Closure
Christian
“How much time do I have to give her Mom?” I asked while I handed Riley who was crying to her. She collected her from me and put the feeding bottle in her mouth while she became silent instantly.
“As much as you can. I don’t think you understand how traumatic it is for her. Just let her be and heal from it,” she responded calmly to him while moving her body in rhythm to keep Riley calm.
“I don’t know mom. Maybe I’m not as patient as I’m supposed to be. But a few more days and I don’t find Mandy, I’ll be looking for her myself,” I said truthfully, because right now with every indication it feels like she has left me, but everyone says she’s trying to heal away from everything.
I was worried, and it made me really sad that I wasn’t her comfort at such a time when she needed me the most. I promise to help her through everything. I made a vow on our wedding and now that I should be doing that, showing her we are in this together, she takes the first open window and runs away from it without letting me in.
“It’s going to be fine, son. You just have to trust the process and not worry,” she said and raised Reily to her shoulders, patting her bag lightly, leaving her there for her food to digest.
“Well the process is shitty and I feel really tired,” I told her truthfully and took Riley away from her while going back to our room.
I paced around, patting her and rubbing her back slowly to help with the digestion so she wouldn’t throw up any portion of it.
“Your mom will be here with us soon, very soon,” I said to Riley and released a deep breath trying to even believe in myself.
“She loves me,” I whisper and close my eyes trying to hold off my emotions.
“She loves you, Riley,” I said truthfully and brought my hand covering my mouth for a brief moment before going back to pat Riley’s back.
“She loves us,” I said and released a deep breath, licking my lower lips and sniffing in to stop the tears from pouring…
I walked for a few more minutes I thought, and I could feel her little breathing on my shoulders saying she had slept already. I slowly laid her in the cot, leaving her there, and quietly walked out of the room.
“Mom?” I called in surprise, turning to see her at the door.
“Shhh,” I said and closed the door, pulling her away from the room.
“Sleeping already?” She asked and I nodded while she exhaled in relief making me chuckle.
“Alright, your constant visitor is here again,” she said with an eye roll while I laughed, understanding who she was talking about. It was Amelia.
“I don’t know what’s going on between you two, but you had better be careful,”
“I don’t understand why she keeps visiting a married man, with a kid in the name of care and condolences,” she rolled her eyes and said in a whisper.
“Well maybe not married,” I responded in pain and she tapped my shoulders heading to her room to catch a nap.
“Doesn’t matter how you put it, just be careful,” her pitch increased as she said the last sentence walking away.
I sighed, not bothered by what she said. I agree that Amelia’s constant visiting and kind of strange with the way she just showed up at the perfect time like the universe knew that Mandy was going to run away. She’s been a big help to me, taking care of the child, emotionally supporting me, and reassuring me that everything is going to play out okay in the end.
She’s been great, and amazing, and right now I didn’t think of it like she was crossing her boundaries or did anything alarming. She was just being a good friend and was offering the kind of closure I needed to get over this traumatic experience.
“Hey,” I said to her, and gave her a hug which took me by surprise but I reciprocated, while we walked to the living room and sat on the sofa.
“I bought pastries,” she smiled and I took it in gratitude, opened the box, took one of it, and had a bite from it smiling at her.
“You smell nice by the way,” I didn’t understand why I said that out of the blue, but I meant it.
“Thank you, and you smell like Riley,” she laughed, making me laugh in the process.
“Well Riley’s not bad,” I smiled and she nodded. “Hmm, she’s just perfect,” she looks into my eyes. “She is,” I whispered back and took another bite of the doughnut pastries in my hands.
“I’m guessing she’s asleep,” she smiled and I nodded, feeling good about the company. It felt warm, like warmth, it was good and soothing.
“Heard from Mandy yet?” She asked with concern and I sighed. You could take it from the way she held my hand that she could tell that things were still the same as the last time she was here.
“There has been no progress, and I’m really trying hard to be okay with it but it’s not as simple as saying it,” I told her truthfully.
“Everybody just keeps validating her for what she did while disregarding my feelings. I might not know what it feels like for a mother to lose a child due to the bond, but I lost a child too, and nobody seems to care about that. Nobody sees me,” I spat out, and exhaled immediately feeling the weight of that finally leave my chest.
“I’m here for you,” she said and pulled me in for a hug, which I did need right now. I pulled away, and I shut my eyes taking in deep breath rapidly to stop my anxiety from kicking in.
“Thank you, Amelia, you have been of such great help to me, and I don’t know how to appreciate you for that, ” I rubbed her palms, genuinely grateful.Còntens bel0ngs to Nô(v)elDr/a/ma.Org
“I’m always going to be here for you Christian, and you do not need to thank me for anything,” she said and brought her face closer.
“I hope you will see me in light just as I see you. I’m always going to be here just to watch over you,” She brought her face closer and kissed my lips lightly pulling away.
“I’m sorry I shouldn’t have done that,” she said and pulled away immediately. While I sat there starstruck, I didn’t know what to say, or do or react, I just looked over at her while she packed her back and organized herself…
“I have to get going now, I have something to do. Do send my regards to Riley and your mom,” she hurriedly took off to the door ignoring my calls.
“Well that went in a different direction,” I thought, rubbing my forehead and going back to sit on the sofa deep in my thoughts.