~ After Arthur and Ariadne's wedding, the newly married couple must struggle with secrets the Point Man has been keeping from his bride. Namely, a child. ~

Takes place after "Never Hold Back". You don't have to read "Never Hold Back", "Deception", "Arthur's Birthday", "Ariadne's Thread", "Arthur's Totem" or "A Week at this Level" to get this. Although it might be easier and make more sense. Besides, almost all of them have erotica and who doesn't want that?

For those of you who have read my early work, you have noticed I have kept Arthur's back story, especially his mother's the same. In "Ariadne's Thread", it's reveled that she died of a brain tumor. Although I made it seem both his parents are gone. Here, his father is still alive.

In my other work, Arthur's mother's name is Audrey. If I were to cast Arthur's mother in a movie, I would have cast Summer Glau. Not only is she a real ballerina, but I think she and JGL look a lot alike.

I made his mother a dancer because I felt this explained how it was so easy for him to run around rotating hallways in "Inception".

This story is a Thank You to my readers. I've been monitoring how many hits each of my stories gets and the numbers just boggle my wicked little mind! It fills my heart up to bursting to know I've had so many people reading my work.

Thank you all so much.

Pls enjoy and review.

Arthur's Secrets

~ Audrey had woken up feeling dizzy. The memory of the doctor's diagnosis still heavy on her mind. She looked at the scrap booking supplies still on the dinning room table. John, her husband, hated the mess but allowed it. She was making those scarp books for her only child. For Arthur.

Her son was only 8 and already a fine little gentleman. His mother would often lose herself on thoughts of what he would be like when he was a grown man. She was grateful the boy had taken after herself and her own father in looks and manners. She didn't want Arthur to be like his father.

She hated this thing. Growing in her head. An unwelcome intruder that was ticking away. Closing the time and space she had left with Arthur. The Doctors had said it was a rare, inoperable brain tumor. One that would kill her in just a few months. Lately, she had started seeing things. Specters that she knew could not be real. Things that worried and scared her son, but annoyed her husband.

News of her diagnosis had caused her to leave the ballet company she had worked with since she was a teenager. She was the Prima ballerina for the New York Ballet and had held the position for years. Her likeness graced the posters outside of the theater as she was the star the showcase.

Now, she was a dieing swan. It had been a painful decision to leave the work she loved so much, but she wanted to spend the last few months with Arthur.

Her precious son had dressed himself for school. Tied his own tie in that careful fastidious way of his. His parents had told him last month about what was happening to Audrey. His mother had tried to be sensitive about it. Tell him it wasn't contagious, that it didn't hurt. That if she acted odd or funny, it wasn't because of anything he had done.

John had grown tired of her soft approach.

"What it means Arthur, is that your mother is going to die. That she is not going to be here for Christmas or your Birthday. That she is going to die and never come back. The doctor said she will die around summer. Do you understand?" He asked the child. His voice curt and businesslike.

Arthur's eyes had welled up. Looking at his beloved mother. How could someone as young and pretty as her die? She was vital to his happiness. He needed her. He couldn't be alone with this man. Not without his mother.

Audrey had looked at her cold hardhearted husband as her son started to cry. His 8 year old world falling apart.

John had become frustrated that his son was crying like a little girl and left. That was when Audrey had her first nose bleed. Her son had gallantry got her a tissue and she thanked him. Telling him he was a good boy, and would be a wonderful husband someday.

"I'll never get married." He sobbed as she held him. "I'll never be happy again." He told his mother. She shushed him.
"No, you will. I promise." She told him. "You know what else? I promise I'll be there to see you get married. Married to a wonderful girl. One who's smart and pretty and almost worthy of you. I'll see you. Even if you can't see me." She whispered. A conspiratorial secret. "I promise I'll be there for you."

~ But she hadn't been. The day she died it was the first day of summer break. Audrey had finished her scrap books for her son. Completed letters for him to open on various milestones of his life.

She had been so confused all week. Complaining of noise and birds and strange voices.

Arthur had gotten used to it. Gently telling her he would shoo the birds away. Tell people to be quite.

She like to listen to her ballet music and would ask her son what time it was. She didn't want to be late for rehearsals. Rehearsals, that she forgot she was no longer apart of.

"I can't be late for work. People look to me as an example. We must always set a good example." She would say in her sweet voice. "That is why we always dress nice, and act nice."

She told him this as she arranged fresh cut day breaker roses a fan had sent to her.

"We don't do those things to show off, Arthur. We do those things because if you are surrounded by people with good manners, you will become a person who has good manners. We become what we see." She told him with a contented little smile.

Her delicate hands wandered down to the large sapphire pendant she liked to wear. A gift from her own father when she had done her first performance with the company when she was only 13. Audrey watched the sun sparkled off the stone. Remembering that day. Her happiest day until her son had entered her world.

Arthur nodded as he cleared the dinning room table. A perfect spot for the lively roses his mother had trimmed and arranged.

His father stormed into the room, ready for work. Despite his wife's ailing health. He had not taken a day off. Had not slowed down. He retreated from her illness as if it was contagious. He spent long hours at work. Always away from home. When he was home, he slept in the guest room.

"Will you be home by dinner?" Audrey asked breathlessly.

"No. Lots to do today at the office." He said.

"I was hoping we could take Arthur to the zoo. You could take the day off. You own the company." She told him.

"Audrey, I don't want to take the day off." he said coldly. Arthur barely had time to turn around and give his father that same cold look of the Point Man, before his mother collapsed on the floor. Her slight willowy dancer's body, seemed especially delicate as she lay there, helpless.

Her chivalrous son came to her aide, cradling her head on his lap as he tried to revive her.

"Enough of that foolishness, Audrey." John barked as he looked away. His cold steel eyes not wanting to pity her. As if she had fainted to call attention to herself.

He gave his son a hard look.

"Well, you take care of this." He told Arthur.

John took his brief case and abandoned them. Audrey calling softly for John to come back.

She died an hour later. Her son was with her. She had talked of silly things. Telling him to remember to put his clothes out for school. To make sure his uniform was nice and neat.

"Is that little girl still being mean to you?" She asked

"Becky Lawson?" He asked. "Sometimes."

"She likes you."

"She hates me." Arthur said looking at his hands. His mother was laid out on the sofa. Smiling at him. Her breathing slow and steady. Breath was hard to take in now.

"No, when a girl likes a boy, she's always mean to him."

"She threw her shoe at me." Arthur told her. Confused.

"Well, that means she really likes you." Audrey said with a smile.

"I hate girls."

"You won't always. I promise." Audrey said. "There will come a day when you'll like girls. Always be nice to girls and women Arthur. Always treat them like ladies. Promise me."

"I promise." He whispered.

Audrey complained about the birds again. Her eyes going unfocused. She slipped away before Arthur could tell her he loved her.