Sweet Child of Mine

"He loves me, he loves me not, he loves me, he loves me not, he loves me." A huge smile appeared on Erica's face as she pulled the last petal off a daisy. Alfie loved her and she loved him. Her mother didn't approve of her friendship with Alfie. She would often remind her that it was impossible for people like Erica and Alfie to have a serious relationship, because they were both different. Besides the fact Erica's mother didn't particularly like Alfie. She found him rather controlling despite being the way he was. Erica knew deep down in her heart that her mother was wrong, anyone can fall in love. Her mother would never understand how her heart fluttered every time she saw him. He made her feel like the most beautiful woman in the world, and furthermore she loved him with all her heart. She would talk about him incessantly to anyone who cared to listen. They met at the community centre five months ago, it was love at first sight. Aged twenty-one Erica was the youngest of five children, and still lived at home with her parents. Her siblings were a lot older than her, all married with families of their own.

Erica was an unplanned pregnancy. Her mother assumed she was going through an early menopause, only to discover that she was actually three months pregnant. As practising Catholics an abortion was out of the
question, so six months later Erica arrived. As the doctors predicted Erica was born with down's syndrome. Whilst growing up her mother struggled to express any sort of affection towards her. Although she tried, Erica couldn't help but feel responsible for her mother's sadness. She was well aware that she was a burden to her
parents. With all their children off their hands living independently, they probably thought they could relax and enjoy life a bit more. All of their plans were foiled when Erica was born, knowing she would need to live at home depending on her parents for the rest of her life. Everything her mother did for her was done out of a sense of duty. Her father on the other hand adored her and showered her with affection, due to her condition he was overly protective of her. She would often catch her mother furtively watching them when she was laughing and play fighting with her dad. Her look was one of sadness, knowing she had left it too late to form a close bond with her daughter. In turn she became slightly envious of her husband, expressing her frustration with a cruel sharp tongue. Her father never possessed the harshness or directness of his wife. Although he too had some reservations about Erica's relationship with Alfie, he didn't want to interfere. He had never seen her so happy. It was clear that Erica was besotted with Alfie, he seemed to have enchanted her.

Alfie's background was very different from Erica's. He lived alone with his mother, a woman with quite strong views and opinions. She was a single parent in her early sixties, having never married. The identity of Alfie's father was unknown, this was at her request after receiving a donation from the fertility clinic. His mother decided aged forty-four that she wanted a baby, believing she could bring up a child on her own. Plenty of men came in and out of her life whilst Alfie was growing up, but no one got in the way of her cherished relationship with her son, the two of them were so close. He was spoilt rotten by his mother, and despite having down's syndrome he oozed self confidence.
He too spoke incessantly about Erica, his eyes would light up every time he mentioned her name. Like Erica's mother, she too wasn't happy about their relationship. Ashamedly she felt pangs of jealously towards Erica, feeling slightly threatened by her. Almost overnight Alfie had pushed her aside and Erica had become the main object of his affections, something she just couldn't accept. Convinced that her son needed his mother more than he needed a girlfriend; her only option was to try and separate them. Knowing she would need some help in order for her plan to come to fruition, she decided to invite Erica's parents to dinner. Despite having never met them before, she felt safe in the knowledge that they would be supportive of her plan to put an end to this ridiculous tryst.

"Anyone for desert?" "Erica, would you like to try some of my home made trifle?" She looked at Alfie for approval, before agreeing. His mother gave her a wry smile before offering some to her parents. Erica's father declined, throughout the entire meal he seemed pensive and unresponsive. His wife had relayed to him the purpose of their invitation. He made it clear from the onset that he opposed the plan but would accompany his wife for appearance sake. Witnessing just how besotted they were with one another, he decided he didn't want to partake in the ludicrous plan. He fixed his eyes on Alfie's mother, knowing her motives were purely selfish. He was comfortable with his daughter's disability, and couldn't see any harm in her having a boyfriend, if only just for friendship. After dinner, Alfie and Erica asked to be excused and went and sat outside in the garden. Once they were out of ear shot, Alfie's mother sat closer to her guests with a glass of wine in hand, ready to disclose her plan.

"It's quite simple, our children have down's syndrome, and a relationship of any kind is completely out of the question. My son may think he loves Erica, but I can assure you he doesn't. He needs to be here with me so I can keep a watchful eye over him. I'm sorry but my son needs me more than he needs your daughter." Erica's mother sat with her hands clasped up against her mouth looking directly at her host. Although she had only just met this woman, she agreed with what she was hearing, and felt comfortable having to lie to her daughter. The plan was quite simple, both families would feed Erica and Alfie the same story. Both would be under the impression that the other will be sent to a residential care home for people with their condition. With effect from tomorrow they will also stop attending the community centre, and all communication would cease. Alfie's mother will have him back under her clutches. There was one factor neither mother had considered; Erica's father still vehemently opposed their plan. As always he remained silent to appease his wife.

Once home and sitting alone in the living room, Erica's father began to reflect on the evening's events. Everyone was fast asleep upstairs. The whole situation made him think long and hard about his life, and his marriage. How often he would go along with his wife's requests just to keep her happy, always maintaining his silence. He knew she hadn't really come to terms with Erica's condition, it was almost as if she was ashamed of her. Going along with Alfie's mother over some ridiculous plan just to keep the lovestruck young adults apart infuriated him. He liked Alfie, he thought he was a nice boy and more importantly he put a smile on his daughter's face. Of course she was a little besotted with him, it was her first love. The more he mused over things sitting in his arm chair, the more resolute he became to obstruct the plan. His wife had dominated him for far too long, it was about time he stood up for himself and his daughter.

The following morning, he was up bright and early. He wanted to speak with Erica before his wife did. He had rehearsed his speech over and over in his head, having had very little sleep. He chose his words carefully, appreciating the sensitivity of the subject. He went upstairs and checked on his wife who was still asleep. Erica's bedroom door was slightly ajar, he went in and saw her sat upright in bed, she was wide awake. "Good morning sweetheart, glad you're
awake. I've brought you a nice cup of tea." Placing the hot cup on the bedside cabinet, he sat on the edge of the bed and took her hands in his. "Erica, I need to talk to you about something very important, but I need you to promise me that you won't tell your mother, do you understand?" She nodded her head in agreement, her big green eyes fixed intently on him. Over the couple of minutes, he explained the plan Alfie's mother had devised and how her own mother had also agreed to it. As he was talking, he noticed a tear fall down his daughter's face. Realising he had probably gone into too much detail, he retreated and quickly changed the subject. It was at that moment seeing his daughter upset that he realised how angry he was at his wife. He was more annoyed with himself having let his pent up anger build up over the years, the situation with Erica and Alfie was just the catalyst. He knew he was playing with fire by interfering with his wife's plan, but he had been pushed around by her for far too long. He reassured his daughter that he would take care of everything; and she needn't worry. He reiterated his support of their relationship and then left her alone. Believing he'd done the right thing in telling her, he mused over the conversation he would have with his wife once she was awake.

"You stupid, stupid man, what on earth possessed you to do that?" She jumped up from the kitchen table her eyes were red with rage, she was so angry the veins in her neck popped out. "She is a vulnerable adult, who is under our care and protection. She can't live a normal life like everyone else, what part of vulnerable and adult don't you understand? We all agreed this last night, Erica and Alfie cannot be together, it's for the best." He looked at his wife with disdain.

"No!" He stood up and shouted banging his hands on the table, knocking a chair over in the process. "I never agreed to anything. You and that woman arranged this idiotic plan, I never wanted to be part of it. I only went along with it to shut you up, but I realised last night what an idiot I've been. I know deep down you are ashamed of our daughter, you've never shown her any affection, and I'm sick of it, enough is enough." He took a deep sigh, gaining his composure. "Our daughter has down's syndrome, she has feelings like anyone else and she has the right to have a close friend, boyfriend call it what you like. So if you think that I'm going to stand by and watch you hide her away stopping her from experiencing some happiness then you thought wrong." His wife just stood there completely dumbfounded. Her husband had never spoken to her in this way. Of course she knew deep down he was right, everything he said
was true, deep down she was ashamed to have a disabled daughter. With no retort, she wrapped her dressing gown belt tight around her waist and walked out of the kitchen with her head lowered and ascended up the stairs.

His wife's screams could be heard throughout the entire house, he'd never heard wailing like it. He ran as fast as possible up the stairs. He found his wife prostrate on Erica's bedroom floor crying uncontrollably, clutching a scrap of paper. Turning towards her husband with a scornful expression, speaking through her tears. "She's gone, my baby's gone and it's all your fault. You should have kept your big mouth shut. I may not be able to cope as well as you having a disabled daughter, but I love her, I love my daughter. Now she's gone because of you, oh my God she's out there all on her own, my baby." He snatched the paper from her hand, all the colour had drained from his face. The message read, "To mum and dad, I've gone far away so you don't need to worry about me any more, I love you, from Erica xxx."

His heart was racing, he ran towards the window in a desperate attempt to try and catch a glimpse of her at the end of the road. He scanned her bedroom, all her personal belongings had gone. Was it his fault? Had what he said earlier triggered her to leave? He thought. Maybe she overheard them arguing? Either way he had to find her, she wouldn't survive out there on her own. Pangs of guilt washed over him, he felt nauseous. As bent down to pick his wife up off the floor, his mobile phone rang. It was Alfie.