Chapter 7

Ricardo White

“Hey, how are you doing?” I asked when I got to Ann and Morgan’s place.

Today was kind of crazy as I had to attend a business meeting that was suddenly called upon after I was done with my classes for the day, so I had been there for a long time and got out of it minutes ago and since I promised to come here, I decided to honor my word and come see the girls.

“Hi” she greets me back and lets me inside.

It was still early in the evening and I bet Ann already went to the church’s Tuesday program.

“How’s Ann?” I asked when I settle on the couch in their living room. I looked around the house for a bit then met with Morgan who was coming from the kitchen holding a tray in her hand.

Their house looks cozier and more stylish than the last time I was here. It hasn’t been long since I came here, maybe I just didn’t take note of what it looked like.

“Thanks” I thanked and grabbed a snack.

“Ann is good and she went for a church program, you know… the usual,” she said and I smiled.

“Okay then, how are you feeling?” I turned towards her and held her hand in mine.

“I am good as always, I took enough rest and Ann pampered me so much” she sighed with a light giggle “I think I might have fattened up in just a few hours” she pinched her cheeks and flapped her hands which made me laugh.

“It's good that she is taking care of you” I tap her nose lightly.

“Yeah, I want to take care of her but she says that she appreciates the efforts but GOD got her. I believe her since she so much believes in him but, you know” she shrugged again and took some chips out of the bag I was holding.

“Well then you should listen to her and believe her when she tells you that”

“Yeah, he is taking care of her” she muttered and rests her head on my shoulder while my arms went around her shoulder.

“How was school? Did you have any tests yet?” she asked me and I let out a sigh as I remembered how the lecturer almost gave everyone in the class a heart attack when he said he mistakenly deleted all of the projects that we submitted to him.

“Not really, we just revised what was taught in the last class and we were informed, thankfully of the next test we would be having” she raised her head to look at me.

“When is it?” she touched the tip of my hair that fell to my face then combed it back with her fingers as we looked into each other’s eyes.

“Next week” I answered already lost in her warm gaze and slowly I leaned in when we were almost close, a beep sounded, and we broke eye contact and moved away from each other as I saw that it was a notification from her phone.

“Sorry” she waved her phone and checked what it was before setting it on the small table beside the couch we sat on.

“You are looking really beautiful,” I said and saw a tint of pink on her cheeks as she looked away from me “It’s like every time I see you, you get prettier” I complimented and she buried her face in my chest, and heard her giggle lightly.

“You are swooning at me” she muttered and I chuckled.

“Is there a rule where I can swoon my girl?” I rested my back properly on the couch and then pat her back lightly as we stayed like that for almost five minutes, I guess.

A lot of thoughts went through my mind especially thoughts of my mother and her sudden appearance in our lives. I really want to take her in and forget about what she did in the past but I just can’t. I can’t just ignore that she didn’t do what she did.

She looked sorry when she spoke to me the last time but when she stated that I should forgive her and let her in since she has apologized, it scattered whatever thoughts I was having on letting her come back into our lives and I was reminded of the woman who didn’t care for how her children felt by her actions so I didn’t want to see or be near her.

“Ricardo?” I was snapped out of my thought bubble when I heard Morgan’s soft voice call my name. I looked down at her to see her looking up at me before leaning back and sitting Indian-style as she faces me.

“What’s wrong Ricardo? Are you fine I noticed that in the past few days, you seem kinda off like something is wrong but I really don’t want to push forward and make you say something that you don’t want to say to me now but it's getting me really worried” she held my hand in her small ones then rest the side of her face on it.

“What’s going on baby?” she asked softly and I felt my heart fill up with so much love as I stared at her.

I was feeling a bit upset by my mum’s actions but Morgan is making me feel so lightweight and no worries when I am with her. I just don’t want to burden her with my personal problems its mine to face and solve, she is looking so happy and I don’t want to ruin anything for her.

I tried to manage a smile then leaned in to kiss her nose and then her lips lightly before I leaned back. “It’s nothing babe, everything is fine,” I tell her trying to sound as convincing as I could.

She frowned and tilt her head to the side as she raised a brow at me.

“Really? I don’t want to force things out but is it because of your mum?” she asked and I sighed then felt my heart race faster than usual.

It was quite a sensitive subject for me but I guess there is no harm in opening up to her even if it's just a little bit. I looked at her expectant face and opened my mouth to say something but nothing came out.

“Remember that I am always here when you need to talk or rant,” she said after a while.

“She… she came over last week” I managed to let out and she nod her head but thankfully the look in her eyes didn’t seem pitiful rather it was more of I am here, just let it out and I felt relaxed.

“How does it make you feel?” she asked and I let out another sigh again. I think she can feel my handshake from how the topic was affecting me.

“Alone” I replied “Well, not literally. I still have my little brother but… you get it?” I asked and she nods.

“Remember that you are not alone” she whispered then came closer to me and held my face in her soft palms and I leaned to her touch.

“I remember that always, I have you, Ann, my brother, Amelia, and George… partially” we both chuckled “I… it’s been a really long time and she coming now… it's not just adding up and it makes me feel agitated. I worry that she would do what she did in the past and just leave if I let her in” I explained my fears and she wrapped her arms around my neck while I rest my jaw on her shoulder.

“You are scared of what will happen,” she said and I sighed as I tried to blink back the tears that were threatening to fall.

I can’t cry because of that. I am not a little child anymore, I am not a little child anymore.

“What does Richard have to say about her coming back?”

I let out another sigh and composed myself before speaking and hoped that my voice would not give me away.

“He doesn’t seem to mind though. Morgan, he was very little when she left so he really didn’t get what happened and I feel like he is just missing out on how having a mother feels like, that’s why he doesn’t seem bothered” I explained.

“You are protecting yourself and your brother from what might seem to be another heartbreak, I get you” she leaned away and sat on the couch back.

“I remembered begging her to stay the day she was leaving with all of her stuff,” I said then remembered how I was a crying mess when she paid no attention to my cries or pleas “Dad couldn’t do anything again, he was just as helpless as we both were,” I told her and looked away from her when I felt like I would cry.

Morgan put her finger under my chin so that I was looking at her and she offered a smile which I managed to return back.

“Maybe what you need to do is to sit down and talk things through, iron things out with her and maybe you both could be united again” she suggested and I shook my head.

“I heard you,” I said to her.

“If you want to tell me anything, feel free to tell me,” she said, patting her shoulders “You can lean on them and I would give all the support I can”

“Thank you so much Morgan” I hugged her and she stuck her tongue at me.

“Never mention boyfriend” she flicked my ear and I glared at her.

Most times I do wish I had a mother that would baby me just as my girlfriend is doing but I am just thankful that there is someone I could lean on aside from my brother.

Annabelle Dennis

… “Please don’t hurt my wife and daughter” my dad pleads to the invaders weakly and he has roughly pushed to the floor again as he let out a groan of pain.

They had beaten him to a pulp and I nor my mother could do anything to stop the armed men.

“Shut up, will you,” the man who I recognized to be our next-door neighbor said as he looked menacingly at dad.

“Dad!” I screamed and wanted to run to him but I was my hair being roughly dragged by his accomplice prevented me from doing so.

“You better behave well Ann, if you don’t want me to do bad to your parents,” he said and I felt tear after tear falling down my cheeks.

“I doubt leaving them alive was part of our plans anyways,” Jack who was his son said and they all laughed mockingly.

“Please leave our daughter and take us instead” mum pleads and I shook my head as I sobbed hard…

I woke up breathing so hard and my body was clad in my sweat, looking around my room I checked the time to see that it was already two in the morning and looked to the other side of the bed to see that Morgan wasn’t there and I was relieved.

She will just be worried for nothing when she comes to know what happened to me in the past. A past that I had learned to forget was slowly crawling back to my head and coming as nightmares.

“GOD, I want it to stop” I muttered and tried to take Jack and his dad’s image from my face whenever I think of the thugs that murdered my parents. I couldn’t clearly see who it was because I had passed out when I was thrown down the stairs and I kept coming in and out of consciousness.

I don’t want to put the blame on anyone even though deep down I want to know who did such evil to me but I had to learn to keep things that would affect me negatively aside so that I don’t get dragged in the mess it will cause later on.

I went on my knees and muttered a few prayers to GOD about the nightmares and how I wanted them gone and away from my life, even if they are still a part of me. Those memories reminded me of someone I don’t want to remember again. Whom I don’t want to speak to.

When I was done with praying, I sat on the bed then went to look for Morgan and found that she was in the bathroom after I knocked for some time so I went downstairs to get some milk warmed up or much on some cereal since I wasn’t feeling sleepy.

I warmed up the milk and took a box of cereal then took a bowl and spoon just in case I want to mix them together. I went to the living room and decided to finish up the movie I was watching with Morgan the other night since I slept in when we haven’t reached half of the movie yet, as she explained to me.

“Everything will be good” I assured myself “By GOD’s grace” I completed.