The Girl Behind The Mask | Chaelisa

Chapter 17

Monday morning greeted a gloomy Roseanne with equally gloomy, turbulent weather that shook the Park house with every one of its thunderous vibration. Roseanne lounged in bed a moment longer, contemplating the possibility of skipping Hans’ class in favor of staying in and binging on Netflix with Axel. She frowned. She couldn’t remember the last time she had one-on-one bonding time with her kid brother.

Just as she finally prepared to slip from under the covers and get ready for the day ahead, Axel burst into the room, latching onto a life-sized stuffed turtle and gasping for air.

“Rosie!” He blurted, eyes widening in reaction to yet another bone-rattling thunder. “Rosie! Mr. Turtle is a little scared! He needs cuddles, stat!”

Axel, frantic and jumpy, didn’t wait for a response, but crossed the room in record time and pounced up on the bed with the smirking blonde, who wiggled backwards to make space for him.

“You sure it’s Mr. Turtle and not you that needs cuddles?” Roseanne questioned, earning a scoff and an uncertain shake of the head from Axel.

“I’m a big boy. I’m not scared of stupid thunders!” He protested, handing over Mr. Turtle with shaky hands. Another loud thunder exploded above them, inciting a high-pitched, girlish scream from Axel, who quickly pulled Mr. Turtle out of Roseanne’s arms and wrapped them around himself instead.

“Ok! OK! Just… hold me for like, a minute.” He instructed, snuggling into her like he used to when he was younger. “Don’t you dare tell Jennie about this! I just upgraded form ‘crybaby’ to ‘lame-ass idiot’ and trust me, that’s a much better nickname.”

Roseanne smiled, and pulled him closer. “I won’t, kiddo. And it’s just thunder, it won’t hurt you. You know that, right?”

Axel nodded, but made no effort to pull away. “I know… Hey, Rosie, can I ask you something?”

“Of course, sweetie…what’s up?”

Axel hesitated, even considered recalling his question and changing the subject. But a nudge and a smile from Roseanne encouraged him to continue. He sighed.

“Do you… do you think mom is ever gonna come home for good?”

Roseanne felt his body coil from tension in her arms, and she drew him closer whilst caressing his unruly hair.

“Well… yes. I think eventually she’s going to realize that her life is here. That her home is here. And that you are here, sweetie. I wish I could say when that will happen, or if it will happen, but I at least believe that she’ll come to her senses one day.”

Roseanne paused, trying to read Axel’s scrounged, pensive expression. “Why, honey? Do you miss her? We can call her, if you want to speak with her. Or type out an email?”

Axel shook his head slowly, absorbing the information. “No… I-I just wonder about her sometimes. Not a lot. I just… don’t understand why she left. Dad would have never left us… dad would have been here right now if he was still alive. Why did she leave, Rosie?!” His question wasn’t derived from anger, or hatred, or pain, but instead it sounded like it was birthed from years of suppressed misunderstanding and lack of answers.

Roseanne inhaled. “I don’t know, babe. I wish I did… but if there’s one thing you should know about mom, is that she was an expert at pushing away the people she loved. Keeping her distance from those who cared about her. But she loves you, Axel. Ok? That will never change, I promise you that.”

Axel twisted his lips at the response, connecting dots in his overactive mind. “You and mom are a lot alike, you know… You push away everyone that tries to love you too.” He admitted in a low whisper. “That’s what you did with Lisa…”