36. Sometimes.., love is not enough.....
Matthew's body jerked to the dashboard, his forehead colliding with the window...., he taste the coppery blood pooling in his mouth, he felt it grazing his teeth and soaking his tongue, he felt the aching and cracks in his bones. Each crack felt like rocks were burrowing into his skin. He sucked in cramped air, feeling his lungs caving in on themselves....then came the black spots in the corners of his vision, making his head feel like the only thing inside of it was static, he heard a buzzing noise, filling his ears. He felt like he was there for hours, fading and waking and fading and waking.....
Steam rose from the back, the smell too intense for words, Matthew tried to take off his seat belt to help Daisy who wasn't moving,....., his heart raced with tremendous speed when he saw the blood dropping from her head..., his system coarse with adrenaline, he struggled and crawl out of the vehicle through the broken front window..., sharp pain lanced through his head and with his face closed in a grimace he cough as the smoke from the bonnet find way to his nose..., just then it strike him, Daisy was still in the car...., slowly he tried to get up but quickly realized how futile it was when he had to bite his lip to keep from crying out..., colorful spots flashed in front of his eyes and it felt like his whole body had been beaten and every movement caused some muscle or bone to ache. Regardless, he knew he needed to get Daisy.....
Wincing in pains, he struggled to get up, what followed was a strong fist slamming hard against his face...., the hard punch sent him staggering and eventually making him fall back to the ground....
More blood pooled from his mouth as he try to raise his head to see who threw a fist at him.....
"Daisy..."Simon blare out ignoring Matthew and running to Daisy's side....
Blood slowly oozing out of numerous wounds in Matthew face and arm..., he tried to stand up only for him to realise he's been surrounded by the police...
"Daisy..."Simon whimpered carrying her into his arms..."Daisy please stay with me.., Daisy...."
Matthew growled in pains as the policemen placed handcuff on his hand...., he watch in anger as Simon carried Daisy into the backseat of the police car....
"Move it..."One of the policemen yelled at him pushing him forward.....
Matthew's glare flickered from Simon, Daisy to the policemen.., when the policeman pushed him again, it reached his breaking point
...
"Move it.."The policeman yelled again pushing him forward...
Exasperation triggered Matthew's gut and he quickly turn around, didnt think when he let out his boiling antipathy and slammed his head, too quick and potent into the policeman face, the strong nod to the face breaking the policeman nose and sending him staggering backward....
The other two policemen quickly rushed at him, one of them brushed him from his legs making Matthew land violently on the ground...
They forcefully grabbed him up, two policemen holding his two hands but despite their hold, Matthew still struggled refraining himself from getting into the police van..
Infuriated, the broken nose one punch him hard in his stomach and Matthew groaned in pain at point of contact.....
The other two dragged him forward before forcefully pushing him into the truck of the car.....
When Matthew tried to fight back, the broken nose one pointed his gun at him....
Matthew spat blood before he sneer...."Shoot you moron....."
Nose flaring, the policeman put away his gun before the other one started the car and they zoomed off.....
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[b]TWO WEEKS LATER[/b]
The alcohol turns down the volume on Laura's thoughts. It brings memories of good times past, and she let herself dwell in them rather than think. And in that moment she was there and not, existing in two perfect moments. Somehow it steadies her, gave her the resolve to go on....., a sour and vile taste slipped into her mouth as she took another taste of the alcohol, it nullified her, stealing away reality in favour of fantasy. She came to lust after it like no other, the strong tonic becoming her only cure from her grief.....
When she grabbed the bottle again to take another shot, Daisy hold it and took it from her....
"No more Laura...".."Daisy mutter shaking her head...
A great tremor overtook her, she could hold the heartbreak no longer so she fell back to the chair in a disheveled heap as her grief poured out in a flood of uncontrollable tears....
"Laura..."The girls whimpered hurriedly running to her side...
"It's ok dear..."Lily consoled wrapping her hands around her...."It's okay..."
Tears spilt over and flowed down Laura's face like a river escaping a dam...
"Shhh....."Daisy hushed leaning into the embrace...."It's okay Laura, it's okay...."
"Why does he have to die..."Laura whimpered in tears, hot torrents of grief coursing down her face....."Why...."
"It's okay girl, God knows why.."Daisy mutter sniffling quietly, tears threatening to spill from her eyes...
"Ric...hard.."Laura screamed, tears bursting out with her scream...."Why..., why do you have to die..."
Daisy's bottom lip quivered, and her shoulders dropped in resignation..., an involuntary whimper escaping her lips.....
"I...I..."Laura stuttered..."I need to go to the bathroom...."
"Are you sure...?"Janet asked curiously
Laura nodded with tears..
They stood her up and began walking her towards the bathroom....,Laura lost colour from her face. It was as if her heart had suddenly stopped beating and all the blood had run down into her legs, she swayed for just a moment before the girls caught her and lowered her to the chair....
"Laura..."Daisy shouted when they realise she was struggling to breathe.....
******************
"Pregnant..."The three girls shouted in unison....
"Yes..."The doctor replied...."She's three weeks pregnant...."
Daisy glance at Lily then to Janet, shock etched on their faces.....
"Is that the reason she fainted....?"Lily asked curiously...
"Yes...."The doctor replied...
******************
[b]TWO WEEKS LATER[/b]
"Hi...."Lily mutter leaning her head on the wall....
"How are you...?"Tony ask, a smile playing on his lips...
"Are those for me...?"Lily asked gazing at the flower in Tony's hands..
"Yes..."He replied shabily before handling her the flowers....
"Thank you..."Lily said....
"I miss you..."Tony said
Lily grunt and drop the flower by her side...."Okay.."
"I'm serious Lily.."
"Are you...?"
"Yes, I am...., have you thought about what i said.."
"What did you say...?"
"C'mon Lily, you know what i said...."
"Remind me..."
He huff, look at her a bit before spurting out the words...."About you and the baby moving in with me..."
"I haven't given birth to the baby..."
"You will soon...., and I want the baby to be with me, with us as his parent..."
"You think it's a boy...?"
"I know it's a boy..."He returned, his smile slipping with his words.....
Lily chuckle....."You do know I don't want him to know his step-dad is gay..."
Tony suck on his teeth...."I'm on refinement Lily...., so the baby won't have to worry about his dad, not step-dad been gay...."
"Okay..."She said awkwardly....
"So, are you moving in again....?"
"You want to come in....?"She asked instead pointing inside..
"Nah..."He jut his chin..."Actually have a meeting to catch with the rest of the workers..., tell your friends I said hello..."
"Okay...."She mutter, waited until he disappeared out of sight.., she smiled before walking back into the house...
"Was that Tony...?"Daisy asked with hands folded across her chest....
"Hmmm, you have a smile all over your face..."Laura said before snucking in a forkfull of spaghetti....
"So are you moving back in with him....?"Janet asked curiously
Lily chuckle and trot towards a chair...."I..I don't know..."
Daisy's shoulder dropped in disappointment....
"But I'm thinking of moving back in with him..."Lily said
"That's great news Lily.., I'm happy for you..."..
"What about his gay side...?"Janet asked..
"He said he's in refinement...."
"Yeah.., I believe he will change..."Daisy chimes in...."That man loves you Lily..."
"Honestly girl, that doesn't change the fact he cheated on me with a man..."Lily whined turning her gaze to the news station on the TV..., her eyes narrowed when she read the headline of the news and saw someone she recognised..., terror washed over her maming her stand up immediately....
"Lily..."Daisy called out wondering the reason for the sudden tension in her expression...
"Oh my God...."Lily muttered holding her mouth to stifle any scream....
"What is it...?"Daisy asked curiously with a cringe at the news....
"You know the dead person...?"Laura asked curiously
"That's him..."Lily said...."That's the stranger I slept with...."
"The one who got into an accident and died. ."Janet cut in..
Lily nodded at the bitter truth....."I cant believe this, he's dead....."
"Oh God..."Daisy said crisply..."I'm sorry Lily but don't you think it's a good thing he's dead, I mean am not happy he died, but it's good in a good way, that way no one will come to claim his child in the future...., which means Tony will remain the baby's father forever..."
"Daisy stop...."Lily cut in...."Even in death, he's still the father of my child, nothing will change that.."
Daisy shrugged..."I know..."
"I'm sorry..."Laura chimes before a loud knock rumbled on the door.....
Daisy sigh before marching towards the door.., she heave in a deep breathe when she saw the person knocking....
"Hi..."Simon mutter...
"Come in..."Daisy said paving the way for him to enter...
"Hi Simon..."Laura blare out before packing the plates to the kitchen..
"Am sorry I couldn't come to court...."Daisy said...."I was occupied..."
"It's okay..."Simon coos....
"So what happened..., was Matthew let go..?"Daisy asked curiously
"On the contrary, the judge found him guilty of kidnap and attempted murder...., he was sent to jail for 10years with hard labour....."
"Only ten years for that psychopath..."Lily interjected with spite...
"Good for him...."Daisy sass...
"I..., I have something to tell you Daisy...."Simon mutter...
"You want to talk privately...?"
"No..., I want to say it in front of your friends....."
Daisy nibbed her lips, glance at her friends before motioning him to go ahead....
With a smile, he went down with one knee, deep his hands into his back pocket and took out a diamond ring...
"I've always wanted to do this Daisy..."He said, a smile playing on his lips...
Daisy's eyes enlarged with shock and horrors before he blare the golden words out
"Daisy, will you please marry me....?"
Daisy heart raced with tremendous speed, she turn, too slowly to be normal to her friends....., Laura nodded her head, trudging her to say yes...., Lily did same and Janet just smiled....
She shift her gaze back to him, her head buzzling with conflicting thoughts and questions...., then she spoke, her voice trailing slowly like her words are unwilling to take flight.....
"What about your mother..."She stuttered
"My mother will just have to accept you..."Simon replied still smouldering in his smiling face...
"Say yes already Daisy..."Lily cut in tired of the suspense...
"I..."Daisy stuttered...."This is too soon Simon..."
"I love you...."Simon replied...."That's all that matters.."
"Marriage is not all about love..."Daisy blare out.. "It's more than that..., it's requires commitment, maturity..., self-responsive and respect and our relationship lacks many things a marriage should entail...."
"Daisy..."He mutter..."I.."
"I don't want to be with a boy who says yes to his mother at all time.., a boy who is still tied to his mother's apron..."
"Daisy...."
"You're a good man Simon...."Daisy jumped in again, a tear sliding down from her eye...."And I know every woman will want to have you.., but you're not the guy for me...., I'm sorry, I cannot marry you..."
She nearly choke on the words as they fell out...., tears flooding her eyes, she spun around and ran into her room, Janet and Lily running after her...
"I..I..."Simon stammered
"Just leave Simon..."Laura cut in...."For now, please..."
"Is she going to be okay..?"
"She will..., she must have her reasons for doing what she did..."
He sniffled trying hard to hold back his own tears as the power of rejection choke him from the inside..."Yes..., she made it clear...."
"We'll talk to her okay.."
He nodded, place the ring on the table and dashed out of the house before his own tears come raining down...