Chapter 51
Saturday dawned bright and sunny, but the fine weather that morning did not match Lou's mood and state. The tiny slice of pizza she had for dinner did not agree with her stomach, and she had hardly slept a wink all night long. Her body had been wracked by cramps and bellyaches, and after tossing and turning for a good few hours, she had taken refuge in the kitchen. The last thing she wanted was to disturb Kid's rest, and fortunately, she hadn't woken him up in her restlessness.
In the kitchen she had brewed and drunk a chamomile tea, and then moved to the living room. Sprawled across the sofa, she had tried to rest her weary body, but the nauseous sensations and cramps did not go away. It was almost five o'clock when she returned to her bedroom and managed to grasp some shuteye. Yet, an hour later her stomach regurgitated, and the sick sensations returned full force.
Lou had barely reached the bathroom when she emptied her bowels into the toilet, ad kept retching for long minutes. This time Kid heard her, and rushed to her side. He stood by her, holding her by the shoulders as she threw up. Once cocooned in her warm bed again, she felt much better. Kid offered to make a tisane for her upset stomach, but she declined. All she longed for was to sleep the rest of the day away.
Despite her own inclinations and longings, Lou forced herself out of bed way too early for her taste. They were supposed to take Albert to the festival, and she wouldn't miss this chance for anything in the world. It was an ideal opportunity to bond with her brother outside the four walls of the apartment. Even if she had to drag her body to get through the day, she would not stay put. Naturally, Kid suggested they stay at home, but she refused, stating she was feeling all right.
It was true, but once in the car when they were on their way, Lou started feeling queasy again. As she shifted in the passenger seat, Kid cast a glimpse at her and noticed her cringe. "You look a bit off-color," he said cautiously.
"I shouldn't have eaten breakfast," she replied as the tell-tale symptoms of last night began disturbing her. That morning she had barely had a glass of milk and a tiny piece of toast, but apparently, that had been too huge a challenge for her stomach.
"If you're feeling unwell, we can go back home," Kid suggested.
"No, just drive on."
"Lou, getting yourself on rides where your body is prone to be thrust in all directions, shaken, tossed, overturned and rattled isn't advisable for an upset stomach."
"I don't have to get on the rides," Lou explained. "Actually, I'd better not tempt my luck. I'll stay on safe ground while you boys have fun. And if I feel worse, I can stay in the picnic area, resting and waiting for you."
Kid did not utter another word of protest, because he knew it was in vain. Lou had made up her mind, and nothing he could say would convince her that they should return home.
The carnival stood at a vast barren esplanade a few miles from the city. As the car approached the site, they could hear the music and noise in the distance even though there was still nothing in sight.
"It's huge!" Lou exclaimed as her eyes finally spotted the makeshift temporary town that the carnival looked like.
"It is," Kid agreed, and tilting his head, he had a look at the boy through the rearview mirror. "We're gonna have a blast today, Al."
The child did not speak up and remained impassive and indifferent. This was not what he had been looking forward to, and he just couldn't feel any excitement. His sister's presence annoyed him, and the day presented itself like a punishment other than the treat it should be.
The parking lot was already teeming with hundreds of vehicles, and Kid had to drive around the area for several minutes before he found a free parking space. After getting out of the car, the two adults and the child headed for the funfair. Albert walked closer to Kid, purposefully staying as far from Lou as possible. The lights and music welcoming the visitors did not manage to raise the boy's spirits, and even though Kid kept talking to him, he simply answered to his comments with nods or shakes of his head.
When they were about to cross the limits into the magical atmosphere of the carnival site, a loud voice behind them drew their attention. It was a security guard, who informed them that he had seen them park the car in an area reserved for the disabled. Kid had not noticed the sign, apologized to the guard, and assured him that he would find another parking space straightaway.
"I'll change the car now," Kid told Lou. "You and Albert go on and wait for me next to the bumper cars. I won't be long."
Lou nodded. "I'll get some tickets for the rides in the meantime." Kid dashed off, and Louise turned to her brother. "Come on, Albert." They did not talk at all as they made their way into the area and among the different rides. On any other occasion, Lou would have tried to trigger some conversation with Albert, but she wasn't feeling too chirpy as her stomach was still bothering her and the nauseous sensations were not gone. At least, the indifference Albert displayed so far was soon replaced by eagerness and expectation as she noticed him stare wide-eyed at all the rides they went past.
There were long lines at the ticket booths. Even though Lou and Albert stopped at the less numbered one, the pace it crawled along was too slow to Lou's taste. Her hand softly stroked her middle, hoping against hope she would feel better. Otherwise, the day would become a torturous long road. This wasn't the way she had planned everything. How could she bond with Albert when all she wanted was to lie down and sleep for the rest of the day and even the week?
"Finally!" Louise exclaimed as they stood before the saleswoman in the booth. She smiled in Albert's direction, but the boy kept a serious face. Two bills were placed on the counter, and the young saleswoman handed Louise the tickets. "Could you please hold them for me?" Lou asked, placing the tickets in the boy's hand as she moved away from the queue and put the change in her purse.
The swinging motion of her head unsettled her, and a wave of dizziness shook her. The handbag fell from her hands, and once again nausea hit and her stomach lurched. She knew she was going to be sick again, and her hand flew to her mouth. "Albert, I gotta find a restroom," she muttered in a shaking voice. "I'm not feeling well. Don't move from this spot until I come…" Her words faltered as the bitter taste of bile rushed into her mouth. Lou could not do anything but dash away, blindly following the signs for the restrooms.
Albert stared at her clumsy figure, running like hell bent for leather. When she could not be seen anymore, the boy shifted his eyes, and as he looked down, he found Lou's handbag which had landed at his feet. The boy stooped and picked it up. Moved by curiosity, he rummaged inside, and discovered her cell phone, her wallet, sunglasses, a packet of tissues, lip-gloss, a couple of tampons, and a set of keys. Nothing of interest, the boy mused and as he lifted his eyes again, he spotted Kid from among the dozens of people making his way to where he stood. If only Louise would stay in the restroom for the rest of the day, he thought wistfully, and all of a sudden, a wicked idea crept into his mind. For a few seconds his reluctance and conscience won over as he knew that he should not even contemplate what he was thinking about. Yet, as he noticed Kid coming closer and closer, his own desires forced him to make a rush decision. This would only be a little mischief, that was all, he told himself as he hastened to a nearby litter bin and chucked Lou's bag in it.
Albert stared at the leather bag among other pieces of garbage and guilt nagged at him. This was definitely wrong, a voice niggled at his mind, but he turned a deaf to it and moved away from the bin. Nervously, he scuffed his feet against the dirt ground and kept fidgeting.
When Kid reached him, the young man was smiling as he asked, "Where's Lou, Al?"
"She… she started feeling poorly again, and said she needed to sit down for a while. She… she told me to tell you she'd be in the picnic area while we get on the rides. I have the tickets she bought," he concluded, showing the plastic tokens in his hand.
Kid frowned and did not speak at first. Albert wondered if Kid would buy his lie since he had never been too good at lying. The boy knew that he couldn't get away with his fabricated story, and sooner or later he would be found out. Yet, if this little fib could gain him a day without Louise, the subsequent lecture or punishment would be worth its while.
"She must be feeling dreadful if she left you here alone," Kid muttered as his hand automatically fished his cell phone out of his pants pocket and searched for her number. The boy gaped at him, aware that Kid wouldn't be able to reach Louise since her phone was in the bin along with the rest of her things a few feet from where they stood. Thankfully, her ring tone could not be heard as the loud music coming from the rides would muffle any other sounds.
"She won't answer," Kid said unhappily as he finished the call. "No wonder she can't hear the phone ringing with all this noise." He kept thoughtful for a bit and then added, "Albert, let's go find Lou and see how she's doing."
"Kid, no!" the boy protested energetically, grabbing his arm with both of his hands. "She wasn't that bad, just dizzy. That's why she needed to find a seat. She said we'd have lunch together and she'd call us when she felt better."
"Al, I need to make sure Lou's okay."
"But she is! She is!" Albert insisted, hoping he could convince Kid before Lou returned from the restroom. "You promised we'd go on all the rides, and Louise is fine. We can check on her later when we run out of tickets. Please."
The begging look Albert gave him was enough to disarm him. Worry over Lou did not peter out, and all his soul pushed him to find her before anything else. Even though his excessive concern often gained him a rebuke, and Louise usually teased or even scolded him about it, Kid could not help himself. Yet, maybe this was a test to prove to himself that he wasn't such a control freak. Lou was a bit under the weather, and he could try to phone her later. Kid was also aware that Albert's excitement rooted from he fact that Lou had been compelled to step aside, just like he first wanted. It was a sad notion, but maybe it would be better in the long run if they let things work themselves out instead of forcing the situation.
After Kid's consent, both he and Albert joined the fun of the carnival. The boy called the shots as he picked up the rides he wanted to go on. It was obvious from his laughter and bright smile that he was having the time of his life. It was a relief that after his sullenness and bad experiences in the last month, Albert had the chance to have fun. Kid, though, could not completely share his amusement as he wondered if Lou was all right. He kept checking his cell phone for her calls or tried to phone her but he was unable to contact her.
"Can I have an ice-cream now?" Albert asked when they got off a big rollercoaster. Kid nodded and paid for two cones of dark chocolate ice-cream for him and the boy.
Albert contentedly lapped the softness of the chocolate as they sauntered leisurely around the carnival site. The boy looked up and after hesitating for a few seconds, he spoke up, "Thanks for bringing me here today, Kid. You're the best. I love all the rides. I'd never get tired."
"I'm sure you wouldn't," Kid replied with a smile. No other words were uttered and Kid relished the pleasure of seeing the boy's happy countenance as he ate his ice-cream. Suddenly, Albert's expression changed into a brooding one as he remained in deep thought. Albert noticed Kid's curious eyes on him, and instantly composed himself, giving him an awkward smile. "What's in your mind, Al?"
"I…" the boy started hesitatingly. "I was thinking I really like you, Kid. You aren't like my sister Lily's husband. He's mean and such a pest."
"Why, thanks, buddy," Kid replied, blushing after hearing the boy's compliment. "I like you too. But I'm sure there's more to your brother-in-law than you think."
Albert shook his head. "He hates me," the child insisted. "He kept moaning, grunting, and telling me off when I last stayed with them." Albert paused, and then said, "I… I wish you were married to my sister instead of him."
Kid ruffled the boy's dark hair as he smiled. "I'm going to be married to your sister soon… in June. Lou and I'll become husband and wife, and your wish will come true."
"Yeah…" the boy muttered sarcastically, curling his lips in an obvious unhappy expression.
"Al, if you gave Lou a chance, you'd realize how lucky we both are for having her in our life."
"Sure… very lucky," Albert carried on in the same ironic way.
"I mean it. And things would be much easier for you… for all of us."
Albert folded his arms in a defensive way. "I can't forget what she did. I can't. I'm already doing what you asked me to, but you can't ask me anymore."
Kid felt inclined to say that Lou hadn't done anything wrong as Albert so firmly believed. Yet, this was not the moment to try to make him understand, and Albert's stern countenance told him that he would be wasting his words. Sighing, he said instead, "Anyway, let's go find Lou now. Maybe she's feeling better and can join us."
Albert panicked at one. "No!" Kid gave him a strange, surprised look, and the boy added, "She'd have called you if she needed anything, Kid."
"Yes, but I can't leave Lou alone all day long. We've had a couple of hours of good fun, so if she still feels unwell, I'm afraid we'll have to go home. We can always go to a good amusement park on another weekend."
However much Albert tried to find an excuse to buy time, he did not manage to come up with a plausible argument. So he had not other choice but follow Kid to the picnic area, feeling as if he were walking to the gallows. Soon when the truth came out, he would be up for big trouble.
Naturally, Kid did not find Louise in the vast picnic area where Albert had told him she was. They checked and explored every table and every inch of the place. Kid asked the staff in the refreshment stalls if they had seen Lou, but nobody seemed to have spotted a woman of her description. "Where on earth is she?" Kid exclaimed, a tense hand on his hip as his free one held his cell phone against his ear as he tried for the umpteenth time to call her. Since once again there was not answer at the end of the line, Kid gruffly shut off the phone, and his troubled eyes turned to Albert.
"Didn't she tell you anything else?" The boy shook his head, looking at the man fearfully. "This is so unlike her," Kid muttered. "And she's sick on top of it all." Pausing for a second, a new idea hit her. "Maybe we could check out the parking lot. For some reason she might be waiting at the car, hoping we might find her there."
"But she doesn't know where you parked the car," Albert pointed out.
Kid slapped his forehead as he realized that what the boy said was true. It was when he had to find another parking space that Kid had last seen her before she went astray. Kid's jangled nerves were playing havoc on him, and his moods swung between anger, frustration, worry, and fear. He was angry with her for wandering off before talking with him, and he was angry with himself for letting Albert persuade him to ignore his first intentions to go after her. Lou probably must have felt worse if she wasn't in the place she had said she would be. Kid did not understand why she hadn't tried to contact him or why she didn't answer his calls.
Fear gripped his soul, and as he believed Lou must be feeling too poorly, he headed for the first aid tent. A doctor and a nurse confirmed that Louise had come to see them. In their words she showed clear symptoms of having a strong case of stomach flu, and they had administered a shot to relieve her nausea.
"We advised her to go home straightaway," the young doctor said.
"Thanks for your help," Kid replied, shaking hands with the medical staff. "She must be at our place then. I still don't know how we got lost from each other like this."
"It happens."
Without any further delay, Kid drove his car back to the city. Albert sat in ominous silence in the back seat, and did not dare to utter a single word. They were leaving the funfair hours earlier than he hoped they would, but he could hardly complain when he had brought this upon himself. As soon as they got home, the truth would be revealed, so he'd better brace himself to face the subsequent punishment he was prone to receive. With every mile the car covered and the city became closer, Albert's apprehension grew.
Once in the city and in the block of apartments, Kid unlocked his front door and as soon as he stepped into it, it was clear Lou was not there either. "I guess it'll take her a bit longer to get here," Kid said, trying to reassure himself that he had nothing to fear. "She surely has taken a ride in a taxi, and who knows how long she's had to wait for one."
Kid and Albert settled in the living room for their own wait. There was a cartoon film on TV that Albert watched half-heartedly as he kept eyeing Kid, who could hardly remain still and checked his watch almost every single minute.
When a whole hour had dragged by, and Lou was still absent, Kid tried to call her once again even though he was pretty sure he wouldn't reach her either. Worry and fear converged in his soul and soared, and unable to remain idle, he started to pace up and down. As the minutes ticked by, fear became too real to ignore. When he decided to call hospital after hospital enquiring after Lou, Albert also grew concerned and afraid.
"Nothing's happened to Louise, has it?"
"Let's hope not, Al."
The boy was now feeling the weight of guilt in his conscience too much to disregard it. It had never been his intention to hurt Louise. Even though he had once said he wanted her to die, he did not wish her ill. All he had wanted was for her to leave him alone; that was all. Yet, now he realized how wrong he had acted and what serious consequences his mischief could bring about. Louise was sick, and maybe she had fainted and hit her head, or perhaps weak and listless as she was, she might have had an accident. A car might have run her over, and now she would probably be lying dead in the middle of the road just like Mom and Dad. Nobody would know who she was since he had got rid of his purse, so nobody would come to tell them. But if that was not so, a criminal might have assaulted her, and since she had no money or anything valuable on, he must have shot her dead just like in the scene of the movie that he had secretly watched yesterday while Kid was in the kitchen. Lou was now dead because of him… she was dead… dead, and they wouldn't see her again… ever. As the thought crept into his mind, Albert felt an intense urge to cry and he tried his utmost to choke back the tears.
Kid noticed his troubled countenance and approached him to ruffle his hair. "Don't worry, Al. Lou's just late, but she's fine." 'She has to be,' he added mentally.
"I'm so sorry," the boy said in a strained voice.
Kid frowned wonderingly, but did not manage to utter the question he wanted to ask the boy. The doorbell sounded ominously at that moment, startling both man and child. "Lou!" Kid called wistfully as he ran to the door while Albert remained glued to his seat, staring fearfully after Kid. His mind brought him back to the day his parents had died and a couple of cops had also come to inform his babysitter about the accident. It was Lily who later told him that Mom and Dad were dead. Those cops were now calling Kid's door to say Lou was dead… Albert shook his head, not wanting to believe what his imagination pushed him to. Lou couldn't die… he had never wanted anything bad to happen to her.
Albert's heart was in his mouth as he unblinkingly stared at Kid at the front door. The seconds before the young man swung the door open felt like hours, and as Louise finally appeared before both their eyes, Albert let out his held breath and his body started trembling after the shock and fear he had had gone through in question of seconds when he had honestly believed Louise was dead.
"Lou!" Kid exclaimed, visibly relieved and his arms at once enclosed her in a tight embrace. "Where on earth have you been?"
Louise did not say a word, and when Kid pulled away, she simply brushed past him, intending to go to the bedroom and flop into her soft bed. It had been one of the longest days of her life. After not finding Albert where she had left him, she had frantically run all through the site trying to find him. The place was much bigger than she had first realized, and it was like finding a needle in a haystack. It did not help either that she had lost her handbag with her money and cell phone. Louise remembered dropping her bag before dashing to the restroom, and hoped Albert had picked it up, but she did not count with the boy and logically Kid disappearing all day long. There was no way she could have contacted Kid or anybody. Even if she had managed to borrow some coins from some charitable soul, she could not have been able to make any calls from one of the public phones scattered around the place. She had never tried to commit any phone numbers to memory and too much trust in her cell phone's contact list had landed her in this predicament. To make matters worse, she felt sicker and sicker as the minutes passed, so she had to stop at the restrooms continuously. The nausea had got so terrible that she had to go and ask the medical staff in the site. The shot she got had given her some relief, thankfully, but she was far from being well.
After that, she decided to return to the city. With no money, she tried to hitch a ride in a cab, but when she explained her situation, and the fact that she was unable to pay until she got home. Cab drivers were distrustful, and both times she tried, she got a flat refusal. Then she attempted to ask some of the families that were about to leave the place to give her a lift to the city. That had not been easy either, but finally, an elderly couple with their grandchildren took pity of her, and agreed to drive her back to the city. Thanking the family profusely, Lou left the car and started to feel sick again, so she headed for her health centre where she had been until a doctor had seen her.
Albert's eyes followed Lou fearfully, but she walked past him without sparing a look in his direction. The boy was relieved and glad that she was alive and obviously fine, even though she did look pale and haggard. He knew trouble would be on him soon. Lou disappeared down the corridor and when the sound of a door being slammed reached his ears, he knew she was now in her bedroom. Albert noticed Kid follow Louise's tracks, and Albert started to bite his nails nervously. It was something he had stopped doing long ago when his mother's stubborn insistence managed to tame that frowned-upon habit of his. Yet, he reversed to his old custom when he was as nervous as he was now. Albert knew he had done Lou wrong, and even though Kid would not be happy about it, the child was sure he wouldn't do anything too terrible, would he? Yet, what worried him was to realize that he valued Kid's opinion highly, and now after what he had done, Kid would think poorly of him.
A second slam echoed in the apartment as Kid slipped in the bedroom and closed the door. Alone in the living room, Albert kept biting his nails and even gnawed at his finger tips, tearing the flesh and making blood seep. As he noticed the metallic taste and saw his own blood, Albert wrapped a tissue around his bleeding finger. Yet, his eyes never shifted and kept staring at the corridor through which the two adults had disappeared.
After long minutes he heard the distinctive creak of a door opening, followed by the heavy steps he recognized instantly. Kid came into sight; his face did not let on any signs of anger or disappointment, and Albert wondered if he could be spared the dreaded lecture tonight. Maybe Louise had not told him; she hadn't said anything when she had arrived, and perhaps she had fallen asleep as soon as she had lain down in bed. After all, she was still unwell. Maybe, Albert thought, he should be the one to spill the beans and confess. The truth would be known sooner or later, and he really wanted to apologize.
Kid walked straight to where he was sitting, and dropped on the sofa next to him. Before the boy could say a word, Kid asked, "Where's Lou's handbag, Albert?"
"Wh…what?"
"What did you do with her handbag?" Kid elaborated in a strained tone. "And no more lies, please."
Albert lowered his eyes, and muttered. "I… I put it in a bin there in the funfair."
The boy steeled himself for the scolding he knew was coming. Yet, Kid rose to his feet, grabbed his cell phone and made a call. In silence, Albert watched him pace up and down the living room as he talked on his phone, and call after call he cancelled Lou's credit cards and her phone's SIM card and also reported the loss of her bag. When Kid finished the last of his calls, he marched back to Albert's side. He did not rush to talk, and simply kept looking at the boy, who glanced back at him with an apprehensive, melancholic expression.
"I… I'm sorry. I'm really sorry," Albert managed to say as the silence was too hard to bear.
Kid sighed. "Why do you keep doing things like this, Al?"
The boy shrugged his shoulders. "I… I just wanted to be with you, not her, but I never meant any harm."
"We had a deal, and you broke it."
"I know," the child muttered.
"This is not just mischief!" Kid continued, raising his voice, but realizing his loud tone might disturb Lou's rest, he tried to refrain himself from showing his irritation. "You intentionally lied and tampered with Lou's things, and you knew she was sick! Do you understand what you did?"
"Yes, sir."
Exasperated, Kid threw his arms to the sky. "Oh Albert, I'm really upset, and I'm not even sure what to do with you."
"Are you… are you sending me away?" the boy asked fearfully.
"Is that what you want? Is that why you do these things? To find a way to make us so angry we end up kicking you out of here?"
Albert shook his head with slow motions. "But… are you?"
Kid sighed again. "There's no way we would do that, Albert… not because we can't, but because we won't. I'm afraid it's more probable for hell to freeze than for Lou to let you walk out on her."
"Even after what I've done?"
Kid shook his head. "Actually, because of what you've done," he said. Albert frowned in confusion, and Kid simply rose to his feet and disappeared into the kitchen. It was imperative for the boy to see a good therapist, and after what had happened today, it was clear they needed some professional help to cope with Albert. The school psychologist had recommended a good child psychiatrist, but they had been putting off the whole thing, hoping Albert would turn out fine in the end. It was obvious the boy was not well, and the stunt he had played today sounded like a cry for help. They needed to do their utmost for Albert, and also for themselves, or they would fail as a family even before starting to be one.
