Sometime later, Scarlett's family joined them in the backyard and they all played games and chatted merrily. Except for Scarlett and Jacques, everyone else got drunk.Jacques helped Scarlett in taking care of the leftovers and cleaning the kitchen. Then Scarlett decided to stay in her parents' home and Scarlett's brother helped bring Bobby there.Both Jeremy and Bobby were too drunk to drive. Jacques decided to drive Jeremy home but Dr. Kruger asked her to stay the night here since it had gotten late already."I can drive..." Jeremy said with a slur."Go to bed," Dr. Kruger patted his back."Yes, mom," Jeremy hugged her. "I love you, mom. So much.""Me too, Jerry. I love you," Dr. Kruger said with a chuckle and patted his back."Jeryl...Jerly...Jacques..." he started giggling as he slurred.He walked towards Jacques holding out his hands, "My wife, my love... here... let me..." he puckered his lips and tried to kiss her.Maybe he was seeing double, he couldn't quite catch her lips and
Jacques stayed silent as she didn't know what to say."I had terrible morning sickness and it was a time when I had a promising career ahead. I was just twenty-nine and I thought it was not the right time for the baby. So I..." Dr. Kruger took a deep breath."It's rare... complications after abortion... but...I became an Attending Physician... When I decided it is time for me to become a mother...It... five miscarriages, going through all the fertility treatments available, clinical depression, and a suicide attempt later, I quit my job and my husband brought me here. John... he was my pillar of support..." Dr. Kruger wiped her eyes."No one here knows this... Not even Jeremy..."Jacques got up and squatted beside Dr. Kruger and held her hand. She could feel the pain in the doctor's heart."I got better here. My husband, bless his soul, he's the one good thing I did right in my life. He did a lot for me, lost a lot for me, but he never even thought of losing me... And Jeremy... When w
Jacques was surprised to see the number of pickup trucks lined up in the road. Noticing Jeremy's car, they all gave way to him. She oddly felt proud, although she knew this respect was for Jeremy.He's the King, alright?She didn't think that many would volunteer for this when today is Black Friday and was impressed.Rather than shopping for Christmas, they preferred to help every kid have a Christmas tree in their home?"That's a lot of volunteers," Jacques said."Yeah, every year the number of volunteers is increasing and the number of trees needed is decreasing," Jeremy said, waving his hand to Charlie parking his truck."So more people are buying fake Christmas trees these days?" Jacques said with a chuckle."Ha... That's a very genius observation, Chippy! "Jeremy turned to look at her with a teasing smile."Chippy? Not you too, Brutus," she hit him in the arm.Actually, she understood what that meant. It just means the prospects of the households in this area is getting better an
And that's when she saw some movement behind the tiger. She thought she saw a piece of clothing sometime before, but she dismissed it.But now, that piece of clothing has moved.Is that a child?All of a sudden, she could move. She saw Jeremy pointing the weapon at the tiger and there were some tens of the volunteers pointing their weapons."Don't shoot!!!" Jacques waved her hand and walked towards the tiger.She wasn't thinking about anything but that child. They might shoot at the tiger but the child is bound to get hurt.Jeremy was stunned.Is she really walking towards the tiger? Is she trying to protect the tiger? She was scared of the huskies and now she is walking towards a....Is she stupid?He signaled others not to shoot but his weapon was trained on the tiger."Reckless idiot!" he mumbled, seeing the tiger crouching a bit as if it was going to lunge.Second, he felt his heart slipping to the pit of his stomach. He heard a ringing noise in his ear and his eyes darkened.The t
Jacques couldn't take her eyes off the little boy with pretty green eyes. Those eyes reminded her of Gerard and the baby she lost.She fixed the long unkempt hair of the boy by running her fingers through them. The boy had a pleasing smile. He was shy at first but then started to play with her hair.She got some snacks for the boy from the others and he was happily chomping on them while talking non-stop.Should I just bring him with me?Jacques wondered. His father left him out in the cold. He wouldn't mind if someone else raises his son, right?But... She was told that Wyatt came running here as soon as he heard the news that his son is with Jeremy. News from Wyatt's town is that he was searching every nook and corner of his town for his son.Ugh!Jeremy, sitting at a distance from her, watched her without blinking. She was casually wiping the boy's snot, wiping his face, and was holding him the whole time.And the smile on her face...He could see a different kind of smile on her f
Jacques's heart pounded looking at the sharp eyes of Wyatt. The tiger was staring right at her and licked its lips.Jacques felt a shiver passing through her spine.Fear of death...She used to foolishly think for some time that death would end it all and death is a sweet release from worldly troubles.But now, facing the big threat in front of her, she realized that she wanted to live more than she thought she did.She gulped seeing Wyatt taking a puff with an odd smirk looking at her. She was terrified.But she stared right back at Wyatt. She remembered Jeremy's words that even Shaun's boss cannot hurt her.I am Joel's woman. I cannot show myself to be weak when he is near me!She felt a big hand enveloping hers. That familiar big hand was rough and warm.Yeah, I am in the safest place on earth.I am by Joel's side!"Come to the point, Wyatt. Don't waste my time," Jeremy said, placing her hand on his lap.It was like he is assuring her that he is by her side and no one can touch her
Jeremy tried to regain his balance after he was pushed and he saw the little figure falling on the floor. He balanced himself and saw the little figure kneeling as the tiger was in an attack stance.Oh, No!Jacques was not willing to die."No, Khan!" She shouted and crossed her forearms to cover her face. She shut her eyestightly as if that would have her.Her voice was loud and clear and that was followed by Wyatt's authoritative command."Khan, stay."Just a second after Jacques felt something warm and soft hugging her and she opened her eyes to see little Benny hugging her.She felt a strong pull from behind her and a lot of shouts. Thankfully she didn't hear any weapon going off.She saw the distance between the tiger and her increasing and the big cat getting pulled back by Wyatt.She didn't know how it happened but the tiger looked calmer now."You okay, Jacques?" That familiar voice was shaking in terror and the next she felt was everything around her blackening as she was surr
The golden leaves on the road blew aside by the wind displaced by the rushing car. The squirrel, who was burying his acorn by the dirt road, scampered away to the nearest tree."Ah… There is the road, baby… Don't panic, mom will drive safely. Are you growing well, baby? Is that why my back hurts? It's good. Momma can bear it."Speaking in a hushed tone, not knowing whether she was comforting the twelve week old fetus in her belly or herself, Jacques Hopkins gripped the steering wheel as she took a sharp right turn. Her slightly trembling hands caressed her lower abdomen as she looked at the rear view mirror.Good! No one's following us!She increased the speed and the silver Camry sped through the dirt road lined with trees on both side.I have to get out of here… The wedding... Baby… If I tell your dad about you, will he stop the wedding..? Ugh! I know he would. He's a good man. He might have been coerced by the Harrison family for this wedding…There is more an hour for the wedding.