DON'T LEAVE ME!

CHAPTER 1

CHILDHOOD

"You wouldn't see yourself falling in love until you are entirely sunk and rest beneath it.", She said to her son. She had spent her whole three hours explaining to her son what love is.

"Mother!", he exclaimed. "I've had enough of your lectures; I'd love to hear real lecturers speak in my ears too. I deserve it. I need to make you proud in another way since I don't have the chance of going to school." Gerald explained.

It was a hot Saturday, his coconuts were drying and he needed to reach the beach before other coconut traders did. He liked his business; that's what helped him survived and payed his off his mother's drug bills.

Flashback:

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Back in Mexico, where he grew up, his mates laughed and made mockery of him. His mother barely paid off his school fees and his uniforms were worn out. The teasing, hardship, and hunger pushed him on the street at age of TWELVE where he started begging from people. Growing up, his earnings from begging seemed to be small as his mother's illness kept getting from bad to worse and kept her in doors.

"No one to call dad, surviving daily and getting drugs for mum is all I want now." He said his dream and prayer.

Answers came from above the next day, what he had vehemently wished for; someone introduced him to coconut business. He thought him how the business was and how much he would gain from it. It was quiet a tedious job but he couldn't refrain from it. The person was willing to give him a head-start, but half. He needed to fend for the remaining half, so that he'd be serous and committed to the work.

Millicent, the only person he could think of for help. His only partner in begging and only friend. Her father would not let her go to school, so she joined the street. Her father would drink with all his money, spend his income on table dancers and call his daughter Bad -Luck. She would sometimes steal from his father and spend it on roadside foods. She would never buy keep her money from Gerald, her best friend.

When Gerald had told her about the money he needed, in less than three days; she provided it from her father's wallet. Sometimes, her father thought the table dancers stole from him and other time would whip his daughter.

"Mille, the man who helped me says he is taking my mother and I with him to his country. I don't really know there, but I heard him whispering Brazil on a phone call. He says I can make a lot of sales over there. Perhaps, 100 times bigger than here and if I be a good child, he'll take me to school." He happily said. "What do you think about that, it seems pretty awesome. When I return, I'm going to buy you all that beautiful ribbons." He removed one ribbon from her hair and kept it in his pocket as a promise.

The eleven-year-old Millicent could sense disappointed, loneliness and disbelief. She stood there speechless while he hugged her.

"When are you going?" She asked.

"Tomorrow, maybe, by 12 pm." Gerald answered.

Millicent turned her back and begun walking home. He didn't understand but he needed to return to his mother before the hour hand hit 6. "I hope to see you before I leave!", he exclaimed, hoping she heard it and also returned to home. Gerald thought about Millicent's behavior when he has gone to tell her about leaving Mexico. He felt restless and asked told his mother about it.

"Was she happy about that?", his mother asked after she had taken her medications.

"She turned her back and went home without saying a word." He replied as sleep gradually stole his eyes. The whole day had been braking coconuts, fighting rude customers and hiding from his classmates.

"She loves you. I don't need to tell you this because love attracts. You should have known by yourself. That's the mistake I made in my life. It can't change it, so I always keep the regrets. Your father, everyone thought I forced myself on him. I am sorry you don't know him but I hope one day, you'd meet him before he dies in his riches. For me, I am dead alive. Do you even know what love actually is?"

No reply came, it was already raining and their perforated roofs were leaking. Drops fell on Gerald but the stress conquered his body. Her mother stared at his round face as she managed to push him to the other side of his bed so that the drops stopped hitting his innocent face.

"Holy Moly; its good he didn't even hear me. It would have hurt his heart some way. If destiny and fate truly works, then I need not to talk much about this, although I wish him the best." She said and laid beside him. She would pet his hair and would cry for some time. That's what she did almost every day when she recalled anything about her husband.

The next morning, Gerald woke up early. The first thing he always did, prepared breakfast for 'mother' and gave drugs. He knew he was leaving, so cleaning the room didn't bother. They had nothing much to gather or pick along. Their clothes and blankets were all they had.

All of a sudden, he run out. He used all his might to get his top speed. His mother noticed his destination and didn't pass any comments. People on the street stretched their neck to see the super runner they have never known in decade. He did not stop. He risked his poor life crossing roads like he had lost his mind, he didn't seem to care about how silly drivers also crossed the road, the train honks were not able to shutter him. Until he reached his destination, he never stopped running.

"Millicent! Where are you, it's me! I may leave the city any moment from now…" He shouted when he reached Millicent's house. He stood at the back of her closed windows and shouted her name again but to no avail.

"Hey buddy, she is not coming out. What's wrong? She's been crying all night." Someone roared from behind him.

He turned and it was Millicent's father. He had been cutting woods and had his axe still in his hand which scared Gerald. The man was a real giant as he stood face to face to Gerald. His cow boy hat covered his head and his coat, so scary. Gerald's heart begun to spin in his rib cage. Anyone could hear his heart beat. The bad day of his life had just happened.

"Dad, let him go!", a soft voice said and pointed a toy guy which his father used to scare people who messed with him. He understood the situation. She started crying and her father left the scene. The two were left. Her tears just flowed uncontrollably and he wiped some from her cheeks.

She drew closer and landed her soft lips of Gerald's mouth. He was puzzled. He did not expect that at any moment, but he liked it for a while. He could barely stand on his feet, he felt something new. His eye popped out in dismay. This was a strange feeling.

"Don't leave me!", she cried out.

"I must go now", he said and walked away.

Millicent could do nothing but cry harder. She went inside. Her father was holding his belt which he always used on her. She would run or hide anytime she saw him holding it, but this time she went straight to him and hugged his legs because that was where her height would allow.

For the first time his daughter had felt like this, crying from something else. His father's eyes popped out in amazement. He knelt down so that his heart could reach his daughter's heart. Also for the first time, he kissed her head and picked her up to stand in front of a portrait. He also sobered and cried. Lady on the portrait starred at both and never blinked her eyes.

"I promise to be a good father from hence", he said to the portrait of a beautiful woman on the wall and tapped his daughter, "I promise to be a good father, I'll take you to school and always make sure you are always happy". He cried harder.

"I also promise to be a good girl", she also cried and points her hand on the portrait, "I'll make you and mommy proud so that when she comes, she'd also hug and kiss me".

"Mommy is dead, she's not coming back as I always thought, it drives me crazy but now that I have you. I am good, I am fine and I will always love you", Mr. Wilson whispered.

"Ok, I have you and Gerald, my friend. He says he'll come back for me", she cried again.

"Yeah, he will come for you. Now that Gerald is gone, you aren't going to the street again. I will get a good work and pay your school fees, get you new clothes and anything that will make you happy". He promised!

***

Having parked everything he might need, Gerald run to his friend, an Old man who had spent more than five decades on street. He used to tell stories to Gerald and sometimes thought him how to read and solve some basic math. The math which helped him in his coconut business.

"Old Pirate, please do me a favor", Gerald requested

"I'm ain't doing sh*t", he cried, pulled him down by his hand and hugged him so hard. "You are the best friend I would mention if God asks me to, when I die any moment from now. I will never forget you. Take good care of your business and mother. Now, what is it that you want me to do for you?", he had a cool voice and spoke slow. Most people would laugh at him whenever he spoke but Gerald never did.

"Give this to Millicent, my friend and tell her I love her", he handed him a pair of round ribbons.

"Take one, and she would keep the other half", Old Pirate suggested and gave it to him.

The truck was waiting for Gerald. His coconut boss was in a hurry but he understood the situation. Gerald gave Old Pirate a coconut and a shirt which he had purchased at a very low price. He was amused.

He wished to give Gerald something greater but he had nothing. He cried so hard and crawled to the middle of the road to watch the bottom of the truck as it sped off with his best friend till it faded off sight.

"Your name shall always linger in my heart, friend", he murmured and crawled back to his sitting position.

End of flashback.

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