Free Web NovelChapter 345: Smile and Cry
"Arthur?" Theo said, uncertain. ƒrēewebnoѵёl.cσm
Arthur stood there smiling in silence.
"Why are you appearing as Arthur?" Theo frowned.
"Why are you surprised? It is because you were thinking about him." Arthur said. "You might have some things you need to say to him."
"For the last time." He added quietly.
Theo’s eyes widened. For the last time. It was easy to forget that Arthur was gone. But oddly, he was not as desperate as he had been before. Something had shifted after he let go of the guilt and grief he had been carrying deepest in his heart.
"I would really like to say it to him directly. But unfortunately, that is impossible." Theo started.
"There are no words that would not sound either clichéd or hollow. The weight is not the same when you are saying something just to clear your own conscience."
Theo sighed. "I’m sorry. I don’t think I can do this right now."
Without realizing it, tears began to fall. fɾeeweɓnѳveɭ.com
"I am so sorry, Arthur. I could not save you. I was too focused on myself to listen to myself. If I had stopped and paid attention, I would have noticed the corruption magic. Things would not have ended up like this."
He was crying, but not the uncontrolled sobbing kind. It was quieter than that. A mellow, steady cry of regret.
Then Arthur in front of him jerked. Something about him shifted.
Theo gasped. He was certain, in that instant, that this was the real Arthur.
"Arthur? Is that really you?"
Arthur looked around in confusion, taking in the Void, before his eyes landed on Theo and stopped.
"Teacher Theo? Why are you here?"
He frowned. "And why did you apologize for not being able to save me? You were not there."
A beat. Then he gasped.
"I should have known."
Theo, still reeling from the real Arthur suddenly being present in his Void, could not follow.
"Known what? I do not know how you are even here."
"Is Thea dead?" Arthur asked suddenly.
Theo was completely thrown. "Wh... what?"
"Is my sister dead?" Arthur sighed. "She is, isn’t she? She never woke up from that coma. It has been you all along. The way you speak, the way you carry yourself, your knowledge of magic, all of the small things that were actually clues. And I chose to ignore every single one of them because the alternative was unbearable."
A single tear fell from Arthur’s blue eye.
"Who are you?" He asked.
Theo blinked.
And told him everything.
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"So it really was you. All this time." Arthur chuckled softly. "I will not beat myself up for not seeing it, because I did see it. Or at least, I had my suspicions. I just never let myself think about it, because I chose not to."
"My only regret is that I could never apologize to Thea for the awful things I did to her. That I could never tell her, or show her, how much I loved her." He gave a sad smile.
"You are not angry with me? For lying to you and to everyone?" Theo asked.
"How could I be? You gave my parents the joy of having their daughter back. You saved my life more than once. And not just mine. You taught me magic. You gave me the chance to be myself. To take off the mask I had been wearing for so long. You gave me the chance to realize I had even been wearing one. The things you have done for me, and for my family..." He shook his head.
"And you made Bradley Thomas pay for what he did to Thea." He chuckled.
Theo chuckled with him. "He deserved it."
Arthur laughed. "Yes. He did."
Silence settled between them.
"So. Thank you." Arthur said. Then, quietly, "Theo."
Theo smiled, but his eyes were wet. "You cannot imagine how much it means to hear you call me that."
"Why does it have to be now, when you..." He could not finish.
Arthur’s own eyes glistened. He stepped forward and pulled Theo into a hug.
"Thank you." He whispered.
He stepped back. "You need to wake up soon." He smiled through his tears. "There is a surprise waiting for you. I will not tell you what it is. But it will make you smile and cry at the same time. Just remember this." His voice steadied. "I do not regret any of it. Not a single thing. So you should not either."
"Is this goodbye?" Theo’s voice broke.
Arthur smiled. "Yes. But these are not sad tears. These are happy tears. You should be happy for me too."
"I am finally free."
"Goodbye, Theo."
"Goodbye, Arthur."
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Tears roll down Theo’s face.
He opens his eyes slowly, but the tears do not stop.
He just saw Arthur in his dream. Arthur was waving at him, saying thank you and goodbye.
Theo could not say anything. Could not do anything. He was crying like a child.
He stares up at the white ceiling. He can feel the tears streaming down from the corners of his eyes onto the pillow beneath him. At first he cries silently. Then the sobs come, pitiful and uncontrolled. He cannot help it. He just sobs and sobs.
Until he runs out of breath. Until his body shakes.
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When Theo opens his eyes again, it is morning. His eyelids are stuck together from all the tears he cried the night before.
He blinks slowly several times, trying to get his bearings. He feels as though he has been asleep for a very long time.
And like it is not yet time to be awake.
He tries to move his hands and finds them restrained.
Hmm. I wonder what I did to make them do this.
He does not panic. He understands the practice. Hospitals in Altheon restrain patients to protect them from themselves. It sounds ironic to Theo, but he has read enough to know it is standard.
Click.
He looks toward the door. A nurse enters carrying a small basket of medical supplies. She smiles when she notices him looking at her.
"Oh, lovely to see you awake, Ms. Montrose. I will inform Dr. Bennett right away." She turns and slips back out before Theo can ask her to remove the restraints.
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Leila is carrying a vase of flowers on her way to Theo’s room when the nurse exits.
"Good morning, Mrs. Montrose. Good news, Ms. Montrose is awake."
Leila visibly brightens and quickens her pace.
"Thea!" She exclaims, setting the vase down hastily and rushing to Theo’s side.
"Hey, Mother." He greets her, still a little groggy from sleeping so long.
"Hey, sweetheart." Leila strokes his hair gently. "So nice to see you. I missed you." She smiles with warmth that fills the whole room.
Theo smiles back.
"Do you want some water? Here, let me get you some." Leila reaches for the glass and only then notices the restraints.
"Oh. Let me get those off first." She sets the glass down and begins undoing them.
The door opens again. The nurse returns with Dr. Bennett.
Greetings are exchanged and Dr. Bennett begins her examination.
Fifteen minutes later, "Everything looks good with Ms. Montrose. She is slightly underweight, which we will need to address, but otherwise she is recovering well. I would recommend staying one more night for observation. If things continue to improve, I expect she can be discharged tomorrow." Dr. Bennett closes her clipboard.
"Thank you, Dr. Bennett." Leila smiles warmly. She turns back to Theo as the doctor and nurse leave the room.
"I will let your father know. He is in Julian’s room right now. Julian is recovering well, only one wound that needed stitches. Otherwise he is fine." She takes out her phone and calls her husband.
Theo smiles lazily and feels a quiet gratitude settle over him. He looks back up at the ceiling, turning over Arthur’s last words.
A surprise? One that will make me smile and cry at the same time? I wonder what it is.
"They are on their way." Leila smiles, tucking her phone away. "Oh, Thea. I am so relieved you are okay. I cannot believe the first time I come to visit you in Solarys, it has to be in a hospital."
"I’m sorry, Mother. I never meant to make you worry." He smiles and takes the moment to look at her properly. Dark circles sit under her eyes. They are a little swollen too.
She has not slept properly. And she has been crying. It has to be for Arthur.
Theo’s eyes widen slightly. Speaking of which, have they buried him yet? I want to go and see him.
"Hey, Sis!" Julian’s voice pulls Theo back to the room.
Julian enters with Maurice and Maeve close behind.
"Julian! Maeve! You are both okay!" Theo sits up. "Hello, Father."
The three of them crowd around his bed. Greetings are exchanged and the room fills quickly with light, easy conversation.
After about twenty minutes of it, Maurice clears his throat. His expression shifts, turning solemn.
"There is something we need to tell you."
