After All This Time

Chapter 3. Art Show

I sat on the porch like I did most Saturday mornings sipping on my green tea. Listening to the morning birds, and the little critters scavenging for food. Letting my mind be at ease with the sound of nature around me. After so many years of being alone, I wondered if I would ever get used to not having to be isolated. I've become so used to it, not that it mattered much it was only Arthur and I any way. I watched as my old warn out sleeve of my hoodie slid up my arm as I took another sip of my tea.

"Hey. Here, thanks for letting me use it."

"You're welcome. Keep it you're freezing."

"Oh that's okay really, I have one."

"Okay, then hold on to it till I ask for it back."

"Thanks."

"Don't mention it."

I could still see his hazel eyes in my mind, they had been etched with so many emotions that night. I could hear the way his voice had been laced with concern. He had never asked for it back, and it was still one of the few things I still had from back then. I gently brushed my fingers over the scar on my inner forearm now covered in a tattoo to try and conceal it. I pulled the sleeve down wrapping my arms around myself. The cold morning breeze causing me to shiver.

"Mom?" I jumped startled, looking up to see Art standing in the door way. I hadn't even heard him open the front door.

"Yes honey?" I looked up at him giving a slight smile. He smiled back coming out to sit next to me on the old wooden porch swing.

"Are you happy?" I looked at him a little taken back by the question.

"Yes, I'm happy. Why wouldn't I be? I have you, and you are my world." I pulled him into a hug.

"Since we came here to live, you haven't seemed yourself. You seem down." I hated how observant he always was, and how he could always read me so well. That and the fact he was way to mature for being 14. I pulled his head to my chest kissing the top of his head like I did when he was little. I rested my chin on the top of his head.

"It's just the holidays coming, and planning the art show for the students on Tuesday and with Thanksgiving on Thursday. Just been in my head honey. You know you really shouldn't be worrying about me. You should be going out having fun, going to parties, listening to music to loud in your room..."

"Slamming doors, huffing when you tell me to do a chore. Blah blah blah." I chuckled at him mimicking myself. " When have I ever been like you expected." He was right, he never did what I expected. "And come on, no one plays music louder than you." We both laughed before we went inside for me to make breakfast.

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Frank POV

"How has he been?" I asked Mikey when Gerard left the room to check on Lindsey. I'd seen Gerard like this before, but this time Lindsey probably will not be there to pull him back out.

"To be honest Frank not good. Lindsey is at the beginning of this, its only going to get worse from here. I can't imagine what he will be like in a few months." Jamia had said the same thing when I had spoken to her earlier about me staying one more day out here. Things weren't the same as they had been back then. We had all started families, and started separate carriers. Yes we kept in contacted, but it was nothing like it once had been.

"Where is Bandit anyway, shouldn't she have been home from school by now?" Trying to change the directions of my thoughts.

"If I had to guess at Kaylynns. Her and her husband are good friends of theirs. Bandit and Kaylynns son Elijah are best friends. By what I've seen they don't do anything or go anywhere without one another. You will meet her tonight at the art show she reminds me a lot of..." He trailed off with a slight smile on his face as Gerard walked back into the living room.