Houston walked two steps and fell; he couldn't move a foot. All his body was aching with pain. The lat words Lucy said to him, "you know him. He is someone you see everyday" echoed in his head for more than a million times since he left the car in a rage of anger. An urge of pain was felt in his heart, he scratched on the left side of his chest, the itching in his heart escalated he then hugged his chest to make it stop but still it itched even more. Tears fell from his cheeks not knowing what's happening to him he found himself screaming an 'AHH...', for who were close wondered what was he going through. He felt hell, he felt a pain he once felt ten years ago when he found out the truth about his biological mother abandoning him when he was just two years old. He felt alone, lonely and unloved. He wanted to feel loved at the moment, he wanted a tender care. He wished for someone who would just take care of him, there was none only people walking by the roadside and cars in a rush passing by heading to their respective destinations.
"I must have been a bad boy mother for you to leave me with no one but maids. What did I ever do wrong to deserve this. I try to be nice but still she is rude and mad at me all the time. Does she hate me that much? I wish you were here to see this loser you left behind mother. You made the right decision", he mutter this to himself hugging his knees on the side of the road Jimmy dropped him.
Jimmy have seen Houston in his worst couple of times. He knows more than he should. I believe servants see it all and know more than they are supposed to. He drove back to the road they dropped him and found him hugging his knees, tears falling from his eyes which were now filled with sorrow and despair. He was like a homeless and hopeless man in streets who doesn't know how his night will end.
"Where should I drop you Mr Patterson?", Jimmy asked trying to be polite like talking to a spoilt kid
"Tell me something honestly Jimmy. Am I a bad person? Don't I deserve to be cared?", Houston asked lifting his head to face jimmy who stood next to him. He has been like a younger brother to him since he met him three years ago in a restaurant after he served a wrong meal and got fired. Jimmy is someone he feels free to ask him and share with him all his trouble, sorrow and loneliness.
"You are a kind hearted man Houston. You saved my father from the edge of death, gave me and my mother a job and house to live. This is more than kindness. You don't do yourself a favor by thinking that you are a bad person", Jimmy stated lost in the memories of his tough life he once had before meeting Houston. If it wasn't for him he would be on streets with no future.
"Then why does Lucy hate me so much? She is never rude to you and others, why is it only to me?"
"That I don't know Sir. Come let me drop you home. Your mother must be worried sick", Jimmy stated lending Houston a hand.
They both headed to the car parked on the road side. Jimmy drove back to Patterson's mansion in silence. Half an hour later they entered the mansion which screams 'wealth' any time you step in. Houston stepped out of the car and head direct to the garden and stood where Lucy stood earlier. He felt empty within, he felt lonely in spite of being rich. He has it all that he can call everything but still he now felt he has never had anything from the start as he has nothing at the moment, something he can call everything. His everything.
"Sometimes you don't need to have it all to say you have everything. All you need is someone you can call your own your everything and your one only thing you will ever have. Am I right mom?", Houston stated after hearing foot steps approaching where he stood.
"You're right. And how do you always know its me? And what made you wish to have someone to call your everything all of the sudden? You sworn never to love. What made the change of heart?" Pamela shot questions caressing Houston's back to make him feel better. A mom knows when her child is not okay, she knew he wasn't okay at all.
"I just do because you're my mom. I feel like I have nothing left to call my own. Whenever she is with Edvin or Nathan I feel like I would throw a punch on their face any minute. Sometimes I wish she would be comfortable as she is with them. And when she is around I feel peace, I feel like a huge empty hole that I was never aware of is filled. This feeling is driving me nuts. I don't know what to call it nor name it", his last words were filled with frustrations and confusion. He was really going crazy not knowing what to do. He knelt and when he couldn't feel his legs due to the inner pain causing weakness to his body he sat on the grass in the garden. Pamela too sat and passed her hand in his hair and pulled him into a hug.
"Call it love son. Call it love. You are in love, all that you are going through whenever she is around is love. You love her, your heart knows it but you aren't ready to accept that. I know you don't believe in this but try to think; if she had to belong to someone else would you live with that?"
"I wouldn't. I can't live with that. And that's what I'm scared of. What if she leaves me as my mother did. Dad loved her and she chose to leave. And when she came back he almost divorced you to get her back without a second thought of what could become of us. What if she leaves? That too for another man?" .He was venting out all his anger all his sorrow and worry. He knew no one knows true pain as much as Pamela did. She went through hell ten years ago and he was there to see it all.
"We all have no cruel on the reason behind it back then. There are two sides of the story, the one we know and the one we don't. Let's not bring up the past into our happy lives. All I wish is you to accept this love, take risks, fight for it and be happy. If it's destined to be; this love will surely be".
They sat for an hour in the garden saying nothing but feeling the pain they both have no explanation for. While on the other side Lucy was on her mother's lap seeking peace of mind. She was bothered by Houston and the way he reacted to her answers. She let out a heavy sigh and close her eyes. She was fighting tears, she hate crying in the presence of her mother. She hate it when she worries.
"Do you remember the lady who sold us this apartment?", Anna questioned Lucy.
"Yeah, aunt Rosalia. Did she call?".
"Yeah she called. She asked me to go see her in Florida tomorrow. I hope you guys will be okay without me here. I already have a plane ticket booked, she booked it last night online".
"We are grown ups mamma. You have nothing to worry about. Go have a break and fun".
"You aren't okay Lucy. Is it Houston again? I have been noticing since he came in your life you have been acting differently. Are you in love with him?".
"I don't know mom. All I know he is getting engaged to a princess this summer. Who wouldn't marry a princess?". She stated in frustration.
"Love is for all. Love doesn't choose. I see the way he looks at you and how he avoids you whenever you're with Edvin. That's love honey. You are so attentive and noticing I wonder how you fail to see that".
"Even if its love, love between us can't happen. He has his rules mom, he never date an employee. And to him I'm just an assistant; nothing more....".
"Don't speak for the heart honey. The heart is the most dynamic organ in our body. We fall for the people we never dreamt of, we hate the ones we love when they betray us. We tend to turn a blind eye on every wrong our loved ones do. That's what the heart does. I hope you both realise that you are in love with each other before its too late".
"And what if we don't mother?".
"You will all regret it. Feelings are better said than kept hidden, they cause sufferings and regrets every time you look back and wish you spoke out. And always regrets are more painful than the heartbreak itself".
For couple of minutes after their conversation Anna caressed Lucy's head till she fell asleep.
****
The next day was the hardest day of her life. Lucy was stuck between two dresses, a high low foot length strapless electric blue dress as a gift from Edvin and a laced white backless short sleeves bodycon knee length dress from Houston. This day wasn't only about these two dresses it was a day about two people she care about. And now she was supposed to choose between them. To her it felt like choosing between her two halves, without one of them her life is deadly incomplete.
"Hi Vin......I'm....I-I was saying that Nathan will drop me. Jessy and Maria are coming along Linda invited them so there is no need for you to pick me up. I will see you at the party." She was on a phone call with Edvin. It was 5 in the evening and almost an hour left to the party. She had to stop him from coming because she knew he would make her wear what he bought for her. And that's what she didn't want. It would feel like choosing him over Houston, something which would hurt Houston badly. Her decision was to be fair and to never hurt any of them.
"Be here on time. I'm waiting". Edvin replied and hang up.
*****
Nathan in his charcoal black suit, a grey tie matching his shirt, his formal black shoe and a silver wrist watch. He seemed more gracious than ever. He has the lojs, a well masculine build body, tall with a perfect square shaped face. For tonight everyone would think he is Lucy's date. Maria was in a pick chiffon v neck floor length pink dress. As for Jessica she was in a royal blue high low dress with long vintage laced sleeves. Ad soon s they entered the Patterson's mansion Lucy walked toward Catherine and Pamela she ere busy having a chit chat with the guests. Everyone was looking gorgeous than never before. It was a party full of people who smelled wealthy, their dresses, accessories and possessions screamed money. It made Jessica and Nathan uncomfortable.
"Hi, I have been waiting to meet you Miss Wills. I'm Evan, Edvin's baby brother. You must be Jessica right", Jessica rolled her eyes and turned to see the guy who was talking to her. Her eyes landed on a guy in his first 20s. His long face, the pointed nose, the sharp clean shaved jawlines, the round big eye's balls. They seemed like they would drop out of the socket any time. He furrowed his brows a bit to make them seem small. Jessy found the eyes sexy and alluring as they were glittering with joy and the smile on his face made her jaw drop. The black suit he was in added up to his glorious beauty. It was beyond her expectations. Evan had to clear his throat to bring her back to life as she was totally lost in him.
"I'm caught starring, aren't I?" Evan nodded his head. "Yeah I'm Jessica but I prefer Jessy. It's nice to meet you Evan Craig", she straighted her right hand for a shake. They shook hands and in return Evan rose the hand and kissed it, "wow", is the only thing Jessy said.
"I am a gentleman I know how to treat a lady, I'm not like my brother. And to add to that I got the looks from daddy and the charm from mamma", Jessy chuckled to his words.
"You're funny. So....Evan or should i call you Mr..."
"No no no. No need for formalities. You will soon be Mrs Evan Craig", this time said with a serious tone. Jessy too saw it, even his eyes meant what he said. He was mischievous earlier but now he was totally serious. Jessy tried to form words but her effort ended in vain. She decided to laugh at his words. She was shocked and surprised too on how he was confident.
"In fact my mom likes you a lot. The day she mentioned you to dad and I she made me curious. I did a research, kept tabs on you and finally I found out you have a boyfriend. I don't want to give up till the day I see you marrying someone else, maybe that's when I will", Evan said with a smirk on his face.
"You stalk too? What a stalker. I should tell my sister that my life is in danger. What do you say Evan", Jessy stated mockingly. They both laughed at her teasing words.
"There.....I wanted to see that, your smile. I'm not a stalker I am a man who is totally, unconditionally and limitlessly in love with you Miss Wills", Jessy chuckled and a drop of tear fell from her eye.
"This is overwhelming. Oh damn, really can't explain how special I fell right now. Thanks Evan, for making me feel special and loved... Really I mean it".
"Jessy Darling your boyfriend has been calling and texting. Try to call Jim back. Here is your phone", Lucy approached them and handed Jessy the phone.
"Lucy honey; there are pairs of eyes starring, waiting and demanding for answers. I bet you have a lot to explain tonight", Jessy stated with concern. She was worried for her sister. She has never seen her bothered as she was today.
"Yeah I have. Carry on guys I will be around".
As Lucy walked away she met Houston's eyes and decided to ignore them. Walking toward Maria and other of her fellow employees stood she felt eyes still starring at her. Houston's eyes were filled with pain, anger and a certain madness he couldn't explain. The glass he was holding felt like a paper, he held it tight and more tighter that it formed cracks. Then a sound of a glass breaking was heard, everyone turned. Glass shards on the floor on Houston legs and near where he stood scattered.
Lucy stared at his hands, one dressed on breeding. She knew why he did it but she did it not to let any of them feel uncared or chooses over someone. She almost took a step to heard to Houston but then Eleanor showed up, worried as hell not knowing the reason behind his fiancée's reactions.
Hi people I don't talk too much because I lack words to say. I hope you all love this page. And the good news is my book ranked 556 in #sacrifice out of 1k books. I'm happy because its my first book and to me this means a lot. I'm happy, thanks to you all for reading.
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