Behind The Lens And Vogue

~|Saturday Sundae|~

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ALEC'S POV
I cancelled the vacation on purpose... It wasn't important anyway. I had to attend that fashion show, given the fact that Naliyah would be there. Goodness, that girl drove me crazy. She was like the person I'd been waiting for all this time. She was madly beautiful, but she didn't know that, smart and confident. I wonder why dad made her an Office Assistant... She was way too good for that job.

That day we went out for lunch, we got to know each other better. I knew there was a possibility she'd refuse to go and have lunch with me, but when she came running to the elevators, saying she thinks she can have more food, the feeling of victory washed over me. Naliyah was something else all together... She was real, and her laughter was hearty. The way she behaved and talked always seemed to show that she knew life in a different perspective, and that was something unlikely to find in the bimbos that come throwing themselves at me.

However, we were so taken over by the conversations, we forgot to exchange numbers... Who does that? It was torture for the next two weeks, because I flew out country to check on a business project I got a proposal for. The day after lunch with Naliyah was the day Andre, Dad and I went to meet Angelo. Dad was not getting his shit together, and at one point he wanted to make a U-turn back home. But Andre convinced him to keep going. Andre really wanted to see Angelo, he didn't know him so well, because he went to jail when he was young. I wasn't ready to meet him either... But I wanted to. Angelo and I had been through a lot together, so I knew we'd catch up like we hadn't met in the past six years. The session at the visitation area was so awkward, at the beginning. No one was talking. Angelo was shocked to see Dad, because he had already accepted the fact that he wasn't the son his father would wish for. They couldn't even look at each other in the eye. Dad left after five minutes, and the three of us were left there.

"He still hates me huh," Angelo asked with a heart that sounded to be so broken. If I wasn't wrong, Angelo really yearned for Dad to look at him as his son for once... But it wasn't happening, right?

"At least he tried to come today... After so many years," I tried to say, but it wasn't convincing enough.

"Whatever man, glad you came. And jeez, you two are all grown up! Look at this baby here, hey you, how is school?" Angelo said, and turned his attention to Andre, who was quiet all the time, but was happy he met Angelo. And just like that, we began talking.

"School sucks, but I still get straight A's. I have no idea what is happening,"

We all laughed, and for a moment it felt like we were home and just relaxing, being casual and having brothers time.

"Hey, Alec, uh, there's something I need to tell you by the way. I should have told you years ago, but we had no contact so, there's that,"

"Okay. What's up?"

"Remember mom and her condition?"

"Yeah?"

"I was diagnosed with the same..."

That took me aback. All the memories of how terrible the last days mom spent with us came rushing through, all the accidents and incidents clearly displayed in my mind so vividly, like it all happened yesterday. It was torture, it was horrifying... And Angelo was telling me that he had the same. I wasn't sure how that made me feel, but it sure shocked me.

"Bro, are you serious?"

"No shit man, and it explains a lot. I always thought of it, but I didn't want to believe I was being like her. Then I got tested, turns out it's hereditary. It broke me man,"

It explained a lot, I agreed. Now, mom was the most beautiful person with the most beautiful soul ever. She was kind, she cared, she loved so much at fault, and she was an all round woman. But mom, she had Bipolar Disorder. And it was so hard for her, especially when Angelo went to jail. Sometimes she'd be so happy and energetic, and always took us to buy all kinds of toys and everything else boys want. I always took comic books especially of Star Wars, and probably apple juice. Sometimes she'd be so depressed, so sad, feeling so hopeless and she lost interest and pleasure completely in the things she loved doing. She had Bipolar 1 Disorder... Bad enough, it progressed to Cyclothymic Disorder, which was the worst form. She refused to take her medication. She refused to see a psychotherapist... Arguments between dad and her about going to see one were always the worst arguments.