Day 363 (Pt 1): Mom?

Alice woke up. She got up and saw Maria sleeping on the floor and John next to her, tightly gripping her hand. She had deduced that they must've been sobbing for hours, but for what? She slowly and quietly went to her dresser and checked her phone. "Darn. It's dead." She looked around. "How long have I been out for?"

She carefully opens the door as to not make any creaking sounds. Alice tip-toed throughout the house for a clock. "How come the one time I need it, there are none!" She whispered under her breath.

She attempted to exit through the front door before she could notice that the kitchen light was on. She backed up out of the light and turned around to see her dad.

He couldn't go to sleep, thinking of her. He chugged the coffee in his cup, but even three shots of espresso and extra creamer weren't enough. "Alexandra, why? Why?" He was moping and crying for a good 15 minutes before Alice said something.

"Dad? Are you okay?" She walked over to him and rubbed him on the back. "I heard your crying. Is everything alright?"

"Yeah, Alice." He casually played off his crying in an attempt to avoid the topic. "I'm alright. In fact, what's up with you? It's 3 am in the morning!" Boris looked at Alice with a slightly annoyed look. "I've already told you not to stay up late!"

"I don't know how to say this, but your crying woke me up."

"What crying? Was Blyke crying? Or Maria? Wasn't she crying earlier? And John too? I don't trust John." Boris rambled on without pausing to take a breath. He was going to keep going; however, Alice interrupted him.

Alice looked him straight in the eye and said, "Dad, who's Alexandra?"

Blyke was twisting and turning, full of nightmares. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. He clenched tightly to his stuffed hamster, Hammie, as if it would save him. Spoiler alert: it didn't. He screamed in sorrow and yelled in fear; however, no one heard him. No one came to save him, help him, or even guide him. He was alone.

He suddenly woke up, drenched in sweat and tears. He crept over to Alice's room, tip-toed over to John, and shook him awake. Accidentally, Maria woke up as well. "Huh? Blyke? What's going on? Are you okay?" John stood up and helped Maria up as well.

"Um, what's going on?" She stretched with John to become more awake. "Is there an emergency?"

"Well, I was having a nightmare, so I came in to talk to Alice, but Alice wasn't here, yet you two were, so I was going to settle, but I saw the kitchen light on, and now I'm worried."

"Wait, what?" John and Maria questioned in unison.

"Back up, back up, back up. What?" Maria looked out the door and closed it behind her.

John checked his watch. "It's 3 in the morning!" John scoffs and walked out with Maria, but turned around once he was at the door. "This better be good."

Blyke walked out with them and saw Maria down the stairs, intensely staring at whatever. John walked down to her and looked where Maria was. John's jaw dropped as he eavesdropped on the conversation. Maria turned to Blyke and motioned for him to come down and listen in.

Blyke rolled his eyes and walked begrudgingly down the stairs. Honestly, he was just glad to be distracted from his nightmare. He got down the stairs and saw Alice and Boris, and he hears her say,

"Dad, who's Alexandra?"

"Well, um, it's complicated."

"Then let me simplify it. Dad," She put his hand on hers and held it. "Who is Mom?"

"I've told you many stories about her."

"All that end abruptly. Dad, yes or no." Alice looked into her father's soul and with some thought, she got her answer. "Who is Alexandra?"

"Your mom, okay! Are you happy now?" He goes back to crying.

"Is Mom really dead?"

He continuously cries for another 15 minutes.

"Dad?" She rubbed him back to comfort him. "It's okay."

He suddenly yelled and flipped his arms up. "No, it's not! My wife is out there and every single day, I'm left here wondering if she's still alive!" He mocked, "Okay?"

"Dad, she's my mom. I have an equal right to be sad."

"You didn't even know her! Not her hair color, not her eyes, not her favorite food, nada!" He paused in frustration and rage. "I'm not arguing with you. Go to your room."

"But Dad!" Alice pleaded in desperation. She wanted to know more. She needed to know more.

"No but's! Go to your room this instant, young lady!"

She began crying as she raced up the stairs and slammed her room's door behind her. She didn't notice John, Maria, and Blyke watching and listening in the conversation; however, by some miracle, one of Alice's tears landed on Blyke's face. He was instantly able to sympathize and empathize with her. Within seconds, he was just as furious as Alice.

"Dad! How dare you?" He stormed down the stairs and shamed his father. Boris was shocked at Blyke's behavior, seeing that he was already grounded for six months. "She has the right to know about Mom, and so do I!" He crossed his arms and shook his father in disappointment.

"Oh, this kid finna get a-"

"No! If anything, you're wrong!" He pointed and shook his finger at his father. "Who's Mom? Who's Alexandra? Is Mom Alexandra? Are they one and the same? Is she dead? Alex wants to know. I want to know! We deserve to know!"

"THAT IS MUCH MORE THAN ENOUGH! GO TO YOUR ROOM NOW!" Boris was furious that even his own son had turned against him, but he was even more perplexed at how brave he was and how kind it was for him to stand up for his sister.

Blyke had decided to back down since it didn't look that his dad Alice had barely heard the conversation, but she was glad to hear it. She had forgotten how much of a soft side Blyke had.