The Heart's Content

Chapter 62

"I can handle it. I promise. I just want to know what Alastor went through."

Again Rosie hesitated before speaking, but she eventually responded.

"From what I heard, he first started out by having Alastor do all the household chores even though he had his own house keeper. He did the dishes, the laundry, he swept, he ironed."

"Ironed? Wait a minute, Alastor was eight when my parents were married? You're telling me he made my eight year old brother use an iron?"

"That's what I heard and if he didn't do it right or if he didn't do anything the way his stepfather liked it, he'd lash him with a belt or cut him with a razor blade. Your mother would try to shelter him from the abuse, taking the worst of it. But he still felt pain. And it wasn't like Wilson would just fly off into a rage. He liked hurting your brother. I once heard that he would feed him things that made him sick, like orange slices with laxative pills or soap. When Al would gag, he would just laugh and laugh. And if Alastor tried to spit it out, he'd clamp his hand over his mouth, telling him to swallow it, almost smothering him."

Beth almost started to cry again. She knew that her father had treated Alastor terribly, but she never knew just how far the evil man went.

"Do you think my mother regretted marrying my father?" Beth asked. "That if she could, she would have gone back in time and stopped herself from meeting him."

"That's hard for me to say because I don't know. But I know your mother and I know that she would only do that if there was another way for you to be born as her daughter."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive. Now no more thoughts that make you sad. We're going to have fun tomorrow. After Alastor comes by to check on you, we'll be going to the aquarium and maybe a little fudge." Rosie winked.

Beth smiled, feeling a lot better. After that Rosie tucked Beth into bed and decided to ready herself for a goodnight sleep. She was just about to start undressing when she heard a knock at her front door. She approached the door, looked through the peep hole, and when she saw that it was Husk, she opened the door.

"Husk, what are you doing here? I thought you would have gone home by now." She asked him.

"I could hardly call Valentino's place a home." Husk joked.

"Fair point. Still, what brings you by?"

"I just wanted to make sure that the kid was alright. That was quite an episode that happened back there."

"She's fine. Feeling much better than earlier."

"Good to know. Well, I'll just get going now."

"Wait." She stopped him. "Thanks for saving her. I'd hate to think what would have happened if you hadn't been there."

"Well I'm a very sick man Rosie, but not so sick that I'd let a kid die."

"Listen, tomorrow I was planning to take Beth to see the aquarium tomorrow and then to get some lunch. Would you like to come with us?"

For a moment Husk almost looked surprised by the offer.

"You...You want to go out and spend the day with me tomorrow?"

"Yes."

"You'd be seen in public with me?"

"Yes. Is that a problem?"

"No. I just...Well you know what I am, right? You wouldn't be embarrassed to be seen around me?"

"Not at all. Besides you'll be in disguise, and I'm only insisting on that because I don't want someone to call the FBI and have you dragged off to Area 51."

"Oh yeah! Right! But why would you want me to come along with you two?"

"To say thanks for saving Beth's life. And to give you a break from Val's abuse. But if you don't want to come-"

"No!" He said almost desperately. "I mean yes, yes I'd love to come. I'm due for a day off anyway."

"Perfect. Come by around eleven and don't be late. I consider punctuality a very important virtue."

"Yes ma'am." He assured her. "I'll definitely be on time."

"Splendid. Goodnight Husk."

"Goodnight Rosie."

...

It had been very hot in the house that evening, so much so that in the middle of the night, Alastor had unconsciously taken off his shirt in order to cool off a little. When morning came, Charlotte awoke to find his back turned to her. At first she was a little flustered by how close he was to her without a shirt, especially in a bed. But her bashful feelings turned into ones of horrified fascination.

Being close up like this allowed her to see that his whole back had been marked by scars. She could tell that scars that had either been made by a blade or leather and she could also tell that the scars had been made from a long time ago, so they looked faded. Faded but not unnoticeable. They were too severe to ever go away completely.

She felt a terrible pain in her heart as she thought about the suffering that Alastor had to endure and where he had gotten those scars from.

"Whatever happened to you that caused this?" Charlie asked so quietly as to not wake him. Her hand slowly moved toward his back and softly caressing his skin, her fingers lightly tracing over his scars. "How long have you had so much unhappiness buried inside?"

She scooted closer to him, embracing him with gentle care.

"I'm a fool." She thought internally. "I shouldn't love you. I can't love you. Not like this. Loving you this way would only end tragically."

She almost pulled away, but then his body unconsciously moved to be near to her, seeking the warmth radiating from her body.

"But I don't care." Her thoughts continued, as she held him closer. "I love him. It's dangerous and foolish, but I love him and nothing can change that."