'Be careful, have a good day.' was the last thing I heard from that devil. Alden took me by the shoulder (since my hands were clutching my crutches) with a grin plastered to his face.
Everything had worked out. Just as he'd promised. Three gruelling years passed soundly with him at my side and finally our dream had come into our grasps.
My heart felt free and light as we stretched down the street. I told myself I wouldn't cry, today. But it wasn't over yet, so no promises.
We reached the meadow, headed for our house – which we'd declared 'Chewy's Cabin' in honour of our donkey.
As I took my first steps into the grass as Alden's child, I felt my smile spread wider than I knew it could. This over-whelming joy inside my stomach was something I'd never thought I could have.
Alden faced me, his expression bright and rapturous. He began running away from me. I laugh aloud, my heart soaring.
He slows and calls over his shoulder – competing with the strong wind blowing our hair – to me. 'Misty, today we start giving you all those stolen childhood moments back to you!'
Flying over to him with little struggle, I ditch the crutches and fling myself onto him.
He falls back and wraps me in his arms. We roll blissfully in the grass. Dirt sticking to our hair, clothes and skin.
We sit up in an abundance of laughter, our throats hurting.
I glance up at the sky and lie on my back. But he just watches me for a bit.
'Hey, Bean?'
'Hm?' I don't sit up or look at him. I was too busy cloud-watching.
Silence greets my questioning grunt so I sit up only to see he's disappeared. I was surprised I didn't hear him move.
Glancing behind me, he's nowhere in the meadow.
'Let's go get Chewy.'
I almost shriek in shock and whip my head around to see Alden in front of me, presenting me my crutches.
I accepted them and he helped me to my feet.
Happy beyond words, I thanked the man again, 'Thank you so much!'
He laughed and gave me a friendly smile, 'Anything to see ya smile, kid.' He then turned to Alden. The two shook hands, both smiling.
As I stood beside Chewy and deafly watched their exchange, I thought back to those arduous nights of shivering dread, anxiety and strain. Those tormenting images, words, threats blasting through my eyes and ears. Those disgusting slurs and swears thrown side to side just like I was. Cuts and bruises were more common than plain flesh.
My anxiety, my depression, had all but vanished now. With Alden.
I still knew I'd suffer from it. From its wrath. But now I had someone who would step in and cradle me till it was all okay.
We got to bring Chewy home. As we walked through his pasture with him, his ears flicked attentively and his muzzle inspected everything he passed.
Once he'd searched the field, he ran a lap of elation.
We left the archaic donkey to himself, wanting to squeeze as much as we could into the day.
Alden decides to take me swimming in the lake.
On the way, the fawn we saw long back was grown and matured into a beautiful stag. He seemed to remember us and as we passed, he sniffed towards us. Approaching with the same young caution he'd done before, he nuzzled me before leaping back to his herd.
YOU ARE READING
My Patchwork Child
Adventure'Listen, Bean.' First time he's used that name. I thought it was sweet. 'You've struggled through way too much. You've done the unimaginable. You've survived something many wouldn't have. At such a young age. You've made it through something no one...
