REPLACING GERALD, POSSIBLE?

Chapter 2

All sores were healed, internal and external ones. Millicent and her father were the happy family in the city. He had started his dream business and Millicent understood she had to start school the tomorrow. She was never a dull student. She had learnt something from Old Pirate, and didn't throw it away. She had lots of story books and her father had also bought some in addition.

Her father made her the best cook since he was also good at it. Going back to the army wouldn't help him. He was afraid he would lose her little girl as he lost his wife.

He was a chef, he was a great cook, people from outside the city came to eat at his small restaurant. Television stations would come to interview him and took videos of him while he prepared. Even his little girl would make customers lick their fingers in exhibitions.

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"Get off the road!!!", a famine voice shouted, cars screeched and hit other cars. A female police officer rolled from the main road to the pedestrian lane. She had dived to catch a little girl from being hit by a car which had swerved and somersaulted. She moved swiftly, and saved the little girl. People rushed out to see what had happed and others, scared.

"My Millicent!", he screamed and rushed out of his little restaurant when he saw her in the arms of the cop.

"Where are you going to?", she calmly asked the little who was still in her arms. "Are you alright?". She stands her up.

She could stand on her own and no blood was on her. She just met her angel. Her father hurriedly run and hugged her at her back as he knelt. He turned her and looked in her eyes and started to cry.

"She's fine mister, is she your daughter?", asked the cop.

"No, she's everything I got. Everything…", he sobered.

"Where's her mother?", she asked.

"Mommy is dead…", the little girl replied.

"Oh, err, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to…", she snubbed and hit her face in disappointment. "You're such a good girl. Why didn't you go to school today?".

"She's starting tomorrow. We've been down for some time, we just got on our feet.", he quickly replied. He was afraid the cop would ask for more. Curious passersby were still watched. "Millicent, say thanks mom…oh no sorry, to the police", he said confusedly.

"Thank you…"

"It's fine Millicent. Can we be friends?", she interrupted.

Her father put her down. She run and hugged the cop as an agreement for their ne friendship. She was so happy. 'At least, a cop friend would protect.', she thought. Her God has sent her a comforter, a savior as well. She felt occupied now but the space in her heart for Gerald was still empty. She wouldn't be able to replace him. Would Fate make Gerald to take back her place in her heart or lose it? Who knew better than Fate and Destiny?

Maybe, she could replace that when she makes a lot of friends from school. Passersby, spectator who were curious all got lost. Mr. Chef had got back to his restaurant to check on customers. His eyes never left the transparent glass from where he could see his daughter and the cop. They talked for long. All Mr. Chef thought about was, she not telling the cop about the trauma he put her in the last year. He pretty also knew his little girl was brilliant and wouldn't do such a thing but cops can be tricky. That was what he cared so much about.

"You liked the cop, right. How many men does that?", one customer playfully asked.

"What can I offer you?", he ignored his question and asked what concerned customers.

"I can see you like her, I just finished my food and I need a take home package.", he bantered.

He served his customer as he wanted. Lifting his head to watch his daughter and the cop, he didn't see either of them. He dropped his cap and moved out of the counter, then suddenly stopped when he saw them sited.

"Can I have your number, Mr. Brown?", the cop requested.

"She told you my name? I prefer just Brown. oh fine here's my card"

"Thank you. I'll be calling you to check on my little friend. She is such a brilliant girl." She said and laughed. Her eyes scouted the tall gentleman. She looked him in his face for some moments but he was just watching his daughter.

"He's such a nice and handsome man, should I grab him and just kiss him,No, that will be harassment", she thought for herself. Thing galloped through her brain but she controlled her emotions. She was in uniform, anything sill would render him trouble.

The girl could examine the environment. It was tensed and cold.

"I need to go now. My time is up.", she snubbed off her imaginations and kissed the little on her cheek, blinked an eye at Mr. Chef and walked out. She walked so fast, in just a few seconds, she reached her ford.

"You're grounded!", he exclaimed and grabbed his little girl by his arm, but gentle and playfully.

"Hey! ..." she shouted in the direction where the cop had left. She had not disappeared from their sight. Her scent still lingered in there.

"I'm sorry, I meant I am the one grounded", he quickly knelt, before the cop could turn and watch them

All she saw was a man kneeling and palms attached to each other in the form of seeking forgiveness. She raised her hand and gave them a thumb up and both laughed. Soon, they closed for the day.

On their way home, he carried the little girl on his chest and sung till she slept off. She was already in another world; the dream world, before the reached home. He took her to her room, planted her in her bed and covered her with white blanket. He and stared at her little poor face. Her nose sticking up in the air to collect more oxygen to keep her alive. He knelt and kissed her on that nose, but gently and nice.

"Whatever I have done you, please forgive me in your little tiny heart. You beautiful thing", he cried to the sleeping thin figure who had ears were opened but closed at the mind. Maybe, her soul heard him speak.

He hopped to his room after crying by her bedside. He got things together so that, Millicent would be student the again next day. Gathering and packing her books, he came across her dear diary. He leafed it and almost every page was about Gerald. Only few leaves were biography of himself and some canceled. Sometime popped in his head and he put it back her he picked it from.

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At the cop's home, she could barely sleep. She was feeling uneasy. Diving to save the little lady gave her some scratches on her arm but that was not the thing preventing her to sleep. She woke up and went to her uniform, picked the card and attempted to call Mr. Brown but somethings stopped her. It was too late and her battery was critically low. She kept thinking about it. A moment later she dialed the number.

"Hello…", a deep voice said at the other side of the phone.

"Yeah", she replied in a very low tone and stood on her feet. She leaned her back against the wall.

"It's Sandra Mallow, am I speaking to Mr. Brown?".

"Yeah, I'm Mr. Brown."

"Yeah, how're you guys doing"

"Who's this and how may we help you?"

"Err..it's the Cop, Millicent's new friend."

"We're doing good. Thanks for today. You saved my only daughter?" , he quickly replied. This time, shy and shaking. He dropped his phone but caught it in the air. "Hello!", but the other side was silent. He was enjoying the talk though. "Are you still there?"

"Hash… God d*amnit!!!", she screamed in extreme anger and hit her phone on the bed when it went off. It looked like she had other businesses to talk about. She rushed to grab her charger, did the and the necessary. She waited to call gain and lay on her bed to recall that incident where she saved the girl's life, but Mr. Brown's image kept jumping and jumping in her mind. She grabbed a pillow and placed it on her chest and hugged it so tight. Before she realized, she was fast asleep.

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"What did I just do?, I fumbled and got shy? No, this can't be me. I'm not falling again. Never!", he smashed his face and sat on his chair and opened his laptop. "What if I don't get to see her again, she was good looking.

I liked her eyes and she's hot, even in uniform", He sat there smiled on his thoughts for no reason and went back for his phone and started texting the number which had called moments ago. He wanted her to accompany him take her daughter to school, at least and he texted her if she would be free the next day.

He didn't want to admit the fact that, he was crushing on her.