Day in the central park. Jake Harley received the unknown text message which said, we should meet at the park with date and time the unknown request they should meet.
Well, Jake is quite stupid sometimes, he follows the order and here he was, waiting at the central park alone and eating his sandwich in daylight.
Faith in God. That's what Jake Harley always prayed for his safety. He waited for a couple of minutes until this person showed up and took a seat beside him.
And it was Victor Gibson himself. Jake turns and looks confused as Gibson smiles up at him. He spoke.
"Urmm, you're the gardener am I right?" Gibson nod yes. "What are you doing here, Mr. James? I was waiting for someone to show up, who asking me to meet in here".
Gibson said. "I am that person who asked you to meet me here, Jake glad you got my message".
"It was you?"
"Yes. And I'm sorry".
"For what? We just met and whatever you do wrong to me".
Gibson looking up at the tree, he smiled when the leaves were green, not oranges, browns, yellows, and reds which every year it may turn the color at once.
He looked down and studied his laps. "I did. I did wrong to you when you were young. Which was sending you to bed-ridden because of me".
Jake realized something and now he remembers. His eyes to Gibson, tighter his fist until it turns white. Gibson spoke again.
"Don't bother to fight me, Jake I'm old already".
"You! It was you. I knew there was something wrong when I first met you at the principal's office. You're dead! And how?"
Gibson sighs, said. "There is a way to find out". He smiled.
Later. Bleeding, bruised Victor Gibson and tired Jake Harley laid flat on the green grass. Jake panting after he fought with Gibson which he didn't fight him back.
Gibson wipes the blood at the corner of his lips with a sleeve then rising up from the ground. He took a seat on the previous bench before Jake took his punch right on his face.
He breathes heavily then Jake sits beside Gibson. "Happy?" Ask Gibson to Jake. "I deserve this for what I did".
"You do and you left her while she needed you the most. You left her when she was pregnant with your child. So then you can go to prison. Does that thing teach you anything".
He nodded. "I can cook. I can bake. I can sew. I work with community service which I earn money from".
"Why do you suddenly come back? Why not before". Jake sighs, "It's me isn't it?"
Gibson eyes on him. "You came back just for her then you saw me with Belle. You want your right as a husband and father for Belle and the twins. Interesting planning you've got there".
An ice cream cart pushed past them. Gibson tapped Jake laps. "Could you get me that ice cream?" He pointed at the cart, trying to avoid the question.
"After a fight we really need some sugar to energize our body. Chocolate strawberry, extra scoops".
Jake stares at him with an annoyed face, "Hey! I'm your ex-English teacher. Be a good boy".
"Sheesh!"
He gets up from the bench and stops the cart. In the second, Jake returns with the ice cream in his hand.
Handing over the ice cream to Gibson. He ate it with a smile. "Oh, this is so good. What did you get for yourself?"
"Chocolate mint".
"It tastes terrible".
"Yeah. For my victory against you". Jake eyes on him again as he speaks. "You f*cking psycho you know that, what is wrong with you!"
Gibson licks the ice cream with a satisfied heart. "You are the destroyer, in which you destroyed someone's family and ripped them apart".
He didn't say any word to argue the word Jake had said to him. Because he did what he has done.
"You f*cking raped her!"
"She is my wife even now she still does and it wasn't a raped. We had a close connection after the wedding, not before. And still wasn't a raped as your word told so. Our marriage sealed by legal with our real name".
Jake shook head, Gibson spoke. "We are not going through divorces".
"Yeah? Try me. I'll make you". Gibson eyes to Jake. "That's right. I will marry Belle and I want her to be my wife. So get divorce!"
"She's the answer to our questions. Let her decide. If she asks me to stay I'll stay and you're gone".
Jake nodded, "All right. If she chose me rather than you. I want you gone forever without taking Arman and Mia under your custody. Do we have a deal.. teacher?"
Gibson bit his tongue without Jake seeing it. "You can have her but not Arman and Mia, they are all I have right now".
"No. You dumped her, remember? And besides, will your kids accept who you are to them? Long lost dad suddenly returns and claims what he's own".
"Those kids are mine! I have right over them. Even the law couldn't be against me".
Jake ate the cone until it's finish, chuckling. "Don't act so innocent like nothing happened. They should be ashamed because their dad is a murderer and kidnapper. If I were them.. I will be embarrassed to have a father like that".
"I know. I made a huge mistake of course. I'm still young, strong and demanding. I felt terrible when I had to leave her".
"Yeah. Because of that woman. I know". Gibson blinked, he spoke back. "Fool you!"
"If you are in my shoes I bet you will do the same to protect your loved one". Gibson stared at Jake's face, smirking. "Don't deny it. You will do the same thing I did".
Jake snorts, he was right maybe. To protect someone you love, you must sacrifice yourself and kill someone who tries to stop you. But there is a way without killing.
"Even the cops couldn't help me because I am on the wanted list for kidnapping and murderer. This is what I had to do according to my perfect plans".
"Yeah. By faking your death. Such a suck idea!"
Gibson snickering, his hand touching the corner of his lips. Hissing. "What a strong punch you got there". He points. "Right here".
"I'm a grown up man, remember? I'm not sixteen anymore so I can do whatever I want".
"And my ribs".
"Deserve what you did to me. I still cannot believe you are the one who makes me bed-ridden for the rest of my life. I barely reach my ass".
Gibson laughs so hard, but still in pain after the fight. "You need a ride? I sent you to hospital so they could kill you the easy way out of your pain. Drugs".
"Don't bother. I'm healing fast as you don't know. I'm invincible".
There are silent for a moment as they eye the view around them. Gibson decided something that he will not regret to do so which is,
"If you want, Belle, I can't stop you from taking her as your wife. I shouldn't have taken her as my wife in the first place".
Gibson nods his head then wipes his tears without Jake noticing he is crying for the sake of his family he desires to have now.
And now everything is changed, he needs to move on with his life without them like he usually did before in prison.
"Belle will not agree if I have my right for our kids custody. I know she will not agree". He patted Jake laps, he looked up at Gibson. "Take care of them, Jake". He smiled. "But first, let me try to save my marriage with her but if it can't... She's yours".
Jake nods understanding. Gibson smiles again. "The weather kinda breeze today". Hugging himself. "Or just me".
"I can convince her".
"Nah! We wait for her answer. Then I'm gone".
"Sounds like you have already lost her forever. I give you space and talk to her. I may give a happiness she wants but you are her priorities, responsible for her kids".
Both men sigh, knowing Belle wasn't the easier woman to sit and have a formal conversation. She will kill these men by driving the truck and rolling them over back and forth.
"I'm her Boogeyman who gives her the worst nightmare. Of course she will not forgive me. I Promised not to hurt her but I did it again by dumping her. No less she still loves you, Jake".
Rising up from the bench, "Make her happy then". Gibson smiled. "Thank you for meeting me here. You're still the same boy I've known. Still an idiot".
"Why is that?"
Gibson smirk, said. "You are brave to come here alone without knowing what kind of person you should meet. Just lucky you were to see me, not someone else. Or else I had to bury you under the lake as I found you dead for sure".
He walked. Jake snickering. "Goodbye old man!"
"Be a good boy for my wife!"
Gibson shouted at Jake while walking. Jake watches him until he disappears.
"What do you want, Doctor?" Said Natasha with an annoying tone. "Did Belle tell you where I lived?"
He nod yes, "F*cked this man! What do you want?"
"I just came to say 'Hello'.
"Look, doctor, that kiss wasn't personal but helping you to get rid of that bitch which is your ex-fiancee. I just do my part and you stay where you are".
She slammed the door but Doctor Craig blocked the door with his own hand.
"Oh my god! What?"
His eyes on her. "Just give me a chance, please".
"About what?"
"To love you".
She laughed like a maniac, "Dude, you're crazy all right. You should check your brain in case there are short wires on your cell brain. NO!"
She tried to slam the door right in front of his face again. But, "Dude. You seriously wish to die!"
"Why can't we start over? I'll get it, if this is the problem was that you don't want to have love because of your dangerous job".
She stared at him in anger, and he backed away a bit. "What did she tell you about me?" She asked him.
"Don't get mad at Belle, just I am the one who forced her to speak about you. That's all. It hadn't to do with, Amy just you I want".
She groaned, said. "Look. Love cannot be forced, okay! How can you want this bloody monster? Don't you see? I created my own death. I chose the path of my life through the hell where I belong where I reserved a big room just for me.
"So what are you then? An angel tries to drag me out from Hell and follow you back to Heaven".
He nodded yes, said. "I am that angel. Yes, I will drag you out from the hole of Hell and we go to Heaven together". She laughed and said,
"When the fire touches your skin, you scream like Hell asking for help. Make sure I was there to see you burn".
"Then I'll wait until the time comes. You're the reason I lived until now".
"No. The reason you live is because God gives you life's". She rolled her eyes, sighing harder. "This is bullshit, why do I ever talk with you?"
"Because I'm madly in love with you".
"You SICK!" She screams and finally she can shut the door in peace without being blocked by Doctor Craig anymore.
School day. Belle drops the twins as usual at school. Her eyes met Gibson who had been waiting for them since morning. As the school bell rang, the students rushed inside the building including Arman and Mia without greeting their dad.
Slowly she approached him. He smiled. "Good morning, Belle".
"Good morning. So, just pretending that we never met before. It feels awkward when I see you still alive and not dead".
He didn't say anything until Belle turned on her back and walked. "Thank you!" Said Gibson. Belle stop looking over her shoulder. "Thank you for not giving up on our kids. You raise them well".
"I'm their mother and of course I raised them well. I raised them so they will not turn like you one day".
She walk to him again. "I will kill them, once I find out about my pregnancy after your faking death. But I don't".
"I married the right woman. Most beautiful woman, a perfect mother to my child. They will be fine as long I am here".
"They will always be fine even without you here". Their eyes met again. "Excuse me".
She walked back toward the car and drove away. He watched her in a smile, then turned as he jolted back away from someone who apparently showed up right in front of him out of nowhere.
And it was his daughter, Mia. "Should you be in class right now?" She stared up at him. He sighs. "Come on. I walk you there". He felt a tiny hand wrap around his waist, he looked down. "Mia".
"All I want in my life is a father". Her tears drop. "And now finally I have one".
Gently Gibson knee on the ground, at her level. Both of his thumb wipes those tears. She hugged him around his neck, crying more.
"Where have you been? I've been waiting for you. I've been waiting for you for so long".
Gently he patted her back, smile. "I'm right here. I always have right here".
"Why now? Don't you want us. Don't you wanna see us grow and be successful and you be a proud dad".
He wipes his tears, said. "Of course I do. You are my daughter and Arman is my son. How couldn't I forget about you two. Never I ever forget those tiny little feet, hand that I wanted to kiss so badly.
"Carried you two in my arms as I kissed your forehead. Chasing you around the garden when you got those feet. Hearing your two first words. I will do anything to turn back time and seize those chances to be with you two and be the proud dad you wanted me to be but I can't.
"I didn't have a choice back then, to prove myself that I am the greatest dad in the world compared to the other dad's. So I am asking you, will you two accept me as your dad... Forever".
Mia shook yes. They two embrace each other's arms again. "Don't leave us again, dad".
"I won't".
Her prayers have been granted by God. God is the best, greatest plan just we don't know when or where. Time or date.
"I'll promise".
Up the building, there was a window where someone was standing and staring down at that beautiful moment.
The school gardener turns out becoming her dad and a dad to him. It was Arman who watched and stood beside that window.
It wasn't a coincidence Gibson was here. He knew from the start. He chose to stay until the time was perfectly right to spill out the whole truth.
And here Gibson was, hugging his twin sister. A child to a murderer, kidnapping and ex-prisoner. Someone that we used to fear of his name long ago, Victor Gibson.