For Forever (A FirstPrince Story)

Alex

6:30 pm

Someone on Twitter: Only a little under six hours left. We've been parked outside the White House all day. We haven't heard anything.

Another person responded: Give the first family some space. It's a hard day for them.

The first person ignored the other's comment: I think I saw Senator Diaz's car.

"On Twitter again?" Henry asked.

"It's like a car accident," Alex explained. "You can't look away, but you want to look away so bad."

Henry grabbed his hand. Alex wondered what would happen if they stayed in bed for the rest of the day. It wouldn't protect Alex, but it would surely make things more peaceful. "I only have up to five and a half hours left," Alex muttered. He tested the weight of the words on his tongue.

Henry bit his lip. "Yeah," Henry said. Alex was grateful for the blatant honesty.

"I thought we won," Alex whispered. "We're out, and we're happy. I didn't expect my life to turn into some Shakespearean tragedy."

Henry was silent. Alex felt conflicted about the silence. He was happy Henry was allowing him to vent, but he just wanted so desperately to hear Henry's voice. "I guess life just has a sick sense of humor," Alex said.

Henry wrapped his arm around Alex's waist. There was a knock at the door. "Your father is here," Ellen announced. Oscar. The last person Alex had to talk to. He remembered when the day started, Alex didn't want Oscar to come. When the day started, he just wanted to be alone.

Oh, how things changed.

Alex climbed out of bed, and so did Henry. The two of them exited the room and headed down stairs. "Sorry, Senator," Alex heard Amy say. He heard her speak before he saw her. "President's orders."

"I'm glad she's taking such measures," Oscar responded. Alex and Henry rounded the corner. The thing Amy appeared to be apologizing for was a mandatory bag search. Oscar also had to walk through a metal detector, but that was standard procedure.

Oscar's bag was, of course, cleared, along with Oscar himself. "Hijo," Oscar said, sighing in relief.

"Dad," Alex said. Oscar wrapped his arms around his son's shoulder. Alex wrapped his arms around his torso. Alex relaxed into his father's hold.

"I'm so happy to see you," Oscar whispered.

"Me too," Alex responded.

---

6:45 pm

Dinner was soon served. Ellen, Nora, June, Alex, Henry, and Oscar all sat in the dining room. They ordered Japanese food. "So, Henry," Ellen said, breaking the silence. "I heard Princess Martha is going to have a baby. How is she?"

"She's doing well," Henry said. "Other than the normal pregnancy symptoms."

"Morning sickness?" Ellen asked. Henry nodded. "I remember how bad that was."

Things felt normal. The topic of death never came up. They talked like it was any other family dinner. For a while, they were able to forget the inevitable.

"Movie night?" Ellen asked.

"I thought you were stuck in meetings tonight," June said.

"Mike is taking over as acting president for a while," Ellen responded.

"Oh," June said.

"A movie night sounds nice," Alex said, quickly eager to change the subject.

"Okay," Ellen said. "You guys pick a film. I'm not picky."

---

9:09 pm

They ultimately decided on a risqué comedy from the early 2010s. It was light and fun. After that, Alex and Henry dismissed themselves to their room.

"I'm scared to go to sleep," Henry admitted.

"Me too," Alex said. "You've been awake for almost twenty-four hours. You should rest."

"What about when I wake up?" Henry asked.

"Then you'll deal with it when you wake up," Alex said. They lay on Alex's bed together.

"I know it's highly improbable, but you've made history before," Henry muttered. "You can make it again. Be the first person Deathcast was wrong about."

"I wish that would be the case," Alex whispered.

"I know," Henry muttered. They closed their eyes. Alex thought for a few moments.

"Henry," Alex said, opening his eyes.

"Mhm?" Henry asked, his eyes fluttering open.

"Don't let me be your forever," Alex stated.

"What do you mean?" Henry asked.

"When I told mom about you, she asked me if I feel forever about you," Alex explained. "I told her yes because I do feel forever about you. You're my forever. However, I don't want to be your forever. You deserve to off and find love again."

"I don't know if I can," Henry stuttered.

"It won't be easy, but I don't want you to spend your life in morning," Alex said. "Seriously, I don't think ghosts are real, but if they are, and I find you in your nineties treating me like your lost Lenor, I will haunt you."

Surprisingly, Henry laughed. The last time I'll probably ever hear him laugh. "Okay," Henry said.

"You better mean that," Alex responded.

"I love you," Henry said.

"I love you too," Alex whispered. They shared a kiss before drifting into slumber.