Macaulay stopped a moment to catch his breath. He had sprinted far and fast without observing the direction. Behind him, the moon set distant trees alight, shrouding them in an otherworldly glow. At night, it wasn't difficult to see why people were spooked by Arbormoor. Sweat rained down from Macaulay's scalp, stinging his eyes. His breathing was labored. He would need to take a seat before he could summon the vigor as well as the courage to return home.
How could Lavinia have left him like this? The only mother he had ever known and she didn't even care enough to say goodbye. No one loved her as he did yet she could deliver him unto the mercy of his father's caprices without a second thought. Not that his father had ever tried to hurt him or had ever given indication that he would try but there was always the chance.
Macaulay was too young to remember what his father had been like before his mother's accident. According to his Aunt Donna, his dad had been mild mannered and reserved. He didn't talk much but when he did, he never wasted a word. According to his aunt, Macaulay's grandmother used to say that his father had a tongue for poetry. His dad had been bitingly clever, compassionate and eager to laugh. It was all very difficult for Macaulay to imagine. He spent a lot of time crouching in the corners of his room, agonizing over why he wasn't good enough for his father to want to be that man again. If not his father's effort and not Lavinia's presence, then what was Macaulay worth? He'd existed too long on love that had been given out of charity.
"Is there anyone out there?" Macaulay shouted, "I'm alone and I belong to no one! So if anyone wants me, I'm here waiting to be claimed!" He had to laugh at the futility of bellowing into the night, though this was probably the most pathetic admission he had ever made. Macaulay leaned forward and stared into the little man-made pond at his heels.
Lowering his voice to a level where he himself could barely hear, he said, "No takers? I didn't expect so."
An invisible guppy left half-moon trails on the face of the water. It would be painfully cold but even that wouldn't last.
OH poor Cully! I'll take him! His stupid dad needs to pull his head out of his ass, and why didn't Vin stay long enough to tell him goodbye? Was she worried that she wouldn't be able to hold out long enough and end up staying?
ReplyDeleteThat's exactly what her worry was. :)
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, her time living with Jorge kind of ruined her psychologically and now she has all kinds of weird dependancy issues that she will have to either overcome or simply fall back on old habits.
But of course, she told herself that she had to leave IMMEDIATELY because Jorge was drunk and who knows what he would do (as though she hadn't dealt with his drunkenness for the past eight years)?
Poor Cully indeed. :( But all is not lost!
How old is Cully? He's probably younger than he looks. Poor kid - huuuge self-worth issues there.
ReplyDeleteWhy wasn't his aunt a stronger influence in his life than the governess?
Cully just turned thirteen five days ago at this point in the story. You can find him here on the family tree.
ReplyDeleteLavinia had a bigger hand in raising Macaulay simply because she lived with him. At the time that she moved in, Macaulay was four going on five. He doesn't even remember life before Lavinia. And the two of them have a somewhat peculiar relationship. Lavinia was less of an authority figure and more like the big sister that would clean the house, make dinner, help with homework and hold Jorge's hair back while he puked.
He is quite close to his aunt but she has her own kids and her own concerns. On the other hand, Macaulay was the center of Lavinia's very limited universe. And that's why this was so painful to him.
Other than that, Cully is just a really angsty kid.
Poor Cully! My heart aches for him. Why didn't Lavinia say goodbye? I know it must have been difficult, but she could have left him a letter or something. She must now how Cully is.
ReplyDeleteLavinia does know how Cully is but she was just so absorbed in the whole Jorge thing. If she knew that he would have done something like this, then she probably would have waited to leave or not left at all. However, I am certain that she knew he would be upset. In retrospect, Lavinia is just as prone to causing strife for her loved ones as Jorge is.
ReplyDelete