"DON'T GO!" the small blonde grabbed on to the end of the older man's pant leg.
He looked up, eyes watering. "Please papa....Don't leave me alone!" he pleaded, clutching the fabric into his small fist.
"Ah mon petite Matthew...how I wish to stay...." he whispered, leaning down to pick him up. Matthew hiccuped, rubbing his eyes. "You'll forget about me! Please...Please don't go!" he shook his head, squirming and kicking his legs. "I don't want papa to forget me!" he sobbed into cold small hands. Francis held Matthew, his eyes narrowing. He kissed his forehead, brushing his cheek against the smaller's. Matthew used to giggle at the feeling of Francis's stumble against his cheek, but right now his heart was breaking.
It was his greatest fear, to be forgotten. Francis rocked Matthew, humming a short lullaby. Matthew's tears began to dry on his cheeks. His eyes slid close and the grip on Francis' shirt loosened. Francis walked into the small nursery and set Matthew into the bed that he had bought only 3 weeks ago. The small boy buried his face into the large white teddy bear, his breathing slowed.
Francis shook his head and left the room. He grabbed his coat and wrapped his scarf around his neck. Once his hand grabbed the metal door knob, his heart seemed to skip a beat. His eyes clouded in regret as the door clicked open. Soon, he found himself yards away from the house.
"Je suis desole....Mon Matthew..." Francis whispered, gazing back at the window of the house. At that he left into the snowy evening, returning home.
Matthew woke up in the middle of the night. He looked up at the coo coo clock in his room, it read 12:39. He was sweating, his chest heaving forward. It was another bad dream, he got those barely and always ran to Francis who would've been sleeping on the couch.
Matthew bursted out of the door, running to the couch. "Papa!" he cried, rubbing his red eyes. "I had a bad dream!" Matthew plodded his way to the front of the couch. He saw the blanket Francis used all folded and on the side. Matthew paniced and looked around. "Papa!?" he screamed. Matthew ran into the guest room. Nothing.
The washroom.
Nothing.
The kitchen.
Nothing.
And finally.
His studies.
"Papa?" Matthew peeked his head inside.
Nothing.....
Matthew stopped, running into the living room once more. His eyes moved around the room, then a piece of paper caught his eye. He ran to the coffee table, getting up on his tip toes to make out the words.
Je
N'oublierai
Pas
Matthew furrowed his brows and took the note from the table. He looked at it and turned it to the back to see the words.
I won't forget
He looked around. It was just him now. Matthew clutched the piece of paper in his hands and began to cry. "I miss you, papa....I miss you!" he whispered, rubbing the note against his cheek. He missed the comfort of the other's arms around him. The way he kissed his forehead and spoke in French. The way he could see him when no one else could.
He was invisible without Francis. No one would know him....not now.
Matthew dragged the letter into his bed, holding it instead of his teddy bear.
And only a few years later....
"Matthew?" Francis stared at the young man in his front yard with a bear. Matthew looked up. "Papa!" he smiled, running over to him. Francis shook his ehad in disbelief.
Once they reached eachother. Matthew began to dig in his pocket.
He slipped a crunched up piece of paper into Francis's hands. "Look..." he smiled sweetly and tilted his head. Francis uncrumpled the piece of paper to see the note he had wrote.
"I told you." the french man grinned.