WEIGHTED 57

EPILOGUE

5 YEARS LATER…

TYRONE ROBERT

‘Mama, Ethan come?’ Callon asked, grabbing his mother’s Grey Dress, tugging at it slightly to get her attention while his beautiful orbs stared hopefully into hers.

‘Yes, baby, Ethan will be coming anytime now.’ She replied, playing with his soft hair slightly before pulling him on her lap.

Ethan, Eden and Jacob were coming to spend the summer vacation with us before going back to Cape Town to finish their studies. Ethan will be finishing next year while the other boys are going to graduate the year after.

He made sure to teach them so they all stay on the same level until the end, he said that he didn’t want to leave them behind, and they weren’t about to let them leave without them.

‘Call miss Ethan.’ He said pouting while snuggling to his mother’s chest, he still has a problem with pronouncing his name, so he calls himself ‘Call.’ Elize chuckled at his dramatic antics. ‘But you just saw him few days ago, honey.’ She said kissing his dark hair.

It was true, we went to on vacation few days ago to Cape Town and brought the kids with us since they were complaining how they missed their brothers. However my little boy seems to take after his elder brother when it comes to being prone to attracting attention, he was complaining that he didn’t have enough time with them because they were too preoccupied with the others.

‘But he not pay attention me, right Papa?’ He complained looking at me this time, we were sitting on the balcony I looked at Elize for help because I knew exactly where this was going. He would find an excuse to be sad with my answer no matter how I answered, it was his way of guilt - tripping me to help me out of his punishments in the future. He is a master of manipulation, but I was not going to Fall into that trap again.

Elize laughed, knowing exactly what was going on in my mind, then she circled her arms around his tiny body, bringing him closer to her. ‘Don’t worry, my little charmer, you’ll see him soon.’ She assured, caressing his back slowly, soothingly.

‘Momma! Dia say I not play with them.’ I sighed, here comes another troublemaker.

‘And what exactly did you do to get that treatment?’ Elize asked, looking tenderly with a hint of amusement she tried to conceal with the stern look she was supporting.

Cy was obsessed with pranking his sisters which always leads to him being kicked out of their bedroom.

After Elize’s revenge was completed we moved into a bigger house, with much vaster lands where we built The Second House closer to ours.

The only difference is that we made it into a multiple floored building instead of one to make sure that the young adults can enjoy there privacy away from the kids prying eyes. Same goes with our house, we built a five story house where it was divided into floors, the fifth was Elize and my floor, the fourth was for the girls, the third for the boys, the second is for games and whatever is related to fun from theatre to gyms, pools and all that stuff. While the first floor was for the guests, especially when our families come for a vacation, I’m holding a meeting or when the kids’ friends are coming over for some play time.

Elize was a bit more comfortable of letting non - family members into the house, even though it was only a bunch of people she did a thoroughly background check on, it was still a progress I’m not going to deny.

Cy looked at his mother with his infamous I - did - a - mistake - but - I’m - going - to - wiggle - my - way - out - of - it - with - my - cute - pout - look. Elize chuckled at him. ‘I’m not going to interfere in that, son. You did a mistake, they are allowed to punish you the way they dream fit.’ She told him.

It was a rule in our house that whomever wronged anyone that someone who was wronged is allowed to punish them however they like.

He was about to object when a all too familiar voice sounded from our balcony.

‘Mom, Dad!’ Three voices said at the same time, and we were tackled in a hug.

The boys kissed our cheeks and Elize’s forehead when we broke the hug. ‘My musketeers, how have you been? How was your flight? Why are you late? You were supposed to be here an hour ago. Was there any problems?’ Elize bombarded them with questions with a concerned look.

‘We’re okay, mom. Our flight landed a bit late, but we had problems arriving here on time because of the heavy rain on the way here.’ Ethan explained, putting her mind at ease before picking the squealing little charmer that was practically begging for his attention.

‘How’re my little champions?’ Ethan tickled him and Cy.

In no time the others came too and tackled them in hugs before sitting down on the couches. ‘Where are our uncles?’ Asked Jacob.

‘Oh, they’ll be here soon. They were out to do some business related stuff, but they said they’ll be here in no time.’ Elize replied.

Elize and Jason talked a week after that night, and solved all their differences. They restored their relationship as siblings, and we’re all living happily together. There are houses for Brandon and Jason on our premises, not far form our houses.

‘Jacob, Eden!’ Squealed a little voice before running to their sides and hugging them tightly before pampering their faces with kisses.

‘RULINE SAMPSON!’ Boomed Ethan, angrily.

Ruline immediately tensed before prying herself from them, and looked at him intimidating.

I saw how he ushered for her to come to his side with his eyes which she did without a second thought, She sat on the two seater couch that was occupied by him. ‘What did I tell you about hugging men?’ He whispered in her ear, but Elize and I heard him because he was close. She mumbled a low ‘sorry’. He looked away, and started engaging in a conversation with his siblings.

Ethan was always so possessive of the little Ruline from their first encounter, and it only increased with the years they spent unseparated.

Elize and I didn’t have anything against their relationship, we were rather glad that he chose her of all people. Not that they were of age to be involved in any kind of relationships neither were they official yet. However, he made sure to let others know she was his, and she either didn’t object or simply didn’t understand the hints yet.

I’m looking forward to see how their story will go in the near future.

‘Mama, I’m scared.’ Came the sleepy voice of Camellia.

‘Come here honey.’ Elize beckoned her to her. ‘What’s wrong? Another bad dream?’ Elize asked when the little girl was nestled close with her head on her chest. Camellia nodded with tears in her eyes.

Elize never erased her memories, she was just telling that to Mason to torment him further. She was going to take the girl in without even him asking because she was an innocent victim of abuse for years. It’s not her fault that her parents were greedy bastards.

However after a year of her stay with constant nightmares of her mother beating her and locking her in a room full of ‘beasts’ as she calls darkness. She fainted one day, and when she woke, she had no memory of the past four years of her life.

The doctors said that due to the heavy trauma those memories inflicted on her in the shape of nightmares her brain chose to protect her by erasing every memory she had of her existence before she met the Roberts’. That’s why she remembered only them, no one else, not even her ever loving Father.

It was like the heavens were on Elize’s side that the little girl forgot on her own accord.

Only recently those nightmares ignited again, and since then she hates darkness because she thinks that beasts were going to come out of the darkness and take her away. “The Devil is in the Details.”

There was an electricity blackout few months ago, and she kept on screaming in the time the workers were fixing it and seeing why the backing system didn’t work, until she fainted. The doctors said that the darkness triggered her fear of the 'unknown'and the nightmares once again tormented her.

Elize then put star lights in every corner of her room, and made sure that even if the electricity goes off again that her room stays lit at all time, even in the daylight. We tried candles at one point, but the poor darling's hair caught ablaze. However, and even though they’re not as frequent as before, she still has those nightmares from time to time.

‘You’re okay. Camy?’ Asked Ethan, with a worried expression, stroking her hair soothingly while Elize lulled her to sleep.

Elton was the only one that could truly comfort her after Elize, she would always seek for him when she is having troubles of breathing because of those nightmares.

‘Uhum,’ She mumbled before sleep took over her. Elton sat there on the edge of the couch still looking at her tenderly.

I regarded him with a smile.

My kids sure have it bad for those little angels.

ooooOOOOoooo

THE END