18 Years of Bonnie & Clyde

[20] Apart or Together?

Year 5...

Alice walked into her trailer with a frown glued to her face, something FP picked up immediately. It was no surprise, considering they had just dropped off Charles for his first day of Kindergarten and the last four years had proven that Alice had trouble letting go. Luckily for her, she had FP who always managed to ease her worries. Together, they were in perfect balance.

"Hey, he'll be fine. Our boy is a real socializer." FP placed his hand on her shoulder and squeezed it comfortingly, before sitting into the chair opposite of her.

"I don't know, FP... Maybe it was too early. He's only four years old." Alice's mind was spiraling and she was scared they had made the wrong call by bringing him too school so early.

"He's almost turning five, don't worry about it." He placed his hand above hers and slowly stroke her knuckles to calm her down. It didn't have the effect he hoped it would.

"Al, I get that you have trouble letting him go. Starting kindergarten is a big step. But I bet you, when we pick him up, you're going to see a very happy smile on that adorable face of his." FP said softly, already looking forward to seeing Charles smile brightly. There was no doubt in his mind that he was going to have a great day, despite the rocky start.

"But he was so sad this morning, don't you think we should—" Alice rambled, trying her hardest to find any reason to turn around and get her son home.

"No, we're not going to pick him up already. We can't keep him at home forever, Alice. He's going to learn a lot there." FP said a little bit more firm, but still soft enough for her to know that he was just trying to help.

It was true, when they had dropped Charles off he had big tears in his eyes as he had been afraid that they would leave him. FP had assured him that nothing could keep them apart, and that he only had to go to learn and to make friends. Charles had believed him, but had trouble letting go, just as his mother.

"I'm sorry. I'm just so used to always having him around." Alice sighed a little ashamed, as she knew that she always went a little bit too far with her worries. FP was more practical that way.

"Don't apologize. I get it. But don't forget, he's got our genes. He's a tough one." He gave her a warm smile.

It wasn't as if he didn't have trouble seeing Charles starting kindergarten, but he knew that it would be good for him. It was just a little bit easier for FP to put his own emotions aside and focus on the bright side instead.

"You want a sandwich and a cup of coffee?" He offered her, as she been too nervous to eat before they had left.

"You're a mind reader." She gave him a smile and relaxed slightly. Alice was grateful to have him, otherwise she would swear she would go crazy.

While FP busied himself in the kitchen to make them something to eat, Alice absentmindedly scanned through her mail, until she noticed an envelope that was unfamiliar to her. She opened it with her nails and her eyes glued to the letters, her baby blues growing wide she noticed what it said.

"Oh my god..." Alice gaped in disbelief, as she stood up form the couch with the letter tightly clutched into her hands.

"What is it?" FP asked her confused and paused making them some breakfast, but Alice wasn't thinking about explaining it to him, instead she stormed over to her mother's bedroom and slammed open the door.

"Did you know anything about this?" Alice held up the letter with eyes spitting fire.

Her mother laid in her bed with a cigarette hanging out of her mouth, looking up impressed. She lazily reached for the letter in Alice's hands and when she finally handed it over, she began to read.