Let Me Tell You a Secret

Chapter Twelve

"He's gone! He's gone!"
 
The brunette bawled into his mother's clothes, making them damp with his tears.
 
"...Gone?"
 
Stunned, Arlene's body felt light, her vision blurred and she clung to her son for dear life.
 
"What do you mean he's gone?"
 
Holding herself together, Arlene stroked her son's hair, desperate to confirm just what gone meant. 
 
"He's not here! He was gone when I woke up!"
 
The brunette cried, hands clutching his mother's skirt that she hadn't changed for days.
 
"Are you… are you sure?"
 
The boy's loud wails answered her question. 
 
Arlene staggered back and gripped the counter edge, her son still attached to her waist as she looked up at the ceiling to stop the tears stinging her eyes from falling.
 
How long has she been out of it?
 
The realisation suddenly dawned on her.
 
Ever since her husband's disappearance she had been rooted to the spot, awaiting his return and watching for him. She didn't know how long it had been. Had her two boys been caring for themselves all this time?
 
Overwhelmed with despair and self loathing, her arms wrapped around her son, she crouched to the ground and buried her face in his hair, rocking him back and forth as they both cried.
 
"Wher-where could he have gone, sweetie?"
 
Arlene managed to stutter through her tears, attempting to get a handle on the situation and gain some form of control. 
 
"I don't know… maybe…"
 
Her son tried to speak between his sobs, his mother's question making him remember his friends mumbled whispers from just a couple of days prior - the bluenette had been lost in thought listing off essential items and counting them on his fingers, rummaging through cupboards.
 
"What, son? Where could he be?"
 
Seeing some sort of light, a potential hint, she pulled away from her son, gripping his shoulders and urging him to speak.
 
The brunette stared at his mother, sniffing back his tears, his eyes gold and red.
 
"Maybe… shopping…"
 
Realisation washed over Arlene, darting to her feet she started opening cupboard doors one after the other, slamming them shut confirming that the usually stocked cabinets were scarily empty. Her son trotted behind her, gripping onto her long skirt and rubbing his eyes, aware that his mother now seemed capable of helping.
 
Finally, Arlene rushed over to the drawer with the secret compartment, the location where they locked away their coins.
 
There was still plenty of gold in the compartment, however the coin pouch was gone.
 
Arlene dropped to her knees, relief and worry shaking through her body and her lack of self care suddenly overwhelming her.
 
Her stomach empty, eyes dry and sore, when was the last time she had eaten or slept?
 
"Mama!"
 
Her son scurried to her side, reaching out with his hands to catch her.
 
"It's okay, sweetie, it's okay. He's just gone to do the shopping. He'll be back soon."
 
The words were spoken out loud to assure Arlene herself as much as her frantic child. Dragging the brunette into her arms, she held him close and rocked him back and forth once again, the motion to help Arlene stay grounded rather than to reassure the boy who seemed to calm after swallowing his mother's excuse.
 
"We'll just wait for him here. It will be okay."
 
Holding tightly to her child, Arlene whispered comforting words over and over, her voice and body trembling, hiding and ignoring the stress inside. 
 
"Maybe… maybe he'll even come back with your father."
 
A dry, hopeful laugh and the boy clenched his fists. Though the brunette was young, even he could tell something was off, but when had his mother ever lied to him? So he buried his head into her shoulder and clung on for dear life, as if scared his mother would also vanish and leave him all alone.
 
"Shhh, it's okay, it's okay…"
 
The pair held each other close, afraid to move, scared to break their current comfort in case their situation became worse. However, Arlene couldn't hold it for long.
 
Itching to return to the kitchen window and restart her vigil. Sniffing and climbing to her feet, Arlene led her young boy back to the kitchen and the two took up their positions, awaiting the return of their loved ones.
 
They waited.
 
And waited.
 
And waited.
 
The sun had already set, deep blues and purples colouring the sky, the moon peeking out from behind a dark mist and the two remaining family members still hadn't moved.
 
"Mama…"
 
The brunette tugged his mother's clothes, the concern welling in his glistening golden eyes. Arlene could only manage a quick glance at the boy before looking back out the window, staring at the pitch black forest.
 
"They'll… they'll be back soon… Why… why don't you go to bed…"
 
Another quick glance with a strained smile, a poor attempt at concealing her own stress. Her son shook his head harshly, refusing to budge.
 
The pair didn't move from their stations at all that night.