Crimson Bound

II.

All I remember was Lorelai saying something to me...what was it? I never quite made out her words and still can’t recall them even now. She was panicking, I remember that much. Men in black uniforms with shiny badges were swarming the house, a barricade formed in fron to the back sliding doors preventing any chance of seeing what was going on out back. A lady in a grey suit and black high heels like  my momma wore to fancy events approached me and crouched down so we were at eye level.

“Hey there little guy, How much have you seen?” Her voice was plummy, her tone Taut.

Despite the vagueness of her question, I somehow understood what she was asking and answered with a small smile playing at my lips.

“My Momma’s an Angel” I swung my feet and watched her puzzled expression waiting for her response.

“Yes she is, So you understand what has happened?” The woman’s face reflected a look of Sympathy, I didn’t understand why.

“Yes I understand, My Momma has turned into an angel...Except, she has no wings, but she is flying.” After I answered, Lorelai turned her head looking to the woman with a confused expression.

Lorelai’s voice cracked as she spoke saying, “I don’t think he understands what has happened to the full extent miss.”

The professional lady with the gray suit and fancy shoes nodded to Lorelai and looked back to me asking yet another question. This time, the question was very obvious.

“What do you mean when you say your mom is...flying, sweetheart?” She studied my face as she awaited my reply.

I had, I  tilted my head to the side wondering how she didn’t already understand what I was saying. Instead of judging her for asking such a silly thing I decided to break it down to her.

“Angels fly, My momma is dressed finely as an angel with her white gown and flowing hair, except, she doesn’t have wings. My momma doesn’t have wings...Instead she has a rope around her neck holding her above the ground.” As I said these word, Lorelai broke into sobs and wrapped her freckled arms around my body pulling me into a warm embrace.

I turned to face Lorelai and wiped the tears streaming from her eyes down her cheeks. I spoke quietly the way momma always did for me when I was sad.

“Your eye clouds raining Lorelai, Cheer up sunshine.”  I dropped my hands back to my lap and hugged her after saying this.

My soothing attempt worked. A small laugh was earned from Lorelai as she sniffled and squeezed me in her arms. A police officer came over and tapped Lorelai’s shoulder motioning for her to come over. She looked hesitantly between the officer and I before quietly whispering “I’ll be back” to me and walking away. There was a brief moment of loneliness in me before the feeling was replaced with comfort and warmth. I felt embraced and tucked my knees to my chest finding peace in the feeling.

The lady who had been questioning me lifted me from the kitchen stool where I sat and pulled me towards the front door by my hand. I panicked and shook her hand off of mine and ran screaming for Lorelai and my momma. A police officer pulled me back, but not before Lorelai and I locked eyes. At the same time she reached for me I hurtled myself towards her. The professional interviewing woman from earlier pulled me back and an officer held Lorelai back by her arm.

“LORI!” I screamed for the ginger haired female and didn’t understand the feeling that I was experiencing. Tears had brimmed my eyes making my vision blurred.

“Let me go to him! He needs me!” Lorelai pleaded with the officers and woman carrying me away.

Her pleas were dismissed by officers and other people dressed like the woman pulling me away. They were saying something about needing Lorelai to answer some questions for them. I can clearly remember how dramatic of a scene I made that day. My body thrashed every which way as I was dragged from my home. My feet kicked wildly and I screamed until I was red for the face. I cried for my momma, for Lorelai, for my home.

I was led to a car and buckled in the backseat where the woman in fancy shoes sat beside me to assure I wouldn’t go anywhere. The driver gave looks of pity to me through the rearview mirror. I screamed the entire ride.

“Stop looking at me!”

“Take me home!”

“I want my Momma!”

My cries had become incoherent rambles. As I watched the roads pass by I realized there was nothing I could do.

My sad feeling halted and my tantrums ceased when the familiar feeling from earlier returned. The warm comforting feeling that embraced me when Lorelai first left to talk with the officers. It was soothing...I felt calm. The last thing I remembered was seeing a tree with an abandoned tire swing tied to it’s senescent branch before my weighted eyelids fell shut sending me into a reposed sleep.