Kitten

Chapter 61: Baby boy

Alexander

"Honey, we can save this conversation for when you come back. You have a honeymoon to go on".

"No ma, this can't wait. Besides, Lily is at her parents but she will be here soon. We're taking my private jet, so time doesn't matter much".

I held back a laugh seeing my mum's face. Her eyes widened and her jaw dropped.

"You have a private jet? Alex, how much did it cost?" she questioned whilst placing her small suitcase down.

"Did I tell you how radiant you are looking Ma".

"Alexander Gregory Powell, how, much?!".

My mum's eyebrows scrunched up tightly and I watched in horror as she folded her arms and gave me the same look she did when I stole a cookie from her secret stash when I was 4.

"Ok ok, 7 million pounds. But I managed to get a good bargain on it".

Mum picked up a newspaper and smacked it on my shoulder several times until she threw it back down on the coffee table she picked it off from.

"You, stupid, stupid, boy. Who in their right mind would spend 7 million pounds on something useless when you can be like everyone else and just go to the airport. Toi idiot".

There was so much she didn't know. I lost her when I was 5. She's been absent from my life for 25 years, but there's so much I need to tell her, and so much I need to find out.

"Ma, don't be mad. I'm sorry".

I sat down and turned on my puppy dog eyes the same way I did when I was a little boy. It worked every single time, I just prayed that she'd fall for it now.

"Oh petit garçon, je ne voulais pas me fâcher".

(Oh baby boy, I didn't mean to get cross).

Bingo.

Mum rushed over to me and wrapped her arms around my shoulder before pulling me down so I rested my head on her shoulder.

"I missed this. I almost forgot what your touch felt like. Ma, what happened? They said you died, I thought you died. I-I don't understand".

Mum slowly pulled away and stared at me intensely assessing my facial features. Her eyes saddened as she stroked my face, her hand movement was slow but she ran her hand so delicately across my cheek.

"Baby boy, I don't even know where to begin".

"I guess from the beginning ma".

Mum sighed heavily before pulling out something from her bag. I watched silently as she pulled out a photo of me as a baby. She handed me the picture and I slowly took it from her delicate hands.

As I stared at the picture I noticed my mum resting her cheek against my own chubby one, but there was another person in the picture, someone holding me, but they'd been cut out of the photo.

"I loved this photo of us two. I have never let it leave my side. It was the one thing that kept me going after losing you baby".

"But it's not just a picture of the two of us. You cut out dad, didn't you. It's okay ma, I know the truth. It took many years, but I finally learned about who he really was. Tell me what happened, I have to know".

Mum stared at the photo with a very sad smile. She grabbed my hand and rubbed her other hand on the back of my own.

"I met your father when I was in a bad place. He was not a nice man from the start. I despised myself from ever getting involved with a man who was into money, alcohol and other activities I didn't wish to know about. But then you came along and everything was just, perfect. You were all I needed".