blood runs red ✓

LIX

'a mother's love liberates' 

- maya angelou  

august

August was still terrified of seeing his mom again. He hadn't seen her in a while, and he knew she'd been asking about him. When Ares took her away from her old house, she'd asked what was wrong and worried for her son. 

She only got more worried when August didn't visit her at all after that. It had been weeks and she was still waiting for someone other than a nurse to visit her. She wanted to see her son so badly. All she'd heard from the nurses was that he was alright.

A mother's concern went far deeper than that, though, so she continued to worry and worry until she was so stressed that her blood pressure was far too high and she had to be sedated because she was worrying herself sick. That's when a nurse finally called August and demanded he come down to see Juliette.

"I can't." August felt like crying.

"Yes, you can." Ares kissed August softly. "You'll be okay. You don't have to tell her anything if you don't want to. It's up to you."

"Can we go somewhere else first?"

"Alright."

When August suggested going somewhere else, he didn't expect to end up at a graveyard. He was about to make a stupid joke when Ares had wandered off, and August blindly followed. When Ares sat down by a grave, August went quiet.

The headstone belonged to someone named Rhea. August wasn't stupid, and realised that Rhea was Ares' mom. 

"I know it's weird that I brought you here, but my mom was really important to me." Ares said quietly. "She would've loved to meet you."

"I would've loved to meet her." August smiled. 

"I know- I know it's hard, going to see your mom after everything that happened to you. But I'd do anything to see my mom again, talk to her again." Ares admitted in a teary voice. "Juliette's ill. She's really ill. I don't want the next time you talk to her to be in front of her headstone."

August forgot how serious his mom's condition was, and the stress of not knowing what was going on was not helping her. He forgot that yes, his mom could die because of how sick she was. Ares was right; he had to see her before it was too late.

"Can we see my mom now then?" 

"Of course. Just give me a minute." Ares threw the car keys at August. "You can sit in the car if you want."

August nodded and walked away. 

"August?" 

"Hey, mom."

Juliette sat up from her bed immediately, arms outstretched to hug her son. "What's happened? No one's told me anything. Are you okay? Why isn't Luisa here anymore? And why aren't I in the old house?"

"I'm not with Sean anymore."

"Really?" She asked. "How come? He seemed so lovely. Always brought flowers whenever he visited me." 

The idea of Sean visiting his mom made August shiver. "He wasn't very lovely, mamá." 

"Hm?"

"Dad." August said simply. "He was like dad."

Juliette's face fell. "No. No. No he wasn't. You're lying. Tell me you're lying."

"I'm sorry."

"No, cariño, please don't say sorry." She teared up, squeezing her son tightly. "I'm sorry I never noticed. Those few times you came here in pain, I should've noticed. And that time you asked me about what your dad put me through- I should've noticed."

"It's not your fault, mamá."

"Why did you stay?" She had to ask. She knew August was strong enough to leave. "Do not lie to me. Tell me the truth."

"He was blackmailing me." August admitted quietly. He didn't want to tell the truth. But his mom would notice if he wasn't. "He- I told him about dad when I was drunk, and- and then when he started hitting me, I tried to leave. But he was paying for your medical bills and knew about him now, so he threatened to get dad out of prison and hurt you, and- and I couldn't." 

Juliette tried not to cry, really, she did, but the tears fell regardless. "You let him hurt you because of me?"

"I told you I'd protect you, mamá. I couldn't when I was younger, so of course I would now. Even if it meant I'd get hurt." August smiled sadly. "But it wasn't your fault. I let myself rely on Sean, and let myself slip up and- if I'd just been less stupid-"

"Cállate. If it wasn't my fault, it wasn't yours either." She said sternly. "You do not get to blame yourself for a vile man's actions. Blaming yourself only gives him the power. I learnt not to blame myself, so I will make sure you don't either, okay?"

"Okay, mamá." He nodded. "Te amo." 

"Te amo, mi dulce niño." Juliette kissed her son's forehead. "Now who's that good-looking man?"

August blushed. "Shh. El es mi novio. Lo amo tanto. Él me salvó la vida. Y la tuya, mamá."

"Well tell him I said gracias." Juliette whispered. "Is he Italian?" 

"Italian and Greek."

"No wonder he's so good-looking." Juliette teased. 

"Mamá." August whined. 

"El te cuidara?"

"Sí."

"Buen. If he hurts you-"

"I'll leave." August said simply. "I'll leave if he ever does. But I know he won't. He's not like Sean. Lo amo tanto, mamá. I know he'll take care of me." 

Juliette gave her son a sad smile, moving the curls resting on his forehead. "I just want to make sure you're okay. I thought Andrew was good at first, and you thought the same with Sean." 

"I know." August didn't want to ever think of a world where Ares ended up like Andrew or Sean. "I know. I'll come visit you later, okay?"

"Alright, cariño. You talk to me when you need to, okay? Don't hide things from me."

"Okay, mamá."

"Te amo, August."

"Te quiero más, mamá."

"Nonsense. You can never love your mother more than she loves her child."

August smiled fondly, kissing his mom's forehead before getting up. He loved his mom so much. He hated that she got so upset over what happened with Sean. 

"You'll be okay?"

"Yes, mamá." 

August left, finally feeling like the world's weight was no longer on his shoulders. 

"What did you talk about?" 

"We spoke in Spanish for a reason." He grinned. "So you couldn't understand."

Ares just rolled his eyes.

sorry to all the spanish speakers who i offended by using google translate