Chapter Nineteen
1126 Words
S H A Y
Our family was never perfect. But you could say we were if you'd take a look at the Mitchell family now.
I smiled at Sasha who was dancing in the kitchen while cooking whatever she had to cook.
Sasha, who was trying desperately to be a better mom and wife to us, took a break from acting and focused on our family more. She became very domesticated and even cooks us a full meal everyday. She cleans the house, no matter how much I try to tell her that I can do it, you know, with her being pregnant and all. But she insists more than a kid who was forbidden to buy a jumbo pop from the store.
I shifted my gaze to the twins, sitting quietly, doing their homework. Just two months ago, my kids turned ten and they couldn't be more excited. And having a baby in the house was almost too much for them.
We decided to name the baby Aldric or Aliana, depending on the gender. But I know it'll be a girl. I know it. Sasha says otherwise but I can almost see the future with our littlest daughter.
I walked over to her and wrapped my arms around her waist. Her small frame was allowing me to almost hide her under my body.
"Well, welcome home Ms. Mitchell. I have yet to serve you your supper so I suggest that you get your butt back on the dining." She teased.
"I don't wanna go there. I wanna be here with my wife and baby girl." I pouted.
"Aldric will be mad at you if you keep calling him a girl."
"Aliana will be mad at you if you keep calling her a boy."
"Three more months until we find out." Sasha dismissed. "Then you'll be sorry for telling me my gut feeling is wrong."
I sighed. "Fine. She's in your gut anyway."
"He! He is in my gut."
I unlatched my arms from her and held my hands up in surrender.
"I'm just going to prepare the plates." I said, pecking her cheek.
"Mhm. Yeah, you do that."
I grabbed the plates from the cupboard and stacked them all up. Along with utensils and glasses. I went over to the dining table where the twins are doing their homework. "Hey, guys. Little help?"
Avery rolled his eyes at me with a smile and rushed to place the plates on the table. Ashley then helped to put utensils on each side. Shortly after we sat, Sasha returned to the room and she served us dinner.
After we said grace, Ashley yapped about her day. Which consisted of her friends and their crushes.
"How about you, Avery? How was your day at school?" I asked him, noticing that he had been quiet the whole time.
He shrugged. "Okay, I guess. Jared and me are teaming up for the science fair. We're presenting a lesson about smoking and the danger it brings."
"Well that's great. When is the science fair?" Sasha asked.
"A few days." He smiled.
Avery, who developed a anti-sociability through the years, has seemed more quiet, losing his quirky and eager self. His nerdiness only grew on him and his only friend was the one he had on second grade, Jared.
Ashley, on the other hand, is more sociable and is quite the popularity princess in their school. Everyone in their grade wanted to be her friend and she grew to love the fame.
"We're going. We want to see what you worked hard on." I grinned.
"Mom, you really don't have to go. If you're busy-"
"Nonsense, Avery. We've been through every recital and talent show you and your sister did. What makes this science fair different?"
But it wasn't Avery who defended himself. "Because you'll see how bad he's being bullied."
"What?! Avery?" Sasha practically shrieked. "Why didn't you tell us?"
"Because you'll only make it worse. They'll keep calling me a Mama's boy. They'll keep calling me names and insulting me. Insulting you, Mommy."
"How do they insult our family, Avery?" I asked calmly.
"Lyle said that his mom told him that my Mommy is a cheating scumbag. And she said that you are desperate because you took her back. She said that we're just bastards who you don't care for. That no one loves me or Ashley really." He sobbed through his glasses.
I got up from my chair ad gave him a huge hug. "When did this happen, Avery? When did it start?"
"When Lyle admitted that he had a crush on Ashley but Ash said that she didn't like him because of his rotten teeth." He whimpered.
"And you haven't gotten these insults, Ashley?" I asked my daughter.
She just sadly shook he head.
"Oh, God. This is all my fault. If-if only haven't been dumb and desperate-" Sasha rambled.
"Sasha, this is not your fault. None of this is."
Then I realized, we will never be perfect.
***
S A S H A
I was in a field. There were lots of flowers. And I was chasing a blonde little boy.
He looked to be around three or four. He still seemed a lot younger than it though, with his soft brown eyes and shiny golden hair.
"Catch me, Mama." He giggled.
But my state was far from happy like his. In fact, I was sobbing as I ran after him. "Aldric, please. Come back, Aldric! Please!"
But he just giggled. Then another boy ran alongside him. He had tan skin, brown hair and glasses. He was older. A lot older. The boy was Avery.
"Come on, Mommy! Try and catch up."
"Avery, stop!"
I quickened my pace, trying to catch both of them but tripped and lost my footing. They turned around, wearing an identical grin. That's when I noticed that there were now three people.
The third was instead, a girl. With the same blonde hair as Aldric but her eyes were blue. She looked as if she was as old as Avery. She was my Ashley.
"Ashley..." I whispered, standing up again and jogging.
But when I regained complete strength of my feet again, they were gone. In their stead was a woman, probably in her thirties, looking a lot like Avery. She looked over he shoulder and laughed when she saw me struggling to catch up.
When I tripped again, I fought to maintain consciousness. That's when I saw my wife, Shay, leaning towards me and smiling sadly. Her fingers went to close my fluttering eyelids and she whispered, "I'm sorry it had to end this way, love."
A sharp pain in my abdomen woke me up from my terrible nightmare.
"Shay! There's blood!"
- Writer
