BETHANY

“Mommaaaaa,” an ear-piercing holler was heard from the woods, “don’t leave me! “The girl fell on her knees as she wept for her mother, alongside a pool of blood as she was exuding profusely. The yell abruptly died down and the quiet atmosphere of the grove resumed whereby only bird chirps and the rustling of leaves could be heard.

“You may now kiss the bride,” the priest uttered with a baritone voice. Domingo fixed his gaze on the exquisite lady who was standing in front of him. Overwhelmed by a feeling of contentment, he sighed as he stared right into her sparkling visions.

Domingo carefully fixed her veil and wrap his hands on her cheeks and in a nutshell, he sank into her lips. Ironically, there was no applause. After all, they only had themselves to exhilarate, there being nobody else present.

“I love you so much Laura,” Domingo vocalized and held her hand tightly. They both walked away, ready to start a new life as a couple.

Despite the ups and downs of life and the diverse distinctions between them, their love still conquered. Everything was a smooth sail onwards as though life was just a bed of roses. Not long after, the couple was blessed with two angels, a boy, and a girl, although one of the twins, the boy, did not survive. The demand for a clear reason for the demise of the baby boy however went unsatisfied as the doctors did not give a clear explanation.

Death is an irreversible occurrence, therefore they chose to move on and accept what fate had in store for them.

“Bethany, she will be called Bethany,” Domingo declared exuberantly as he held her daughter in his arms, “Dollicute my baby.” Laura, who lay on the mahogany bed smiled, exposing her dimples which made her even more beautiful.

“By the way hun I found a job at a newly started company nearby, The Flaming Dragon,” Domingo talked, his baby still in his arms.

“That’s good. And what is this company all about?” Laura queried.

, “I don’t know much yet but it deals with designing these big events and stuff but I can assure you that it's legit.”

“ Oh, okay. I know the almighty will see us through and we’ll be able to bring up our baby, Bethany Domingo.”

“ My daugh… Beth…”Laura stammered as she desperately watched her daughter being carried away.

The rather humongous man Carried Bethany and dumped her at a dumping site that was a few meters away from a certain children’s home.

On regaining consciousness, Bethany was appalled on finding herself laying on a bed, a nun seated beside her.

“ Calm down honey, you’ll be okay. We’re here to take care of you,” the lady reassured her.

“ Momma, papa, where are they? “Bethany screeched.

“ Don’t worry my dear. We’ll take care of you. Your momma and papa have gone a journey very far away but we are all here for you, “the lady consoled her, patting her back.

“ Look around, there are a lot of children who you can play with dear,” another nun said as she showed her around.

On the spur of the moment, a male cop joined them, accompanied by a guard who worked at the children’s home.

“Sorry, ma’am. I couldn’t stop him,” the sentry pleaded.

“Okay, you can go,” one of the nuns permissioned..

“I’m sorry for evading your privacy today but I just want to ask the young girl some questions,” the officer started.

“Can’t you see the girl has already suffered enough trauma? No sir, definitely not today.”

“ That man, he was running after papa,” Bethany yelled,” he beat him up because he didn’t give him that disc.”

“ What disc?” the officer curiously asked.

“ I can’t remember anything else. My head hurts!” Bethany wailed.

***************************

“ Give us the disk you took from the Salvadors or else the She Dragon will not spare you!” the man shouted.

Laura and Bethany, who hid behind a closet shook as they watched Domingo being beaten up mercilessly.

Things went out of hand when the man fished a data from his pocket and brutally stabbed Domingo just below his dilapidate.

“Noooooooo!” Laura bellowed, revealing their hideout.

She however gathered her strength and jumped off the window just behind them along with Bethany.

It soon resulted in a hide-and-seek game with the goon till Laura tripped and broke her ankle that she could neither run or even stand on her feet.

“Go, go, baby,” she pleaded with Bethany, who wasn’t willing to leave her mother.

“No momma, I can’t leave you. Didn’t you say we will always be there for each other? Dollicute can’t live you” Bethany queried, tears of despondency welling up in her sloe eyes.

“Yes, baby but you got to save yourself. You got a bright future ahead and you can’t let all the suffering your papa and I have undergone in raising you to go to waste. If God wishes, then we'll see each other again. Go, go, baby,” Laura talked as she wiped off her tears.

Hardly had Bethany made two steps forward when she heard the booming of a gun. On craning her neck backward, she was left stranded on seeing her mom bleeding profoundly.

“Mommaaaaa, don’t leave me!” She yelled but was suddenly silenced by the goon who hit her head using a piece of wood.

He then carried her with him and on regaining consciousness, Bethany was in an orphanage.

For the ten-year-old, everything was so traumatizing that she spent sleepless nights sobbing, and although she had partly lost her memory after the incident, the picture of the brutality her parents had undergone was still vivid in her mind.

Days turned to weeks, weeks turned to months and Bethany had now embraced her new life in the orphanage with other children who were orphans just like her.

“Bethany, come here!”

“Glenda, what’s up? Why are you so elated today?”

“ I received a new teddy bear from Aunt Luciana to compensate for the one that got lost and I’ll name it Dollicute. Perfect!” the young girl exclaimed jubilantly.

Bethany took a seat and sadly held her head.

“ Bethany, what’s wrong? Did I say anything that offended you in any way?”

“ No. Where did you get that name from?”

“ Dollicute?”

“ Yes, that one.”

“ Well, my dad used to call me that before he left and we never heard from him again.”

Bethany couldn’t conceal her amazement.

“ Strange as my papa addressed by that too.”

“ Wow, then we have a lot in common. Sisters!”

They both giggled and shared a warm hug.

Just then, Bethany was assembled at Mrs. Torrez’s office, whereby she learned of a duchess, Daphne Derwood, who had taken interest adopting her.

“But auntie, I don’t wanna leave Glenda alone. She’ll be sad,” she grumbled.

“ Who is Glenda?” Daphne inquired.

“You see, Glenda is her best friend. The two are inseparable,” uttered Mrs. Torrez.

“ Then I’ll take them. Both Bethany and Glenda, “Daphne declared boldly.

“ Are you certain my dear?” asked a rather old lady who was seated beside her.

“ Yes, mom. Being a mother has been my wish. I wouldn’t mind making the both of them in.”

“Then it all depends on Bethany now. Dear?” Vocalized Mrs. Torrez.

“ Well,” Bethany started fixing her gaze on Daphne who looked at her with watery eyes, “I’ll go with you if you’ll make my sister’s dream of becoming a model true.”

“But of course dear. Anything for you and your sister,” Daphne said and kissed Bethany on her forehead.

Mrs. Torrez grinned as she admired the bond Daphne and Bethany were already forming.

Bethany wiped off Daphne’s incisions with her hankie.

“Don’t cry, miss. We’ll be good daughters and I will make sure you won’t cry anymore,” Bethany said innocently.

“Thank you so much, honey. “

“ Dear, you can go and pack your stuff now,” Mrs. Torrez instructed.

It had always been Glenda’s wish to have a posh life and so on hearing the news, she was overjoyed.

Of course, they would miss their life in the orphanage with their pals but at least they now had a place they’d call home, and people they’d call family.

Their life had now taken a new turn, which they hoped would lead to the consummation of all their yearnings in life.

“And who are those children downstairs?” Bruce harshly asked and banged the door behind him.

On seeing him, Daphne let go of the goblet she was holding, reducing it to pieces.

“W-w-well, about what we talked about before you left. I adopted them, they’re ours,” she stammered, biting her lips countless times.

“I thought I made myself clear Daphne, I don’t want those good-for-nothing brats in my house!” He roared and almost hit her but luckily she held her own.

“ Bruce,” she cried.

“ Okay, do whatever you please but just know that I will never accept those children as my own!” He shouted ferociously and left, leaving Daphne soaked up in tears.