Chapter 34: It’s Her
Standing there in front of two people that were left of my family, my eyes widened. “Dad? Is that you?”
The man looked at me and he reacted quickly. “Rosanna?” He said.
I looked at him again, seeing his clothes ragged here and there. And his face was covered in dirt. But there was still at least a new coat that kept him warm; I guess Rosabel bought that coat for him just recently.
My eyes began to stir as tears reached its limit and wanted to pour out.
I just couldn’t believe it. All these eleven years, I thought my father had died. But instead, he was here. He was here in front of my eyes. My sister and I had to suffer in the childhood as orphans and he was here all along.
Instead of letting my eyes pour out, I wiped them and stared at him. “Where have you been?” I asked, “Why didn’t you come home?”
My father looked at me, with eyes that he didn’t want to answer. He was now, a man who seemed to just live out of the streets. I looked at him, “Why?”
He stood up and glanced around his surroundings, “Rosanna.” He said quietly, “I can’t answer your questions now...” He said.
Then as he didn’t even have the chance to finish his sentence, I saw men in black suits walking outside of the shop. My father’s eyes widened. “Rosanna, Rosabel.” He paused, “I’ll meet you again.” He continued, “And when that time comes, I’ll tell you everything.”
I was about to ask where he was going, and why was he running like that. But that moment past, the black men spotted him in the shop and they began to turn their direction to the shop.
My father glanced around again, trying to find a place to hide, but as he was about to make a step forward; I stopped him, “Dad...”
He smiled at me, “I promise that I will tell you everything.” And with that he pulled my hand away and ran to the back of the shops, finding bathrooms to escape through the windows.
Rosabel, however, pulled my down to a chair and made me sat down. “Act normal.” She said, looking at me.
I was confused. But thinking for the reason why she told me that I did what she said.
The group of agents opened the door to fish and chips shop. They looked around the small shop and people began to gaze to their directions. Whispers began to form, as the men scanned over the shop looking for suspicious people.
The leader walked past our table and talked to the shop owner, “Have you seen this man?” He asked, showing the shop keeper a picture. I saw the man shook his head. The leader however commanded the others to search around the shop.
Rosabel and I, pretend to laugh and smile at each other, telling jokes that didn’t seem to be funny; as the group walked passed us again.
One of the men, pointed to the kitchen and the whole group walked in. After a while of searching in the back kitchen and the bathrooms they came out and exit through the front door. “Sorry for the trouble.” The leader said and left, followed by the group of men.
I glanced over to Rosabel and looked at her expecting her answers. She sighed, “That was close.” She whispered.
I stared at her, “Who were those men?” I said quietly.
She sighed, “This is not a good place to tell.” She said to me, “Let’s go somewhere else.”
***
We ended up going back to my hotel. I took my shoes and coat off and slipped into my slippers.
“Who were those agents?” I said, looked back at Rosabel.
She sighed and placed her bag down by the coffee table. Lowering her eyes once more, she glanced up straight into my eyes, “They’re called the Axels.”
I closed my eyes and sat down by the couch next to her. I sighed, “You mean dad has been chased by these group of people?”
She nodded. “This organisation is similar to Firer.” She looked at me again, “They too do drugs, weapons, and murders.”
I looked at her, “I know the Axels.” I paused, “They’re partners with Firer.”
Rosabel let out another sigh, “I guess I don’t need to explain things about them then.” She said.
“But,” I paused, “Why didn’t you tell me dad was still alive?”
She closed her eyes, “I wanted too.” She said looking at me again. “But he didn’t let me.”
“Why?”
She gazed at me again, “Because he said that you’ll be determine to find him more.”
I blinked. “That’s not true!”
Rosabel looked at me, “What do you mean it’s not true?” She said, “You thought that he was dead, and still you’re still trying to look for him.” She paused, “If you knew that he survived you’ll be more determine to find him.”
I relaxed my shoulders and took another breath. I couldn’t believe that all these years my father was still alive. And yet Rosabel never told me.
She looked at me, “I know that look okay?” She said, “You’re still asking why.” She paused, “I just knew that he was alive two months ago okay?”
My eyes widened.
“So knowing that he was alive was a shock to me too.” Rosabel looked at me again, “I know how you feel at the moment.”
I sighed. I just still couldn’t believe it. My father was alive. He was alive. And all these years I thought that he died. I looked at Rosabel again, “So when was the last time you saw him, other than today.”
Rosabel glanced over to me, “Just yesterday.” She paused, “He’s the man who carried Dean to the hospital.”
“What?”
Rosabel nodded her head, “I know this is weird, but dad was walking past the park and he saw Dean by the wooden bench unconscious. He called me, by the payphone at the park, to help him and when I got there I realised it was Dean.”
“Is that why you called me when you knew that it was Dean?” I asked.
Rosabel nodded.
So the time when I was with Dean and the little kids was also the day that I saw my father. The time when I was picking up the toys for the kids in the small toy shop, the man that was looking at the toys that were on the shelves was him. It was my father all along.
I sighed, “So where is he now?”
Rosabel shook her head, “I don’t know where he is.” She replied, “He moves here and there avoiding contact with the Axels. But when he thinks he can meet, he’ll usually give me a call by the payphone.”
I shook my head, “I still don’t get it.” I told her, “What do they want from dad?”
She looked at me and blinked, “I asked him that too. But he said that it isn’t the right time to tell me.”
I sighed. What do the Axels and Firer want from dad that they didn’t have? Could it be the thing that my General has been telling me to get? I sat there thinking into my gaze of thoughts.
Rosabel sighed and looked at me, “It must feel better to know that our dad is still alive.”
I nodded. “I just hope that he is safe.”
Rosabel raised an eyebrow at me, “When did you become so soft?”
I shook my head, “No.” I glanced away from her.
She smiled, “I guess he changed you a bit.”
I noticed her words and looked at her, “What do you mean by that?”
She smiled again, “It’s Dean of course.”
I stared at her, “What do you mean by ‘It’s Dean of course’?”
She smiled and then laughed, “You still haven’t noticed have you?”
I just silenced.
“You guys are a couple now.” She explained it to me, “And you changed him to a good person.” She paused, “But he has also changed your stone heart to a warm heart too.”
I felt offended, “That’s not true.”
Rosabel smiled again, “Oh, yes you have.” She pointed at my black suit, “You wear dresses more often now.”
I stared at her.
She smiled with her bright eyes twinkling. I sighed. “Whatever.” I said, “I don’t care what you think.”
Rosabel smiled and then she remembered something, “Oh, I forgot.” She said, looking into her handbag, “Here are two tickets for my ballet.”
“What’s the name of the ballet?” I smiled.
She smiled, “It’s the Nutcracker.”
I nodded and glanced down at the golden tickets, “Two tickets?” I asked, “But there’s only one me.”
She smiled, “I know. The other ticket is for Dean.”
My smile faded away, “Why did you bother getting him a ticket?”
Rosabel glanced at me for a while, “Aren’t you guys a couple?”
I so wanted to say ‘No’ and that I had nothing related to him. But then his face kept popping into my mind, “Yeah...” I mumbled, “So what?”
She gave me the golden tickets and smiled, “Well, you guys should go together.”
I sighed, “Why?”
“Because you guys are a couple now.”
“That’s not a good reason.” I said and crossed my arms, “I’m not going to your ballet then.”
Rosabel eyes widened, “But why?” She said with her sweetest voice.
“I’m not going if you expect me and Dean to go together.” I answered firmly.
“But, Sis, I’m the main role.”
She looked at me, and was about to plead me with her puppy eyes. But then she thought of something and smiled to herself. She didn’t plead me anymore. “Fine.” She said, placing the tickets back into her handbag.
I started to wonder why she didn’t ask me anymore. But looking at my watch, I noticed it was almost noon. I then remembered that he must be hungry by now. Looking back at my kitchen I stood up, “I think it’s time for me to check on him.” I glanced back at Rosabel.
She smiled, “Okay then.” She paused, “Do you need me to buy something and bring it to the hospital?”
I looked at her and smiled, “Yeah. Thanks!”
She smiled and I got up on my feet. Moving to the door, “I’ll go first then kay?”
“Kay.” She smiled again.
I waved her goodbye and went first.
***
Knocking on the door twice before I entered, I opened the door and went in. “Dean?” I asked.
Looking around again, I found Dean sleeping. He sure sleeps a lot. I sat down and placed my coat by the side of his bed. Sitting there and seeing him sleep, made remember how kids sleep. He has this baby face when his sleeping. And it seems that he was more mature when was sleeping.
I sighed and bent over him, pulling the blanket higher covering his neck to keep him warm; since today’s temperature was quite low. But as I was about to sit down again, I saw his eyes opened and looked at me.
Instead of my eyes widening or my mouth gasping, I grinned at him, seeing my nose almost touching his. “Hi!” I said, feeling a little awkward tension between us.
His eyes lit up and smiled at me, “Hi.”
“So you weren’t asleep?”
He shook his head and smiled at me, “I was asleep, until you pulled the covers up.”
I lifted my head and sat down in my chair that was next to his bed. I ignored his statement and cleared my throat, “So how are you feeling now?”
“Good.” He said. Seeing him wanting to sit up, I help assist him and pulled his pillow up so that he could rest his back against the wall. “Especially, when I had a good dream too.” He continued his sentence.
“Dream?” I raised an eyebrow.
He nodded and looked at me. “What to hear about it?”
I glanced away and shook my head, “No thanks.”
“Come on.” He said, “It’s a good dream.”
I looked at him, “Does it have to do anything with me?”
He smiled and nodded.
“That makes me don’t want to hear it even more.” I pointed at him, “And why am I in your dreams?”
Dean smiled, “Because I’m always thinking about you.”
I stopped, “What’s that suppose to mean?”
He smiled again, “We’re a couple now.” He smiled, “Remember?”
I looked and stared at him, “Please don’t remind me that.”
“Why?” He said, “We’re a couple now.”
I shook my head.
He looked at me again, “What’s wrong Taylor?” He said, “Aren’t we’re a couple?”
I took a deep breath in and stared right into his eyes, “Don’t use that word.” I said, “I’ve heard it so many times today, it’s starting to annoy me.”
“What word?” Dean looked at me, thinking. After a few moments his eyes lit up again, “You mean the word couple?”
I shook my head, “Nah, Junior, it’s not that word.”
He smiled, “There there Rosy.” He grinned at me, “What’s wrong with the word couple?”
I stared at him and began to pull some knuckles for stretching, “You really want to know the answer?”
His eyes lit up again and smiled, “Sure! Why not?” He said, “What could be the possibility that something worst could happen when I’m already in a hospital?”
I grinned, “Oh, you never know until you feel it.”
Then we heard a knock.
The door slipped opened and a sweet voice was heard, “Dean? Are you in here?”
Dean’s eyes widened, “Not her again.” He whispered.
I glanced back at Dean, “Who is it?”
The blond girl found her steps and glanced over at Dean. She smiled, “Dean, are you feeling better?”
My eyes widened. It was that girl; the girl that I saw yesterday. She was the girl that Dean kissed.
***
The next chapter would have a bit more drama and something special. I'll update as soon as my tests finish. So don't orry guys, after the tests I will continue! YAY!
So hope you like this chapter, and remember to support it by voting! Thanks! See you in the next chapter then! :D