Along the - Whereever You Go
Along the River
Chapter Two:
By: Gravilove19
To most the idea of a Monday morning is pure torture River however was very different. This specific Monday was his first day of school. River had always hated looking at himself in the mirror. It was a sad reminder to himself of his mother and her tragic death.
River had not been but six or seven when his mother and he had been in a car wreck. River had wanted to go to he zoo that day, and although his mother didn't allow him away from the interior of their home very often she had relented under he agreement that he was to be with her at all times. They had had a blast, and River could not have imagined a better trip to the zoo. As they were driving home they were stopped at a four way intersection, it had been a foggy night and the roads had been wet. The driver couldn't see the eighteen wheeler coming from the direction just perpendicular to them.
All memories after that were faint and blurred to River. He could remember people yelling, and the sounds of people trying to talk to him. Nothing however was able to give the comforting words he longed to hear. He had spent a month in the hospital keeping daily vigil by her side. He had always heard talking to patients in a vegetative state helped to bring them back to a living breathing environment. One day when he went in to see his mother she wasn't there. Hoping she was up and about he asked the nurses where she was. They had only smiled sadly at him as his nurse Danetta came down the hall and gathered his shaking form into her arms.
From that day forward she had been his main caregiver and surrogate mother. Danetta had no kids of her own and as such she had made River her own. After his wife's death Daniel Ward had completely forgotten he had a son. The halls of the house no longer rang of the laughter of a child or the nightly echoes of Martha Ward's voice as she would quietly put River to bed each night. Instead the halls were cold and dark, as though the Ward house had lost all its life.
By the time River was ten he had surcome to the fact that his father would never think of him as his son. River Ward was the exact replica of his mother. River's hair has was dark and silky and although a young boy he held the figure that any girl would die for. His eyes however were neither inherited from his mother nor his father. A silvery dark navy they were like the night sky. Never having many friends growing up River became reclusive to outside friendships and it didn't bother him that his father never was home or than there was no one to talk with.
Martha Ward had been a visiting exchange student at Oxford University when she met Daniel Ward. Although in the beginning they both seemed to but heads, over time they became friends and then later were married. Martha had become pregnant with River two years after they were married.
Daniel Ward began his business firm in London shortly after meeting Martha, and it had easily become one of the major investment business' of the greater European area. Daniel had always been a fun loving man, and he and Martha had made a perfect match. Their dreams were to grow old together and then travel the world in their old age. The Daniel Ward that was fun and outgoing died the night of the accident. Although the changes in River’s life seemed to go unphased. Daniel Ward believed that River’s health needed constant monitor and guidence in case he should become sick.
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The ride to th Bern High School had been filled with Danetta fretting over River's appearace and how he needed to look presentable for his first day. River dreaded stepping foot onto the campus, knowing he would inevitably come into contact with the boy from the night before. What was his name? Alfred? Andy? He knew it had started with an A. Sighing he knew he shouldn't care. The other boy had deserved every word River had said to him.
Looking over at Danetta River gave her one of his rare smiles.
“Danetta don't worry. Everything will be fine. I'll go to the nurse at lunch, and receive my shot. I'll be genial to everyone at he school, and i'll return safely to your arms at 3:30 this afternoon. I have my cell phone also. Just calm down. You don't have to worry about something happening like last time.”
“River I just want you to be careful. We don't need something happening again. That means no fights. I don't want to come after school to find you bloody and bruised.”
“Don’t worry. I won’ t let anyone or anything get in my way. I'll see you later.” jumping out of the car River approached the school and prayed that it would be an easy day.