AUTHOR'S NOTE=

And for you, an extra chapter to take advantage of the holiday (in Brazil, November 15 is the day of the Proclamation of the Republic...and for those who don't know, the Proclamation of the Republic took place on November 15, 1889 and represented the end of the Second Reign and the beginning of the republican period).

Don't forget that even if this platform is having problems sending email alerts, you should know that every week I post several chapters. And don't miss the next chapters, we're getting to the point where a lot will be resolved and I hope you'll send me your messages showing what you think or what you felt when you read them. Next chapter at the weekend .Heila .

CHAPTER 89

Elizabeth Delayne was discharged that same evening and went home with her husband and son Frankison. She wanted very much to enjoy her daughter Beth, but everyone was tired after the fight against the children's illness and they all needed rest.

Wynn helped his wife into the bath in the large basin and put on his comfortable sweater, taking great care of his wound. There was a knock on the bedroom door, and Wynn went to answer it, remembering not to open it all the way:

- Hello, Henry! What can I do for you?

- Hi, Wynn... I heard everything that happened to your wife, and I came straight home to fix her something nutritious.

And so he held out a huge tray...

- It's just a bone stew, with mutton thickened with shredded vegetables, I've put slices of fresh bread that Abigail made today, and slices of ham and cheese, I've also made a blackberry vitamin, because I know your wife and daughter love this fruit. I've also made dinner, because after I've looked after her, you'll come down and look after yourself, your son and I will be waiting...

- Oh, Henry! I can only thank you. You're a great friend. What you do for my family, only God can repay.

- Wynn; I.… even if I did everything and more, it would still be too little for what I've received from your daughter. That Elizabeth Thorton, she stood up to me, she encouraged me, she forgave me, she was a miracle in my life, but another time I'll tell you a few things about that girl.

Wynn thanked him and picked up the tray, closed the door and went to meet his wife, who was resting on the bed. She had a smile on her face.

- I love knowing that our daughter has been important in many people's lives, that she has made a difference to them. It makes me very proud to know that she has such a wonderful character.

- I know, my love. My father's heart is also melting with love for our princess.

Wynn waited for his wife to sit down and slowly fed her. For the first time in his life, he was feeding her, he had always been a caveman, he didn't understand how a princess like her could have fallen in love with an ogre like him... in his silence, he asked himself, "Why didn't I ever spoil my wife? Could it be that I hadn't realized how fragile she was?"

She'd eaten well, but she hadn't managed to eat even half of that tray; on top of everything else, the fatigue from days of work during the chickenpox outbreak was now consuming her.

- I think Henry wanted to feed his whole battalion, love. That's a lot of food, but it's delicious.

- My dear, this is a lot for you, who eat like a bird, you're so small..., but I assure you that my battalion wouldn't be able to eat this, and not even for Frankison, that boy looks like a bottomless sack, when he's eating he doesn't even seem to chew, he grinds everything up...

They laughed, and Wynn went down to dinner promising not to stay long.

At the dinner table, Frankison, on his second plate, was enjoying a huge steak and French fries, and ended up explaining to his father why he had told Beth everything in that meeting at school.

- I can't believe that young Julia shot her mother and tried to humiliate and demean my daughter?

- Yes, my father... she did. To the point that Beth wanted to get away from us, so as not to put us in danger...

- I won't let them take you away from me and your mother.

- Dad... I won't let you take my sister away from me. Today I understood, when I was with her in my arms crying, and seeing Beth blaming herself for this incident, I was afraid of losing her once again. I've been through this pain before, I didn't understand why there was so much pain back then, because I was a child, but today I felt like they were trying to take a part of me away.

- I know, son. I didn't understand your pain back then. I was sinking into my own when I walked away from Beth... I just couldn't show that weakness to you and your mother.

- Look Wynn and Frankison, you now have a daughter, a gem of a person to look after and love. I think we should all get some rest, but I'll tell you a few things later.

Meanwhile, Bill came out of the bathroom wearing only pants and with a towel around his neck, when he bumped into Charlote in the hallway.

Tom was on a trip, picking up a shipment of medicine that Carson had ordered and would be arriving on the train in Regina, which would leave Bill and Charlote alone. He covered up as best he could, he didn't want to embarrass his beloved girlfriend.

To his surprise, Charlote came close and put her arms around his neck and pulled him into her arms, giving him a little kiss...

He looked into her eyes and saw what he had always wanted: LOVE.

And unable to resist any longer, even though he knew he wasn't dressed appropriately, he wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her passionately. A kiss that made his blood race. For many years, he had always dreamed of holding her in his arms, and now he was realizing that dream. The kisses turned into another and another, and he couldn't stop wanting to feel that mouth. Their tongues touched and Charlote moaned deliciously, showing all her pleasure, and Bill lost himself in that magical moment, where the magic of that kiss transported him to a special world, a world where he had Charlote's love.

In his arms was the most incredible and beautiful woman in the world. And he had just realized that he could no longer live away from her.

Holding her face with both hands, he spoke in a voice deep and husky with desire and passion:

- Charlote, will you marry me?

She smiled and her eyes sparkled, and for Bill that valley in her honey-colored eyes was the most beautiful thing in the world.

- I do Bill... I love you.

- I love you too Charlote. And I'll love you for all eternity...

They each went to their rooms, but with the feeling of being in each other's arms. The taste of kissing was the perfect companion for Charlote and Bill that wonderful evening.

In another semi-detached house, Elizabeth was just finishing her bath and Jack appeared with his bathrobe wrapped around his body... Elizabeth's smile was huge and Jack was happy about it...

- Jack! Did you know all this?

He lowered his gaze, he wasn't going to lie to his wife.

- Yes, Bella! I thought it was strange when I first met your brother, because you were identical. But then Bill and I started to pay attention and you did everything just like each other. When Wynn started investigating, Bill went after your story and they began to discover some things... Ruan helped a lot to put the pieces together, but it wasn't until you donated blood that we really knew for sure, because Carson explained it to us... if you weren't Frankison's sister, he would have died from the first drops of your blood.

- Ruan? Where is he? I haven't seen him since my father fired him, when...

And Elizabeth went pale and voiceless.

Jack knew what was going through her mind at that moment, he knew about the attempted rape by her father, the attack that man had made was barbaric. He hugged his wife and told her everything he knew about Ruan, but assured her that Frankison, Bill and Wynn would give her more details another time. He apologized for omitting the whole story from her.

- Jack, I have nothing to forgive you for. You were only protecting me and you gave me the greatest gift on the face of the earth; you gave me back my brother, my father and my mother. Today I can proudly say that I have a family. I think that's why I could never get away from them, being away from Frankison was like having a part of me ripped away, but nobody understood. Whenever they locked me up... she swallowed... shutting up quickly when she saw that she had almost told...

- Bella! I know about the evil they put you through. Ruan told her. Bill is a father to you, he didn't stop until he knew some things...

- When they locked me up, I'd spend days and days alone, with no light in the dark, and I've always been afraid of the dark; at that time I talked to myself..., but then I started spending more time locked up and the fear was too great, and I started talking to Frankison... he'd always come and play with me, talk to me and make me laugh. When I was hungry or thirsty, he was there telling me to fight for him... and he slept beside me; until I got older, when I noticed that he slept, but never woke up with me, it was on that day that I realized that he was there in spirit to protect me and not let me give up in the face of difficulties... He was my incentive to always keep going, I remember him always saying "fight, don't let them beat you... I'll be here waiting for you..."

Tears streamed down both their faces, no one in life deserved to go through so much pain, especially a child as sweet as her...

Jack took his wife in his arms, knowing that she hadn't slept for days and now that everything had happened, she must have been exhausted, and laying her down on the bed, he pulled her into his arms and, singing softly, stroked her hair until she fell asleep.