My Patchwork Child

Chapter Eleven

11

To start our day, I asked Alden to tell a story. He laughed and said he didn't know any good stories.

'Don't be silly. Of course, you do.' I said, narrowing my eyes at him, 'Please!' I begged.

He sighed and slumped down beside my weak frame, 'Alright.' He shot me a sly glance, 'Just for you.' I smiled at him and straightened into a more comfortable position.

'Ready?'

'Ready!' I nodded.

'Ok. How do you start stories these days?' He put his index finger on his bottom lip in thought.

'Once upon a time.' I said, hitting his arm, the gesture meaning, isn't it obvious? Silly.

'Ah, yes. Once upon a time a teacher stood at the front of her classroom.' I listened intently as he began his tale,

'One of her students raised their hand. It was near the end of the day and they'd worked hard. So, when the student requested to hear a story, their teacher was happy to oblige. She said, Our story begins with a couple. They stood on a big boat, a ferry. They were sailing the seven seas.

One day, on a very stormy morning, the captain shouts to all his crew to help their passengers onto lifeboats. The boat was sinking.

The couple were thrown backwards in the fray and were the last two on the boat. They hurry around, desperate to find a lifeboat. 'There is a space here!' They hear someone shout.

When they run over on the slippery boat, the dark clouding their vision, they realised the boat only had one space left.

The man looked at his wife, then narrowed his eyes. The boat began turning over. Shoving her backwards, he leapt to safety.

Over his shoulder, he saw his wife shout out to him before she disappeared out of his sight and the boat capsized, taking her down into its depths.'

Alden paused as he saw my horrified face, 'Is that the end?' I asked, my hands covering my mouth, my eyes wide. He shook his head and continued,

'The teacher stopped telling her story and looked around her class, What do you all think she said to him? She asked. Instantly, the children began crying out their thoughts.

I hate you!

How could you?

I won't forgive you!

You'll forever live with this guilt!

The teacher spotted a boy, sat at the back of the class, his gaze pointing down at his desk. She tilted her head and quieted the class. She called out to him, once the other students had become silent, What do you think, Tye? She was shocked by his reply.

Look after our child. Was what he said. She forced a smile.

Have you already heard this story? She asked and her eyes widened when he shook his head.

No. His voice was quiet and she leaned forward to hear him better. It's what my father said to my mother when he died.

The teacher blinked in surprise, but quickly recovered from her shock. Well, you're correct. That is what she said to him.'

Alden stopped once more, 'It's interesting, how far someone will go to protect one they love, isn't it?' He asked me, smiling. I nodded and he went back to his story.

'The teacher continued, When his daughter turned sixteen, he gave her a birthday present. He gave her his old journal, with a book mark, marking the page that wrote about her mother's death.