I wrote this one in about three hours. It was unplanned and I just had to get it out of my head. Based on a pic I saw on FaceBook.
Leave tips on improvement please!
Standing in front of his bedroom mirror, Alfred adjusted his black tie around his neck for what seemed the hundredth time. Whatever he tried, it just would not stay straight, either favoring the left or the right side, much like his stubborn cowlick that wouldn't behave today either. He supposed that was at least fitting in way, all things considering. His brother had an unruly curl as well. But this damn tie, Mattie would not appreciate him coming sloppily dressed. He could almost hear his brother exasperation at Alfred's inability to dress properly, sounding almost more like their father, Arthur. The poor boy tried again, in vein, and then gave up with a resigned sigh. Mattie would just have to deal with it.
Admiring himself, the usually happy-go-lucky American didn't so much as crack a smile or ego boosting hand gesture. No, he shouldn't even be dressed like this in the first place. He was angry and ready to punch the mirror for presenting him with this image of him standing solemnly in a black suit. This was going to be the first time he had ever had to attend one of these functions. Alfred hated the very idea that this was his first. It should have been anyone else, in fact, Francis should have been first. He had always been positive it would be Francis. Followed swiftly by Arthur. But not Mattie. Anyone but Mattie. Alfred tried to clenched his fist as an angry tear fell from behind his glasses.
There was a light knock on his door followed by the creak of the hinges as someone let themselves in. Alfred didn't have to turn around, he could see in the mirrors reflection that it was Arthur. Red eyed, and wearing almost the exact same suit. Except that his tie was straight and perfect. Alfred silently cursed the heavens that he hadn't gotten his tie right before the Englishman walked in. Quietly, Arthur cleared his throat and spoke to Alfred.
"Alfred, are you ready to go now? We need to get there soon, the congregation and Ma-" He stopped himself midway and swayed just slightly before resuming his composure. "Will be waiting for us by now. Come on down to the car." He finished quietly. Alfred still didn't turn and bowed his head.
"My tie..." He mumbled childishly, almost as if ashamed by the fact he couldn't get it tied. He heard the soft thunk of footsteps on carpet and seconds later, Arthur was in his misty vision, smiling sympathetically. The Englishman reached up and set to work on getting the stubborn piece of clothing straight.
"All these years, my boy, and you still can't tie your tie? What am I going to do with you? Your brother is so good at this, that boy really knows how to dress properly." Arthur said softly. Alfred could feel his hands trembling against his neck and nodded in agreement. After spending a few moments debating on whether he should or not, Alfred finally decided to ask a question that was burning with worry in his mind.
"How is Francis? Is he able to come? Do the Doc's think it's a good idea?" Alfred rambled off. Arthur dropped his hands after finishing his work, the garment now perfectly presentable, and looked into Alfred's shockingly blue eyes.
"I just got him into the car. He's...he's not holding up well, Alfred. I tried to get him to stay in bed today, I told him Mattie would understand if he wasn't there but he wouldn't hear of it. The doctors did inform me that today, afterwards, he could attempt it again. We need to watch him carefully, very carefully. I can't...we can't...not now." Arthur trailed off, clearly fighting off the tears. Alfred wrapped him into a tight hug, comforting the man.
"Don't worry, I won't let him do that again. We just weren't prepared last time, we didn't think he could ever try that, right? Well, now we know and we can prevent it. And it's a good thing he's coming, I think it will be actually really good for him." Alfred said but immediately cringed at his words. "Ya know, in a way." He added. Arthur pulled away and patted the boy on the shoulder.
"I knew exactly what you meant, Alfred. Thank you. Come on, we need to get going." Arthur said. With that he turned and walked out of the room expecting Alfred to follow. He did, but not before grabbing his cell phone (which he then clutched tightly, like a life line) and two other objects off his desk. Then he hurriedly followed Arthur down to the car, mustn't keep Mattie waiting to long.
As he climbed in the back and Arthur slide in to the drivers seat, Alfred took a good look at Francis, slouched in the passenger seat. He was dressed in the same suit as Arthur and young American, but he did not fill it well. It was shocking how thin he had become over the last week, refusing all but the bare minimum of sustenance to keep him alive. The dark circles under his eyes told everyone that he hadn't slept much either and the healing cuts and bruises were still evident on his face as well. Along with the thick white bandages covering his wrists. Even his hair seemed less bright and wavy today. Tears were sliding down his pale cheeks and before Arthur put the car in gear, he reached over and wiped a few away for him.
The car ride to the church was silent, Arthur not even bothering to turn on the music. They needed to avoid Francis having a trigger that could send him over the edge. It was very important that they keep him calm and relaxed. Arthur drove very cautiously, following the rules of the road to the letter. He didn't speed, he didn't run the yellows, no tailgating or honking his horn. The Brit even managed to keep his road rage internalized, though Alfred could tell that was a struggle for the man. Once, a car cut them off, frustrated with Arthur for not going faster, and Francis tensed. For a few moments, neither Arthur or Alfred was sure he wouldn't burst into an panic attack. But, realizing the danger had passed, Francis eased back down into his seat, relinquishing his grip on the dash.
While on the way, Alfred fiddled with the items he had grabbed. In one hand, he clutched a tiny stuffed polar bear toy and a crinkled, stained, newspaper clipping, in the other, his cell phone. All three had become constant tagalongs with him in the last week. He took them everywhere, and he constantly was pulling out the news clipping, staring at it while holding the phone to his ear. It never appeared like he called anyone, but he would pull it away, face streaming in tears like he had. The polar bear stayed in the breast pocket of his shirt, close to his heart, just the head poking out like a small companion. Over the past week, he had gotten several weird and incredulous stares from random people and classmates alike. But Alfred didn't care one bit, what he was doing wasn't for them, it was for Mattie. That was all that mattered.
After what seemed like no time, Arthur was pulling into a parking spot at the church. Alfred got out first, went to the trunk to grab the wheelchair and then moved it over to open the passenger door as Arthur quickly made his way over. Together they hoisted the weak Frenchman out of the car and sat him gently in the chair. Making sure both legs, bound in casts, where secure in the foot rests, Arthur shut the door to the car and hit the button, making it beep as the locks clicked down. Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, Arthur then grabbed the handles of the wheelchair and started pushing Francis toward the church.
Alfred didn't follow them right away. He stood by the car and kicked at a rock that just happened to be there. One more. He had to do it one more time before he went inside. Before he faced, Mattie.
Noticing Alfred hadn't followed him, Arthur stopped pushing and looked back, clearly concerned. "Alfred? Are you alright? Come on now, we can't be late now. Mattie is expecting us after all." He called. A low sob emitted from the wheelchair and Arthur placed his hand on Francis' shoulder. Alfred nodded back.
"Just...Just give me a sec ok? I gotta do something!" He called back. He saw Arthur hesitate for a moment and then nod, resuming pushing Francis up the ramp and into the doors.
It was like a reflex now, he whipped out his phone and hastily dialed the voice mail function. Putting in his pass code, Alfred unfolded the news clipping and looked down, staring at a picture of his brightly smiling twin brother. The tears had just begun to fall when the last message left began to replay in his ear.
"Hi, Alfred! It's me, Mattie! I got your text but you kinda caught me at a bad time. Francis and I are heading out for my first trip to the winery!" Mattie's bright voice said. There was some static shuffling around and then the slamming of a house door. "So anyway...ah geez, it's really raining today eh, Papa? You sure it's gonna clear up by the time we get there?" He asked, not to Alfred but to Francis who, it was told later, was climbing into the drivers seat of his car. A cheerful French voice sounded a resilient yes, and ushered the Canadian to get into the car so that they could leave. A car door slammed and Mattie returned to leaving Alfred a voice mail. "Maple, I hope this thing is still recording. Anyway, Alfred, if your still getting this listen. I'd love to met up with you sometime! It's been a while since we have done any Bro hanging out, just you and me, I'll look forward to it but right now I gotta go. I promise to call you back later!" He hastily finished up and then there was a click. Just like that Mattie was gone.
Putting the phone back into his pocket, Alfred wiped the tears away and looked down at the article he had been clutching and crying over for the past week. His brother's smiling face at the top betrayed the grim, devastating news the text would deliver.
Matthew Williams, 18, died yesterday afternoon in an interstate accident. Witnesses state that the driver of the car he was in, identified as his father, Francis Bonnefoy, 45, tried to avoid the semi truck that was over turned in the road. The truck had flipped due to poor conditions on the roadways, the same conditions that caused Bonnefoy to swerve into the guardrail at a high speed. Williams was declared dead at the scene while Bonnefoy was rushed to the hospital with serious injuries. We are told that he is out of critical and is expected to go home with his family in the next few days.
Williams is survived by, Bonneyfoy, his second father, Arthur Kirkland, 42, and twin brother Alfred F. Jones, 18. Services will be held...
There was no need to read the rest, Alfred folded it neatly and placed it back into his pocket. Stealing himself for what was next, Alfred walked over to the doors and pushed them open, slipping into the crowded church full of mourners. The young boy bypassed them all, included his fathers, now crying with abandoned at the front and made his way up to the open maple coffin.
Fortunately, the medical examiner had told them that Mattie hadn't suffered nearly at all. He was killed almost instantly, only lingering for a few moments after the dashboard had crushed into his chest. What had happened in those few moments, only Francis knew and he appeared as if he was going to take that memory to the grave with him. The man refused to talk about the accident at all, only to the investigators. Alfred and Arthur wanted more then anything to know if Mattie had been at peace when he died but they respected that Francis was traumatized and did not push him.
Because of that, Mattie was able to have an open casket funeral, save for a few cuts and bruises on his face, it was hard to tell he'd been in an accident at all. Alfred looked down at his pale brother's face, taking in how fake the embalming fluid made him look. Like he was a doll or something. Alfred didn't like it at all but knew he had to say good bye to him. Reaching in, he brushed the obnoxious curl his brother had always complained about and with his other hand pulled the stuffed bear out of his pocket. Smiling, he placed the bear into Mattie's hands that were folded together, resting on his abdomen.
"I remember when we were kids, you, uh, carried this huge stuffed polar bear around. God, what was his name?" Alfred asked, as if Mattie was going to spring up and answer. "Think it was Kuma, something, anyway. You told me once that you were afraid of being alone, and of the dark and that you hoped Kuma and I could always stay with ya, to protect ya. I promised ya I'd always be there, and Kuma too, cause ya know were kids." He let out a small laugh and with it came some tears. "I'm sorry bro, but I'm going to have to break that promise. I can't come with ya right now but Kuma can. He'll keep ya company until I get there, m'kay?" Alfred choked. "See ya later, Mattie." He added weakly.
Alfred just managed to make it to the pew Arthur was sitting on before collapsing into a fit of sobs, burying his face into Arthur neck, knocking his perfectly straight tie, crooked.