My four lovers (Menage , boyxboy + boyxgirl , mmmmf)

Chapter 19

Why did Rick sound so sad when he said the radio belonged to his dad?






Remembering the picture she found the other night, her curiosity came alive, clawing at her from the inside.






But what if it was a sensitive issue? She didn't want to pry, but she really wanted to know.





So after fidgeting for awhile and gathering her courage, she finally blurted out the question. "What happened?"






Rick contemplated on telling her. It wasn't that he didn't trust her, he just didn't want to ruin tonight. He had planned for it to be a romantic night to remember for Layla, and telling her his life's story was a sure fire way of ruining it.






"It's okay if you don't want to tell me. I just... I was just curious that's all. You know what, just ignore me..." Realizing her mistake and cursing her big mouth, Layla quickly assured Rick. She didn't want Rick to think she was prying especially if he wasn't ready to trust her yet. They barely knew each other after all. Sure, they'd started being close for a few weeks now, but it was far too soon to share his past with her, especially if it was a painful one.






Breathing out deep sigh, Rick looked down at her. "Are you sure you want to know? Tonight might be ruined."





"Yes" she managed to whisper out. She wanted to get to know as much as she could about the man standing in front of her, and the only way to do it was for him to tell her.





"Alright then. But it's late, let's get you to bed first, I'll tell it to you when you're tucked in." He smiled sadly.






After they reached her bedroom and he let her wash up and get into bed, Rick got under the covers with her and pulled her closer in his arms.





Tracing circles on her back, he began. "I was the oldest in the family, my parents were loving parents and they loved both me and my little sister very much. We would go out for picnics and outings almost every week. My mum would cook her special dish, spaghetti and meatballs on our birthdays and it became a tradition. Dad would come home with gifts for my sister, my mum and I. He loved his radio very much and would turn it on every night and dance with my mother. My sister was beautiful, she had gold locks and blue eyes and she looked just like my mum. I took after my dad, his brown hair and blue-green eyes. Everyone who saw us would comment how much I looked like my dad and how much my sister looked like my mum."





"It happened when I was 12 years old. My school had sent in one of my paintings to a national arts competition for children ages 12 and below, and I had won the first prize. My parents were ecstatic and wanted the whole family to be there. So I went on ahead to the prize giving ceremony and my dad went home to pick my mum and sister up because my sister had tuition. On their way to the prize giving ceremony, they-..they...." Rick gulped, trying his hardest to say what happened but it was like his throat had clogged up. No sound was coming out, no matter how hard he tried.





Layla's heart clenched painfully. She could guess what had happened. She thought back on the picture she had seen on Friday night and everything became painfully clear. The little boy was Rick, the family potrait he was clutching, was a picture of HIS family, and the car.. Oh God, the car. His family must have died when their car fell into a ravine.





Rick finally managed to croak out the rest of his story. "They were driving along the road, and the ravine was on the right, blocked by a wooden fence. It happened so fast, they were just driving, when some drunk idiot drove straight into the side of their car, pushing them straight through the fence and over the ravine. I waited and waited for them to turn up at my ceremony, but even after everyone had left, they didn't come.  Finally, my teacher took pity on me and sent me home. But, I was so.. so angry at them, for missing my ceremony."

"On my way home however, while I was sulking in the back seat of my teacher's car, my teacher stopped the car. I looked up to see police cars and fire trucks blocking the road. My teacher got down to ask what happened, and then she came hurrying back, her face ashen white. My whole world came crashing down after that."





His voice lowering into a soft whisper, he continued. "After she told me that my parents' car was found at the bottom of the ravine, I somehow managed to get out of the car and stumble over to the hole in the fence. I looked over and saw my parents' car, lying in a crumpled mess at the bottom of the ravine. There were a few firemen on ropes going down towards them. I couldn't remember much after that, what I can remember, was that all I could think at that moment was, 'this is all my fault.'. If only I didn't ask them to come for my ceremony, that accident would never have happened."





"No Rick, it's not your fault! It was never your fault! Don't blame yourself for something you didn't do, and something you had no control over! They wanted to come for your ceremony, it was their choice! Because they loved you. And if you have to blame someone, blame that stupid drunk driver!" She whispered fiercely at him, tears forming in her eyes. Sitting up, she grabbed his head and pulled him into her chest, hugging him so tight, he found it hard to breathe. 





Smiling sadly in her arms, Rick said softly. "That's what Lysander, Matt and Damon said to me. I know that now, but I didn't for a long time and I blamed myself for their death. I was taken in by my chef uncle and he taught me all he knew, hoping I would be his successor in his restaurant. I was more interested in engineering though, but I did work for him to earn enough money for my college and university, even if he offered to pay for it. He had already done more than enough for me, taking me in and treating me like his own son. I couldn't burden him with all my fees as well, when he wasn't very rich."





Nodding, Layla realized the reason for the respect and affection in his voice when he mentioned his chef uncle. He saved Rick and Rick was very grateful to him. Admiration welled in her heart for the determined little boy Rick must have been when he was younger. He wouldn't have made it this far if he wasn't that strong.





Finally deciding that it was time she confessed, she said, "I found a picture on Friday night. It was by accident when I was coming back to the guest room I was placed in, and I kind of stumbled into this deserted hallway while admiring your paintings on the wall."





Rick stiffened ever so slightly, before asking "Which picture was it?" Although his voice betrayed that he knew exactly which picture she was talking about.





"It's the one of a little boy looking over a ravine." she whispered guiltily, her fingers twisting nervously.