Four years old with my back to the door
All I could hear was the family war
Your selfish hands always expecting more
Am I your child, or just a charity ward?
You have a hollowed-out heart
But it's heavy in your chest
I try so hard to fight it
But it's hopeless, hopeless
You're hopeless!
Adrian looked down with hatred at the little baby sitting in Regina's arms. A girl. A mistake. Her name was Alexandria. What would he tell his father when they had been so sure it would be a boy? The baby opened her innocent eyes, taking in the world for the first time. His eyes met hers and he scowled. The baby never broke contact with him, never crying, just staring.
Regina looked at the little girl cooing in her arms. She too had wanted a boy. Regina pushed her blond hair back. The baby looked like neither of them! How embarrassing! She tried to deny the small feeling of love going toward Alexandria, but she knew it was there to stay.
Why had she done this? She was only sixteen. "Wasting your life away!" her grandmother, Marie, had scolded her.
She looked at Adrian, whose sharp gaze sharpened when he looked at her. "What have we done?" he asked her as he put his arm on her shoulder.
Marie looked at the sleeping child in her arms. Members of the Priory looked on fondly as the baby gurgled in the sleep.
"Did you see her eyes when she was awake?" Marie asked in a hushed tone. "Most expressive. We must keep watch on this one, as well."
Two-year-old Alexandria giggled as she walked. "Daddy! Upppeee!"
"No!" he growled. His dark eyes seemed to bore into her. He slapped her across the face, she stumbled back, crying. He showed no mercy, but seemed to become more powerful in her pain. Adrian looked around; no one was in the house except for those two.
As Alexandria quivered as Adrian hit her again, hurting her… Alexandria crying more. His eyes were malicious. He could finish this right now…
He advanced, and pounced. His hands grasped her tiny throat. She screamed, and Adrian felt a roaring pain all of the sudden. He let go, feeling as they had been burned! Had they? They stung more and more by the minute. His flesh felt like it was on fire.
Alexandria cried and screamed louder.
Little baby Alexandria cried until she heard a soft voice, a man's voice. "Shh…shh…child, it'll be alright." The voice had not said anything else.
Adrian's breath smelt like alcohol and smoke…
Later that night, when Alexandria was supposed to be asleep, she heard loud arguing going on. Things crashed, voices were raised, and doors were slammed. Alexandria heard the sound of bottles clinking and the bottle opener and slurred voices.
Oh, father
Please, father
I'd love to leave you alone
But I can't let you go
Oh, father
Please, father
Put the bottle down
For the love of a daughter
Regina ignored Alexandria's questions. Where were they going? What were they doing? Why was Daddy so happy?
Regina looked at Alexandria in the rearview mirror. Her mistake. Their mistake. It would be all over soon.
And innocent Alex looked out the window, her hair pulled back in a ponytail and wearing her favorite clothes, a blue shirt with a rose on it with matching pants. Her dark eyes explored the new sights. Regina parked in the Louvre parking lot and she, Adrian, and Alexandria had walked out.
Alexandria, almost three, was excited and held out her hands for her parents to take them. But they never did.
The family walked inside. Regina was silent as Alexandria rushed up to a painting. The Mona Lisa. Ironic, considering her family tree.
Silently, as she gazed up at the masterpiece, Adrian groped for Regina's hand and they both slipped into the crowd.
By the time Alexandria looked back, they were already gone.
It's been five years since we've spoken last
And you can't take back what we never had
Oh, I can be manipulated only so many times
Before even "I love you"
Starts to sound like a lie
You have a hollowed-out heart
But it's heavy in your chest
I try so hard to fight it
But it's hopeless, hopeless
You're hopeless
Oh, father
Please, father
I'd love to leave you alone
But I can't let you go
Oh, father
Please, father
Put the bottle down
For the love of a daughter
"Maman! Papa!" Alexandria cried in French as she scanned the gallery. Before long, police officers were there, asking questions about them. But Adrian and Regina were nowhere to be found. The house had been deserted, the bank account had been emptied. There were no signs that they ever existed.
Reluctantly, the police drove her to the orphanage. Alexandria was let into a small, dark grey room with just a bed and side table.
For years to come, she was convinced that her parents would come back.
Twelve years later, Adrian had thought Alexandria would be out of his life. But he had been so wrong, so wrong. As he gripped around the ribcage, he kicked her and punched her in the stomach.
"Daddy's here," he sneered.
Don't you remember I'm your baby girl?
How could you push me out of your world?
Lied to your flesh and your blood
Put your hands on the ones that you swore you love
Don't you remember I'm your baby girl?
How could you throw me right out of your world?
So young when the pain had begun
Now forever afraid of being alone
No, this can't be happening.
Every blow brought back even more painful memories. She struggled, gasping for breath, and hoping for an escape. But he held tight, holding her body so easily, as if it was a small doll.
"You could be help," he growled. Fear coursed through Alexandria's body, emotion welled up in her.
What had she done
to deserve this?
He pushed the gun into the skin, whispering haunting taunts, causing Alexandria to try to scream, only to be silenced by threats. Alexandria could not believe the feelings going through her. Fear, anxiety, anger…was she going to even live to see the next day?
Adrian pounced at Sophie, knowing this time he would kill her and Robert. Alexandria had been shoved away, her head hitting the concrete and splitting her lip open. The gun had fallen from Adrian's hands and was inches from her head.
She picked it up, the powder on the gun seeping into the cut on her hand and stinging. The weapon felt awkward in her hands. Alexandria saw her opportunity. Adrian's back was toward her, looming over Langdon and his wife.
A mistake.
Mistake…
When Alexandria opened her eyes, they were filled with anger and flashed dangerously. Her shaking hands pulled the trigger...
Oh, father
Please, father
I'd love to leave you alone
But I can't let you go
Oh, father
Please, father
Oh, father
Please, father
Put the bottle down
For the love of a daughter
For the love of a daughter
Alex woke up, gasping, heart beating fast. Her mind reeled back to the awful flashback she had. It took a couple of minutes to realize where she was. She was in America. Her new home. Robert and Sophie had become her legal adopted parents. She glanced at her bedside table. There laid a couple pictures of her and her parents…how she loved thinking of Robert and Sophie as her parents!
As she held one of the photos close, Alex couldn't forget the nightmare she had. All those memories…the past was hard to grasp, even now.
She stood up from the bed, and opened the door that led to the balcony from her room. The sweet-smelling scent of summer enveloped her as soon as she stepped out. A light and warm breeze floated as she looked out. Alexandria leaned on the railing, thinking about her life.
What time was it? Alexandria guessed about, four, or maybe five in the morning. She was still tired, but too shaken to fall back asleep.
Alex stood there, in her pajamas, for quite a long time, enjoying the quiet and serenity. All of the sudden, she heard a small noise and whirled around. Robert and Sophie stood in the doorway.
"Alexandria, what are you doing?" Robert asked as he and Sophie went over to stand by their new daughter.
"I couldn't sleep." She pulled out a chair for all of them and told about her nightmares. Sophie felt her heart go out to her.
"It'll be alright, mon cher." Sophie said, taking Alexandria's hand. Robert nodded. They sat out for a while, just looking at the stars.
Robert began to talk about symbology of the stars and some of the stories behind constellations. For a while, Alexandria listened, but then she felt herself slowly giving in to her tiredness. Sophie felt Alex's hand slip from her grasp. Her eyes were closed.
"Robert," she whispered. "Robert, she fell asleep." Robert chuckled as he looked at her. He placed one hand under Alex's neck, and the other under her legs and lifted her up. Sophie opened the door, and he gently deposited Alexandria on her bed.
Sophie brought the covers over her form and smoothed Alex's dark hair. She had to smile, for she was so happy.
"What would you do for love of a daughter?" Sophie asked her husband as she took his hand.
Robert frowned while he thought of an answer. He kissed Sophie when he thought of one. "Anything,"
So...yes...very short but I needed to write! Thanks for reading!