The Curse Of The Crying Boy

As I brush my teeth in the morning, I look at myself in the mirror and notice I have a glow, it shows that I am happier than I’ve been in the past few years since the problems tying to conceive and then the miscarriage, that obviously didn’t help, I was absolutely gutted. Now thanks to my sweet boy I get to be a “mother”, for the first time in a long time I can see a future… a family.

All I have left to do is convince my husband that crossing paths with this painting was in our destiny and buying it was the first step to creating our family. I know that if he just listens to me, then he would be able to try to understand where I’m coming from and he would love him just as much as I do. I hope.

Once I’m done brushing my teeth, I go into my closet and pick my outfit for the day. I choose a simply baby blue pair of ripped jeans and a black turtleneck. I leave my closet and make my way out of my room and head into the kitchen.

We don’t have any house keepers or maids on Saturday. I get to spend my day without worrying about someone catching me talk to my sweet boy… but soon that will all be over once my husband joins me and my sweet boy.

I go to the keurig machine and start myself up a nice cup of coffee. As I wait for the coffee the finish brewing, I hear footsteps behind me. My sweet boy is here.

“Hi my sweet boy” I say as I turn. To my surprise, it’s my husband.

“Good morning honey!” He stands there with red, white and blue roses, my favourite.

“Omg how come you’re home so early?” I ask. Really wondering what the hell is he doing home?

“The client were happy so I caught an early flight home. Here these are for you!” he says, handing me the flowers.

“Thank you! They’re beautiful! You didn’t have too!” I hug him. I do appreciate the flowers he got me.

“I was thinking!” He speaks as I smell the roses.

“Yes?” I ask. Wondering what he meant by that.

“We should go to dinner tonight, like the old times, to celebrate” he says. I look at him weirdly.

“Celebrate what?” I ask. Putting the roses in a vase.

“Locking in new clients to the company” he says with a smile.

“Okay, I just have a meeting at 4. After that it’s fine” I say.

That’s when I see him, my sweet boy, standing from a far. I feel guilty not going to him but I can’t make my husband find out about him yet. I need to speak to him first, to ease him to the idea of all of us being a family.

“Where would you like to go eat? Your choice, where ever you want!” He says grabbing my hands.

“We could go to that new sushi place downtown” I suggest.

“Yeah, I’ll call and make a reservation” he smiles.

“Perfect 7 is good?” I smile back.

“Yes! I wanted to talk to you about something?” He rubs his thumb on mine.

“Me too, but you go first” I say. Curious about what he wants to talk about.

“I’m really sorry about us fighting all the time. I really want you to be happy. Happy with me! I want us to laugh like we use to. I want us to spend time together like before. I miss you Kathleen! I want the old us back! The happy us!” He expresses.

“Me too. Soon we will” I say, meaning the words I just said. We will.

“What did you want to talk to me about?” He asks.

“We’ll hear me out before saying anything” I say, nervously

“Do you trust me?” I ask.

“Yes, why?” He asks. Not sure to what’s happening.

“Do you love me?” I ask.

“Yes obviously, I’m here aren’t I?!” He asks, even more confused.

“Would you do anything for me?” I ask.

“Yes! To death do us part, remember!” He states.

“Yeah well you know lately it’s been really hard for me with the miscarriage we just had” I pause.

“Yeah go on…” he says.

“We’ll I’ve been really taking it out on myself! I really hate myself and my body for the loss of our baby boy” tears filling my eyes. I take a second.

“Honey you’re starting to scare me a bit!” He start to say.

“No no don’t worry! It’s nothing bad, I promise” I cut him off.

“What is it then?” He asks. Getting impatient.

“We’ll you know I always wanted to have a family with you and still do, but with all our failed attempts, I’ve been kind of giving up. I’m tired of trying. But since the painting I’ve been feeling whole again, and I know you think it’s just a painting with bad luck, but he is none of those things. He is real, I’ve seen him, I’ve talked to him, I’ve played with him, he wrote to me on a piece of paper” I confess. He just stands there for a couple minute without saying anything.

“What?” Is the only thing he says.

“Hear me out! He’s scared of you. He knows you don’t approve of him, so that’s why he doesn’t show himself to you” I explain.

“You lost your mind!” He says. I can see it in his eyes. He thinks I’m crazy.

“You want me to prove it to you? He’s in his room right now!” I say.

“HE DOESN’T EXIST! YOU’RE MAKING ALL THIS UP IN YOUR MIND! Wait! His room?” He yells.

“Our baby boy’s room… since no one was using it, I gave it to him. He loves it!” I smile.

“Kathleen! Are you hearing yourself right now! You’re crazy!” He says loudly, pacing back and forth.

“I’m not crazy! He’s real” I cry.

“This non sense better stop or else I’m calling the mental institution and getting you locked up!” He stops and looks at me.

“He’s our chance to be a family. If only you would open your eyes and be less of a tool. He would let him see you and we can be happy together! A happy family!” I say honestly.

“You are crazy! You think you can replace out dead boy with a painting by giving him our kids room? It’s a goddamn painting of an ugly ass kid crying for nothing. He probably deserved to get burned alive” he spits in my face.

“You better take that back” I yell at him.

“We are never going to be a family if you continue like this” he says as he leave the kitchen.

I run upstairs and go in my sweet boy’s room, where I feel the safest. He’s there waiting for me. I sit next to him. I know he heard what Rene said. I feel awful that he had to hear those things about him.

“I’m sorry! Don’t listen to him! You are nothing of those things! I promise!” I say, looking on the floor.

My sweet boy comes to me and lifts my head up.

“It’s ok” he says. What? He speaks!

“Omg you can speak!” A tear falls down my eye. I kneel on my knees in front of him and hug him.

“We don’t need him, we are family already” he says, and I break down.

“I love you so much!” I cry with joy.

“I love you too, mommy!” As he disappear into his painting.

The door of the room opens. I look up. It’s my husband.

“Don’t cry! Im sorry!” He says, coming towards me.

“It’s ok!” I say.

“I didn’t mean what I said.. you’re not crazy!” He hugs me.

“It’s ok!” I say hugging him back.

“We will have our family! Just be patient!” He whisper into my ear.

“I know!” I say. Winking at my sweet boy and he winks at me back.

We leave my sweet boy’s room and we walk hand in hand to our bedroom. I’m really exhausted. I want to take a nap.

“Nevermind the restaurant, I’m really tired, I want to go take a nap” I say getting into bed.

“Okay, we’ll go tomorrow” he kisses me on the forehead. I close my eyes and drift off quickly into a deep sleep.