Chapter 11: All I Know & Everything I Am
Alex woke early, which was strange, considering it was a Saturday morning. Even though he was only a young boy, Alex was different than those his age, prone to waking later.
But this morning, something was different – he could feel it in the breeze that blew through his cracked-open window; he could feel it in the atmosphere around him.
Something was different, indeed.
He yawned slightly, rubbing balled fists over his eyes as the morning sun streamed into his room.
Slowly, he rolled over to the edge of his bed and lowered his body to the floor, stretching slightly as he went.
He heard voices, quiet, whispering somewhere in the recesses of the house. Somehow, he could make out the feminine voice that belonged to his mother...and, a male one...At first, he thought it might belong to his uncle, but as he listened closer...
...He realized it wasn't – it was faintly familiar, but he couldn't quite place it; not, at least, with anything held in his mind...
He tiptoed to the door, turned its handle very slowly. The door opened with a slight creak, it's hinges protesting at being disturbed so suddenly.
The voices were slightly more audible now, tiny vibrations of voice floating through the morning air inside the house. He still couldn't place the other voice, the one besides his mother's...it was so familiar, and yet...
He walked across the balcony, following the trails of sound, leading himself towards their source. Creeping around the far wall, he peered to his left.
His mother's bedroom door was open, and it was from within that the voices resided. Alex held his breath...What man would be in her bedroom at 7:00 AM?! he thought wildly.
As he stepped forward, one of the floorboards creaked rather loudly beneath him. He froze, not even bothering to breath as he tried to keep every sound at bay.
But it hadn't worked. He heard the talking abruptly cease. With painful slowness, he heard her bed creak slightly, as though weight had been taken off of it.
He held his breath, waiting...and then...
He saw her head peek around the door...and watched as her eyes settle upon him.
It was difficult to tell exactly what emotions ran through his mother's face at that moment. He could see...surprise...fear...a tinge of happiness, all rolled into on expression. And though he saw it plainly, it served only to trouble him further.
"Mum...what is it?" he asked tentatively.
She smiled slightly, many of the feelings leaving her face. She reached out for him.
"Alex, sweetheart...there's someone I want you to meet..."
Shock seemed to course through the boy's body instantly. She wanted him to meet someone...??? Presumably, the male voice he had heard in her bedroom...
It tore at him to think of this – he had known the love his father and mother had shared...and even though he was considered to still be a little boy, he had felt it...the extreme connection that had always linked them to each other.
Could that have meant nothing? Could it possibly be that, after all they had gone through, she had moved on to loving someone else??
She saw the hesitation in his face, causing her mouth to turn downwards slightly.
"Alex...?"
He didn't exactly meet her eyes – he didn't know how he could.
She pulled her son a little closer to her body, still staring into his eyes.
"It's okay, honey...you don't have to be scared..."
He looked up at her, trying his best to make his face impartial. But in truth, the uncertainty still ran rampant through him. He didn't know what to feel...he didn't know how to feel...
She smiled slightly as she put her arm around him and turned him towards her bedroom door.
Still having no idea what to expect, he followed his mother, wondering whether or not he would have the strength to endure what lay ahead.
~{:*:}~
He vaguely felt the pull of his mother – he squinted his eyes, pretending as though sleep still tormented them. In reality, he did not want to see...He did not want to deal with what was speeding towards him.
He was aware of passing through the large doors that marked the entrance to his mother's bedroom; he was aware of passing by it all, as though still in a dream, unsure of what was reality...and then...
...he heard his mother's voice again, this time slightly tinged with a kind of deep-wrought melancholy that had been bursting to leave her. He could hear the tears escape her eyes.
"Alex, darling...o-open your eyes..."
He didn't want to – every fiber of his being screamed in protest at the thought of following her request. But he knew that it would not last forever...inevitability had arrived, whether he was ready or not.
Slowly...ever so slowly...he cracked his eyelids open.
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A/N: AHHHHHH!!! Many things to discuss, precioussss, many thingsies!
First off, I would like to give my sincerest apologies. I never intended for it to take this long to bring out this chapter. Writing has been sort of hard for me lately – writer's block, major – and, after having written this chapter a total of 4 different times, I decided to just bring out what I could.
Second, I realize that this chapter is not of the greatest quality. But not to fret! There will be an epilogue after this, so resolution will be yours!
Lastly, I want to thank you for sticking with me throughout all of this. When I lost my muse, you guys were my inspiration to go and find it again. I never would have done this without every single person who has read this.
Anyways, epilogue next
(along with reviewer thank you's)! See you there!
*Bachy A*
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