The curse from long ago(Fruk)

16

2008

Once he left.... It was like I had nothing else to live for. I moved my things from Washington last year to move to Massachusetts. I had waited in the house for Francis for more than a decade. When I realized he wasn't coming back, I decided to leave. Every day dragged on and my heart broke into pieces.

I felt out of place in this world; nothing I did could fill the void in what I was feeling. Every day I would go to the nearby park and sit down for a bit and watch everyone. The couples kissing each other, the children running around having fun. The new technology that came out every year and all the different things. I wasn't in the world I used to know. It made me sad and feel like I was trespassing in this time period.

I wanted to die already....just like everyone else did. They didn't realize how easy they had it. They lived their best lives knowing it would end shortly. Living forever..... doing everything that people wish to do... It became pointless. I had lots of money and didn't need to work, but I still did. I had enough to last a century and yet I was stressed out. Just so that I can feel alive for even a small second.

"Someone break your heart?" A voice spoke. I turned my head slowly, seeing a woman. She looked very young and decided to take a seat beside me. "How far along are you?" I asked. She looked down at her stomach and smiled in shock. "Ahhh!! Pretty close, I'm due next month in January... In two thousand and nine, how fun right? ..... but really... Did someone break your heart?" She asked concerned. I smiled at her and shrugged. "Possibly..... but life goes on.... Forever," I spoke sadly.

"Ahhh, no need to be gloomy, come here," she smiled. She suddenly grabbed my hand and placed it on her stomach to feel it. My eyes had widened, and I had never felt a pregnant woman's stomach before. "Wow... This is cool," I spoke, surprised. "You know... There is more to living than romance....as long as you have a good heart, you will find happiness no matter what," she spoke.

I slowly moved my hand from her stomach, and she smiled at me. "Boy or girl?" I asked with a smile. "Twins actually!" She smiled at me. My eyes widened, and I stared at her stomach in disbelief. "Both boys... My wife and I already picked names for them... Alfred and Matthew," she smiled.

"Those are great names," I smiled. "Where is your wife?" I asked, looking around. She looked at me sadly and shook her head. "She passed away five months ago in a car accident," she breathed sadly. My eyes widened at her, and I could sense all the sadness in her. Of losing someone like that, it must have been hard.

"I understand.... If there's anything, I can do for you... please let me know," I smiled. I handed her my phone number, and she looked at me happily. I placed a hand on her shoulder, and she smiled at me happily.

"My name is Alice... and you?"
"Arthur.... It's nice to meet you," I smiled.
"Maybe when I'm done being pregnant, we can go for drinks," she giggled. I nodded at her in agreement, and we began to talk to each other.

~
From that day on, we became friends. I helped her a lot, and although she wondered where all my money came from, I was honest and told her I was a doctor. That seemed to be enough to convince her.

I would help her a lot, and she wondered why I was so eager to do so. I never told her the truth about me, but I knew it was because I had finally found a purpose in my life. Helping her and helping her soon-to-be-born children. She was always so grateful and sweet. Alice never had the money, but she always offered to cook for me, and I didn't want to turn her down.

Sometimes I wished Francis was here to see me. Sometimes I even wished that he was watching me somehow, but I knew that he wasn't. Sometimes I tried to find him on social media, but I could never. I wonder if he even knew social media was a thing now.

"Arthur, can you get this box?" Alice called me. "Yes! I got it! Don't bother with it!" I quickly rushed to her. And picked up the box she was pointing at. She had planned on moving to a smaller place, and I helped her move her things. She was also selling a lot of her things too.

I loved helping her a lot... there were times when I had to reassure her that I wanted to be there because she was afraid that I was too scared to say something. My answer was always the same when I told her I just wanted to help a friend.

At first, she was worried about "romance" but I told her that I prefer men, which seemed reassuring. She was a lesbian, so it didn't bother her much.

As she looked through her boxes, she would show me pictures of her wife. She explained that even though they couldn't marry officially, they still called each other wives and said they were married. They even bought rings for each other.

It was lovely, and I smiled, looking at the pictures of her wife. Her name was Francine, and she was gorgeous. She had the sweetest smile, and I would have given up my entire life for her to be with Alice again.

Alice would cry to sleep at night, and I knew that she could sleep better because she would call me to talk. She was hurting inside, and I hoped for her to get better. Before it ruins her mind and she sinks deeper into sadness.