The Fairy Lights Under Phoenix City

Chapter 4

Thanks for the memories
Even if they weren't so great

-Fall Out Boy

===========================

Aphmau brushed spare strands of hair out of her face. She was reading an old book. The Bible Of Irene. Now that her mother was dead, she found comfort in the faded pages. Pages worn from years of use. Fingers brushing over the ink as she tried to keep her place. She was reading about Garroth's blossoming love for Lady Aphmau.

Aphmau had always admired the Aphmau from the Bible. The hero Aphmau. Many men loved her. Loved her deeply. So deeply that they would gladly lay down their lives for her. She had children, power, love... Everything Aphmau didn't have. Everything she wanted to have.

She sighed, marking her place and setting the book down. Her eyes were getting to heavy to read anymore. She was tired. So very tired. She pulled on her nightie and fell into the bed. Her eyes closed immediately and her body was at rest. But her mind just couldn't seem to fall asleep.

Her mind was filled with a swirling hurricane of thoughts that nagged her like biting insects. There was something about Aaron that was just so familiar to her. Like she mad met him before. Or maybe seen him somewhere. Like at a supermarket. Or maybe an advertisement on TV. After all, he was very famous. He ran a company for Irene's sake. No... he seemed more important than that. Where had she seen him before?

She sighed, reaching over to rummage through her bedside drawers. Aph pulled out an elastic band and used it to tie her hair back. She pushed her bangs back behind her ear. For some reason, the feeling of fingers caressing behind her ear made her shiver.

                -•♤♧♡♧♤•-

Aphmau sighed, tilting her hair back and letting the sunshine hit her face. It was a sunny summer day. The first day of Aphmau's summer break. Aaron sat a little ways away under the shade of an oak tree. It was the largest tree in the park. It looked centuries old, yet it had only been around for twenty years. Many said it was a miracle, the blessing of Lady Irene. That the tree was a sure sign of good luck and it was said to bring a couple true love. Aphmau was a believer in the superstition.

"Why are you out in the sun?" Aaron asked her. "The shade is so nice."

"I like the sun!" She said with a giggle. "You're going to get all pale and pasty."

"I'm fine with pale." He said, slumping back against the trunk. 

Aphmau scooted over to sit beside him under the shade of the tree. She breathed in the warm summer breeze. It smelled of grass and wildflowers. The shade was cool and pleasant. The sun no longer burned her eyes. "You're right." She said. "The shade is nice."

Aaron turned his head to look at her. She was wearing a floral dress today. Plain white fabric with pink flower print on them. Very vintage. Like something you'd expect a grandmother to wear. But she pulled it off well. Instead of making her look old, it made her look like a doll. A pretty doll with dark hair and a great big smile. She held out her hands for a passing butterfly to land in. A small yellow butterfly. She looked so happy.

Aaron pushed her hair back and planted a kiss on her cheek. The feeling of his fingers brushing the sensitive skin behind her ear lingered. Warmth flooded her face and she blushed. The butterfly flew away, flashing across their vision and catching the warm golden glow of the sunshine in it's wings. 

She clutched her cheek when he pulled away. Like she was trying to hold onto the kiss. Trying to keep it. Her eyes were surprised. Another gust of wind blew by. It shook the leaves. Several fell down around them, reminding them of where they were. Underneath the blessed tree of love. Aphmau blushed brighter and Aaron chuckled. 

"Thanks." She said quietly.

"No problem." Aaron said. "You're too good to resist."

"Oh, stop teasing." She muttered. 

"I'm not teasing." Aaron assured her. "Please don't think I'm insincere. I'm very interested in you."

Aphmau turned her head to hide her flushed face. But Aaron could tell she was pleased. He smiled. 

"I will always stay by your side."

                 —•♤♧♡♧♤•—

Aaron released the breath he had been holding and let the smoke in his lungs float towards the sky. The moon glared at him through the haze of smoke. Aaron didn't usually smoke. It was a bad habit he had picked up after Sylvanna died. It calmed his nerves. Especially in the night. Darkness brought anxiety. With it came memories long lost to time. Memories of Sylvanna. Memories of Aphmau. Some of the memories were as hazy as the smoke from his cigarette. Others as clear as day. There was one memory that made Aaron toss his cigarette right off the roof of his penthouse suite.

"Mijo. That stuff is garbage. Never smoke a cigarette." Sylvanna said. "Cigarettes are what took my husband from me."

He took a deep breath of fresh air, trying to clear his lungs. He was done with cigarettes. 

Aphmau's father. What had he been like? 

Lucky. He was most certainly lucky. After all, he got a wife like Sylvanna and a daughter like Aphmau. A damn shame he had to ruin it by smoking. Did Aphmau remember her father? She didn't remember him. 

The doctors said that she had no brain damage. No obvious injuries either. However she did have a great deal of psychological stress. The trauma of losing her father probably caused memory loss. Some memories of her past were locked away to prevent any more damage. That may include memories of Aaron. 

That made Aaron sad. He felt as though Aphmau were his best friend. But she couldn't remember him at all. Or maybe she did. Vague memories of a boy holding her mother's hand. Laughter. Maybe the smell of a summer day. The blood of her ex boyfriend Gene staining her kitchen floor. So many memories.... She had to remember one. 

Right?

Or maybe. Aaron thought. They're just as unclear as the moon through the smoke of a cigarette.