Where Loyalties Lie (boyxboy)

Chapter Eleven

Frank was beside himself with worry. First, Aldrian was missing and he had to hold the pieces of his family together while worrying that he'd never see his son again. Then, Aldrian's friend came insisting to talk to the missing boy. He looked like he was going through something and needed a friend. Frank really had hoped Aldrian would come home and be that friend but eventually Adish left, vowing to come back another time.

Now, Aldrian was back. Janice and Frank were overjoyed to have their son back. But there were still so many questions that still weren't answered from the time that Aldrian was gone.

Where was he? What happened to him? What could have possibly happened to make Aldrian wake up in the middle of the night screaming? It was horrible and Frank felt helpless. And, what were Aldrian and Janice keeping from Frank? He had noticed that Janice seemed to know more about what was happening than he did. And he was waiting patiently for her to tell him what the heck was going on.

Would she eventually confide in him? Frank hoped so. He supposed only time would tell and he was extremely patient.

It was a little over a week from when Aldrian came home when Janice sought Frank out. He was eating a bowl of Cheerios and reading the Sunday paper.

Taking a deep stabilizing breath, Janice slowly made her way over to Frank. "Honey, there's something that I need to tell you that I should have told you ages ago," she started as she sat down across from him at the kitchen table.

Flooding up the paper, Frank motioned for Janice to continue. He had a feeling he knew what this was about.

"It's about Aldrian," she slowly started. "He's not..." she trailed off, "he's a..."

"I know," Frank spoke gently, keeping eye contact with his wife.

"You know?" Janice's eyebrows wrinkled in confusion.

Frank nodded. "He's an elf."

Janice's mouth dropped open. How could Frank just say it so easily? Wait... "How the Hell do you even know that!?" she asked, slapping the table in excitement.

"Do you really think I sat on the couch when a strange person knocked on the door? I was worried about you so I looked out the window to see what was going on," Frank explained. "I saw the man that dropped him off and I saw Aldrian before the magic made him look more human."

Janice couldn't believe what she was hearing. She had been so afraid to tell Frank about what had happened that night and here he had known the whole time what had transpired. "Why didn't you tell me you knew?"

"I wanted to wait until you were ready to tell me," Frank replied gently.

"What if I was never ready?"

"Then I would have let you continue to hide the truth," he shrugged.

Horrified by the revelation Janice gasped, "Why?"

"Because it's easier to let someone lie to your face than to risk damaging the relationship you have with that person," Frank explained. "I didn't want to risk the relationship I had with you by accusing you of hiding something from me. I cherish what we have too much."

Tears were welling up in Janice's eyes. She jumped up and into Frank's arms, "You wonderful man," she groused before holding Frank tight and kissing him fiercely.

After a few seconds Frank gently pulled away from his wife and fixed his gaze upon her countanance. "Something's happening with him, isn't it?"

"Yes," Janice admitted quietly.