“I didn’t want to stain your childhood memories with the truth.”“You couldn’t possibly have done that, since most of my memories involve you and the fun we had . . .” His eyes went distant, and Gerard watched his mouth form a foul word. “All those so-called sports injuries? He did that?” Gerard nodded, and Rick swore again. “Sonofabitch! Shit, Gerard . . . I’m so bloody sorry.”Not your fault.” Gerard shrugged.“How many of those knocks did you take for me?”“It’s not important, and this is why I didn’t want you to know. I didn’t want you to blame yourself. I made a decision to protect you and I did. End of story.”“Why didn’t you tell Cindy about this?”“Tell her what? That I allowed a dictatorial bastard to use me as a punching bag? That I may turn into the same dictatorial bastard and use my fists on her and Kayla someday? She’s a hell of a lot better off without me.” The words burned like acid but they had to be said.“Why do you think you’d hurt Cindy or Kayla?” Rick asked him,
“Okay,” she consented, determinedly squelching the screeching protests in the back of her mind. She glanced around the empty shop. “I’ll close up and we can get going.”“Gino’s?” Cindy smiled radiantly up at Gerard , all the tension that had built up during the drive dissipating. She had followed Gerard’s car to the tiny family-run restaurant in Green Point and had laughed out loud when she recognized the familiar route. Gino’s had been her favorite restaurant back when they had first started dating. She had insisted on going Dutch in those early days and had often suggested Gino’s because of its affordability. The food was good and the atmosphere warm and cozy. They had stopped coming here after their engagement, and Cindy had all but forgotten it existed. She was surprised that Gerard remembered it.“I thought that you’d like it,” Gerard informed, his voice quiet, before glancing over at Cal, who was hovering behind them as usual, his eagle eyes sharply assessing the streets around
“Cindy,” you can’t mean to argue with me on this matter,” he said aloud. “I know you don’t want to drive in this weather.”We can all go in your car, she decided. Paul can pick mine up in the morning.He looked a little stunned by that decision but agreed quickly as if he were afraid that she would change her mind.Cal—who was proficient in sign language and had been following the conversation—looked relieved that they had made up their minds and ushered them toward Gerard’s sleek car.“Do you think my car will be okay here?” she asked Cal worriedly as he held the car door open for them.“Don’t worry about it, ma’am, I’ll have one of my guys pick it up tonight,” he assured her.I don’t want to inconvenience anybody, and this weather is atrocious.”“It’s our job,” Cal said with a polite smile. “We’ll take care of it.” Realizing that he wasn’t going to bend on the matter, Cindy ducked her head and climbed into the back of the car; Gerard followed, his bulk taking up most of the space in
“Daddy baf I?” she asked, probably knowing that her dad would go easy on her. Cindy raised a questioning brow at Gerard , who nodded, his gaze tender as he smiled at the little girl.“Come on then,” he invited, holding his arms out to her. She toddled into them and he hugged her close for a long moment, shutting his eyes as he inhaled her baby scent. “Love you, sweetheart.”heart turned to mush as she watched them. She turned away and busied herself cleaning up the dinner debris as she struggled to keep the waterworks at bay. She kept her back to them as Kayla led him out of the living room and upstairs to the bathroom. She left them to it for about ten minutes while she fiddled about in the kitchen, before she followed them upstairs.Gerard was already toweling off a chatty Kayla by the time Cindy joined them. He smiled up at her as she entered his field of vision; the look on his face was so warm and unaffected that Cindy couldn’t help but smile back.“That was a fast bath,” she sai
She was a lost cause. Her face was streaming with tears, and she reached for him but he flinched away and got up to pace to the window. He didn’t want her to touch him, and she wept for the lonely, hurt child he had been and for the emotionally distant and psychologically scarred man that he had become. He was sharing what he felt were his most shameful secrets, and it broke her heart that he thought this was his shame and not that of the pathetic excuse of a man who had fathered him.“I never felt like I deserved you,” he said, keeping his rigid back to her. “But like I told you before, I just couldn’t stay away from you after that first meeting. I kept making and breaking promises with myself just to spend time with you. When I proposed to you, I thought that I could manage the relationship; that I could keep your love for myself without tainting you, without hurting you. God, what a miserable job I did of that.” He started pacing in front of the window, prowling back and forth like
“Cindy,” I always walked out in the middle of our arguments, remember? It used to drive you crazy, but every time I felt myself getting too angry, I’d rein in my temper and walk out because I was so terrified that I would hurt you physically.”“Gerard what’s the angriest you’ve ever been with me?” she asked him gently, and he shrugged helplessly.When you told me you were pregnant?” His statement came out in question form, as if he wasn’t entirely sure of his answer.“No you weren’t angry then,” she denied. “You were afraid to allow yourself to hope and lashed out because of that fear. I know that now. I’m talking about real anger. The kind that makes you feel like your head’s going to explode.”“I don’t know.” He looked confused. “I don’t think that I’ve ever allowed myself to get too angry with you,” he admitted, and she snorted, showing her disdain with a dismissive flick of her wrist.“Please, I can recall several incidents off the top of my head. Like the time I told Rick that yo
Well, since I’ll never get tired of saying them, I guess we’ll have to resign ourselves to making each other revoltingly happy for the rest of our lives.” He stepped away from her reluctantly, and Cindy had to bite back her protest as his gorgeous—and visibly aroused—body moved beyond her reach. When she unconsciously raised one of her hands toward him, he tut-tutted and waved a finger back and forth in front of her face“Hands off the merchandise, lady. I have plans for this evening and I can’t have you distracting me. Why don’t you head up for a nap and a shower? And chat with Kayla like you’ve been dying to do for the last hour? Leave me to prepare our dinner.”She grinned at the thought of him bumbling about in the kitchen. He really wasn’t the domestic god he seemed to think he was. He made a terrible mess and his meals were often culinary disasters, with unpalatable over- or undercooked dishes. Still, he tried—bless him—and she appreciated his efforts. He was always so disgustin
Damn it, I wanted it to be perfect,” he was muttering to himself, but she didn’t think that he was aware of the fact that he was speaking out loud. He fumbled with something small and gleaming that he pulled out of the same breast pocket he had abandoned just moments ago. When he raised his vulnerable gaze to hers once more, there was sweat beading his forehead, and his breath was coming in ragged gasps.“I played this out in my head so many times,” he confessed hoarsely. “I envisioned hot-air balloons, brass bands, and huge, extravagant spectacles. But in the end, perfection for me was having you to myself in a private place where I could beg you to end my miserable, lonely existence without you. You give my life purpose and meaning. Every beat of my heart belongs to you. I love you, Cindy. Please marry me.” He opened the palm of his hand and Cindy gasped when she saw the ring lying there.“Where did you find this?” she whispered, her eyes going misty. It was her ring, the one he had
A few years after Rick was given the life sentence. Write a poem for Rick. It could have been his very first poem. He wondered about the hue of his heart, the hue of his words when he sang aloud, the hue of the sky, the hue of the raindrops, and the hue of his need for someone to hold him. He couldn't hold his children, He missed lacing their shoes and wiping their tears, and he was aware that the only way he would ever see them again was to plead with his brother in some way. after second-guessing whether to hire a lawyer. Since his pleadings to his brother are ignored, He's significant other additionally never ask nor care to beware of him, none of he's companions request from him.Truly he did lamented he's activities and presently there believe he should spoil in jail. To tamper with justice and show mercy, he has written so many letters to his brother Gerard. He has unquestionably absorbed his lessons.Rick took a job at the prison's license plate factory in the inking department
Mr bill has begin investigation with the little infor he has got. He has deployed he’s boys to watch the going out and coming in of Rick. “ Rick got no idea that he’s being monitored, and the kidnappers as well never knew that police has very involved, because it’s been tackled on the low to avoid Mr Gerard and daughter not to harmed. And also it shouldn’t be published till Gerard and Kayla is being rescued. “The kidnappers called on Cindy ,” And she told them that the money is complete,how is she going to deliver the montane who’s going to do that, the location and time. The kidnappers told her that they will reach out to her in the morning, they need to confirm she didn’t involve the police. Cindy with all boldness told them that since the incident she has not gone to police not to talk more of involving them. “ you will hear from us tomorrow morning. hangs up the phone.The following morning as early as 6:30 am they called and give the location at which she is goi to drop the mone
Paul pleaded with Mr Bill to visit he’s house for an important discussion. he’s very good friend, they have know each other from childhood, Mr bill was surprised because Paul hasn’t invited him in such manner, he assured him that he will come after work. “Mr bill is a senior police officer, a very dedicated one at that. He’s a professional officer who responds to threats, emergencies, he has helped to keep criminals off the street, and work to protect citizens and their communities from harm. This job is not easy and there are many capabilities beyond strength and bravery that officers must possess to be great at what they do.“He has honed skills in emergency response, decision making , public communication, ethics and empathy. he is also truthful and knows when black is black and white is white, a very sincere officer at that.“Cindy hardly sleep these days, she is now a shadow of herself, thinking it’s eating her up. “How she going to ask for people that donated that they shoul
“Cindy was rushed to the hospital, she was unconscious for 2 day’s, during the time she was in the hospital, Rick wasn’t doing anything. “Celeste keep wondering, who Gerard must have offended that they had to do this to him and even went ahead in kidnapping Kayla he’s daughter, who must be feeding them with viral information,and how did they get to kidnap Kayla and well, and even getting to know where she schools, does it mean that there’s no security in the school, what must have lead to all this. “ these are the questions Celeste keeping asking herself but couldn’t get answer . And she pray Cindy don’t lost her life in the process, innocent woman she has passed through a lot.“ Cindy is getting back to fit, after the shock of her daughter also being in the kidnappers den, and also the fear of not reporting to the police, the voice keeps ringing in her head” don’t get the police involved “ she gave up the thought on reporting to the police because she don’t know who might be their n
“ Hello babe I received call from Celeste, she said Gerard has been kidnapped, that she has been trying to reach out to you, but you not answering either.“ Rick roared over he’s voice” How dare you woman talked to me in such manner, Lisa was shocked and recalled very well that she talked to the husband in a polite well, so why this. “Rick continued is Celeste supposed to call you or me, so tell me when you became man of the house , that she has to confide in you before calling me your husband, who does that, Lisa interrupted but my husband she said she called multiple times but you didn’t answer her calls either..“ Rick shouted at Lisa and slapped her, how dare you talk when am talking, “ Celeste’s was so eager to hear from Lisa or rick but seems their call is not coming, she had to dial Lisa’s number again. “Lisa was very very confused , what exactly has come over him, is this the man I married, how would her slap her, all this was running through her mind, when her goo e rang a
‘Kayla was doing very well in her academic’s, making her parents proud, she was truly a good daughter, she is obedient, hardworking, authentic and genuine, intelligent, and God fearing. Gerard had a very terrible dream where he was being chased in the dream.”in that dream he was running for safety when he ran into a river and a masquerade get hold of him in the dream”when he woke up he was confused he has never had such terrible nightmare.”there Gerard was trying to spot the meaning of the dream and also explaining to Cindy about the dream he had but nobody could be able to explain the meaning of the dream. so he was about to stand up from the bed and something fell on the ceiling but couldn’t find what it was. Who would have told Gerard that’s bad omen, he should just stay back and don’t go to work that very day. the family had their morning devotion. Gerard got ready and He left for work. on he was he was kidnapped. Cindy had tried calling that morning to check oh he has gotten to
One faithful Friday evening Gavin began to fuss. his tired little eyes looked haggard and distressed. Cindy did her best to keep him comforted and fed, but it seemed Gavin didn’t enjoy eating. Gerard walked the floors at night with Gavin over his arm so that Cindy could get some rest. During the day, Elder sister Kayla spent hours carrying Little Brother Gavin around until he fell asleep. Months slipped by, and Gavin grew. He rolled over and crawled right on time. The family cheered when Gavin took his first unsteady steps, but still, Gavin was seldom happy. His troubled little face made Cindy and Gerard concerned. They took him to the doctor, but the doctor didn’t seem concerned. The time came that Gavin should start talking, but he remained silent. A distressed little soul in a prison of silence. He couldn’t say when he was scared. He couldn’t say when something hurt. He couldn’t say when he felt lonely. He clung tightly to his daddy and was terrified to be separated from him.In h
Gerard felt for Cindy so much, that he had to fly Cindy to Singapore for proper medical check up, he can’t stand and watch the mother of his kids pass through all this . They had appointment with a neurologist, geriatrician, urologist or orthopedist. "He was convinced this is something organic - that it has an underlying biological cause."A series of neurological evaluations ruled out the obvious suspects: Cindy didn't have the tremor typical of Parkinson's, a devastating, progressive disorder, and she did well on cognitive tests.It was as if different medical personnel’s with their different result’s. Next, Gerard and Cindy went to see an orthopedic surgeon. He said she had stenosis, or narrowing of the open spaces of the spine, and recommended surgery.She underwent a complicated, potentially dangerous back operation, and she seemed to be walking more smoothly afterward - for a few weeks they spent in Singapore. She developed other symptoms. Perhaps because she wasn't exercising,
It’s 9 months and Cindy has not yet put to bed, no sign of labour, what’s should be the cause, she was frightened and same with Gerard, this has not happened before, what will be the cause that is delaying her delivery no sign of delivery what’s happening. They went to different places for solution, hospital and church ad well, they fast and pray, It was. On the Tenth month. Very sunny Friday, she her begins to have signs of labour. a couple of hours after she first felt twinges, cramps and contractions, she and her husband set off for a hospital , but when she arrived, the midwife who examined her told her she wasn’t in labour. “I knew that not to be true,” she says. “I knew I was in labour.”They were told to go home for a few hours; Cindy asked if she could stay, but was told she couldn’t unless she wanted to wait in the corridor. Her husband booked them into a nearby hotel to wait it out, and they walked around the corner, with Cindy, wearing pyjamas and a coat, steadying hersel