Milan Parker walked out, leaving behind a room full of stunned silence.

Aylin’s college days unfolded quietly, a peaceful and orderly experience in a place where no one knew or cared about her past. Just as she had hoped, she found happiness and calmness. Happiness, she discovered, could be simple, like chatting about nothing with her roommates. Before, she wouldn’t have believed she could share so much with girls her age or feel a sense of belonging. She wondered if she should have stayed in the dorms during high school instead of living with her aunt.

After their orientation concluded, the empty bed in their dorm finally got an occupant. A girl named Julissa Lawson moved in. Not conventionally pretty, she had a pale complexion and carried herself with stylish flair and a cool demeanor that drew attention.

Julissa settled into the last available top bunk, descending using the communal desk by the window. Her painted black nails added to her rebellious vibe. In front of five pairs of curious eyes, she ripped open a packet of instant mac and cheese, casually mixing the cheese powder without any introduction.

Cindy Larson fetched a thermos from the entrance, offering it with a friendly smile, "Here you go."

Julissa took the thermos, her long fingers testing the cap, muttering, “This is what you call hot water?” She set the thermos on the table and tossed the instant mac and cheese into the trash before striding out in her sneakers.

The five girls exchanged puzzled looks.

Cindy glared at the discarded food, frustration rising. "Seriously, who does she think she is? Not even a thanks, and she acts like she owns the place. I just want to...!"

Aylin gave Cindy a calming smile, "Let it go, Cindy, just let it go."

Eva sighed, "With her around, we should watch ourselves."

Faye glanced at Eva, "Watch ourselves? She hasn't done anything. Let's just go about our business."

Annie mused, "How’d she skip orientation? We all had to sit through introductions while that organizer droned on. Someone important must be helping her."

The girls watched Annie with admiration, nodding at her insight. Surely, Julissa was related to someone influential or was the daughter of a wealthy tycoon.

Faye nudged Annie playfully, “Don’t talk about my dad like that!”

“Oh really, since when did he become yours?” Cindy teased.

Aylin stayed silent, pondering Annie’s words. She thought of her good friend Milena Gibson, who came from a wealthy family yet was grounded and kind. She believed most affluent kids were well-mannered. But she didn’t argue with Annie, knowing Annie liked to assert herself and outshine others. Aylin preferred to keep the peace.

That night, the dorm was unusually quiet. It wasn’t about fearing Julissa but more that the atmosphere felt different, lacking the usual vibrancy.

The following day, on their first day of classes, the students were early and eager, yet the professor hadn’t arrived.

A petite girl, whom Cindy dubbed “London Sprout,” whispered to her neighbor, “Hey, did you hear? Our Literature Intro professor had a personal emergency. They've gone to Switzerland to recover. Professor Dermot Bell is stepping in.”

“Really? Is he famous?”

“Don’t say that! Professor Bell is legendary. Imagine, still charming at his age! I heard his wife is barely past thirty.”

“You’re kidding!”

Aylin deliberately listened in, her heart skipping a beat. She’d heard of Dermot Bell, a seasoned professor with national acclaim, often publishing in prestigious journals. He typically taught graduate students. If the rumors were true, they were incredibly fortunate to have him.

Shortly after, a distinguished-looking elderly man in his seventies entered, sporting frameless glasses and gray-white hair. He looked lively. The rumors about his much younger wife seemed to fit the mold of the older-man-younger-woman stereotype. Was this what they called “a golden couple”?

“If you're well, it's a sunny day.” These were both Raiden Palmer’s wishes and her new husband Dustin Scott’s promise. But what Aylin most wanted to know was whether her late love, Eren Murray, also shared this sentiment from the afterlife. From now on, her name, her soul, her body, her entire future belonged to the man before her. Did Eren, in some distant realm, comprehend all this? If he knew, was he shedding tears of sorrow or tears of joy?

A sharp pang hit Aylin, followed by uncontrollable tears.

Dustin cupped her face, kissing away her tears, “Trust me, I’ll make sure you’re happy.”

Aylin opened her eyes, damp lashes blinking up at him, “Dustin, if I’m not a good wife at first, please bear with me. I’ve married you, and I’m determined to love and protect you and our home.”

Dustin hugged her tightly, saying nothing. He understood his wife more each day. He also knew what she meant by “not a good wife at first.” Deep down, he was troubled by the fact that she still held a place in her heart for a man no longer living. Yet, despite his jealousy, his love for her remained unshaken. Love had a mysterious way of existing, regardless of the circumstances.

Suddenly, Aylin pulled away from his embrace, “Dustin, these days I’ve noticed something odd about my dad and uncle. My aunt and uncle keep saying they’ll visit but never do. Something’s being kept from me.”

Aylin didn’t need to say more; Dustin also noticed the change. Over the past few days, Raiden Gardner and Milan Parker, apart from their forced cheerful demeanor around his parents, were mostly silent. At first, he attributed it to unfamiliarity and them trying to restrain their joy to avoid seeming too exuberant. However, he eventually began to doubt whether they were truly happy. When he first met them in New York, they were very different.

“Maybe we should call them now? We’re finished with our wedding, and they might be more open.”

Aylin nodded, pulling out her phone to dial Raiden’s number. As the call connected, she was surprised by the noise in his background, “Dad, where are you and Uncle?”

Before Raiden could answer, she heard the announcement for boarding, “Attention passengers, the train to Los Angeles is now boarding at Gate D.”

“Dad, when did you buy tickets? Why didn’t you tell me?” Aylin switched the phone to her other hand, glancing at the clock by the bed—it was already 9 PM. She knew the train departed at 9:34, and it was too late for her to make it, “Dad, I’ve gotten married without a hitch, you can tell me now if something’s wrong at home, can’t you?”

Raiden didn’t respond, merely standing by the boarding area, phone in hand, and quietly sobbing.

Milan Parker stood beside him, speaking into the phone, “Aylin? It’s time we told you the truth. On the morning of January 5th, your grandmother had a severe stroke and was hospitalized. Her left arm and leg lost all sensation, and her mind is clouded. We didn’t want to tell you with your wedding around the corner—it was her wish too… She’s not doing well, Aylin. The hospital issued a critical notice. Your father and I can’t wait until tomorrow.”

Tears streamed down Aylin's face like a broken string of pearls. Her heart sank into a confusion of emotions: shock, sorrow, fear, guilt…

“Aylin?” Dustin asked gently, concerned by her expression. “What happened?”

Aylin turned off the phone, looking up, “Dustin, I need to go home. My grandmother is critical.”

Dustin lovingly stroked her hair, “Okay, let’s go.”