Daniel
"Darien, that is my daughter, Tiara." I heard a familiar voice.
"Yes, Father," I answered.
I was standing with Father outside the gate of his house. I looked in the direction in which he was pointing and recognized her. Tiara.... Wearing a floral dress, she was seated on a bench in the lawn outside her house, reading a novel. The last time I had seen her was with Mother and Father before, when we were young. But she appeared very different now; grownup, elegant and absolutely gorgeous. I wondered if she would recognize me after all these years.
"That boy with her is your brother," spoke Father. I glanced at Father before looking at Tiara. Raymond had snatched the novel from her hands and was running away as Tiara chased after him. They were laughing as they ended up chasing each other.
"Ray." I said as Father turned to face me.
"Yes, but your brother has chosen the wrong path, Darien. When I adopted you, I offered to adopt him as well. But your father said that he wanted at least one of you to be with him. He chose Ray and I thought he would look after Ray well. But being a workaholic, your father never bothered about your brother. And by the time I realized, it was too late. I caught Ray stealing many times. I warned him and your father each time; I thought he would stop Ray but he did nothing. Now, your father is no more; I'm worried about Ray. Yesterday, I caught Ray exchanging a bag of cash for another bag with some men from San Diego. He disappears from here sometimes and returns only after a whole day, giving some excuse or the other to Tiara. I speculate he may be having some wrong dealings in San Diego. He refuses to listen to my advice. If there's anyone who may be able to change him now, that will be the police. Try to get some records against him and let the police deal with him before it's too late. He will only realize when he gets into serious trouble with the police. I know you are his brother but the only way you can help him now is by making him realize the punishment he will get for all these wrong dealings."
I felt a lump in my throat as I said, "Yes, Father." Ray had chosen the wrong path. Had Father not adopted me, I may have turned out like Ray today. No! I would not have. I know the difference between right and wrong. I would have chosen the right path and I might have been able to show Ray the right path too. But just like Father said, it was too late now.
"And one more thing, Tiara knows nothing about Ray's misdeeds. She trusts him too much. I tried talking to her about him once but she refused to listen to me. As far as she is concerned, she thinks he is innocent and will not believe us unless she sees his misdeeds for herself. But till then, I fear that her life may also be in danger as Ray is always with her. I am thinking along the lines of getting Tiara married as soon as possible. I want her to leave New Orleans as soon as she can. You will be posted at Seattle in a few months, isn't it? Before you go, I want you to marry Tiara and take her with you to Seattle."
I froze and stared at Father in disbelief.
"You don't have any problem with that, do you?" prodded Father. "You will definitely be able to protect her from any problem she may have to face because of Ray."
"No, Father. I have no problem with anything you say." I assured sincerely. I would even lay down my life for Father and Mother if I had to. They adopted me, looked after me and tended to my needs all these years; I could never pay them back for all that they have done for me. If they had not adopted me, I would have lived my life in some orphanage. Besides, they had saved me from going astray into the wrong path like Ray. I would definitely do anything they asked of me.
"Good."
I watched Tiara as she was caressed a kitten in her arms before sharing a smile with Ray. Would she agree to marry me? Would she agree wholeheartedly or would she just agree for the sake of her parents?
Suddenly, I was engulfed in darkness again. As the darkness lifted, I realized I was standing outside my car. Tiara was standing near me while Raymond's gun was still aimed at me. What had just happened?
My head was hurting. As the pain aggravated, I pressed my head against the side of my car. There were tears staining Tiara's face as she glanced from Raymond to me and back to him again.
In a flash, I found myself walking into an unfamiliar apartment. It was my apartment in Seattle. I strolled past Tiara over to the couch and seated myself, burying my head in my hands. How would I disclose the bad news to my wife? My next posting was going to be at San Diego. I could not bring her there along with me or her life would be in danger....
Tiara frowned a bit but remained silent. That was totally not like her; she always opened the door for me with a smile. There had been no smile on her face this evening.
As she turned to go to the kitchen, I looked up and asked, "Tia, what's wrong?"
"Nothing," she answered but her dejected tone proved her lie.
"You're not good in hiding anything from me. So drop it and tell me what's the problem."
Tiara sighed and walked over towards me, seating herself on the couch as well before speaking. "I met Julia today."
"Oh, right. I forgot about her. You didn't have to meet her for me though, Tia. I would've explained it to her myself."
"I came to your office to tell you something during your lunch break."
"Oh, what is it, Tia? I was out for a case then and no one told me that you had come when I got back earlier."
"I'm not in the mood to tell you that now. I came to your office but I didn't go in since I met Julia waiting outside your office."
"Oh, okay. What was she doing there? Did you talk to her? Tia, what did she say to upset you?"
Tiara sighed but remained silent.
"Tia, you know I'm not gonna take your silence as an answer."
"She didn't even wait to listen to me. And I... I don't want to tell you what she said."
"I don't understand why she wants to have these unnecessary thoughts in her head. Did you tell her that you're my wife?"
Silence.
"So she didn't let you say that either. Leave it; I'll try to meet her tomorrow. She's just an innocent young college girl. Accidentally got involved in one of my cases and got injured unnecessarily. I took her to the hospital, paid for her treatment and left a sorry note. How was I supposed to know she would try to meet me again and again after that?"
"She is not that innocent. I heard her talking to her friend on the phone when I met her. That's how I recognized that she's the Julia you told me about. You went to her college few months back for one of your cases, it seems. It was love at first sight for her when she saw you then, do you know that?"
"What? But that was months ago. I didn't even know her or notice her then."
"But she's been trying to meet you since that day. That's why she was 'accidentally' involved in the case you were dealing with last month."
"Leave it, you don't worry about her. I'll meet her tomorrow and clarify about myself."
"You've been saying that for days but you never got the time to even meet her again till now."
I sighed. As a tear shed from Tiara's eyes, I frowned.
"Come," I said as I stood up and grabbed her wrist.
"Where to?" she asked as she stood up as well.
"You'll know." I said before walking out of our apartment, holding her hand.
As I drove up to the student's apartment where Julia stayed, Tiara spoke, "Darien, she didn't say much, just...."
"I don't wanna know what she said. If she could make you cry, then I can't let it be till I've given her a warning."
I parked my car outside the apartment and showed my ID card to the security guard, saying, "Detective Darien Caruso. I would like to meet Julia Smith."
"She's in the basketball court, sir," replied the security guard.
I left and made my way to the basketball court with Tiara.
Julia was playing basketball with her friends in the basketball court. She smiled upon noticing me but her face turned sour seeing Tiara behind me.
"What nonsense did you tell her?" I demanded as I called her towards the entrance of the basketball court.
Tiara was standing a metre behind me.
Julia frowned but remained silent.
"What nonsense did you utter to my wife?" I demanded again in my usual matter-of-fact voice.
Julia appeared moved for a moment.
"Look, I am married. I have been married for two years. That girl waiting for me over there is my wife; she means the world to me. How dare you talk to her with disrespect? Though I should be shouting at you for hurting my wife, I will not. That is how I am, but don't take my warning lightly. I will not tolerate anyone who hurts her. And I can never imagine anyone else in her place. So get rid of any unnecessary thoughts in your head right now."
"I'm sorry, sir, I didn't know."
"I'm leaving you with just a warning this time but if you repeat this again, I will have to take some serious action. What do you know about love to proclaim that you're in love with me? Love is not just a one-way thing; it has to be two-way. I love her more than my life and I know she loves me the same. Even if just a tear leaves my wife's eyes, my heart bleeds in pain. I don't want to meet you again regarding this issue, understand?"
"Yes, sir. I'm sorry." Julia's eyes teared up.
I turned and walked away, grabbing Tiara's wrist as I walked past her towards my car. Tiara was beaming.
We returned home in silence. As I parked my car in the parking lot of my apartment, I could sense Tiara was watching me.
"Won't you ask me what I came to tell you at your office earlier?" she asked as I switched off my car engine.
My gaze shifted from the steering wheel to her smiling face, before I replied, "When I asked, you didn't say. I'll wait for you to tell me when you're ready to say it."
"We're gonna have a baby." Tiara squeezed my hand.
I was speechless. Her revelation was enough for me to decide that she was not gonna accompany me to San Diego. I would not take her with me even if she requested me to. I just could not. I would never allow any harm to come to my wife or my child. I would go to San Diego alone... even if it meant that I might never return.
As I was deep in thought, I was engulfed in darkness again before I found myself standing by my car, feeling dizzy as I glanced from Tiara to Raymond and back to Tiara again. I frowned. What had just happened? What was happening to me? I couldn't remember what had just happened or what I was doing here now standing with Tiara and Raymond. Oh yes, Raymond was going to shoot me. I recalled as I noticed the gun in his hand.
"Rats, no! Listen to me, let him go! He's not Darien, he's Daniel Sorrens!" stuttered Tiara as she stepped in between me and Raymond. I am not Darien, I am Daniel Sorrens. Of course I know that. Didn't Raymond know that? He was Narissa's boss; he should know.
"Tiara, what are you doing? He will shoot us!" I warned her as I stepped back.
"He will not shoot me. You may leave, Daniel. There's no need for you to stay here any longer," responded Tiara.
"Are you sure-" I was speaking when Tiara interposed, "Just leave, Daniel!"
"Okay," I said as I turned and fumbled trying to open the door of my car.
"Get out of the way!" ranted Raymond, shoving Tiara aside. She fell sideways to the ground, landing on her elbow. I froze.
"Tiara..." I called out in alarm, turning back to her. Raymond's gun was aimed directly at my chest now. There was nothing between us.
"Go!" she cried, raising herself up onto her knees.
As I turned and opened the door of my car, a gunshot reverberated through the air. I froze. Had I been shot? I turned back to see Tiara standing between me and Raymond, her back facing me. Tiara crumpled to the ground while Raymond and I stared at her in disbelief. Blood poured from a gunshot wound in the centre of her forehead.
To be continued...