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Chapter 1
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2024-10-29 19:42:56"Lily, do not cling to the door. Aunty dislikes that." Valery steadied herself behind the steering wheel, occasionally stealing glances at her niece to ensure she was not playing with the locks.
She smiled, seeing the six-year-old pick up the stuffed frog, which had been ignored a while back. They loved the Muppets. Although Miss Piggy was her favourite, Lily adored Kermit the Frog.
It was only a short time until they reached the mall. Valery slowly followed the other cars through the entrance, quietly peering around for a good place to park. Once she found her spot, she reeled over, initiated the brakes and turned off the engine.
"Come, little Kermit." She opened the door for Lily.
A few steps forward, Valery recalls leaving the grocery list behind. "Lily, stay right here!" She said sharply and ran back to the car.
"Where the hell did I put it." Valery combed hastily through the front seats. She hated handling pieces of paper, yet her elder sister refused to get a small notebook for the grocery list, no matter how many times she nagged about it. "Ha! Gotcha." Valery bent down to pick up the neatly folded sheet beneath Lily's seat. Lily had been holding on to it earlier, glaring at the letters as if she understood what they meant.
All was well when Valery locked the car and turned around; that was before she saw Lily walking towards the entrance on her own, not minding the road. Struck with fear and obviously out of reach, Valery yelled- waving her hand, telling Lily to stop while she dashed towards her. A car was approaching rather recklessly down the narrow road.
Worried she won't make it on time, Valery tried signalling the diver to slow down, but it was useless. The driver had drowned the car's insides with loud music and was also not paying much attention.
Out of nowhere, a figure swooped in and grabbed Lily out of harm's way, frightening the child, who did not understand what was happening.
Shaken by the ordeal, Valery ran faster and grabbed Lily, who was put down by her saviour.
"WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU!!! WHY DIDN'T YOU LISTEN TO ME!! ARE YOU A DODO BIRD? WHY DO YOU LOVE RUNNING INTO DANGER LIKE THIS!" Valery panicked.
"Excuse me, but the fault is yours for not keeping a better eye on her." The stranger called her out on her mistake. "Had I not seen her earlier, that bastard would have run her over and not even looked back. "
Valery sighed, forcing out a breath of relief. "You're right. I should have been careful. It's okay, baby, don't cry. I was wrong to have left you like that. Come to Aunty. I'm not angry, okay." She tried to comfort Lily.
Valery reached out, slowly grabbing Lily's hand and pulling her closer to hug her. Then she rose to her feet to address their helper. "Thank you very much, I...I... Derrick?" she stammered after getting a proper look at the man. It took him less than a second to recognize her as well.
Derrick's eyes widened as his lips curved upwards. "Violet. I mean Valery," he said, not knowing how to process this rush of mixed feelings coursing through his veins.
(Three hours later.)
*Music in the background*
The song played repeatedly, intoxicating Valery's mind as she drove on the highway. She was a massive bowl of emotions until it got sour, and she wanted them to disappear.
Derrick had accompanied her to shop for groceries that afternoon and spent about forty minutes with her in a coffee shop. Lily was treated to cheesecake and chocolate milk, which made her forget about the incident.
Valery was still determining how it would all end, exchanging contacts and acting friendly again. Nothing had changed about Derrick; he was taller, a bit bulkier, and more handsome, but he still had those eyes that once made her heart flutter.
'I know it ain't easy, giving up your heart.'
Valery sighed as the song spelt out the obvious.
Lily's little feet ran into the house as soon as the door was shut. Her mother and baby brother should be waiting for them inside. When Valery put the bags on the counter, Jennifer was in the kitchen, preparing the stew with the few ingredients at home.
"You took your time," Jennifer said.
"I bumped into a friend along the way, and your daughter nearly gave me a heart attack." Valery chose to leave out the crucial details. There were days she wished she did not have to tag her niece along, and Jennifer felt it. At least Kofi was yet to crawl and get on her nerves as much. But that's how kids are; sometimes, they can't be controlled or coaxed into staying out of harm's way. You just have to step up as an adult and be ready to shield them with your life.
"I'm heading home." Valery sorted herself out with a bottle of water.
"Stay and have supper with us. My husband will be an hour late, and you know I hate eating alone."
"That's why you have children, Jennifer," Valery said, holding a mischievous smirk.
Jenny pursed her mouth, resisting the urge to throw a ladle at her younger sister. "Someday, when you get out of this no-dating phase and have to raise two beautiful kids like mine, I will be there to throw shades back at you. Mark my words, Val." Jennifer pointed her saucy wand at the offender, who gladly laughed at her pains. "Seriously, you're not going anywhere, so strap Kofi to your back and come help me finish." She stirred the pot of stew.
"Okay, big Sis, but know I won't be here till Eric comes home," Valery said on her way to the living room where Kofi was lying in his rocker.
Supper turned out great; they even got a glass of wine over a TV series they enjoyed watching. Valery ended up staying till her sister's husband returned from work.
She got to her apartment roughly at ten and hopped into the shower. Wearing nothing underneath her morning coat, Valery sat on the bed with a phone in hand, going through her messages to see if any surprises were waiting for her. Sure enough, there was.
A text from Derrick, asking her out on a proper date...
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Present Day... They had dinner, but they barely finished it. This meeting was more about talking, not eating. Derrick avoided difficult questions, his go-to method of preventing Valery from shutting herself out completely. He saved his feelings for her for a later time when she would reciprocate them wholeheartedly. "Look, I think I should clear the air about this." When the conversation veered off track, Valery took a deep breath and looked Derrick in the eye. "I am a wreck from what happened years ago. I have been in four or five relationships after high school, and it's always been complicated because I made them so." She did not want to beat about the bush anymore. "That makes the two of us. It's been hell trying to replace you." Derrick didn't have to say I love you to get her to understand that. "Derrick..." "No, let me finish." Derrick was ready to be upfront like she expected of him. "I get it if you want to take things slow. I will understand if you want to stay frie
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It was odd. The hours moved sluggishly while they were glued to each other. Derrick was sweaty, yet the air conditioner was on full blast. Nursing a boner to a woman he simply found divine was torture. He wanted to take her badly, but Valery was the one to bring him peace and steer him away from his old habits. It would be wrong to ruin that. He was a man; this was the best way to prove it. A hand hooked around her neck, Derrick controls Valery's tongue but not how hard her privates grind against his crotch. It was an amusing factor of how much they had grown. The Violet from before would crawl into the ground at the thought of being intimate. But this version was okay. A little kinky but sweet. "Is this what you truly want, Violet?" Derrick could die from those steamy gusts. "You're stalling," Valery said. "I want to be careful with you," Derrick responded, hands never leaving her cushioned skin. "I won't break if you bend me over," Valery said with an innocent face. It made
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"We should head out. I'll help you." Valery pulled her hand back, carefully lifting Ryan by the shoulders."I said let’s dump that stupid chair. I can walk." Ryan’s brows furrowed as Valery brought up the wheelchair. She had no choice but to listen, though she nearly regretted it when he stumbled. Fortunately, some nearby strangers stepped in to help."Thank you, I can take it from here," Ryan said politely as he steadied himself."A park, huh? The sunlight is blinding," Ryan remarked, taking a deep breath. "No harsh detergents or repugnant medicine. The air is fresh, and the grass is as green as it gets. No beeping machines or footsteps echoing down those eerie corridors. I could get used to this.""I can imagine how hard it’s been," Valery said."You might think you understand, given your profession, but the pain... it’s beyond what your brilliant, feeble mind could ever process." Ryan’s voice was edged with bitterness.A small smile touched Valery's lips. Ryan had no obligation to
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Ryan sat in the sterile hospital room, staring blankly at the wall. His mind was swirling in doubt and despair. He had all the time in the world to think, but none of it brought him any solace or clarity."Valery is one of the best doctors in this country. This could be your last chance at a cure, Ryan. Are you going to throw it away because of the past?" Margret's words echoed in his mind. Ryan was sure of his decision, yet he owed Margret his attention; she was the only one who stood by him through the bitterness and painful procedures.As he brooded, the door creaked open. In stepped a figure clad in a crisp lab coat and sensible shoes. It was Valery, the woman he despised. She dared to approach him with a smile as if they had something to discuss."I wasn't gurgling water in my mouth the last time," Ryan said, the drugs making his speech sluggish. He would have howled at her intensely if he could."Your mother and I agreed that having me on the team would be beneficial, Master W
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High School. "Hello. My name is Riley Kwesi Wood, and I am excited to be here. I'm a little behind, so please do not be offended if I ask for help." That was the day Marget met Riley, a seemingly shy student joining the class in the middle of the school year. As he combed through the crowd, looking for a seat, Margret raised her hand. "Sir, there's an empty chair behind me," she said. "Okay. Riley, sit behind Miss Margret." The teacher gave way, beaming at the fresh fruit uniting with the 'good and rotten' bunch. "What are you doing, Marge?" Valery whispered to her friend as the new kid walked over. "Helping out the new student." "But we do not know him. He could be annoying." "You say that about everyone, Val. This one seems different. My spirit tells me he's a good person." "Yeah, right." Valery rolled her eyes. She shushed up when Riley took his place and hung his bag on the backrest of his seat. Margret, as bubbly as ever, turned to him with a smile. "Do you have a l
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Margret walked out of the kitchen with a hot mug in hand. She cautiously sits on the floor and hands the cup to Valery. The latter was snivelling, trying to dry her eyes.Valery: "I wish I could put this baggage down."Margret: "I know."Valery: "I'm tired of being afraid and helpless."Margret: "Do you want to try therapy? Valery, you never really got over the trauma of losing Riley. That is the explanation I can think of. You should be happy to see Ryan, not hide like a hedgehog."Valery: "Haa, you don't understand, Marge."Margret: "Then make me understand. Is it because they are identical? Is there something else you're not telling me?"Violet: "Derrick..."Margret: "Ugh! What about him?"Valery: "I swore to never get back together with Derrick, remember?"Margret: "So what? Ryan is not Riley Valery; you owe nobody an explanation for your choices. Or are you going to dump Duncan because of this?"Valery: "No. Derrick has been nothing but good to me. He cares about me, and I care a
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The world was a stage, and at that moment, she was standing face to face with her biggest fear. Valery shuffled to the back, clutching hard at her phone. Her eyes were frozen on the man in the bed, swaying his head at the older woman. She backs up slowly, hoping to retreat in peace. "Valery?" Hecate Wood squinted at the figure behind the professionals. "Are you not Valery Benson?" The woman affirmed loudly. The rest of the people inside turned to that effect. Valery had to come forth and face them. "Do you know each other?" The Director seemed impressed. He could not stop smiling. "..." Valery lost her tongue as she glanced at Mother and Son. Son, most especially, stared at her like a blank wall. "What a small world we live in." Hecate brightened at the lovely surprise. "My son here attended the same high school as Miss Benson. They were very close back in the day." "Oh, then you'll be happy to know she is one of the specialists taking your case." "Ahh, then I won't have to b
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Derrick stood by the glass wall in his bedroom, holding an expensive bottle of whiskey. Four buttons on his white shirt, undone, belt unhooked. He peers at the quiet neighbourhood with a ghostly expression. Being alone with his thoughts never did him good. He was facing a threat from a foe he squashed a long time back. It appeared they wanted to remain on his blacklist. Lunch with Margret was a disaster; a fabulous box of chocolates filled with maggots and sand. They concealed their mutual conflicts before Valery, playing the civil card. Drawing her into it could cost him more. The past had taught Derrick well that those two were inseparable. Margret was his lover's central support system. "There is nothing she can do," Derrick told himself. Nonetheless, he had to be vigilant. For when a blind man openly threatens to attack, his foot is most probably resting on a rock. Derrick dug into his pocket after a buzz in his pants. He swiped at the screen and held it up to his ears. "Hm.
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"Do it, Leo," Valery moaned, bending backwards to show she meant it. Derrick devoured her lips in return but slowly backed away and said, "I'm not done with the massage." He chuckles at the frown on Valery's face as he forces her back down to knead her muscles like dough. "It's time for your front." "Umm..." Valery suddenly remembered that her chest was bare. "Don't tell me you're shy. You were practically telling me to fuck you five minutes ago." "Did you have to put it that way?" Valery died of shame. She covered her face as she turned, refusing to look at the naughty masseuse. "Don't worry, we'll blame it on the red wine," said Derrick. It was all fun and games until he emptied a quarter of the small bottle on her chest. The fragrance was not overpowering, yet it fed her nose pleasantly. She could almost taste the almond extract as Derrick smeared it all over. The masseuse slowed his pace each time his thick palms crossed her breasts. Derrick fondled them intentionally, pin
