Unlikely Heroes

Chapter 5: In Remembrance Of The Fallen

I look out the window of the yellow cab. The buildings, people, and cars fly by. I can hardly notice it as my mind filled with worry, anxiety, and dread. My left leg bounces up and down in a rapid pace. The chances of her being alive are slim. I fear I will not have the chance to say I am sorry for every petty argument. Or just to say that I love her for one last time.

The day itself is beautiful as hardly any clouds are visible. A bit of positivity in my mind that is working over hours. I want to distract myself from what I will hear or see in just an hour. Gods, please let me see her. I beg you.

"Mother, why do you have to go?" I ask confused.

She crouches down, a smile on her lips as she puts a hand on my shoulder. "Because I need to help. I can do that by helping our fellow brave countrymen. Patching them up from nasty wounds," she explains gently.

"I don't understand..." I say, looking with watery eyes at her. "Can't you stay with me?

"My sweet daughter, I promise. I will come back. Remember, sweetheart, I will always love you."

"Mother, please stay here! I-I need you!" I try to plead to her. A loving kiss is pressed on my forehead. "You're never alone, remember that, Sweetheart. You're strong, just like your mother," she explains with a smile.

"I don't want to be strong! I want you to stay here," I argued back. Mother chuckles. "Sometimes we can't have what we want, love. I have to go, but listen to your heart. It will help you through the difficult time. And I promise, my sweet, beautiful daughter. I will come back."

Mother steps to the edge of the platform. A deep sigh leaves her. She was about to board but quickly steps back to me. "Here, keep this safe for me, alright?" She says as she puts something around my neck, places a final kiss on my forehead and boards the train.

"Alexandra?" A distant voice says. I kept my gaze to the outside as my mind is muddled. "Alexandra? We've arrived." I turn my gaze to the voice. Annabeth looks at me with a supportive smile. I nod slowly as I look at the cab driver.

"Here, thanks for the ride," I say and give him a random bill out of my pocket. "Miss, this is way too much. Do-" I cut him off by closing the door behind me.

"Alexandra, are you alright? You seem to be dreading to be here," Luke asks gently. I take a deep calming breath. "I'm fine," I answer flatly and walk to the entrance of the building. It is a large gray-white building. Two flags proudly flap in the wind. The state flag of Virginia and the flag of the United States of America.

With shaky legs, I walk inside. The inside is mostly silent as a few people walk around. A few comfortable benches are placed around a huge wall. My eye widen as it consist only of names in alphabetical order. Above the huge list of names, in large letters, it says 'In Remembrance of The Fallen'.

"Please, no..." I say softly in a shaky voice. I animatedly walk towards it. Slowly passing the many names.

First were the family names that started with the Z...
W...
K...
H...
D...
C...

I swallow thickly as I scan the family names that started with the C. My eyes are rapidly going through the list, anxiously trying to find out what has become of my mother.

Cornelius, Vincent.

Cornelius, Alex.

Corpius, Lious Maria Joseph.

Corvius, Alexandra Alexius.

"No! Gods, No!" I yell out in anguish, dropping to my knees. "Mother... please, you promised..."

"Alexandra...?" Thalia says hesitantly, "Is that your name?" Annabeth takes a deep, laborious breath. "It's her mother..."

"Aileen?" A voice asks. You can hear she is uncertain and probably a bit shocked. I turn to look who it is as my tears flow freely. A dark haired, fair skinned woman stand behind us, a few wrinkles are starting to appear on her face. Her eyes have a dark brown color. The face has sharp but beautiful features. She looks so much like my mother...

"Are you Aileen? Daughter of Alexandra Corvius?" she asks again. I frown, nodding softly. Her lips form a smile, like she's been waiting here for a long time. "Hello, sister, uhm, welcome back, I think?"

"Sister...?" I ask, confused as I sniffle. "Yes, I am Marie Heatrow-Corvius. We have been waiting for some time. Come, we can talk outside. This place is for remembering, not idle talking." Her hand is held out for me to take as she smiles kindly at me. I take it and follow her outside.

"Are... are you okay?" Annabeth asks me as she walks next to me. "No. But thanks for asking." Thalia scratches the back of her head a bit in confusion as she follows. A similar thing can be said for Luke, who seems very confused but intrigued.

We eventually end up in an adjacent park. It is quiet, and it offers a calming view of the nearby river. I was too late, she already died. This is just cruel. The Gods should have at least given me a chance to say goodbye. Are they that heartless? Eventually, we sit down on a bench overlooking the river.

"I think you're hoping to see mother?" Marie says softly, glancing at me with sympathy. I swallow another thick lump down before nodding. "Did... did she at least come back home?"

"She did, in December 1945, with me," Marie says, "Aileen, she searched for you. For years, she desperately searched for you, but you were nowhere to be found. She never stopped, but instead started to wait for you. Here, in the hope you'd show up one day. She said, "She is coming back. I just have to be patient. Like she did for me." I guess she was right."

"She did...?" I mutter softly. Marie chuckles as she thinks about it. "Yes, every week she came without fail. Only the last few months of her life, she couldn't come. She wasn't very mobile anymore and was plagued by health issues, she asked me to do it for her. Almost begged me to take her place. It was really the only time she was selfish. I kept it up for her, of course, but I didn't really think you're going to show up."

I feel Annabeth making comforting circles on my back in support. The others remained silent as they listen. They look sad and heartbroken for me. "When did she die?" I ask with trembling lips. "Two years ago. It was a peaceful death, Aileen. She hoped you could forgive her for leaving you," Marie says with her own cocktail of emotions. I smile a little as I see Marie thinking about Alexandra. She was a good mother, after all.

A shaky sigh leaves Marie as she starts to rummage through her handbag. "I... I have something for you. Mother probably realized she wouldn't be able to see you again... She wrote a letter for you instead," she says as she hands me a letter. 'Aileen Aleta Corvius' is written on it in elegant handwriting. I take it with a shaky hand and start to read it.

"My dear Aileen,

If you are reading this, I am no longer there to greet you and welcome you home. Please, thank Marie for me for keeping it up. I am not sure for how long she did it, but I am very grateful for it. My daughter, please forgive your foolish mother for leaving. I truly regretted ever leaving you, I thought I was doing the right thing. But when I came home, and you weren't there... I knew I made a big mistake.

I hope you know that I tried, I really tried finding you, sweetheart. No matter what I tried, I failed in finding you. It was like you disappeared completely without leaving a trace. When I was at my wits end, your Greek Godly parent came. You had to be put to sleep for your own safety. I won't pretend to understand what it meant, but I was assured that you would come back. To Richmond. So, I waited for as long as I could. It seems even that was not long enough.

I take it you met Marie! It is your half-sister, so I expect you to get along with her, young lady! I wish you could have grown up together. Gone to school together. I wish I could have seen you grow up, Aileen. Alas, fate had other plans, it seems. Please forgive me, Aileen. I love you, Aileen, always and ever.

Alexandra"

Author's note
Yes, I cried.