Chapter-14. (Don't trust them).

"You are my kitty, old lady. And I will protect you in every situation, I promise." His words were childish yet his tone. It was as serious as it was him who was speaking. All my life, I have said, 'I will protect you', 'None can harm you,' and whatnot. I was the protector, but today Parker Gomez, who was behaving like a nine-year-old said, 'I will protect you.' Why his words are affecting me so much? I diverted my focus to the ice cream. "I brought the ice cream. Let's eat." He nodded as if he just did not make my heart skip a beat.

I jerked all the thoughts aside and filled both the bowls with vanilla ice cream. After passing the bowl to him, I got myself the other bowl. "Hmm, it's been so long since I had it. I always had to eat that disgusting mint chocolate." I chuckled at his comment, "Why are you saying that? The mint chocolate cannot be that bad." 

"Have you eaten it before?" I shook my head in response, "Though I have not eaten it still an ice cream. I mean an ice cream is supposed to be good no matter their flavor." He stared at me for a moment and then shook his head in disappointment. "It tastes like a toothpaste, old lady. Whenever your toothpaste goes out, you can use it to brush your teeth." The bickering kept going and so did the ice cream in our bowl. 

We jumped from one topic to another until I noticed that the ice cream bucket was half empty. I glanced at the time, it was almost lunchtime. I decided to call it a day and got the bowls, spoons, and the bucket. "Why? It is just noon."

I turned at him, raising my eye brow I asked, "So, what? Do you want us to continue till it's night?" He shrugged, "I mean, I don't hate the idea." I sighed at his reply, "You know, things are good until they are done within limits. Going overboard will always make it worse. Always remember that. Now, get some rest." With this, I exited his room. I almost jumped when he banged on the door, closing it. I glanced at the closed door and sighed. "He does need to learn many things," I whispered to myself.

As I walked through the hall, I saw Lyla who was talking on her phone, assuming from her talks, it was Maximus. I did not tend to pry into her conversation, so quietly walked past and entered the kitchen. Keeping the bucket in the refrigerator, I started washing the dishes. "Rose, can I talk to you for a second?" My hands stopped in the middle. Fuck, here comes the talk. I took a deep breath before I replied, "Yes, Lyla."

She stepped into the kitchen, "I assumed there would be many questions that you want to ask." I avoided making any eye contact with her, "I don't want any answer if you are uncomfortable to tell."

She shook her head and tilted towards the slab. Crossing her hands, she started saying, "It was the time when Parker was only nine years old and Christina was five. Christina was a weak child since birth and needed extra care. Maximus was always away from home for work, so I had to take care of them both. Parker always took it as I was always by her side and did not care about him. One time, they had a fight and he hurt Christina."

Not intentionally.

I wanted to say but I kept my mouth shut and listened, "That day I was already worried about some things, and then seeing Christina hurt, it escalated. I scolded him and he locked himself in the room. It was always like that, so, I thought that was also the same but I was wrong." My hands slowed down thinking of a small Parker running away from his home where he was supposed to feel safe. "He tried to run away but some people kidnapped him.

It was one of our competitors and he threatened us to kill him. After three days we rescued him from them. I could still remember when I found him in that cellar. His clothes were torn. Several injuries were marked on him and some were still fresh. He was not able to even speak a word for a few weeks." God, so much happened with him. I cannot even assume how he would have felt in that cellar. I jerked all the wrong thoughts and focused on her voice, "After a few years passed, he started acting childish when we consulted with the doctor, he informed us that it was a coping mechanism to deal with that incident and forget that pain. Whenever something triggered him reminding him of that day, he started behaving when he was nine years old." 

I took a deep breath thinking of that small child. He just wanted to have his mother by his side and that simple incident gave him trauma for his whole life. "Whenever he becomes that nine-year-old child, he remembers that fight and doesn't talk to me or Christina. It was Estella who he let her help him sometimes and now..." I could feel her hand on my shoulder yet I did not look at her. I was not able to...I needed some time to process it all before I leash all my anger on her. "You are here for him. When I met you I had this feeling that you and Parker would get along. Now, I know how and I am truly grateful to..." She was about to complete it when Estella's voice came from behind. "Mrs Gomez, there's a call for you." 

"Okay, I am coming." She replied to her and Estella went out. "I have many things to say and we will discuss it but for now excuse me." With this, she also exited the kitchen leaving me and my thoughts when my phone buzzed with a notification. Wiping my hands dry, I retrieved the phone. It was a text message from a private number. I tapped the screen and the appeared on the screen. There were only three words written in that message.

"Don't trust them."