Love Comes in All Sizes (Companion Sequel Fic to "Uniquely the Same")

Three Magic Words That Destroyed It All

I had that same dream again. Only this time, it felt more real.

I could see her in the distance, at the very edge of the sea. I yelled as I swam towards her, screaming out, "MUM!"

As I got closer and closer, I saw she was looking into the further distance, beyond the horizon. When I reached her, I turned her around and saw it was no longer my mother, but Erika.

I could see her eyes were red and veiny as she uttered out in pain.

"I hate the darkness."

Then all went black.

I jumped up on my bed, my heart beating frantically and I could feel cold sweat yet again on my trembling body. Why had I had that same dream again? What was my conscience trying to tell me?

I sat there, breathing heavily in and out, and slowly got to my feet, getting changed for the day.

As I entered downstairs into the kitchen, I saw Mr. Marcovaldo eating porridge at the table... and only him. Erika was missing from the picture.

"Where's..?" I began and my papa looked up at me, still munching on his soggy porridge, "...Erika?"

"She left." He said simply and stuck another spoon full of porridge in his mouth.

"Left? Why?" I asked. I nearly demanded. I didn't mean to be angry over this, but she could've at least informed me if she was heading off so early.

"She said she needed to be with her friends."

"But..." I peeped, surprised at the way my heart hurt at those words, "I thought... I was.."

"Hmm?" My papa hummed, bopping his eyebrows the slightest in a tease, and I laughed uncomfortably, nudging him on his thick manly shoulder and uttered.

"Nothing."

I began to make my own breakfast and when the cereal had been poured into my bowl, I slammed it to the table and grabbed my spoon angrily.

"She should've told me she was heading out." I complained with anger and hurt in my heart, "Especially after last night."

"WHAT happened LAST night?" My Papa asked, seeming to think we had done something inappropriate under his roof.

"Chill," I told him easily, my temper coming down at the sight of his own temper, "We just talked..."

Mr. Marcovaldo just let out a soft sigh and gave a brisk chuckle as he stood up and shook my much smaller shoulders than what he had.

I shook back and forth annoyed, giving a small uncomfortable smirk, and before I shoved my spoon of soggy cereal in my mouth, I stood up and said quickly, "I have to find her."

"Eat, Alberto." My papa told me and I took one spoonful to my mouth, swallowed, and began to head off adding.

"I've eaten."

As I left the house I could hear my dad sighing heavily, not knowing what to do about me. If I had been older and wiser, maybe I would've understood his gripe.

But I was young and naive, and impulsive.

I jumped off the pier moments later, having grabbed my hook rod from the hallway coat hanger, and was swimming at high speed within minutes.

When I reached the fish farm, she was exactly where I suspected her to be.

After all, Papa did say she was with her 'friends'.

She was with the fish, and I soon would be with them and her too.

I pushed opened the gate and floated over to her turned back. I made a small, "Mmm Hmph," Sound with my throat and she spun around instantly in fright, looking at me with frightened eyes.