You Belong To Me
Chapter 12 – Dylan Ken Nightingale
As they sat to eat, Darien told Serena all that had happened since she had left the UK. It was a relief to her that her people were in better care.
"Thank you so much Darien."
"I didn't do anything. The one to thank is father." Serena sighed.
"I suppose you are right."
A silence fell, both lost in thought. The thought had been nagging at her, just why the heck did Andrew look so much like her brother Andrew if he wasn't her brother?!
"Darien?"
"Yeah?"
"Your friend, Andrew…what's the story with him?" she finally asked.
"You're wondering that too huh? Well he was abandoned as a baby and found by the Hansford who adopted and raised him like their own. The crazy thing is that he was abandoned in the UK." Darien told her.
Serena sighed.
Her parents had tried to hide it but she was the only one who knew about their dead brother, twin brother of her own brother Andrew. Now it was crazy for her to jump to conclusion but you don't often meet the same faces and names outside of ones family. Had her brother's twin really died? Or was it another lie like everything her parents do? But even if it was a lie, why did they abandon their own child?! Even though they had not liked her, they had not abandoned her.
"Darien, I need your help one more time."
"What can I do to help?" Serena told him her plan and after solving the kinks in it, they called Andrew up and informed him. Having nothing to loose, the blond detective decided to go along with them and see what would happened
"So we leave tomorrow morning then." Serena said.
"Yes that we do."
"What about Molly?" Serena asked.
"What about her?"
"Tomorrow is a very big day for her. I really wish there was something I could do for her."
"I've actually been thinking about that. When you left for me to shower, I called up some friends of mine in Japan to investigate the issue for me. You know to see if Melvin is still alive and what he has been up to for the past years. I am sure hearing something about him will cheer her up." Darien said.
Serena nodded.
"She is a very strong woman and I admired her for that."
"If I ever do to you what Melvin did to her will you be like her and not be with anyone else?" Darien asked. He meant it to be a tease but with each word the tease came out as serious, it was no longer a joking matter.
"I could do what she has done, but I won't." Serena answered honestly. He hadn't expected anything but her answer still shocked and definitely unnerved him. How strong was his hold on her? Now to even imagine her in someone else's arms was a taboo he had placed on his consciousness. No, he would not be a fool like Melvin nor will he ask her to live such a lonely life if he betrayed her like that. But still, deep down, a part of him wanted to believe that he was the only one she could ever be happy with.
She saw his crest fallen face and her heart ached. She got up, walked to the side of his table and placed her hands gently on his shoulders. He looked up in surprise and Serena took the opportunity to sit on his lap.
"Hey tell me, what would you like? If ever we are not together, do you want me settle down with a man or live alone but see men to fulfill my needs? You do remember that I am only human and a woman. Relationship wise Molly had never been with another man but as a woman with cravings, she has definitely spent a night or two under a man to relieve her." Darien had never thought of that. It hadn't occurred to him that Molly would need to be sexually involved sometimes. And did he want Serena with any man who could grant her, her sexual desires or just one man who could love and cherish her?
"I suppose then I want you with another but that is never going to happen! I will love you death and beyond. You will have no reason to be with another!"
"If you can stay with me until I am 70, there will be no need to be with another man." She said, rubbing her nose and forehead against his.
"We live together and die together. Our lives are that much intertwined." He responded, taking in her warm breath, her soft skin and her spring scent. She was everything real and unreal, beautiful beyond words, a true living human goddess! She put her right hand around his neck as the left gently rested on his right shoulder. His right hand rested at her back and his left hand trailed circles on her right hand. With their foreheads pressed together, they stared at each other, their breathing teasing each other. She moved her forehead, gently trailing kisses over his face. He moaned when she softly nibbled on his ear. Her airy kisses went on down to his neck, his chin and jaws. She slid her lips up over his mouth and he moaned again, wanting her lips back on his. She was teasing him and he was getting hard. She kissed his eyelids, his nose before her forehead settled on his again.
"Darien…" she breathed. "If you ever want to leave me, don't leave me on a reason that I can't give birth." She said, speaking her worst fear to him. She loved children more than he, so if she couldn't have her own it would hurt like nothing else. But if he left her for that reason too, she would be destroyed. She had told him that she wouldn't be like Molly if he left but she could neither see herself with another person. She had loved him from so long ago that his name was engraved, printed, etched to her very soul! She slept with thoughts of him and woke up with thoughts of him. His liquid blue stormy eyes saw right into her soul, baring her naked for only his eyes to see. His big warm hands sheltered her in a protective bind, a bind she hoped to never break. His body was like her armor, strong and protective and his firm lips the reward she received on hers when her battles were won. This dark haired man who comes and goes out of her life was finally here to stay and she would do anything within her power to make sure no one and nothing ever took him away from her. Curse the person who even thinks about trying.
"I will never leave you Serena, for no reason is worth a lifetime without you. This I promise." He spoke truthfully. He brought her head down a little and gently pressed his lips against hers. How was it possible that she could even think that he would want to leave her? Children should never be the reason for marriages! How could he leave the spring of his life to belong to another? He could no longer imagine himself without her, without her warmth so gently given to him. The sparkle of love within her alluring sapphire orbs that shines for all the world to see. Her smile, her sunny smile that could melt winters coldest icy heart, that gentle curve of her lips that makes ones heart sour when it was directed on them. How could he ever leave that? Those very lips so warm and inviting that firmly rested on his. That cute little nose that makes you wants to laugh when she wrinkles it? And her alabaster skin, so flawless and smooth like a doll's? She was blessedly proportioned with all the right curves that so easily fit his body like a piece of a puzzle. They were meant to complete each other, made to share a lifetime of experiences, of joy, and of each other. He would be the biggest fool in the world if he ever let her go and curse any man who even thinks of trying to take her away from him!
Both had become so obsessed with each other that without each other, they may surely die. To seal the vow of eternity together, their kiss deepened, he drew her close as she did him. Her hands roughly ran through his hair as her mouth opened for his intrusion. His hand on her back pressed her body as hard as it could to his body without hurting her. He stood up, wanting a better position. He sat her on top of the kitchen counter and she wrapped her legs around his waist. They kissed and kissed, daring anyone to ever tear them apart. This was what it meant to be in love, to give your all to that special someone. To each other they gave their soul, mind and hearts but their bodies they would save until on that alter on a Sunday for the whole world to see, they would finally recite those two words and seal their fate together with a kiss that could never be taken back!
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Serena woke up at 5 am the next morning; she wanted to make them some lunch before they left for the UK. Gently, she pried herself out of his arms, watching as his face wrinkled unpleasantly. She had to choke back a giggle. Picking up a robe, she wore it over her pajamas and left the room for the kitchen.
Back in the room, Darien's cell rung. Already a bit alert by the warmth that had left him, he woke up by the first run. He blinked, fumbling around for his phone. On the fought ring he remembered he had left it on the lamp table. He turned around with a groan to pick up the phone, noticing that Serena wasn't by his side. For a moment, panic threatened to overwhelm him but he reasoned she might be in the bathroom. He finally picked up his cell when it rung again. Looking at the number, his eyes cleared a little.
"Ken, how did it go?"
"The information you gave me confused me a little. If I knew you were talking about that Melvin I could have told you easily without a need to investigate!" the person called ken on the line said.
"Ken it's 5 in them morning!"
"Stop complaining. I haven't been able to sleep; talking about Melvin is a juicy gossip!" Ken said and Darien rolled his eyes.
"And they say that women gossip more than men." She replied to his friend.
"Do you want to hear it or not Mr. Grinch?"
"Spill."
"Gladly. Melvin Umino, 72 years old. Single, divorced twice and has no kids."
"Wait what?!?!" Darien asked, the part about him having no kid caught his eyes.
"Apparently, after he drove his first wife away, it was later revealed that his second wife's child was not his. Rumors have it that it wasn't his first wife that was barren but he can't produce the sperm or something. Well half a year after his first wife left, his second one began to act up. He searched everywhere for her, the first wife but she was not to be found. Even till now he continues to search, he even went on TV for anyone to report to him if they know anything of her for a reward." Ken tsked.
"How long ago was his second divorce? Has he married ever since the second divorce?" Darien asked.
"Well I heard that a year after the child was born, his real father came to claim the child. A DNA test was run and proven that Melvin wasn't the father. He went mad for nearly a month. After that the divorce was filed and the woman kicked out of his life. And there has been no women since."
"I see. Ken, I need your help one more time." He said, echoing Serena's words.
"Anything. I need you to get close to him, try to do it as fast as possible. I will book a plane ticket for the both of you to come here in about a weeks time, can you do that?"
"I don't see why not but why the sudden interest in him? even if you have turn a new leaf, isn't it better to stick with the younger generation."
"Pig!" Ken laughed.
"Ok Lover boy. Say hi to the angel for me."
"Talk to you later." They hanged up. Too excited about the news to sleep, he went to the bathroom to search for the love of his life. It was empty. He called out her name but there was no response. The little panic that had almost taken over awakened again. He run out of his room where he had slept beside her into her room but she wasn't there. The outside the hall she ran calling her name. He came to a sudden stop when he saw the kitchen lights on. Cautiously, he approached the lightened kitchen and found his obsession standing by the stove humming and frying something. He breathed a sigh of relief and quickly wen't up behind her. She was a little startled when his arms snaked around her but seeing it was him, she gave him a sweet smile. He buried his face in her neck and sighed heavily, the jitters in his stomach struggelign to calm down.
"What's wrong?" she asked when she noticed his behavior.
"You scared me." he breathed, still trying to wrap around his mind that she hadn't left and she was right in his arms. She raised her brow in confusion at him.
"I thought you had left me again." He admitted, holding her ever tighter.
"Oh sweetie, I'm still here. I am not going anywhere." She said, turning around to face him and she hugged him, her hands wrapped around his neck. Darien enjoyed her cent missed with the egg frying on the stove.
Egg?! He looked at the time which was just 5:30 and step back out of the embrace.
"Why are you cooking breakfast this early in the morning?" he asked her.
"Well we leave on the private jet to the UK at 8. I don't want to be rushing to get everything done when time is up and I decided to cook us a meal to eat on the plane."
"Oh."
"Now you can go back to sleep." She said, trying to shoo him away. He laughed.
"Yes mam!" he began walking out only to remember about his excitement. "Oh, I got some information for you." he said. She raised her brow again and she filled him in on everything he had just learned from Ken, forgetting to say hi to her for him.
"What goes around comes around I guess." Serena said.
"Karma."
"Or divine retribution! Cal lit whatever you like. "
"Ken will bring him here." Darien said.
"What?!"
"Serena thin about it. He tried to find her. And after his first mistake he didn't make another. I think that they should be back together. They belong together, I know!"
"Since when did you become the love doctor?"
"Do you not think it's a good idea?" he asked dejectedly.
"I just don't know how Molly will take it."
"I think she will be fine."
"I hope that's the case." She replied, worried that they might be over stepping their grounds. Darien looked around and saw the foods she was cooking. She even had a cake in the oven. Why the extravagant meal? He got up and grabbed a pair of mittens. He opened the oven.
"What are you doing?" Serena asked.
"Checking on the cake."
"I don't recall asking for help."
"Please let me help! I promise I won't get in the way." Serena scrutinized him and he put on his best puppy dog eyes. She sighed and gave in.
"Fine but the minute you get in my way you will go back to the room!"
"It's a deal!"
They worked together in perfect sync. Serena was amazed at how helpful Darien was. By 6:30 the food and cleaning were all done. Andrew would be showing up in about an eye.
"Well, I'm going to go bathe." Serena said.
"I will too." They split into their rooms to shower. As was the general rule of life, Darien finished bathing and clothing way before Serena. He went to her room to find a towel around her waist as she sat in front of her mirror brushing her amazingly long hair. She saw him approach from the mirror and let go of the brush when he took it out of her hands.
"Isn't you hair too much to take care of?"
"Now it is. Before Michelle was the one who washed and took care of it. Being by myself I have to do it everyday. I will cut it when we get back from the U…"
"No! Don't cut you hair. It's way too beautiful."
"It's hard to take care of long hairs Darien."
"Well when we come back, we are getting married so I can help wash your hair in the shower and comb it for you."
Serena thought of the offer.
"Fine but I will just cut it to my ankle. It's gotten too long that I can't leave it down because it falls on the floor."
"That's reasonable, I can cut it for you." Darien offered.
"Do you know how?"
"All ends equal right?" he said, grabbing scissors from the dressing table.
"It's not that easy."
"Sure it is…just a few snips here and there…" he said, snipping at the hair. Serena blinked; he handled the scissors like a professional.
"Have you done this before?"
"I…when I was growing up, to save money I choose to cut my own hair. I learned to handle the scissors from that."
"Oh." She watched as he worked, clipping here and there.
"Done!" he said and returned the scissors. He picked the brush up and brushed through her hair. She stood up and saw he had trimmed it nicely.
"Darien you are one talented man."
"I think my need to preserve every penny I got from my younger days helped me to learn to do a lot of things on my own."
"I can imagine so." She said and stood up, walking towards her closet. "Are you going to leave or help me get dress?"
"Do you really want to leave the choice up to me?" he asked mischievously, and serene laughed.
"Naughty boy."
"I thought I was a man."
"Come on, get yourself out of here." Darien pouted, earning another laugh from Serena.
"At least may I have a kiss?" he asked in a tiny boy voice.
"I don't kiss small boys." She teased.
"Oh really?" he walked up to her and trapped her to him with his hands. Knowing that her most sensitive part was around her neck, he began to kiss her there, nibbling wherever he can.
"Darien!" she cried out giddily. Nibbling her neck was equal to tickling her sides.
"This is punishment for turning me down!"
"I gave you so much kisses just about 30 minutes ago. Wasn't that enough?!"
"That was no where near enough." He said, using his hands to tickle her sides. Her body reacted like anybody who is ticklish and is being tickled.
"Fine fine fine…just stop tickling me!" she giggled helplessly. He turned her around in his arms and smirked at her.
"The prince always gets what he wants." He said.
"A spoiled prince he must be then."
"You have no idea." He didn't wait for her to retort, he just dipped in and stole her lips in a passionate kiss. They finally came up for air, but the look in Darien's eyes had her backing away. They made a promise to wait until they married, they would not break it. Noticing her sudden distance, he groaned. He knew she had seen the naked raw need in him that he had been trying so hard to repress. Another minute with her and he wont be responsible for his actions.
"I will set up for breakfast." He said and hastily left the room. As soon at the door closed, both slid to the floor, Serena's hand on her beating heart. If he had tried anything, she was confident that she wouldn't have stopped him and she wouldn't have regretted it.
She dressed slowly, trying to return her mind into a more composed atmosphere.
Darien went to the kitchen to set up breakfast as he had said, frying unnecessary eggs to get his mind off of his hormones.
As he fried, one of his guard came to him.
"Yes Alfred?"
"Sir, Mr. Andrew is here."
"Let him in."
"As you wish."
Andrew walked in to see Darien serving plates of eggs.
"Not married and already she has made you the kitchen boy!" he said, taking a seat by the dinning table.
"Haha Andrew, very funny. She woke up early to cook food for us but now she is dressing so I decided to make omelets for breakfast." He said.
"In the beginning, they all try to cover it." Andrew said with a giggle. Darien just shook his head.
"Anyway…you can start eating, I'll wait for Serena."
"Damn Darien, you've got it bad!"
"You're one to talk. What happened with Rita?" Darien asked.
"She works for you, so why don't you ask her." Andrew pouted.
"Still at level 1 then."
"She has refused me twice! So I gave up."
"You know they say third is the charm."
"Not interested."
"Oh come on Andrew…if you really like her that bad you shouldn't just give up yet."
"NO, she is playing games with me."
"Playing games?"
Andrew sighed.
"Yes, playing games. I heard from her friend by accident. She enjoys the attention I shower her with and all the time making a fool of myself because of her so I stopped."
"I see." They were silent.
Serena walked in.
Andrew whistled while Darien just stared.
"Breath man, breathe." Andrew said softly to Darien, chuckling.
"You look lovely darling." Andrew said, rising to his feet. He reached Serena and hugged her and she hugged him back.
"Why thank you Andrew." She said. "Not so bad yourself."
"Well you see, I dress to impress." He said with an arrogant smirk and Serena laughed. He took her hand and twirled her around. She was wearing a pretty pink summer dress with V-neck halter and a medium heel slippers.. He turned to Darien.
"Are you just going to sit there with your jaws dropped or are you going to take this vision of a goddess into your arms and smooch the heck out of her?" he asked with his hands on his waist. Serena giggled.
"Oh, Sorry." Darien said sheepishly and got up to hug Serena. Andrew returned to his seat with a sigh. He had better be careful to not let Serena get to him, but damn, she was looking so fine!
Yeah and she might turn out to be your sister. And she is you best man's girl! He rationalized in his head though his heartbeat had a different rhythm than his thoughts. From the corner of his eyes he watched as Darien gave Serena a small peck. He sighed; couldn't Darien do better than that?!
Not you business!
He sighed, bringing up a picture of Rita in his head to try and clear Serena's but the picture of Rita was now clouded and over shadowed.
You're in trouble man. Big trouble!
"It seems Darien has already made us breakfast." Serena said.
"Just omelets, I have no idea how to make cereal." He chuckled. He moved the chair back for her to sit.
"Thank you." he returned to his seat. A moment silence of grace passed.
"Simple, just put the cereal in a bowl and add milk and you have it, cereal!" Andrew said and they all laughed. The poured their cereals and begun eating, cutting omelets here and there.
"My compliments to the chef." Andrew said.
"Drew you already know I can cook." Darien said.
"Yes, but that doesn't mean I can't compliment when something taste this good." Darien just shook his head with a sigh, Andrew could be rather complicated.
"Hey Andrew?"
"Mmmhm?"
"About going to the UK…things might not go according to our plan…"
"I know. I don't really care about knowing them even if they are my family, what I want to know is why I was abandoned. If it turns out that I am not your parents child, well so be it."
Serena nodded.
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The trip to the UK had started out entertaining. Andrew teased Darien mercilessly that Serena's meal tasted much better which he could not stop eating. Of course Darien childless retorted by throwing at him whatever he could get his hand on. They laughed; they had fun telling stories of their childhood.
Darien nearly chocked Andrew when he accidentally or unknowingly mentioned Darien's habit of sleeping with women for money in his younger days. An accident with one married woman who could not let him go after one night of sex. Serena visibly did not show any sign of discomfort so Andrew went on, but inside her heart dropped. Darien could see it right from her eyes.
From Andrew, Serena learned a bit of Darien's past. They had a huge gap in their relationship from the time the split as kids until they were reunited over a month ago. That gap, that space was filled with stories that made Serena question the integrity of the man she had given her heart to. He was a drug dealer, a male prostitute and so much more. And he had kept all that from her; she had to learn it accidentally from his best friend. Andrew stopped talking when he noticed the silence. Looking at Serena to Darien, he realized his blunder.
He looked at Darien apologetically, he had not meant to disclose any information that was not meant to enter Serena's ears but he had expected that Darien would have already told Serena! These were secrets capable of destroying any marriage. If he hadn't told her and some of his enemies from the past showed up like they do randomly and Serena found out from them, their relationship would definitely be on shaky grounds. He felt awful that he had to be the one to tell on his best friend, no matter that it was an accident.
Darien did not offer any response to the revelations, he wanted to talk to Serena privately about them but Serena was having enough trouble adjusting to all she had just learned. From then on until they landed in the soil of the UK, it was silent.
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"Welcome my son. Ah and I see you brought the young lady." The king said, giving Darien a hug. Serena still felt a bit creep out around him but she put on her best smile, considering her mind was halfway else where.
"Ah, and you must be Andrew."
"Yes your majesty." He and Serena bowed.
"Come sit and let's discuss the matter. Darien was vague on the phone." They sat on cushioned couches and talked about the situation at hand. Thinking was starting to understand the secrecy, deceits and lies within Serena's family. It was a family torn by their mother's ambition to be the best looking woman in the kingdom if not the world, their father's lust for women and money and their children's cowardice to do anything about it.
"This is a matter that must be solved with caution. It is late this evening, let us retire for the night. Tomorrow Morning, the Nightingales are summoned here. We will solve all their problems or die trying." The king said.
"Thank you…father." There was just a slight pause before Darien said but after he did, he smiled though the king grinned happily.
"Ok, you boys go ahead. I need to speak to Serena privately." The king said. Serena looked up at him; she couldn't tell his motives but figured she would stay anyway. She nodded and though Darien didn't like it one bit, he left with Andrew.
A moment of silence passed.
"I know you must think awful of me." He began. She neither confirmed nor denied it. "I am the kind of person who sees things from only one dimension and because of that, I have done many things that are wrong. Gaia, she was the first woman I really loved so much with my heart. After she became pregnant, I was upset because the fairy tale I had created in my head, my little fantasy of doing something with a maid which was against the law would be discovered. But mostly I feared if she came to live with my friends, she would change and become as bitter as they were. I found no warmth in any of my wives; they all married me for something either for themselves or for their family. So to think the person I had given my heart to will become like that was unbearable to me. The fact is that I didn't see any other alternative and I didn't trust in her affections for me. Anyway, I'm going on about nonsense. The reason I asked you to stay and talk with me is that I want to assure you that I loved Lady Gaia. She was the world to me. All the time she denied me, I honestly thought that she was just playing hard to get. I really really believed that she was denying me because she wanted more of my attention. It did not at all cross my mind that maybe truly she didn't want me in her life again. It wasn't until reading that letter that made me realize the pain, the suffering I put her through and my little boy." He said, his eyes wavering.
Serena had never seen the king look so pathetic, so lost like a little boy. What must it feel like, to realize how much you have hurt the person you love? Was that how Melvin felt? When he realized what he had done to Molly? What was love that could make anyone do crazy things that could leave a lasting scar, which could either fill you with uncontrollable joy or painful loneliness? Why were people so addicted to that emotion? That very same emotion that had caused so much drama and so much pain? Was it worth it to love? What was love in general?
"I don't know how to make you understand what I feel. I was afraid of Darien marrying you; you are so much like her. So free spirited, so free thinking. When I tried to have the baby aborted, she ran away from me. She chose the baby over me and it hurt like hell. Maybe it was why I put Darien through so much, was it the jealousy I felt? I feared for Darien, if you become pregnant and give birth, will Darien become second most important? Will that child hold the position meant for my son? I thought that if he married someone he didn't love, then he wouldn't care about being first in her heart or not. But Darien is my son, marrying someone he adores and cherish so much; he would always wants to be the forefront of your heart, of your thoughts. It could lead to so many problems for your marriage if he feels that the child was loved more than him. So keep in mind Serena, before you marry someone, that person is you number one. Having children should never replace them as number one. Of course you will have lots of responsibility to practically take care of the child every moment, but there are little things you can do for your husband that wont make him feel neglected. Share with him your joys and frustrations with the child, allow him to be a part of the process, hold him at any chance you have and always remind him that you love him. People think that children saves marriages but they couldn't be more wrong, children cause more divorce than anything. If you give all your love and attention to the baby, the man begin to seek elsewhere for the things he is not getting and by the time you know it, things have changed and you can't go back to the past. This is all I have to tell you. Darien is set on marrying you; I know you are an honest good woman. I support your marriage and I have sent away all the other contestants. Live the life I could not with Gaia. Diamond will take my throne; he is the best for it actually and now is when I realize it. I have seen my mistakes Serena and I am trying to change from it. We make many mistakes but it is the ones that tries to change that are worthy of being given a second chance. That is all I have to say, you may leave for your room." The king said.
Serena listened to the king with a straight face.
"Thank you your majesty." She said and left the room. There was so much to think about but one thing Serena had finally understood was that the king had never truly been evil. His acts were despicable but like he said, he saw things only in one dimension, white or black.
Entering the room she had been given, she found Darien sitting on the bed. As soon as she entered, he roused to meet her, his eyes worried.
"He just wanted to talk." She said, thinking that the worry was about her time spent with the king. She walked in, took her hair out of the high ponytail and sat on the bed. There was silence.
Darien moved and sat at the foot of the bed.
"About all that Andrew said…he is right. My past in the US was very horrible. I did so many evil things that I am not proud of. I guess my only excuse is that the people I used to live with abused me. From the time I was a boy and landed in their care, the wife of the man would rape me. The first time it happened, I threatened to tell her husband but her husband had traveled and her kids didn't like me. She starved me for days until I promise to never reveal it to anyone. From there own it became a daily routine and she actually started to give me money for it. I saved up the money. She told me that having sex was a very easy way to make money, she introduced me to some of her friends, had them rape me too but she got the money and only gave me a little. I saved the little I got from it until I finally met up with Lita and I told her everything that had happened. At this time I was 14 I think. Lita wanted me to move in with him but legally I could not leave the place I was living at. Lita didn't care about the law; she just wanted to protect me. She took me and we moved away into a different city where I disguise myself. The reason that women's kids had not liked me because they were older kids in high school; I was a child who was in their grade. I took all the tests to see what grade level was best to put me at and they found that my little age had no stumbling block for my intelligence. I was placed in high school so when I was fourteen, I was out of high school. When we moved to the new city, Lita got a job and the two of us shared one apartment. I wanted to help her pay for the rent and everything else but there were no jobs available for a 14 year old. Then I stupidly remembered what the wife had said about sex giving you money. Wanting to help Lita, I joined a host club, my looks were my biggest asset." Here he sighed, the memories overwhelming him.
"I guess that's where it all began and led to drug dealing and so much more but I will explain."
"No!" He turned to her with fear. Did she not want to hear the truth? Was it too much for her to handle, was it too much for them to be together. Terror like he had never known rouse in him. She was shaking, her hands covering her ears. He watched her helplessly. She got of the bed and turned to him and his heart dropped seeing the tears falling down her face. He looked away, aware of all he had done and the shame hit him again and again.
She walked around the bed and in front of him. On her knees she took his hands and he looked at her pitifully. She saw the unshed tears that brightened his dark eyes.
"Did you…D-did you …ever loved those women?" she asked. It scared her. She was a virgin for Christ's sake! He was an experience man, what if she wasn't good enough? Would he compare her to the other women? Would he mention someone else's name when they made love? If she wasn't enough, would he seek other women? She had never felt so insure as she was that moment.
"No, I swear! I never loved any of them" he said vehemently. She took his hand and held it against her cheeks. He saw it, in her eyes…the insecurity that was eating at her.
"I'm scared Darien, so very scared." She cried and he automatically took her in his arms.
"I'm sorry." He said, the tears finally falling down. They held each other as they cried.
From behind their door, Andrew listened in on them, feeling very guilty for causing them so many tears. But when it seemed their problem was solved, he smiled and went to his room. He may have accidentally caused them trouble, but he had allowed them to face their fears and find a common ground to stand on.
That night, they broke their promise to wait until they were married. They needed the assurance that physically they were compatible.
By morning, they both knew that they fitted each other and wanted no one else.
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"Lord Nightingale, do you know why you have been called here with your family?" The king asked. They were sitting in the throne room. Andrew was not present as was the plan, he would come in later.
"No Your Majesty. We were happy to receive your calling but now seeing her has us confused." Serena's father said, a deliberate 'her' thrown Serena's way.
"Were? Are you no longer happy to be here since your exiled daughter is in our presences?" The king asked. Mr. Nightingale had nothing to say.
"Let's get this over with then. How many children have you had all together Kenneth?" The king asked the father.
"Six, one died Your Majesty."
"He or she?"
"He."
"Where did he fit in the children?"
"He was my son, Andrew's twin older brother." Now it was time for Andrew and his sisters to gasp. They had never known or suspect any other sibling and worse, his own twin!
"You kids look surprise, why?" The king asked them. They stared at their parents whose face were devoid of emotions.
"Mother!" Mina cried.
"Father!" Rei echoed Mina's sentiment.
"We have no idea about any other sibling Your Majesty, this is the first we are hearing of it." Andrew answered, his face caressed in agitation.
"Why keep something so important from your Children?"
"You Majesty, it would have changed nothing in their lives. This happened around the time Andrew was born, and I didn't want to be reminded of it." Irene, their mother said.
"What was his name?"
"Your Majesty this is…"
"What was his name?"
"Dylan Ken Nightingale."
"I see. What did he die of?" the king asked all the while Serena and Darien sat silent.
"He was a sick child. He died when he was in the hospital." Irene answered.
"Do you speak truthful to me?"
"Yes your majesty." Serena sighed and shook his head.
"Which hospital did he die in?" The king decided to play dumb.
"It was one of the hospitals that have been demolished over the past 15 years Your Majesty." At the lies, inwardly the king laughed. Serena just buried his head while Darien tried very hard not to burst into slaughter. Andrew who was hiding and hearing all of it was very confused.
"There is someone I want you to meet." The king said, clapped his hand twice and a woman who had similar features to Irene walked into the room.
"Sela!" Irene said, very surprise to see her younger sister walking in the room.
"Irene. It's been a while."
"Hello Aunty." Mina said, getting up to give her aunt a hug. The others followed, Serena didn't.
"Lady Sela, please have a seat by your niece Serena." The king said.
"Huh?" she said, quickly curtsying to the king. "Who is Serena?"
"Right here." Serena said and raised her had.
"You had another child called Serena?" her aunt asked and went to sit by her.
"Not exactly. I was originally named Serenity."
"Oh! So you are the one who disappeared before I got to meet you." she said, impulsively hugging Serena. Serena hugged her back; she was obviously very different from her sister.
After the room was composed once again, the king turned to Lady Sela.
"Lady Sela, I have known you personally for many years and I know you to be a very honest woman. So I need you to be honest with me once again."
"Yes Your Majesty."
"Now, your sister claims to have had 6 children, is that the truth."
"Yes."
"One of them died in one of the hospitals that have been demolished over the past 15 years yes?" Sela sighed. She looked at her sister with begging eyes.
"Look at me Lady Sela and speak the truth."
"Your Majesty…this is not my place…"
"I am making it yours. Did the child die at one of the hospitals that were demolished?" Sela sighed again.
"No."
"That's a lie!" Irene said strongly.
"Sister! You will call me a liar?" Sela asked, obviously shocked that her own big sister would accuse her of something that definitely was not in her nature.
"I accuse a lair of lying!" Irene replied.
"Sela, speak to me. Tell me all you know in concern to the dead child."
"Your Majesty please, let them tell you their story. Please." she begged, the king stared her down.
"Your Majesty she is right, I think it is best to hear it from our parents." Serena stepped in, her heart going out for her aunt.
"Very well. Lord Nightingale, you have one more chance to be honest with me or I will have you and your household beheaded, do you understand me?" the king threatened. Fear quickly rushed into them.
"Your Majesty, I am only aware that the child is dead and died at Faith Hospital." Kenneth answered.
"What do you mean by that you are aware?" Serena's father sighed.
"There is no need to beat around the bush."
"Kenneth!" Irene yelled angrily.
"This is getting us nowhere Irene! 5 months after my first borns were birthed, I found my wife having an affair with another man. It angered me that I sent her back to her parents. She took one of the children with her, Dylan. A month later I heard the child had died and that she was in a bad condition. I did find her in a bad condition at faith hospital; this was after they had buried the child even though I went immediately as I heard the news. She had had no money for a proper funeral so she had bought a cheap casket and buried him without the ceremonious funeral. Feeling sad for her, especially when she apologized, I took her back as my wife. That is what happened Your Majesty."
"So you were told that the child was dead and you didn't question it?"
"I did a little but what reason would I have to suspect that she was lying?" the father asked.
"And Irene you still claim that the child died in a hospital?"
"Yes."
"Very well, I will pull out records of dead citizens of our country and see if we will find any record of Dylan."
"Your majesty, there are a lot of people with the name Dylan."
"But only one person called Ken Nightingale."
"There is no need to pull out any records; I am sick of these years of lying. Kenneth, you son did not die. He was abandoned." Lady Sela said and Irene's eyes widened in fear.
"What?" Kenneth asked, trying to understand what his sister in law was saying.
"Don't believe a thing she says…she's always been jealous of me!"
"Oh please Irene. All you got going for you is your looks, behind that your are just a plain Jane. When you divorced her, she was very unhappy and angry. She thought that if the child was not around, she would get his attention back on her. But she didn't want blood on her hand so she abandoned the child, swearing all of us into silence." Sela told the story.
"Irene!"
"Mother!"
"Oh God!"
"What!? What else was I to do?! I came to your house, I begged, I even had people come and beg for me but you would not take me back! This was the only thing I thought would bring you back to me and it worked! Sue me for wanting to save our marriage!" She snapped.
Disgust and repulsion filled everyone.
"My son, my poor poor son."
"Raise your head Kenneth, luckily, you child survived." When the king said this, all their heads snapped to him.
"Serena."
"Yes." She got up and left the room to where Andrew was hiding.
"Ready?"
"As I will ever be?" but his eyes were filled with tears. To think that ones own mother was capable of something so cruel, so self centered!
"Hey, it's ok. We've made it this far, do you want to turn back now?" Serena said and he looked down at her. He impulsively hugged her and she returned the hug. Taking his hand, she took him out of the hiding spot into the room where gasps echoed from all except the king and Darien.
Standing up, their father slowly moved toward the son he had believed dead for so long. His face was washed in his own tears as step by step he approached his son. It was an emotion filled moment and hopeful sadness gripped everyone. They watched, some crying and some smiling as the suddenly aged Kenneth Nightingale reached his son.
"My son." He said before fiercely hugging him. The silent tears turned into chocking sobs. Serena joined in on the hug. Seeing that, the rest of their siblings joined in on the hug except Nehelaniah who really did not like emotional moments but nonetheless cried silently into her hands.
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Sorry...i had to rush through this chapter but i hope you like it. there might be more mistakes than normal and the story may not flow like normal... if i get the chance i will undo it but for now please enjoy it^^
READ AND REVIEW!^^