Code Lyoko: Revolutions and Evolutions

Chapter 34

It was spring as Aelita looked out the window, the sun shining elegantly through the immaculately clean pane of glass. She could help but laugh as she felt the warmth of the sun on her hands. She was running along the wooden floor of the hermitage, and she saw her mother and father talking in the kitchen. 

They looked so earnest in their moment of conversation, and despite how she was watching them, she could barely hear them as they spoke in the barely audible tone parents are want to do to keep their children from hearing select things. Paying little mind to this, Aelita continued her merry way to the couch. After pulling herself up, she sat comfortably on the couch a moment and looked to the pile of presents on the ground nearby.

It was her sixth birthday, something she knew because of how much time had built up to it. Waldo had asked her what she would have liked, and she told him. However, she was not so naïve as one would think. Aelita knew there was a slight tension between her parents. When she'd asked both them on separate occasions, both had given relatively the same answer. Be it, "It's grown-up things, sweetie, don't worry," or "It's nothing that should worry you." 

But she knew it was something. It was definitely something. The several nights that her mother had come home late, and her father had confronted her on the subject were the worst. There were low voices at those times too. Aelita would see and hear this due to gently peeking from behind the corner that leads to her room. The arguments would last for all of maybe ten minutes, but it felt a great deal longer than that.

Aelita would retreat to her room after an amount of time. Eventually, she would hear her mother's hurried gate to her room and a slam of a door. Aelita would close her eyes, but soon her own door would usually open, and her father would gently come in and sit in the chair near her bed. He would be silent in those times, and she could feel his eyes on her sleeping form. She knew he hurt inside; she knew the aching of his heart. Whatever was going on, it was hurting her father far more profoundly than he'd cared to let on.

This morning was different; however, this morning was Aelita's morning; her birth morning. And she hoped that no matter what was happening, it would stop at least for a little while today. At that moment, she heard the doorbell ring. She got up to see who it was, and as the door opened, she saw her mother embraced the man who came through, her uncle. Her father seemed less pleased to see him, and he shook his hand. Aelita was silent as she beheld the man before her. His face was gentle and kind with small beady green eyes. He came in and embraced Aelita, and she loved his hug, so firm and warm; his small braided goatee and curlicue mustache smelling of lavender and jasmine. It was a lovely smell that Aelita associated forever with this day.

Soon, her parents came in, and Waldo brought out a cardboard box and set it down before her. Aelita was elated as she knelt and opened the box. Inside was a beautiful knit doll.

"Oh, he's so cute! What should I call him?"

Waldo replied, "How about Mr. Puck? It means Goblin."

"Do you like him?" Anthea asked.

"Oh, yes, yes. Thank you, Mommy!"

As she was still looking in the box, there was a small click. As she embraced her mother, there was another click.

Aelita's gaze turned towards the sound, and it was her uncle who was taking the pictures. She waved at him, and he waved gingerly back. As the day continued, there was an enormous amount of fun, an excellent time for everyone to enjoy themselves. Throughout the time, Aelita couldn't help but shake the sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. The tension between her father and her uncle had not passed.

That night, when Aelita was supposed to be in bed, again, she heard the low voices. They were angrier and just a touch louder than they were at nights prior. Her father was furious as was her mother; they were fighting. Fighting over something to do with closeness, something was too close, something was a high risk. But what? The argument went on for a bit longer and then finally subsided. The door to her parents' room closed gently, and her door opened. Her father came in and gently sat beside her. She remembered his smell; it was the comforting smell that he always had from his soap, that of figs and cinnamon and nutmeg. It was a smell that was distinctly her father.