A Change of Heart

Chapter 25

Ken and Elaine walked together through the town, away from the graveyard.

'I live not too far away' Elaine said glancing sideways to him, 'I hope you don't mind the walk.'

'No' Ken mumbled, 'its fine...'

Elaine watched him, her gaze lingering on him for a few moments, before turning away.

They walked in silence, moving slowly through the town.

Eventually they came to an estate; it was quiet and pleasant, away from the main part of the town. In the distance down one road, some young children played games with a ball, cars were parked in driveways, and the roads were silent.

It was evening, and the sky above was beginning to dim.

'Where have you been staying?' Elaine asked.

'In a hotel near here' Ken answered meekly.

Elaine was silent for a moment.

'I think you should stay with us' she said to him. 'My parents would want you to.'

Ken said nothing as they continued to walk on.

They headed towards one of the houses, Elaine opened the door, and Ken followed after her.

'Mum! Dad?'

Two figures appeared from the kitchen then.

'Hey honey, you're back.'

Elaine smiled at her parents, her father watched silently.

'This is Ken' Elaine indicated, 'Mustang's boyfriend.'

'Oh no' Ken said hastily, 'I'm not...'

'It's ok' Elaine told him quickly. 'We all knew he was gay, and we accepted him.' She smiled weakly at Ken. 'He's told us everything about you, everything, since he first showed interest in you.'

Ken stared at her, lost for words.

'We all loved Alphonse' Elanie smiled, tears running down her cheeks. 'We all miss him very much.'

She stepped forwards then, embracing tightly, Ken felt her shoulders wrack with sobs.

'I'm so glad to meet you at last.'

'He had a brain tumour' Elaine was saying. 'He was first diagnosed many years ago, after that...he did everything he could to keep a distance from us.'

Ken glanced up at Elaine from across the kitchen table, Elaine's mother had made them both cups of tea, which sat there before each of them untouched. 

'Why?' Ken asked. 'Why would Mustang do that?'

Elaine raised her head to him, sorrow in her eyes. 

'The doctor only gave him a few years to live' Elaine said, 'he...began to distance himself from us, so that it wouldn't be so difficult when the time came...for him to die.'

Elaine's eyes grew distant. 

'He was here just a few days ago' Elaine told him. 'We all said goodbye to him one last time.' She looked away from him then, turning to gaze out the window. 'He died right there' she told him, 'by the pond. He was very sick...in the last few days.'

It seemed she was about to say more, but then she stopped. 

'What are you going to do now?' Elaine asked him suddenly.