.:WFAF:. Chapter 48

.:When fallen Angels fly:.

Chapter 48
The scene turns a dazzling white the moment the other Arthur closes the door soundlessly. Again I have to close my eyes, but this time I know what's going on. When I can open my eyes again I look at my Angel. His intense expression simply oozed sadness. I give him a little kiss on his forehead.
"Are you okay?" I ask concerned.
The sadness inside his eyes vanishes and takes place for happiness as he looks inside my eyes.
"Yes," he whispers before giving me a little kiss back. "I think somehow, we both lost our mother. It's not a happy thought but at least we can comfort each other."
He's right. My mother died only shortly after I was born but Arthur had to watch how his mother slowly lost her grip on life too. I can't tell which is the worst.
"Did you remember this?" I ask him.
"No. But I do remember the divorce of my parents," Arthur explains.
I see it hurts him to remember that so I don't ask further. I realize we're not done yet so I take a deep breath before saying the words which will make another important part of my life appear into this endless white. "It's my turn again."
As soon as I said those words an new magic wave changes the white into something else. The white changes into a living room. I instantly recognize it and I hold my breath. This is the living room of the house of my foster parents. Everything looks exactly like I remember it. The expensive furniture, the high windows, the shiny parquet, everything stayed the same. Suddenly the people I know since almost the beginning of my life are standing inside the room. I look at my foster parents. My foster mother has her long black hair in a high knot. The look inside her brown eyes behind her expensive glasses are the same as I remember. Cold and collected, it always gave me the feeling I was inferior. Next to her is standing my foster father. His short brown hair was always in mode, and so it is today too. His blue eyes always seemed to have a constant worried and tired expression in them, I've never seen his eyes 'smile'. I guess that's the price you have to pay for being a successful businessmen. Then my eyes fall on the two little blond children. One of them is holding the hand of my foster mother, the other is standing in front of the three other people.
"Alfred," my foster mother says to the little boy standing in front of her. "This is your new brother, Matthew. Be nice to each other and go play with all the toys we bought you."
She lets the hand of the little boy go and gives him a little push forwards me. After that she and her husband just leave the room, leaving the two little boys alone. With curious blue eyes the younger me looks at his new brother. The young Matthew has a little blush on his face, his violet eyes are stare at the floor, being too shy to make eye contact.
"Hello," Matthew whispers, still being too shy to look at my younger self.
Suddenly my younger self embraces Matthew. The blush on Matthew's face gets bigger but he doesn't push Alfred away. When Alfred lets Matthew go he has a big smile on his face.
"I'm so happy! Finally I have a brother," he says with so much warmth inside his voice I can feel a light blush appear on my cheeks.
Matthew is just standing there, not knowing what to say, but at least he's looking my other self in the eyes now. My younger self doesn't seem to care if Matthew says something back or not, the smile on his face is as big as before.
"Come! I want to show you all my toys. From now on they will be your toys too," he says happily. "I have Superman and Spiderman. I also have the Batmobile and a dinosaur called Rex. Together we'll save the world from all the bad guys."
For the first time Matthew overcomes his shyness and giggles. "Sounds fun."
Suddenly the scene turns white. Before Arthur has time to say it's his turn a wave of magic makes the new scene appear. We're standing in what seems to be a playgroup. There are little plastic toys, chairs and tables everywhere and the room looks like a big mess. Suddenly many little children appear. Some are playing with the toys, others are painting with finger paint or trying to draw between the lines. The happy sounds of laughing children fills the room. There is only one child who isn't playing. A really young Arthur is gazing out of the window, lost in thought, not bothering to go play with the other children. Suddenly a friendly looking woman, who I guess is in her twenties, walks towards Arthur. A little child with waving blond hair is holding her hand. His blue eyes are nervously looking around the room.
"Arthur," the woman, who I suppose is the teacher, says.
Arthur looks away from the window and stares up at the teacher. The look inside his eyes looks sharper then the looks of the other children, as if he's a lot more grown up. The teacher happily looks down at Arthur.
"This is Francis," she says while leading Francis forward. "Francis is new here. Francis came all the way from France. Could you please give Francis a warm welcome?"
I notice how she repeats Francis name over and over again. Probably in the hope Arthur and all the other children who heard her will learn his name faster.
"That's okay," Arthur says.
The teacher gives a small nod as if Arthur just gave the right answer a leaves him and Francis alone. Arthur looks at Francis. Arthur tries to hide his curiosity but yet I can see it somewhere deep inside his eyes.
"You're a beautiful girl," Arthur says after some time.
Francis clearly speaks no English because he keeps staring at Arthur with a confused look. I look at my Angel. I see he finds it somewhat funny his younger self confused Francis for a girl. For a moment nothing happens between the younger Arthur and Francis, but then suddenly Arthur takes the hand of Francis and leads him through the room. He introduces Francis to every kid in the room and every kid to Francis. The children have a look at Francis and then continue to do what they were doing before Arthur introduced Francis. When Arthur's done he walks, still holding Francis' hand, back to the teacher. She has a proud expression on her face.
"Well done Arthur. I see you introduced Francis to everyone."
Arthur gives a small nod, he still doesn't let go of Francis' hand. Suddenly Arthur's mother steps inside. I can feel how my Angel holds his breath beside me. Arthur's mother doesn't look as bad as when we were at the hostel for addicts, but the look inside her eyes is still cold.
"Mrs. Kirkland," the teacher says. "Nice to see you. Are you already taking Arthur home?"
Arthur's mother gives a cold look at the friendly teacher. "Yes. Family business."
Without saying anything else Arthur's mother walks passed the teacher towards Arthur. She looks down at the two little children holding hands.
"We have to go Arthur," she says.
Arthur doesn't move. I see how his little hand holds Francis' tighter.
"I don't want to go," he whispers.
Arthur's mother gets the same expression in her eyes as when she started hitting Arthur in the hostel for addicts but doesn't hit Arthur this time. She would be crazy if you would do that in front of a teacher.
"I said we have to go Arthur," she says with a strict undertone.
You can see Arthur still doesn't want to go, but he lets go of Francis' hand and walks with his mother outside the room. Just before Arthur's mother closes the door Francis speaks for the first time.
"Merci, Arthur."