Okay, so I know I said that I'd be posting this November 20th, but I finished way earlier than expected. This is the final chapter, and on the 31st I'll be putting up the epilogue. The story will end on the same day as it was stared 8 years ago.
I'm so happy to have finally finished this story! It took way too long but hey, here it is lol.
So expect the last upload of this chapter on Saturday! I'll also have edited the description of the story by then, since the current version of it is a little too vague. The epilogue will also contain my future story plans as well, so stay tuned for that!
Thank you all so much for the favorites, follows, and reviews. You guys are awesome and I'm glad you've stuck with me to the end of this! You guys are so patient and you rule for it lol. Keep on being the coolest people ever!
Anyway, I'll see you in the next (and final!) update!
:3
Chapter 16
Fire; there was nothing but the heat of it and the awful smell of burning. Flames surrounded him, flicking high into the smoke hazed sky as they hungrily gobbled up the air. He couldn't breathe; there was nothing but hot ash filling his lungs. Slowly the world began to go dark, the fire had burned away everything…There was nothing left…"This is all my fault…"
"Mustang?" A voice snapped him from the nightmarish darkness, causing the colonel to open his eyes with a small gasp. Ed was in front of him, sitting up in his bed with a look of deep concern in his gaze.
Everything started to come back to his rattled mind. He was here, in the hospital with Edward, far away from the war that haunted his mind. Mustang remembered that he and the boy had been working on ways to keep Ed's panic and flashbacks from taking over. They had been talking about various methods before he had been drawn back into his own painful memories.
He could also recall Hawkeye's surprise when he had called her earlier that morning to tell her when Edward wanted to identify their suspect. She had voiced her concerns that they could wait a little longer but had fallen silent when the colonel had explained that the boy had made this decision for both of them. He had felt pride flow through him at how brave Ed was for doing this so soon, grateful that the older brother was slowly regaining some of his former fire.
"Mustang? Hey, are you there?" Mustang was once again broken from his thoughts by Edward. He could see that the boy looked worried and he realized that Ed had a tight hold of his arm. He could feel the boney fingers digging into his skin through his shirt and he winced.
"Yeah…Sorry, I was just lost in thought…" The colonel rasped, receiving a small sigh from the boy.
"You had me worried there for a moment." Edward whispered, relaxing his hold on Mustang's sleeve as he smiled hesitantly. "I thought you might have had a stroke or something, old man."
He smiled back at the boy, hoping he looked convincing as dark thoughts still flickered in the back of his mind. "No, everything's fine."
"It was really nice of Al to let us have the room to ourselves." Ed said, changing the subject quickly as he leaned back into the pillows that propped him up. "Though I think it was just an excuse to be around Julia without us to tease him."
Mustang remembered how the younger brother had bashfully told them that he would be giving his brother and the colonel some time alone. He had said that he felt out of his depth when it came to mental health and that the two of them would probably fair better if he left them alone. Julia had then offered to take Alphonse with her as she did her rounds, saying she could use the armored boy's help. If armor could blush the colonel knew he'd be a deep shade of red as he gratefully accepted the nurse's offer. The two of them had been gone for over an hour now and they would probably be gone for some time.
"Mustang? You're doing it again…" Mustang could hear the uncertainty in Ed's voice as he looked towards the boy.
"Doing what?" He asked, hoping he could easily play this off as an absentminded, tired, daydream.
"Staring blankly forward…Just looking straight ahead and not answering me…" The colonel could tell that Edward was worried and he felt a pang of guilt flash through him.
"Sorry, I'm fine. I just didn't get too much sleep last night." Mustang casually shrugged his shoulders, hoping that if he played it cool that he would calm the boy. "How are you feeling about tomorrow?"
He could tell that Ed didn't seem convinced by his excuse, looking at him doubtfully before answering. "I think I can do this. After all your advice, tomorrow should be no problem."
"Edward, you're one of the bravest people I know. You're so much stronger than you think right now." The colonel said warmly, pride shining in his eyes as he looked at the hesitant boy before him. "You'll do fine."
He could tell that his words seemed to soothe the boy as Ed ducked his head, a small smile parting his lips. "I wouldn't be able to do any of this without you."
"I'm glad to have been able to help." Mustang smiled, placing a gentle hand on Edward's shoulder. The boy suddenly looked up at him as though he had just come to a realization.
"You…You'll be there with me…W-When they bring the man in, right?" Ed looked suddenly scared, his breath hitching as he stared wide eyed at the colonel.
"Of course," He said as he tightened his grip on the boy's shoulder. "They'll be bringing him into a private room down the hall; Al can even come with us if you want him there." Ed visibly relaxed at that, gratitude glowing in his eyes as his gaze wandered down to the quilt currently draped across his lap.
"I can bring this too?" Mustang smiled as a small blush flared on the boy's cheeks.
"Yes you can," The colonel said, holding back a small laugh as Edward looked away from him.
"It's just…I like the quilt…It's kind of soothing to have around…" He could tell the boy was slightly embarrassed but Mustang could completely understand.
"I'm glad it's been able to help. You know, that quilt helped me a lot too when I was a kid. Hell, it's even helped me as an adult at times." Ed snapped his gaze back toward him at that, giving the man a quizzical look as he gripped the fabric gently in his hand.
"Mustang…Could I ask you something?" The colonel gazed into Edward's eyes as the boy looked at him. His golden gaze seemed to glitter with a reluctant uncertainty.
"Sure, ask away." Mustang said lightly, though he had a feeling as to what that question was.
"How do you know so much about all this?" Ed gazed deeply into his eyes as though hoping to find the answer there. "How to keep calm during an episode, how to not let it take over…It almost seems like…Like you've seen this all before…"
The colonel felt a small chill run down his spine as he tried to keep from succumbing to another episode himself. He let out a small sigh as he looked back at the boy, knowing that he had to be truthful. "Because…All this happened to me once, a long time ago…"
Mustang could tell he had Edward's attention and he paused, expecting a question or two. When none came, he continued. "It started during the Ishvalan war. My fellow soldiers and I did and saw some horrible things; I feel none of us left without some type of scar."
"So, you've gone through this before?" Ed was looking at him with wide eyes. The colonel nodded as he resumed his tale.
"It took me some time to come to terms with all that happened. Even now I still have the occasional episode or intrusive thought, though not as severe as the one you had. When I blanked out earlier…That was a small episode…Some people can escape them for good, while some just learn to cope with it like I have."
Mustang watched as understanding slowly took hold of the boy before him. Ed's golden eyes glistened as he lunged towards the colonel, his arm wrapping tightly around his shoulders as the boy pulled him into a deep hug.
"I'm sorry you had to go through all that," Edward murmured into Mustang's neck. "I want you to know how much it means to me that you put that discomfort aside and helped me."
The colonel smiled, wrapping his arms around the boy and holding him as tightly as he could. "I'm happy to help. You can get through this. I know you can, you just need to believe in yourself more."
"Thank you," Ed's voice was muffled as he buried his face deeper into Mustang's neck. He felt both their bodies slowly relax as both of them realized that they could get through this, as long as they had each other.
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
It seemed to be a peaceful day, at least to the outside world. A gentle breeze ruffled the branches of a nearby tree as a cloud lazily drifted across the sun. People walked or drove by, none knowing of the sense of dread that hung heavy in the air of the hospital room.
The day had finally come; Edward would have to identify his attacker. The boy was sitting up in his bed, leaning back against the pillows behind him as he anxiously picked at the quilt. His had was absentmindedly running over the square that housed Eugene, fingers gently tugging at the sheep's wool. Mustang looked the boy over, feeling concern well up inside him as he took in the boy's physical appearance.
Edward still looked desperately frail; his remaining arm seemed to be just skin and bone. His body was still much too thin, pale skin failing to hide the jutting bones of the boy's hollow cheeks. The dark shadows under his eyes looked more pronounced than ever, his golden gaze shining warily from the sunken sockets.
Ed had refused to eat anything that morning, saying he was far too nervous about the dreaded meeting to even consider it. This worried the colonel, but he understood how anxious the poor boy was. Neither of them had slept well last night, he had lost count of the amount of times Ed had woken him during the night. The boy would wake up, too terrified to even notice his surroundings, and start to scream and struggle. Once the fear had faded he would lean heavily against Mustang, shaking violently as the man and his brother tried to soothe him. It had been a long and stressful night for all of them.
"Brother, are you sure you don't want me to come with you two?" Alphonse asked anxiously from where he sat close to his brother's bedside. "I can tell that you're really nervous and maybe I could help in some way."
"No Al," Edward said in a gentle yet firm voice as he gave his brother a loving look. "I think the room will be cramped enough without you there. I'll be fine, honestly."
Though Ed spoke in a light tone, a small smile faintly appearing on his face, Mustang understood why the boy wanted his brother to stay behind. He didn't want Alphonse to get upset if anything were to happen.
"You know I won't let anything happen to your brother." Mustang said as he looked over towards Al. He could see a mixture of concern and sadness warring in his soulful eyes. At first he thought the armored boy might begin to protest but Alphonse let out a sigh as he gazed at his brother.
"All right, I'll stay here." Edward smiled at his brother, eyes glowing with gratitude. As Al ducked his head slightly the sound of boots clicking down the hallway alerted the colonel.
"That would probably be the lieutenant," Mustang said with a glance towards Ed. "Let's get you ready to go." The boy nodded hesitantly as the colonel stood up from his cot and walked around to the other side of the bed. Julia had thankfully taught him how to connect the boy to the portable oxygen tank as he reattached the tubing to the smaller device. He heard a quiet knock on the door as it slowly opened.
"The room has been prepared, colonel." Mustang saw Hawkeye salute him out of the corner of his eye as he stood up. He nodded to her as he returned his attention back to Ed. The boy was trembling as he looked from the lieutenant to the colonel, his eyes glittering with fear.
"It's okay, Edward," Mustang whispered to him, letting his hand rest on the boy's automail shoulder. "This shouldn't take long at all, and I'll be right there with you to make sure nothing gets out of hand."
He could tell that his words had calmed the boy, at least enough for him to allow the colonel to help him from his bed. As Ed began to get situated with his crutches Mustang made sure that the boy's oxygen didn't get tangled. Julia had taken the boy off of the IV an hour or so earlier in preparation, something the colonel was grateful for.
As Edward leaned against him for support, quilt draped over his right shoulder in a seeming attempt to hide his missing limb, the three of them slowly left the room. Mustang could hear Al wishing them luck as they left and made the small journey down the hallway and to the meeting room. The colonel had kept his eyes on Ed the whole time, watching the boy closely for any signs of distress. Though he was trembling anxiously there was a gleam in his eyes that reminded Mustang of the fiery boy from before the accident. He let a small smile part his lips as they entered the room.
The room wasn't too large, though it was only slightly bigger than Ed's hospital room. There was a long wooden table in the middle of it, with a row of chairs along each side. Most of the chairs had been pushed up against the walls to make for a little extra room.
Mustang carefully led Edward over to the nearest chair on the right side of the table, helping the boy get situated before taking the seat next to him. As he sat down he looked towards Hawkeye, who stood still in the doorway.
"Now that Edward is ready, I'll go tell the police chief that he can bring the suspect in." The lieutenant nodded at the two of them before saluting and leaving. As the sound of her boots faded down the hallway the colonel turned his attention to Ed. The boy was trembling, eyes darting around the room as he took in quick and ragged breaths.
"Edward, remember to take deep breaths," Mustang gently ran his hand down the boy's back. "You don't want to make yourself faint. Just remember to breathe."
Ed seemed to listen to him, taking in as deep of a breath as he could manage before letting it out and repeating the process. As the boy slowly calmed the colonel put his arm around Edward's shoulders, feeling the boy lean deeply against him as his breathing evened out.
"You don't have to do this," Mustang whispered into the brilliant golden hair that obscured his vision. "We can tell the police chief that you don't want to continue. We can always do this another day."
Even before he had finished his sentence Ed shook his head, stray strands of blond hair tickling his nose. "No, I need to do this. I know how hard you all searched for this man and I won't let that go to waste. I can handle this, everything will be fine." Though the boy was still trembling against him the colonel could hear the conviction in his voice. Pride surged though him as he held the boy a little tighter.
They both almost jumped, breaking apart slightly, when they heard a gentle knock on the door. "Sir, we're going to bring the suspect in now." Mustang let out a small grunt in confirmation as the door slowly creaked open.
Hawkeye was the first person to enter the room, closely followed by a young police officer. As the lieutenant sat in the seat next to the colonel the officer stood by the doorway. A large man, presumably the police chief, then walked in, a serious look on his face as he dragged a handcuffed man along beside him.
The man was rather tall and lanky, slinking into the room like a prowling cat. He wore a baggy dark grey jacket, a pair of dusty and torn jeans, and large black leather boots. His dark brown hair hung limply over his face, but through it Mustang could see the telltale scar on his lip. Blue eyes narrowed into an angry glare as he was a little too roughly sat in the chair across from them.
"This is Theodore Isaac," The large officer said as he took a seat next to the man. "He was caught in the act of robbing an older woman. He now faces charges of robbery and assault, and if he is the right man he will face some steeper consequences."
"I told you that I go by the name Theo," The man hissed at the officer. Theo then turned his attention to Mustang and Edward, eyes narrowed and glittering with malus. "I also must have missed the take your kid to work day memo."
"Quiet you," The police chief growled, looking toward Ed as he continued on in a gentler voice. "Young man, is this the man who assaulted you?"
Edward's wide and fearful eyes never strayed from Theo. The colonel could feel the boy shaking violently beside him and he tightened his grip on his shoulders. "Edward-" He began before being cut off.
"You're wasting your time here chief." Theodore snarled as he cast a scornful look at Ed. "This dumb little kid is obviously too scared or too stupid to even talk. Maybe he should go back to preschool and take his baby blanket with him."
Mustang felt Edward flinch from beside him and he waited for the boy's rage at being compared to a toddler, but it never came. The pure fear and stress glittering in his eyes made anger burn like a fire throughout his being. As he glared at the suspect, ready to tell him off, the police chief distracted him.
"Quiet! There is no need to taunt the witness!" The officer glared at Theo.
"It's not taunting if I'm telling the truth," Theodore sneered, gaze still focused on Ed. "Just look at him! I've seen braver mice! How is this stupid kid's testimony supposed to lock me away? Are you going to start asking children on the playground to blame me too?"
"Shut up!" Mustang snarled, finally losing his patience with the obnoxious man. "If insulting him is your best defense then you're the pathetic one."
"Oh, did I make daddy mad?" Theo jeered, his gaze full of contempt as he glared at the colonel. "Maybe you should teach your brat some manners. Isn't it rude of him to ignore my questions?"
"Enough!" The police chief yelled, slamming his hand down on the table a few inches from Theodore. The suspect narrowed his eyes at the officer, seemingly ready to tell him off, before the man spoke. "Keep this up and I'll add a charge of witness intimidation to the list."
With Theo now silenced, the colonel turned his attention to Edward. The boy was staring at the man, a distant look on his face as he trembled at Mustang's side. Instantly he knew that Ed was succumbing to his fear, drawing in on himself in a desperate attempt to cope with the shock. The colonel began to slowly run his hand down the boy's back, hoping to draw him back to the present.
"Edward, I'm right here and I won't let anything happen to you." Mustang leaned closer to him as he continued to whisper encouragement to the boy. "There's nothing he can do but try to hurt you with words. They mean nothing; both you and I know that you're strong enough to get through this."
Edward's gaze slowly drifted towards the colonel, their gazes meeting as Mustang tried to let all his confidence and pride show in his eyes. Slowly the fear and panic that glittered in the boy's gaze began to fade, a gentle determination replacing it. As he blinked reassuringly at him Ed seemed to sit up straighter, looking toward Theo without fear.
"Yes," Edward said in a voice full of conviction. "He's the one that pushed me over the edge of the building."
"Thank you, young man." The police chief said in a grateful tone. "I know how hard that must have been for you."
As Ed nodded meekly, the large officer motioned to his colleague. "Let's take this one back to the jail now and get these charges taken care of." The two officers began to heave Theodore to his feet, but the man was still glaring spitefully at Edward.
"You're pathetic, you know that?" Theo snarled, leaning forward over the table as he sneered at the boy. "Can't even muster up any courage without daddy and your blanket nearby, you make me sick you pathetic worm."
"Let's also put down a count of witness intimidation when we get back to the station." The police chief growled as he roughly dragged Theo from the chair. Theodore let out an angry, almost animalistic, growl as the younger officer opened the door. The three of them left the room, though the colonel could still hear Theo yelling insults at the officers.
"Edward, are you alright?" Mustang's attention returned to Ed as Hawkeye stood up and walked around to his other side. Her voice was soft and he looked closer at the boy, feeling dread drop like a pit in his stomach.
Edward was staring at the spot Theodore had once sat, his eyes once again clouded over as he trembled beside him. The colonel gently held the boy a little tighter but he didn't seem to register the touch.
"Edward…" Mustang whispered as he cast a worried glance at the lieutenant. "Everything's done now, we can go back to your room and you can rest."
At first Ed didn't seem to hear him, but the boy slowly turned his head until their gazes met. While he still looked at him blankly, Edward nodded his head. "Okay…We can go now…" He whispered emotionlessly.
As Mustang and Hawkeye began to help the almost catatonic boy back to his room the colonel felt like his heart was breaking. Should he have stopped this disastrous meeting before it could start? Was Edward even mentally ready to handle all that was thrown at him?
He felt like he had failed Ed yet again and he wondered how the boy could continue to put his trust in him.
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
Mustang watched as twilight finally turned into night, a few stars shimmering against the unnatural glow of the city. The moon was just a sliver of white against a black sky, suspended high above the buildings he could see through the window. Everything looked so serene and peaceful; he only wished that he felt similar.
The colonel looked towards Edward, seeing that the boy was still huddled under a layer of stiff hospital blankets. He had barely moved from that spot after he and Hawkeye had led him back to his room, and the colonel was getting more and more worried.
When a nurse had come in an hour or two earlier to reattach Ed to the IV and to bring him food, the boy had watched on with a blank expression. He had refused to eat, saying nothing and ignoring Alphonse and Mustang's pleas, as he curled back up in the center of his bed. Mustang had tried to put his hand to Edward's shoulder but had been shaken off without a word.
The colonel looked up at the sound of rattling metal, watching as Al shifted slightly in his seat. The armored boy was sat on the opposite side of his brother's bed, his soulful gaze full of sadness. Edward hadn't even spoken to his brother, ignoring him as much as he did the colonel. He had even discarded the quilt by the end of the bed, instead choosing to hide himself among the blankets and pillows provided by the hospital. Mustang continued to watch Alphonse, the two eventually sharing a worried glance.
He had told the younger brother about all that had happened in the interrogation, watching as Al got more and more emotional. He had asked his brother if he wanted to talk about it but Ed had just curled up tighter in the bed in response. The colonel could tell that the older brother's silence wasn't natural and that even Alphonse had no clue how to help.
"Edward…" Mustang said, knowing he would likely get no response like all the other times he had tried to talk to him after the interrogation. "Are you feeling okay?"
While he had expected silence, the faint voice that answered him was like music to his ears. "I'm fine," The boy muttered, making no move to even attempt to look at his brother or the colonel.
"Brother, are you in any pain?" Al asked, his voice hopeful as he cast his worried gaze towards Ed. "I know you should be due for your medication. Should I go find a nurse?"
Edward said nothing, shifting slightly in his bed. The colonel saw the hope fade from Alphonse's eyes as his brother stayed silent. He was about to try, once again, to rest his hand on the boy's shoulder when he heard a faint voice come from under the mound of blankets.
"Yeah…I'm in pain…" Ed's voice was low; Mustang thought he heard a hint of sadness to it too. The boy shifted once more in his bed, uncovering his face to fix a hazy golden gaze towards his brother. "Sorry…"
"There's nothing to apologize for brother." Al said in a gentle voice, getting to his feet and heading towards the door. "I'll go find a nurse and everything will feel better."
As the armored boy left the room, hollow footsteps echoing off of the walls, the colonel looked back at Edward. The boy was staring at him, eyes glistening as though he were holding back tears.
"Edward, are you sure you're alright?" As Mustang reached a hand towards the boy Ed flinched away, making him draw back as he felt a look of deep concern and hurt cross his face. He saw the boy's eyes glow with guilt as he slowly sat up in bed, still keeping his distance.
"I…It's…I'm just thinking about what Theo said…" Edward turned his head, looking instead at his hand that was now fidgeting with the blankets. "He…He was right, I rely on you way too much…It makes me feel…Weak…"
The colonel blinked before he gazed at the boy, confusion and concern filling his mind. "It's not weak to ask for help or to find comfort in someone's presence." He said, holding back from attempting to make physical contact with Ed. "It's actually a show of strength to admit to needing help."
"God, it just makes me feel so pathetic," Ed rambled on as though Mustang had never spoken. "I make myself sick thinking about how stupid I am to rely on anyone. Having to rely on someone is never good; it only hurts both people in the end. Maybe it would have been better if you had just stayed far away from me…"
As Edward paused to take in a shaky breath Mustang felt like ice was spreading through him, chilling him to the bone and making him feel like he could shatter at any moment. Had he been right all along as well? Had Ed even really wanted him to stay or had he felt obligated to let the colonel stay in order to make things even? He knew the boy never wanted to be in another person's debt for too long. Had he only wanted to pay it back as quickly as he could?
"Edward…" Mustang spoke before the boy could continue on. He felt heart sick as he continued on, trying to keep his voice from breaking. "You know you don't need to feel obligated to keep me here. I told you already that if you want me to leave, I'll go. All you need to do is tell me…And I'll be gone."
The room went silent, the colonel watching Ed closely as he snapped his head around to look at him. While he had expected relief or anger from the boy, the look of pure anguish that glittered in his eyes stunned him. Before Mustang could even think of how to handle the situation Edward turned away again, shoulders shaking as he began to cry.
"No, please don't leave," He could make out through the boy's tears. "I'm such an idiot, why did I even say that? You…You must hate me…I'm so sorry…"
The colonel felt a mixture of sadness and warmth flow through him, gently melting away the ice that had threatened to take him over. Slowly, and carefully, he leaned forward and wrapped his arms around the trembling body before him.
"Edward, I could never hate you." Mustang spoke as he buried his face into Ed's hair. "I know you're hurting right now and I'm sorry I let that man say such awful and untrue things. You're not stupid or pathetic; you're brave to have let me help you. Needing help is never pathetic; it's one of the bravest things you can do for yourself."
As the boy's crying began to ease he felt Ed lean back into his embrace, his arm gently gripping the cuff of Mustang's shirt sleeve. They sat there in silence for a moment before the colonel drew back, letting the boy turn so he was facing him.
"You're right," Edward wiped at his tear stained face as he continued. "I just thought that he was right, that I really was pathetic for needing you."
"Men like Theo say things like that in one last ditch effort to hurt their victims more." Mustang felt anger stir within him as he pictured the awful man grinning down scornfully at the scared and injured boy. "They'll say anything to cause more damage. His words mean nothing, and they never will." As he spoke he reached for the quilt at the end of the bed, draping it over Ed's shoulders. The boy gratefully snuggled into it as he looked at the colonel, eyes full of gratitude and warmth.
"Thank you…" Edward whispered as he wrapped his remaining arm around Mustang's neck, relaxing as the man held him tightly. "I'm sorry for ever doubting you. I-I want you to stay with me…For as long as you want to at least."
The colonel smiled as he rested his chin atop the boy's head. "I'll always be there for you." He said gently into the golden hair, letting his eyes close in contentment. They stayed like that until they both heard the sound of clanging metal as Alphonse returned.
"Brother, I brought a nurse." The younger brother took in the sight before him, his eyes glowing bright with relief. A nurse carefully inched her way past the bulky armor standing in the doorway and knelt down beside Edward in his bed. She smiled as the boy slowly untangled himself from the colonel's embrace and held his hand towards her.
While Ed still flinched as the medication entered his body, Mustang could see it start to kick in immediately. The boy's eyelids were beginning to droop as his limp body fell back against the colonel. He carefully rearranged himself in his cot as Edward began to curl up against him, resting his head on Mustang's chest.
"I…Love you, Mustang…" The boy's words were slurred, he didn't even seem to notice that the nurse had now left and Alphonse had taken her place. Mustang smiled as he rested his head against Ed's, his breath faintly stirring the stray strands of golden hair that brushed against his face.
"I love you too." As the colonel spoke his gaze flickered fondly over towards Alphonse. He saw the armor's eyes glow brighter as he rested a hand on his brother's automail shoulder.
Mustang felt the warmth of love flood through him. It seeped into every part of his body, and he welcomed it. He now knew that the three of them could weather through this storm now that the worst was past. As he gazed fondly at both boys he felt like he could see the sun peeking through the dark clouds before him.
Mustang truly loved Edward and Alphonse, and was so grateful that they had brightened up his life.