WEIGHTED 16

TYRONE ROBERT

I woke up to someone whimpering from the other side of the bed. I jolted up from the bed when I realised whose voice it was. Elize was thrashing uncontrollably with beads of sweat covering her face mixed with her tears while chanting something repeatedly.

I got close to her trying to hear what she was mumbling. ‘I’m sorry. I’ll leave, just spare him. He’s all I got.’ I could barely understand what she was saying because of how much she was stuttering. She was panting by the time she finished her pleads, I even noticed she started having trouble with her breathing.

I gathered her in my arms, yet she was still chanting how sorry she was to whoever was visiting her dreams. Even though I have an idea who that person might be, he’s the only one that still occupies her memories, be it in the form of dreams, nightmares, or even simple actions made by other people that reminds her of him.

I never knew how he passed, but I have a hunch it was related to those people who betrayed her. She told me once that his place in her heart can never be replaced, not even by our children, and that she’ll be forever grateful for him for all he has done to her. I can’t even express my insecurity and jealousy about him to her because one, it’ll be extremely and immaturely embarrassing that I have such feelings for a dead person.

As for the second reason it is because of how much regret and sorrow. I know she holds in her heart over his death. Her nightmares about him are easily triggered and whenever they are they stay for quite sometime. The last one was triggered when I was hit by that truck, and they stayed for almost a year. Those nightmares were about one thing. Him, and I would wake up to her pleas of forgiveness or mercy. Just like now, so it would be gravely wrong if I express a feeling as petty as jealousy to someone who spent more than nine years and still is grieving the only person who was there for her no matter what.

I placed her on my chest putting her head on my heart, and securing my hands over her waist. I remember her once telling me that listening to my heart beats is the only thing that helps her sleeping peacefully and it did, since her erratic thrashing stopped immediately when I placed her on top of me.

I started whispering soothing words in her ears until her breathing evened out and surrendered to a peaceful sleep.

I know the reason to her sudden nightmares was because of that whore who threw her new born girl on the streets. At the mercy of hungry wolves. Elize saved the Pure Soul from a very bad situation, she was about to be sold to human trafficking, according to Elize.

That money - hungry, selfish bitch didn’t even blink before handing her own flesh and blood to some soulless people. People just like her, ones who put money above all.

Elize seemed vengeful when she saw how frightened the little girl was, how she clung to her crying her cute little eyes out. Just like her siblings were, she too clung to Elize refusing to let go of her until she slept. Her tiny hands never left Elize’s shirt, they only loosened when Elize lulled her to sleep after feeding her.

The little bundle of joy even though very young, she seemed to know who her enemies were, and who her friends are.

When Elize brought her to us she was so dirty, and badly bruised that her features were barely seen. Those monsters bruised her badly, and her tiny body was about to give up that if Elize was an hour late she would’ve been dead.

The kids welcomed her with open arms, happy that they have another little princess to spoil. Arcadia however was giggling happily while holding her sister’s fingers playing with them in her own tiny ones.

As soon as we adopted her, Elize hunted down those "pieces of shits", and I sued the fucking orphanage she was in to the ground. I took all the kids that were there and put them in the second house which was good because they were being treated as badly as our little girl, if not worst. Same went with the kids those monsters had, we even tracked the ones that were sold from around the country, and brought them back.

I hired the best lawyers from all over the world to make sure everyone that was involved in this were punished accordingly. Elize made sure to let them know that none of them is to escape if they value their lives, she also made sure that the judges responsible for their trial show no mercy at all.

They all know better than to defy her. I was baffled how widely known and feared the “Adams” were, as soon as the first letter of their name is pronounced everybody would bow down, some in fear, some in respect and some in both.

Devan made sure to help his little sister with whatever she needed, he even sent some of his men to assist her in whatever she wanted.

Right there and then I knew that the monster created by her once closest people shall never rest until its vengeance is fulfilled. Until each and everyone of them is punished accordingly.

Elize made sure that if by chance anyone of those criminals were to ever get sentenced to something Less than a lifetime, they’d still be punished accordingly.

She would give those children justice no matter what it cost her.

According to Elize each and every crime is forgivable but breaking families and abusing children. Children are the Purest forms of existence, they deserve nothing less than love and care. If a person can’t provide such a simple thing to them they should never covet such grace. Those were her exact words.

That’s why she allowed the ‘Sisters’ from the second house free access to our house, ever since we got married and Ethan was almost poisoned by one of the maids for being too noisy she never let anybody inside the house. The workers that worked for us came from her hometown by her request. They were the ones who served her parents before they died. So she might not be close to them but she trusted them.

That period of time was a very intense one. Ethan spent years sleeping with us in our bedroom. She spent a year or so cooking for us, and in that time the kitchen was restricted area until she finishes. After awhile I told her to let one of the maids to do the meals because it was too much for her to do all this alone. Ethan was a very hyper child, she spent the day chasing him around the house, and then she had to cook. All that took a toll on her, and she almost got sick.

After a lot of convincing she accepted, but was very nervous whenever the meals time came. She would always make one of the servants taste it first before letting him have it.

When Ethan got older and much calmer than before, she resumed cooking meals. She said it gave her the peace of mind knowing we were eating her food, so I agreed to her decision as always.

That maid however never showed up after that, nor have I heard anything about her. I found it weird how she got away so quickly and without a trace, and how Elize never showed any trace of annoyance or restlessness that she disappeared like that. However when I think of it now from a new perspective, all of my questions seem to be answered.

Elize’s light movement brought me out of my reverie. I hold her close to me, nuzzling her neck before surrendering to sleep.

Tomorrow shall be a long day, one that should be faced with a well - rested mind.

"COUP OR CONTRECOUP INJURY?"

Happiness does not come from doing easy work but from the afterglow of satisfaction that comes after the achievement of a difficult task that demanded our best.😏