Arcane Love

Chapter Five: Apoplectic Memories

"You make good tea," the girl said. She sat on the sofa with her legs resting on the table. It seemed as if she'd turned very comfortable in this house.

"Thank you. I'm glad you liked it." 

The tone of Andrew's voice had changed, he shared with her; one of his deepest secrets and now started to think of her as a friend. "Do you have any family?" Andrew asked her. He still didn't know much about her, so he tried to find out. 

"No, I'm all alone. I don't have a family, not here and nowhere else too."

"That's good," Andrew said and then added, "At least for me." 

"Why? You do have a family, don't you?"

"I do, but I don't consider myself a part of it."

"You know, you are very lucky. Many people don't have someone they can call family, but you do."

"Many people have childhood memories, but I don't." 

The girl didn't know what to say. She tried her bit, but Andrew was stubborn. She got up from the sofa and said, "I should go now."

"Should I drop you?"

"No, it's okay. I'll go. Goodbye, Andrew," she said as she made her way out of the house.

Today was different for Andrew, he seemed a lot happier than usual. Perhaps, speaking about Sarah helped him, but he didn't want to waste his time thinking about how it happened, he just wanted to live the moment. 

Andrew was spending his alone time in bliss. He hadn't felt this good for a long time, and that's why he switched off his phone so no one would disturb him. But his life is filled with tragedy, and tragedy knocked on his door. 

"Oh god!" Andrew sighed, "Who wants to meet me at this hour." He made his way to the door, and when he opened the door; he was shocked.

"Hello, the three of you," Andrew said. He would have not been this shocked if it were the three musketeers, but it weren't them. It was Aunt Greta, Aunt Madaline and Andrew's mother.

"Hi, Andrew. We tried calling you, but your phone was switched off. So we just dropped by," said Aunt Greta.

"Now will you let us in?" Asked his mother.

Andrew moved aside and let them enter. He wasn't angry, but somewhat irritated because his alone time was no more alone.

"What brings Y'all here?" Andrew asked. It wasn't a special occasion and his house wasn't a place where family visited. This made him very curious to know the reason for this visit. 

"Does there always need to be a reason?" Questioned Andrew's mother. She never spoke to him like a mother, but always like a nemesis. 

"I asked you a simple question. Answer it, if you can't then okay. But don't speak to me in that tone." 

There was a time when Andrew didn't tell her anything, he always kept quiet while his mother kept speaking rudely, but that Andrew was long gone. He had turned more repulsive, actually, he always was repulsive, but he used to hide his anger. Which he'd stopped doing after a while. 

"See, this is why I never considered you as a son," his mother said.

"What are you saying?" Aunt Madaline questioned. She was worried, as she knew that this statement will start a fight, and so it did. 

"Let me speak," Andrew's mother said, "it's been enough now. He doesn't understand a mother's importance. He never did, and he never will. Actually, he never could because he never cared."

"True, I don't understand the importance of mother," Andrew said in a weirdly monotonous voice, "But it wasn't because I didn't care. It was because You never cared to show me a mother."

Aunt Greta tried to get in and stop this, "Stop, the both of you."

"No, Greta. it's high time now, let me speak."

Aunt Greta and Aunt Madaline didn't know what to say, they could never really stop Andrew's mother. She never listened to anyone, her self-righteous behaviour always made her do things which she thought were right. 

"Yes," Andrew said, "Let's speak now." He paused after he spoke little, it came out as nervousness, but it as just Andrew trying to stop himself from abusing. "Let's say everything out after so many years. After so many years of annoyance and frustration."

"Listen to me, Andrew." Aunt Madaline said, "Don't start with this please." 

"Do not interfere in this. Let's get done with this now." Andrew's mother had turned aggressive now. Her voice changed from stern to yelling. 

"Oh! Weird of you to ask her to not interfere now. Why not call everyone else? So you can gain sympathy for your apathy towards me."

"Andrew!" She exclaimed, "I'm your mother. Don't speak like that."

"I fucking will," Andrew couldn't stop himself from swearing, he didn't always get angry, but when he did. It used to be bad. And it was the worst this time.  "You are my mother, but how many fucking times were you behaving like one?"

His anger had risen, Aunt Madaline was afraid that this would lead to bigger problems. She tried to step in, "Andrew!" She shouted, it almost seemed as if she was angry at him, "Don't speak like that."

"Are you seriously telling that to me? You never stood by when you had to, and now I mustn't stand for me? Do you really want me to do that?" 

Aunt Madaline didn't know what to say. The words which Andrew used sure did hurt her, but underneath she knew, she knew, that it was all true. None ever came to defend Andrew. They just stood back, just like today. 

Andrew's mother continued, "You have always been a disgrace."

"Absolutely, you're correct. A disgrace just like my father, ain't that true?" 

Andrew's mother didn't say anything, her face turned pale. It wasn't the whole argument which did it, but the last words of Andrew. "I'm leaving. If Y'all want to come with me, then let's go. But I'm leaving now." 

She left the door open on her way. Nobody went to close it. Both of his aunts were still wondering on how could they calm Andrew, but there really was no way.

"Listen..." Aunt Greta tried to speak.

"No. Please, just leave me alone. It's of no use. Y'all never did anything before, and Y'all can't do anything now too. Nothing has changed." Andrew paused, "Except for my situation. It just worsened after Sarah left." 

He never said that she was dead, Andrew actually never spoke of her. No one really had the guts to ask him about how he feels about her now, but somewhere in their minds the name of Sarah always popped up when they saw Andrew.

"If the both of you are going to be here, then okay. I'm going to the balcony, please do not follow me." Andrew made his way to the balcony of his bedroom. His House had many balconies. Apparently, balconies were a good source of inspiration for Andrew, but no one knew why.

"Should I go?" Aunt Greta asked Aunt Madaline. At first Aunt Madaline thought that she asked to leave, but on second thought she realised what Aunt Greta meant.

"I don't know," she paused. She was doubting her thoughts, "Let me go, Greta. You may have a better relationship with him, but I know a few things."

"Okay."

Aunt Madaline walked in Andrew's bedroom, it was big and dull, but not in a sad way, in a shady way. His bed was clean, the sheets almost had no crease, which was obvious because Andrew never slept in the bedroom. Actually, he never slept. 

"Can we speak?" Aunt Madaline asked. Her voice was very low, not because of fear, but because she didn't want to come off as rude to Andrew.

"Speak about what!?" Andrew questioned. His tone was aggressive but cryish. Andrew did act out as a strong, unemotional and made of stone being, but is anyone truly unemotional?