Memories of Autumn

Chapter 9

That morning, Anne was extremely pale as she opened the door to Arthur's study room. It was blandly furnished with one single desk in front of a chalk board. The walls were decorated with cartoon grass and lady bugs. There was a panic button as well, similar to the one in the nursery. The kid could never go anywhere without the danger of getting extremely sick, she thought and felt a pang of pity for the child.

She was just about to step inside the room when she heard her name from behind her. It was Nate, holding the hand of Arthur. She smiled at the sight of the miniature John wearing what seemed like a school uniform.

Nate knelt down to look at Arthur face to face. "This is Miss Richards. She will be your new teacher from now on. You be good to her, okay?" Nate looked oddly paternal towards someone who looked exactly like his best friend. It was a different sight for her but she brushed it aside, realizing that she was again comparing the past. The four year old kid nods and walked towards her, tilting his head up to her.

"Hello. My name is Arthur. " The boy said to her and she immediately felt tears as she hears the first words Arthur ever spoke to her. His voice was much higher than John but there still was a hint of it in his voice.

She got to her knees and looked at the boy with a smile "Hi there, Arthur. I'm going to be your friend. You can call me Anne if you want."

The boy returned her smile before turning back to Nate "I like her, daddy!" Anne couldn't help but giggle.

Arthur sat at the small chair while Nate sat on the floor which made Anne smile. She was happy to see the two of them together again. Though Nate shouldn't be in the classroom, he was so eager to see her and Arthur together. He wanted to see if they would get along. He wanted to see Anne's smile; hear her voice; make her laugh again. By now, he didn't see Arthur as the clone of his best friend anymore. He saw him as his own child. He stuck around 'til the tutoring was over. It was amazing how the two of them worked out. He never thought he'd feel so much happiness reuniting the two of them. That night when Anne was in her bed, she thought about what she felt that day. It was heart breaking to see the man he once loved with all her heart, reduced to the image of a sickly child. She ached for her own version of John but she was happy to see him none the less. Yet there is still something in the child that made him unique. He was different from John; if anyone-he acts like Nate most of the times. It amazed her to see so much of Nate in a child that was entirely John.

After a week, Anne could see that the boy wasn't feeling very well that day so she asked Arthur if he wanted to get some rest. But Arthur wouldn't admit that he was feeling ill though he was cold and pale that day. "Well, I suppose today, we can have a talking activity. We can just stay in your room and play and talk." Anne said. Arthur's face lights up and grabs her hand softly, leading her towards his room. Once they were in his nursery, he looks back at her.

"Are you sure Daddy wouldn't mind?" he said to her with his beautiful innocent blue eyes.

"Of course he wouldn't." she smiles as she rubs his golden hair. Personality wise, he was different from John in so many ways. John was the kind of guy who wouldn't think twice about cutting classes. Slowly, she was beginning to see Arthur as a different person from John. Arthur was just an innocent, sickly, charming, normal child.

They spent the day playing in his room and she was happy to see that he looked a little better from earlier. When it got darker, Anne laid him on his bed for him to get some rest. She knew Arthur shouldn't be playing too much because of his health. But a child should never be refrained from playing. Emotional health is just as important as physical health.

Arthur stared up at her with a smile "Can you be my mommy?"

Anne giggled at the boy's silly question. "What makes you ask that?"

"I like you and you're fun." He replied.

"Well, darling, just because you like me, doesn't mean I can be your mommy." She said carefully, caressing the boy's head.

"Oh, okay. But promise me you won't leave me, okay?"

"I promise. I'm never ever going to leave you." She replied as she tickled him and they both laughed. Meanwhile, Nate was right outside the door as they talked. He listened to them talking and smiled to himself. Right when they were tickle fighting, he opened the door and cleared his throat.

"Ahem, why aren't you two studying?" he said, pretending to discipline Arthur.

Anne gasped playfully "Oh my, Nate. It is so unlike of you to be a party-pooper." This made Arthur chuckle and Nate chuckled too as he walks closer to the bed.

"Oh me? A party pooper?!" he said in a dramatic voice then started tickling Arthur but Anne tickled him back and the three of them laughed so hard their stomach hurt. Then, there was a stroke of lightning and a deafening thunder which made Arthur and Anne hug Nate and he fell back on the bed with the two hugging him. Nate blushed slightly and smiled, rubbing the heads of Anne and Arthur to calm them. Anne looked at him and blushed then let go.

"I-I'm sorry. After all these years, I'm still afraid of thunder." She was blushing with embarrassment. Nate held Arthur in his arms and smiled at her.

"It's alright. You were always scared of thunder. And it's never good for your heart to be startled like that." Anne nods and smiles back at him before another loud thunder made her pounce on him again.

"Annie, can you stay for a little while?" said Arthur  and Anne nods as she rubs Arthur's head. It was raining hard outside and it was so warm in Arthur's bedroom. They tucked him in his bed and kissed his forehead until he fell asleep. Anne never felt so much at peace in her life. Being in this room with this child and Nate.

'It was about a week from Anne's hospitalization and Nate was constantly trying to stay away from Anne. He felt responsible for Anne's heart problem. If only he didn't cause her so much pain, she wouldn't have been hospitalized that month.

Anne was just about to walk home with John but when they stepped out of the building, it started raining hard.

"Oh no. I didn't bring an umbrella." She whined.

"Oh well, I guess we'll just have to wait until it stops." He said, staring up at the grey sky.

Then she gasps "B-but I'll miss my show!"

John snickered "What? Your anime show?"

"Yeah. I don't want to miss an episode."

"Hah well then, I suppose we'll just have to get wet then." John said as he steps outside the door and stood in the pavement, getting soaked.

"W-what are you doing? You're getting wet." Anne said laughing at how silly he looked.

"You're going to see that show." He said as he takes off his jacket and pulled it over his head. "Besides, what can a bit of rain do?" with this, Anne ran towards his arms, laughing. They were both getting wet despite him putting his jacket over Anne's head to shield her from the rain. But they were happy as they stepped on puddles and soaking more of their shoes. Just as they were about to head to the streets, a black car pulled over and out from the back seat came Nate with an umbrella. He shot a glance at John then at Anne.

"Come with me Anne. You'll get a cold if you stay out in the rain like that. You know how fragile your health is." He said in a soft and concerned voice. Anne looks at John and he nods in agreement. Neither of them wants any trouble, they just want what's best for Anne. So she got into the car, looking at John through the window. John gave her a smile and a shrug before the car drove away.'