Musiea had promised Escher she’d try to be in a better mood today, but so far, she’s not doing well. She’s taking her time going through the supermarket near Escher’s place, hoping it’ll give her the chance to think of something cheerier. But she can’t stop thinking about the conversation she had with him last night, about the kids in their section of the group home...the section devoted to kids with recurring behavioral problems, most of whom would likely stay there until legal adulthood, when they’d be kicked out of the system and to the curb...
At the time, many of them had been frightening to her. She was so young, she didn’t know any better...but she’s learned, and looking back, those kids must have gone through horrible situations to end up that way. They needed to be shown love, not fear...
She keeps dwelling on it, and it’s not helping. What she needs to do now is examine the bakery to see if they have raspberry Swiss roll cakes, and if they’ll be up to Escher’s impeccably high-
She’s too focused that she doesn’t see another person walking toward her to dodge them in time. They clearly aren’t looking either, and the collision startles them both.
Musiea isn’t carrying anything yet, but unfortunately for the man she walks into, he’s got an entire armful of canned goods that end up all over the floor. Both involved parties spring into action, apologizing to the other once they’ve gotten over the surprise, and cooperating to pick up the items on the floor.
“It’s fine,” he says, once Musiea has apologized. “That’s what I get...I thought if I got a cart, I’d end up grabbing a lot of extra stuff. Really, I just need to learn to resist temptation...” He laughs somewhat awkwardly, and Musiea does too, for a moment...and then she gets a good look at him.
He’s about her age, of average height and built athletically, with ash blond hair that includes one sprig that seems to be sticking up in a way that blatantly goes against what the rest of it is doing. That’s...strange. But why does it seem so oddly familiar?
It dawns on her before she’s prepared for the emotions the realization carries. She knows him...or rather, she saw him just about every day for several years of her life. She had mentioned him the night before in her conversation with Escher. A boy who nobody ever spoke to, almost like they were afraid of him, even though he’d never spoken to anyone else that she’d ever seen. His expression always seemed like he was numb, but she could tell there was something dark and painful in those eyes of his.
He always looked so joyless, so to see him smile and laugh, even if it’s with some awkwardness and reluctance...at a time like this, the emotions are too much. Her eyes well up with tears and eventually, they spill over.
He notices, and he panics. “Whoa, h-hey, no need to get upset...nothing even broke, see?”
She shakes her head. “N-No, that’s not it! I just...!” She has to stop to catch her breath. “I...I remember you! I saw you all the time, and you looked so sad, b-but...I don’t even know your name...!! I’m so sorry...!”
He looks confused for a moment, but recognition flashes across his features. “I knew those teary eyes looked familiar...you’re Aida, aren’t you? You got placed there because you kept trying to escape to find your brothers. You’re the one Escher spent so much time with...”
Musiea rubs at her eyes. “Great...I’m being remembered because I was as much of a crybaby back then as I am now...” She laughs. “But I’m surprised you remember any of that! It was so long ago, and I wasn’t there for very long...”
“When you never talk, you listen,” he says. “When you’re never noticed, you blend in with your surroundings and people carry on conversations right in front of you. Plus, Escher raised so much hell after you left. It was kind of hard not to know about!”
Musiea frowns. “I’m so sorry you were treated so badly, there, um...”
He smiles. “Darwin. And don’t be. It was hard, but it’s a part of who I am...and it got me to where I am now. But what I’m more curious to know is whether or not Escher ever found you again.”
Both former residents of the group home end up putting their shopping on hold to sit down at the little cafe within the store for a cup of tea and some conversation. It’s strange how the two of them never once spoke, but Musiea is able to tell him about her life. He listens intently, letting her speak and only reacting silently. He waits until she’s finished before he says a word.
“God, that’s...I’m so sorry...” His features darken, and she sees a shadow of who he was back in the orphanage. “But it’s amazing that you were able to get out of it...escaping a cult isn’t something many people can do. And saving all those kids, too...how many are there?”
“Twenty in all,” she replies simply. His eyes widen and he almost chokes on his tea. “I know it sounds like a lot, but they’re good kids, and Escher helps! Though he’s under the weather right now, so the main focus is on getting him well again.”
“Wow...” he says. “You’ve managed to do so much. It’s a life story people would read...and it would probably get the Hollywood treatment too!”
Musiea laughs. “Oh, please! But if they do...they’d better cast someone really pretty to play me. And someone slightly taller...” She sighs. “Escher could play himself, though. He’s good-looking enough to be a movie star...”
“See? There’s even the love story element. I smell an Oscar nom right there.”
“Just the nomination?” She shakes her head. “Anyway, enough about me. It seems like you’re doing well, especially compared to how you used to be. I almost didn’t recognize you.”
“Well, I was kind of a scrawny little runt back then,” Darwin says. “I’ve gotten a little bigger and stronger in the meantime.”
“And...I’ve seen you smile, and laugh...” Musiea says. “That was why I broke down crying earlier. I had actually been talking with Escher last night, wondering whether or not some of the kids in that place ended up okay like we did. You...were mentioned...”
“Then...you’ll be glad to know I’m doing fine,” he says. “I mean, some days are rough, but...I’ve got people to support me too. I get through...” He smiles. “Guess it’s my turn, then...”
“Only if you want to talk about it,” Musiea assures him.
“It’s fine. Though it’s not quite as interesting as yours...” He sighs. “Not too long after you left, I started leaving the property to take walks. I figured as long as I was going to be alone, I might as well be truly by myself...not alone amid a crowd. But I kept going by this one playground, and seeing kids there who looked...happy. I remembered that my mom used to take me there when she was still healthy enough to get out of bed...that I had some happier memories of the place.
“I used to just walk by, but I eventually got to the point where I would sit on a bench and watch. There were these two kids there, a brother and sister, and I used to always see them. One day, the little girl came up and asked if I wanted to play too. She said she had only ever seen me by myself, and she asked if I ever got lonely. I told her the truth: ‘I’m used to it.’”
“That’s...a really sad truth,” Musiea says softly.
“It is, but I’d never thought about it that way...she burst into tears, and I was shocked. She told me she’d never heard anything so sad.” He sighs, though there’s a smile on his face. “I still remember it so vividly, even now...those silvery eyes, all red and puffy from very real tears. She didn’t even know me, but her heart was breaking for me...”
Musiea smiles as well. “She’s still someone important to you, isn’t she?”
“All that and more,” he admits, pink immediately dusting his cheeks. “I love Marie more than I knew I ever could love anyone. And she waited for me to sort through everything...she’s beautiful, smart as can be, talented...she could have anyone, but she helped me sort through my baggage and my past...”
“She sounds wonderful,” Musiea says.
“She is,” Darwin says. “And the work she’s already doing...she finished her undergrad program early, but even as a grad student, she’s already learned so much in this lab, they’re working on curing all sorts of-“ He pauses. “Sorry, I could talk about the things she does all day...”
“It’s all right!” Musiea tells him with a laugh. “It sounds like important research!”
“Yeah, and I’ll admit that I have to ask her to slow down and explain things to me a lot of the time...it’s amazing she even knows how.” He sighs. “Anyway...she’s been through a lot herself. Her older brother, Orlando, was kind of a rock for us both. When I was about ten, their mom and dad became foster parents to me, so I got out of the group home. It seemed like it was going to be fine...but then, they...were killed in a really horrible accident four years later...”
“I’m so sorry,” Musiea says quietly.
“It was a shock to everyone...Orlando spent a few days in his room, but he knew he had to rally. He...did a lot of growing up in a really short amount of time. And Marie was so devastated she could barely get out of bed for a couple of months...she tried going back to school but was placed on medical leave indefinitely because she could barely get through the day without breaking down...”
“It’s a horrible thing, losing one’s parents...” Musiea says, looking down into her cup. “Something you wouldn’t wish on anyone...”
“I kept thinking of how hard it was losing my mom,” Darwin says. “My dad passing on sometime after her, well...it’s complicated. But I remember thinking how it wasn’t fair that such good people like their mom and dad didn’t deserve to be robbed of their lives, and how good people like Orlando and Marie didn’t deserve to feel the kind of pain that comes from the loss of one’s parents...”
“But you get through it,” Musiea says. “They did...just like you and I did, and Escher...and the kids I look after now...”
“That’s right,” he says. “It’s hard, but...as long as you’ve got even just one person to help you through it...you’ll be okay.” He looks sad again for a moment. “People like us...maybe we just got lucky, to be at a point where we can talk about these things as parts of our pasts. I don’t know what became of the others in that home, but...I’d like to think that maybe things are better for them now. But I’m glad to know that out of all the kids there, two of them besides me are doing well now.”
Musiea looks up at him with a smile. “And I’ll have to settle for the one, I guess. Really though, I’m glad our paths crossed, Darwin. I feel better than I did before.”
“Well, good. You deserve it, Musiea. You’ve been through a lot, and you’ve done a lot. You’re going to keep doing a lot.” He stands up. “But, that’ll have to be for another time. I’ve got to get the stuff I need for dinner tonight.”
Musiea stands up as well. “And I need to get together a care package for Escher!”
“Right. Well, take care of yourself, too.”
“You do the same. Oh, and Darwin?”
“Hm?”
She smiles. “You really might want to think about using a cart this time.”
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