Boys Will Be Boys

Afton looked up at where his mother stood in front of her bed. Packing her things into a big duffel bag. She looked terrified. Busying herself with things that seemed silly to him.

"Momma? Why you put stuff into that... that big thingy?" He asked, sucking his thumb.
"Afton," She laughed, and bent down to rub his head. Then she stood up straight again. "Afton, go play in your room. Mommy will be there in a minute. Okay?"
"Okay!" He screamed. And, rather waddled than ran his way into his room.

Afton was busying playing with matchbox racers and making "Zoom Zoom" noises when his mother came in later. He didn't notice her for a while. He just sat there playing with his cars. That went on until he heard her crying. He got up and waddled his way over to where she sat on his bed.

He placed his little hand on her leg. "Why sad? No cry, momma."
"Oh, Afton." She picked him up and hugged him to her. He hugged her back.
"No cry." Afton said again, and wiped the tears off her face.
"Afton, baby. Listen to me." She sat him on her lap.
"Kay. I listen."
"Afton, promise me some things?" She asked, staring down at the little boy who was a spitting image of his father. Her little Afton. Oh, how she wished he could come with her.
He gazed up at her, his chocolate brown eyes wider than normal. "Promise what?"
She smiled at her little boy's understanding of words. "Promise me, Afton, that you will never let anyone take your pride. That you'll stand up for what you believe in. And that you'll never ever forget me."
Afton stared at his mother in confusion. Forget her? How could he forget his own mother? She was the best and he answered her with the truth. "I promise, mommy."
"Good boy. And Afton?" She asked.
"Yes?"
Wiping the hair out of the little boys face, she said, "Be good for your father. Don't let him smack you around. Stand tall, Afton."

She stood and placed him on his bed. She walked to his doorway, grabbed her bag, and walked out backwards, facing him. Afton just smiled. To him, his mother was just being silly. To her, she was making the hardest decision of her life. Leaving her only child, her baby boy, behind was more than heartbreaking.

She stared at his smiling face as he came running over to her. "I love you, kiddo. But this is for the best." She picked him up and placed him back on his floor with the matchbox racers. Then she headed for the door, only facing him to tell him one more thing. "Goodbye, Afton."

And that was the last thing he ever heard her say.

***
The same day. Two blocks over.

Raegan jumped up and down, giddily. He and his mother were going on a trip without his father. Don't get Raegan wrong, he loved his father. But his father always made his mother cry and said mean things. Raegan just wanted his mother to be happy.

"Mommy, I have to pee." Raegan informed her.
"Hold on, pumpkin. I need to finish this."
"But momma, I have to go now."

His mother turned to him and couldn't help but smile. Raegan was 100% her child. Looked just like her. She picked him up and carried him to the bathroom. Letting him take care of his little problem.

When he finished Raegan smiled at his mother, his silver eyes twinkling. "Momma? When do we leave?"
His mother's heart broke right there. She couldn't take Raegan with her where she was going. That life wasn't safe for him. "Reagan, baby. I told you. You can't come. You're going to stay home with daddy."
"But..." He pouted, "I wanna go with you!"
"Raegan, please. Sit on the bed and be quiet for mommy."

He did as he was told and sat down. With his bottom lip poked out, he watched his mother pack. He wanted to go so bad. But each time he asked, he was turned down. He didn't like rejection. He got enough of that from his father. Always claiming the boy wasn't his, knowing full well that he was the one to take away his wife's virginity.

Raegan sat, huffed, and pouted some more until his mother finished. And when she did turn to Raegan, there were tears in her eyes. "Why you crying? Daddy again?" Raegan asked, full of concern.
"No, baby. Mommy's just... ugh... come here."
Raegan made his way over to her and held out his hands to be held. She picked him up. "I love you, mommy."
His mother grabbed her bag and kissed Raegan's forehead. "I love you, too, pumpkin. You have to stay here and I have to go now. Don't let him hurt you, Raegan. Call Auntie Vicky if he does. I love you so much, Raegan. I promise, one day you'll forgive me."

She sat and extremely confused Raegan down on her bedroom carpet. And Raegan just stared after her. She made no sense. He was only five. He didn't understand. He watched his mother walk out the bedroom door. Heard her walk out of the house.

And Raegan never ever saw his mother again.