FATE

55. Sober

JONAH

My eyelashes softly hit my eyelids as I open my eyes. It takes me a while to remember where I am or who I am and as it all comes back; I study the ceiling and my hands feel around the mattress. The sun is out and the light fills the room, making it brighter than it usually is. A shadow moves and I sit up, squinting my eyes to see beyond the sunlight.

The figure standing across the room from my window moves towards me and it is then I see her. The sun greets shiny golden strands of hair, draping down softly with curls at the end. Her eyes, like the color of the ocean light up at me as a smile spreads across her full lips. Her skin looks warm, her face-like that of an angel. My gaze follows as she moves around the bed and sits next to me. She places her hand on the side of my face, rubbing her thumb across my cheek. She feels so warm and real that it's hard to doubt that I'm not dreaming again.

My mother.

She cocks her head and smiles at me, her eyes softening. "Good morning Jonah", she says.

My eyebrows crease. It's not the same voice and she's not the same person.

A small sigh escapes my lips, "good morning", I mutter, "Aunt Wendy"

She grins, flashing a set of pearly white teeth, "did you sleep well?"

I nod, "a little too well if you ask me"

I rub both my eyes, "how was your trip?", I ask.

She shrugs, "a bit stressful", she says, "I'm just glad I could get here before you woke up", she glances at the little clock sitting on the stool next to my bed, "by the way, it's almost eleven pm. Is this how you always sleep in?"

"Not since the summer started", I shrug, "but it's good for me"

She smiles, "you're right"

A loud thud comes from below and I glance first at the door and then back at my aunt's face, "is Francis here?"

She nods, "yes, he's downstairs carrying the bags in with your father"

I grin, "this is going to be the best summer ever", I lean in and hug her tight. She wraps her arms around me and rubs my back slowly, "I missed you so much", I close my eyes and inhale in her scent- something to remind me every time that she's not my mother.

"I missed you too Jonah"

 

 

Downstairs, Francis watches as my Dad pulls in a bag through the door. He sighs tiredly, placing both hands on his waist.

"That's the last of them", Dad says in between tired breaths, "what do you two have in there?"

"My mom packs for herself like she's packing for four people", Francis says to him.

"If I didn't pack the way I did, you wouldn't survive on a trip with me because you always seem to forget things Francis"

Francis looks up at his mother and I, standing on the stairs. He curves his lips into a grin and raises both hands.

"Cousin!", he yells, "I'm here to give you the best summer ever!"

I smile, "I don't doubt that"

My aunt and I walk further down the stairs, her arm around my upper arm. She turns to my dad, "Thank you Philip"

He nods, "glad I could help"

She turns to Francis, "now you have to carry it up to the rooms"

He furrows his eyebrows, "what? But- "