Frozen Bowties
Prologue
The summer evening was rainy. And cold. Very cold. Maybe a few degrees out of the ordinary but nothing serious. Or at least, noticeable. The wind howled and howled and it seemed to get colder and colder by the minute. The black hooded young woman ran with a little buddle in her hands. This was the only way. And she didn't trust orphanages. They were dirty and they never treated children very well. So, she wouldn't dare to leave her baby at a stranger's door. Her only option seemed harsh and cruel, leaving a baby inside a box in a cold alley. No one would ever understand her true emotions.
She was getting out of control. She couldn't conceal it much longer. Not after what she did to her sister.
Leaving her baby in here seemed to be the best idea. She had high hopes for him. Someone would find him and adopt him. She just knew. Motherly instinct. Her baby was destined to great things. So she won't stand in his way. She was poor. Really poor. Her parents had left her at her own luck. She didn't have anything to give him. So the only thing she can give him, was her distant love and her blessing.
He looked so delicate. So fragile. She wouldn't dare to make full physical contact. She would just freeze him up. But at the same time she wanted to touch him. To fully hug him.
"My baby boy…" she started. "I know you don't understand me. You are too young. But that is the best time to learn." The baby looked at her. "I… just want you to know, that no matter how far I am, I am with you." The baby tried to touch her face. But she jerked back. "No sweetie. I'm far too dangerous to touch." Still, the baby insisted. "I love you…"
'So much like his aunt…"
She remembered a little lullaby. That might calm him enough to sleep. Or at least to stop him from insisting.
'Don't let them in
don't let them see
be the good boy
you always have to be.
Conceal, don't feel,
Put on a show.
Make one wrong move and everyone
will know.'
Her baby feel asleep peacefully. She smiled.
Maybe one quick kiss on the forehead won't be hurtful. Muah! There. Her first and last kiss to her baby. She rolled him up in the worn out blanket and put him carefully inside the box. One gloved hand carefully touched the baby's check. With a broken heart and a quick I love you, she left a sticky note paper with the baby's name on it.
She heard footsteps. She'd better hide. There was a community garbage can in the alley cross the street. She ran and hid behind it. The footsteps got closer. She kept watching. A white beagle with red bowtie and holding a red umbrella, was walking by.
'I know him! He is the world's most accomplished dog. Mr. Peabody.'
She kept watching.
'Better be him than anyone else.'
He heard baby cries. He had found her baby. He did. Tears filled her eyes and small frosted patterns started covering the garbage can. Unbeknownst to her. The beagle gently pick him up and smiled at him. Then he started to walk away. With HER baby.
Rivers of salty water felt from her eyes. She did not wanted this. Not her baby being raised by someone else. Not her sister frozen in time. Not her curse.
Curse.
What she once thought of a gift when she was younger, was her worst nightmare. This caused her misfortune. Her misery. As a sister. As a mother.
She watched the beagle walk away with the baby.
"Good thing I know where he will be…"
Her braided silver blonde hair fell from behind her hood. She quickly pull it back with her gloved hand inside the hood. Taking the moment to wipe her salty cold tears, she resumed watching out for her baby. Until both he and his new dad were out of site.
Her tears frozen and little snowflakes started to fall.
'Conceal… don't feel…'
The snowflakes stopped falling and she grabbed her body around her arm. A noise was heard from the same alley as she was, she looked back but it was nothing important. It was probably a cat. She stared walking to the opposite side. She had to get back home before it started snowing in the middle of summer. 'Don't look back…' she wanted to. But she never did. She'll try to control her curse. To one day see him again. To meet him. In person. One day, they will meet again. But until then…
'Don't let him in… don't let him see… be the good mom you always have to be…'
Take good care him, Mr. Peabody. Take good care of him.
'Take good care of Sherman…'
…for he was the best thing that happened to her, for the first time in forever.