That night it was a storming day in New York City. The lightning and thunder could be heard above the sky. Like God was fighting over the brothers.
The balcony door wasn't locked, Belle took this chance seat there and let the rain enter inside. Night was cold, so she didn't mind.
Her mind is blank since she caught the version of Victor Gibson at the school. So both Arman and Mia were right about the gardener they met before hers, his features exactly the same as Gibson had.
Everything was the same.
What if Doctor Craig said about Gibson was right all along, that he survived from the car crash and never died.
What if Gibson faked his own death because of his own guilt, if he was and who will be that person inside the coffins she buried back several years ago.
Question after question crossed her mind right now. Why must he lie for the sake of his own guilt?
Belle's eyes look up when the thunder strikes again. She turned to her left,
"Eeekk!" and shrieked to see Arman was standing beside her. Almost stumbled on her back, she breathed. "Don't you do that!"
"I just hate thunder. I can't believe Mia could sleep in this weather that creeps me out".
His eyes move to Belle. "What makes you stay awake tonight?" He dragged the chair and seat beside her. Both mom and son are staring out the view.
"Look at this! I couldn't see anything as the sky was pouring heavy rain on this planet".
Belle sighs, said. "The gardener you told me about. I saw him today. He really looks just like your dad". Sighs. "Just the way it is, still he's not my husband I know".
"If you want to talk to him I can ask for him".
"Thought you hated your dad?"
"For the last time that man is the school gardener name, Ethan James not Victor Gibson your husband neither my dad. I feel weird when I say that".
Belle chuckled, Arman spoke back. "So, your thought is, should I arrange your meeting with him?".
Belle shakes no, "Nah. I'm a mother and I'm not a coward. I talk to him just to give us space. I'm not trying to flirt, okay! I want to make sure he isn't who he is".
"Okay, gangsta".
Belle and Arman give a forced silent laughter not wanting to awake Mia who is already asleep in her bedroom. There is silence for a moment to them, the rain still pouring outside.
There will be a midnight news report about the flooding in New York City. Arman gently pushed the chair.
"I'm going to sleep. I have a speech tomorrow morning so I need to be prepared and not sleepy as I know what I'm trying to do".
He walked to the hallway. "Goodnight mom".
The next day, Belle dropped her kids off to school again. This time she waited for the gardener to show up.
Someone knocked at the window, she jolted and rolled down the window. "Belle?"
"Chris. Hi". Christiana Larkin who runs PTA alongside with her dummies cronies. Belle smiling, stepping out of the car. "It's been so long right or just I'm too busy with my life".
Chris and her cronies smirking, "Oh well, Belle as a widow of course you are way more too busy than us. At least we still have our husband and you don't".
The bitch is laughing, Belle just smiles. "So, how's your life, Belle and the twins?"
"F*cking awesome. Apparently being a widow was the best thing of my life. I can flirt with a man who is twice as handsome as your husband".
This time Belle is laughing back right on Chris' face and her dummies cronies. They are absolutely annoyed with her right now.
"I'm still young and powerful in bed. I spread my legs for a different man's and have more babies I want".
Chris clears her throat. Faking her smile, "Well that good, Belle at least you had your own life beside being talking with a crazy patient". Smirking. Belle nodded her head.
"At least they are good listeners rather than you". Burn! "So anything you wanted to say while I'm still here".
Chris holds her anger towards Belle, faking her smile again. "Alright, this weekend we have a PTA meeting hoping you will be there". smirking. "And bring something because everybody does". Belle shakes her head no.
"Oh no. I've got a date with my patient or if you will allow me to bring my crazy patient this weekend to a PTA meeting. I swear they will behave unless they try to hurt all of you. I don't mind if they did".
Chris turns to her cronies. We can see how white their faces are after hearing this. A mentally ill person in a PTA meeting? Who does that?
"Anyway, Belle, haven't you heard that this school gardener was replaced?" ask Chris. Belle nodded. "Charming. He's gonna be there too".
"Great".
Chris rolled her eyes up then she and her cronies walked away. Belle stayed inside the car until the school bell rang and students rushed inside the building.
She sighs to reassure those PTA bitches didn't know her purpose for staying in school. She took this chance to meet this gardener alone.
Killing the engine, hurried she ran to the back of the building school where she caught him always coming out and in from that way.
She continued searching for him. A shirtless Ethan James was chopping the piles when Belle standing right behind him, she saw the back of him.
Once again, he feels someone is watching behind his back, slowly he turns and meets Belle's eyes.
Reveal his masculine and sexiest six pack tummy you barely imagine and every woman desires to touch it. Even his bare chest.
He spoke. "Ma'am, this is school property and you cannot be in here unless you are lost. The principal office is inside, not in here".
Belle didn't answer him, she was too stunned to speak, a real version of Victor Gibson in front of her eyes.
Her lips stuttered to answer him. He spoke back. "I will lead you there if you want".
"No. I know where the principal office was". said Belle, he took his shirt and wore it back. "I'm sorry for staring at you, it's not polite to stare really. Actually you remind me of someone I know. My husband, he died several years ago".
"Exactly why are you telling me this?" ask the gardener. "Do I look like him?"
Belle nods her head, the gardener feels guilty of his own word.
"I'm sorry for your loss. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. I'm sure I was not the husband you were looking for".
Belle nodded her head, "I know. I was sixteen when I married him".
Chuckles. "I'm Belle, mother to Arman and Mia. The twins. They spoke about you and why I wanted to meet you in person".
"Oh. Yes, I know Arman and Mia. So, they are yours then. I see. What amazing mother of you raising your kids without a husband on the side. I'm proud".
He smiled, "I remember Mia gave me cookies that you made on that day. Pink Tupperware".
"Oh, she did huh. She likes to share with someone she knows as long not a threat". Belle smiled, so did the gardener. "Nice to meet you, Mr. James".
He nodded. "You too, Ms. Belle. What a beautiful name. Belle means beauty you know that".
"Yes, my husband likes to say that to me. Arman and Mia never got the chance to see their father because they had never been born yet. Car crash took him. What a coincidence I think".
The gardener nods and smiles again, he asks Belle to take a seat on the stump, usually Mia sits there watching him doing his work.
"Mia loves that stump. I made it for her on purpose for her comfort if she came to see me. She loves watching me doing my work".
"Is she always seeing you?" ask Belle.
"Depends on her mood. She barely eats inside the cafeteria with other students, she likes spending her time with me. That before you told me I look like her father".
He breathed, said. "I was wondering if... I mean if this PTA woman caught me with Mia alone and what will she think about me then. Trying to lure her with sexual desire".
Belle rolled her eyes up. He means Christiana Larkin. "I'm just afraid of what will happen".
"You got my word, Mr. James, that bitch will not think of you, of what you think about yourself. Mia is my daughter and she knows how to protect herself from the stranger".
The gardener sighs with relief. Studied her beautiful face. "Your husband must love you so much. If you married him at sixteen which means you are now twenty seven with ten years old twins".
"Too young to be a mother?" The gardener nodded his head, "I was thinking the same thing. The twins are the miracle my husband left for me before his death.
"With honor and dignity. He sacrificed himself for us".
The gardener nodded his head again, and he spoke. "Do you love him?" Belle didn't answer that. "He's a brave man".
"What about you? Family, wife and kids".
"I do have a wife. Someone wants to keep us apart. I made a huge mistake. Somewhere she lived without me. We have never spoken since".
Belle nods and understands, "How about your kids?"
"Whether I let you know, yes, she carried my child". He studied her again. "We all have our own problems, with different tests and we didn't realize it. Is nice to meet you, Ms. Belle. I should continue with my work here".
Belle quickly got up from where she sat. She smiled. "Nice meeting you too, Mr. James, can you do me a favor?"
"If you ask me to keep an eye on Arman and Mia I will do that favor for you. If you ask me to stay away from Arman and Mia I will not complain or argue with you because I had no right to them. You are".
Belle nod appreciatively with thank you. At least Mia was happy with him, that is all Belle wanted to, he protected Mia and Arman, and the rest is a story.
"I should go. Thank you for being a good father to Mia and Arman".
He nodded a smile. Belle turns her heel, walks back towards her car and vanishes from his sight.
The gardener breathed heavily for a moment before he decided to go to the library school for a book he really wanted to borrow.
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐏𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐑𝐚𝐛𝐛𝐢𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬.
and
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐝𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐨𝐨𝐡 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐑𝐨𝐛𝐢𝐧.