Jayvaughn drove silently through the long road that cut across his family's estate, the wide iron gates already closing behind them. The car hummed steadily forward, trees lining either side as though guiding them to their destination. For about five minutes, the drive stretched on, calm and yet heavy with an invisible tension. Axel, sitting in the passenger seat, gazed out of the window, his face bright with quiet anticipation. Jayvaughn, however, stole glances at him every now and then, worry etched into his expression.
At last, the car rolled to a stop before a sprawling mansion that looked even larger than Axel remembered. Before getting out, Jayvaughn turned toward Axel once again.
"Babe," he asked softly, "are you sure you're totally okay with this?"
