Chapter 12: ❁please, don't go.

❁please, don't go.

Half-way through the night, when John had finally managed to fall asleep, a small, scared voice woke him up. There was something warm and soft on his chest. It was Metilda's head.

"Mommy?" Louis sniffled. He was standing at near the door's frame with a stuffed bunny in his right hand while the other gripped the door's edge. "Mommy, where are you?"

John got up carefully, not to wake up Metilda. It seemed like she had a peaceful sleep after ages, judging by the small smile on her lips.

"Daddy is here, Louis." John got up the bed. He picked up Louis in his arms who was shivering terribly. "What's the matter? Bad dream?"

Louis buried his head into the stuffed bunny. It had two black buttons for eyes. When Louis was two and half years old, he had chewed off the toy's eyes. Metilda tried getting rid of the bunny but he cried and cried for days without it. Defeated, she had stitched the buttons from John's old coat onto the bunny.

"Louis, what's wrong? Why are you crying?"

John asked as panic settled in. Louis wasn't one of those kids that cried easily. It took a-lot to make him cry.

"Are you pain? Is it hurting somewhere?"

Wide eyes of green looked at him. "It hurts a-lot, daddy"

John carried Louis to the kitchen and turned on the lights. He placed Louis on the kitchen counters who was now hugging the bunny tightly to his chest. As far as John remembered, Metilda kept children's Tylenol in the glass cabinet.

"Where does it hurt, Louis?"

John felt his head for a fever but it was normal.

Louis pointed to his chest. "In here, daddy. I feel sad."

John stopped rummaging through the cabinets and turned to his son. "Why do you feel sad?" He wasn't good at this sort of things. Metilda, as stereotypical this may be, was always the better one with kids.

"You and mommy were fighting in angry voices. Then daddy, a big evil monster came and took my mommy away. Louis fought with the monsters and told them not to take his mommy away but they still did. I called for you, daddy. I told you to save mommy but daddy, you gone away."

"Nothing like that will happen, Louis. I won't let any evil monster take your mommy away."

"Angel's promise?" John wondered when Louis had caught onto Metilda's habit. Metilda believed in angels, demons, and those sort of mythical beings. She believed that no matter what, even in the direst of circumstances- God sends an angel. May it be in a form of a human or a simple signal, idea, or thought.

An angel's promise, according to what Metilda had told him, is a promise whose safety relies on angels. Human beings aren't capable of keeping promises, an angel's promise is when something or the other will happen to guide you back to your promise.

John had made one such promise to Metilda. On the evening of their wedding, when they sat by the cackling fireplace.

"You're my only one, Mel." John whispered and kissed her forehead. "For forever and always"

"Forever and always." She held out her hand for him to take. "Angel's promise. So I'll know no-matter what happens, we'll always find a way back to each other."

"Why are you so adamant on those promises? Don't you believe me?"

"I do, John, I do but who has seen the future?"

He sighed and looked above. "Whatever angel is watching us right now, please help us keep this promise."

Metilda smiled. "That wasn't so bad, was it?"

John smiled back. "Actually, it is kinda comforting."

"I told you."

"I promise." John gripped Louis's hand. He wanted to know if Metilda still believed in these promises after all that had happened.

Louis let go of the bunny and hugged his father. John held him close. This divorce was going to break his child apart.

Was it really worth it?

The answer was a clear cut no.

❁❁❁

Metilda woke up with Louis nestled in her stomach and a long arm draped around her. It was John's arm. What in the world was she doing in his room, on his bed?

She shifted slightly, the digital clock read the time to be a quarter past eleven. Blinking a couple times, she tried remembering what day it was today.

Wednesday- Louis school was off until Thursday but John, why is he still here? Doesn't he have to go to work? John isn't the type to take a day off. Why now? The last time he took a day off was two years ago when I had a fever.

A blush crept to Metilda cheeks as she remembered the day. Her insides felt warm and fuzzy.

It was really sweet of him. What a darling he used to be.

Another part of her mind argued. He still is a sweetheart. He made dinner the day before yesterday.

Metilda hesitated for a second before resting her fingers on John's forehead. Touching him, felt like fire. A fire was burning deep inside her pit. She looked at her hands to make sure they hadn't been burned black.

She brought her hand to his face and traced his jaw.

At the same moment, John's eyes flew open. "Metilda?"  He croaked. Her stomach flipped over. He had that gorgeous morning voice.

Instantly, she pulled away. "John, aren't you late for work?" She hid her face in the waves of brown velvet hair.

"Oh," He slowly positioned himself to a sitting position. Louis was sleeping soundly between the two. "What time is it?"

"Eleven eighteen."

He breathed out a deep sigh. "I'll work from home. I don't think Chief will mind."

Metilda watched him for a moment. What are you up to, John?

❁❁❁

Louis helped his father plant sunflower seedlings on the empty patch of soil near the porch. John's brow was thick with sweat. The sky was clear and the evening sun was hot and humid. Spring was in full blow.

Birds were chirping sweetly, the crickets creaked, and the honey bees buzzed through the air.

Metilda stepped out, wearing a flannel shirt and blue jean overalls. In the bright sunlight, she looked paler than usual. Her hands trembled as she carried two bottled filled with mustard colored liquid.

"I brought lemonade." She handed one bottle to Louis, whose hands were icky with mud and another bottle to John who had been shoveling the soil to create proper patches for the flowers.

"Thanks." John spoke as he set the shovel aside. "You alright?"

Metilda nodded her head. "Yah, just some allergies."

"You don't have pollen allergies."

"No, I developed mild sensitivity to them after Louis. The doctor says it's nothing to worry about."

"You take care. Okay?"

"I will," Metilda leaned against the wooden railing of the patio. "You guys need any help?"

Louis looked up, grinning as a Cheshire cat. "Mommy, look what I found?"

There was a fat, long earthworm wiggling in his fingers.

"Louis put it back. You're hurting the poor thing."

Leave it to Metilda, John internally smiled, to be concerned for a worm.

Louis tossed the worm back into the soil.

All was silent for a sometime while John and Louis finished their drinks. The wind blew Metilda's hair haphazardly. Her skin glowed slightly, her eyes shined with a joy that had long been missing.

And John swore under his breath that there had never been a more beautiful sight.

Louis walked up to his mommy and handed the empty bottle. "Thank you, mommy. It was yummy."

Metilda leaned down and kissed his cheek. "You're most welcome,"

John handed the bottle to Metilda. He was about to kiss her cheek. There was a mischievous glint in her eyes and she turned head. Their lips met half-way.

She instantly pulled away.

"What did you do that for?" John asked her, breathless by just a brush of her lips against his.

She smiled, shyly. "I wanted to."

He stared into her eyes, which were so deep and entrancing. The distance between them seemed to vanishing. The eyes of honey were pulling him in, into a never-ending whirlwind of passion and love.

He was about kiss her again when a loud slam of a car's door interrupted them.  Jannet got out of her 2001 Honda Civic, fiery expression on her face.

Metilda looked in between John and Jannet, panic settling itself in her chest.

"Louis," She quickly grabbed her son's arm. "Let's go in and wash your hands. They've gotten so dirty."

"Mommy but Louis didn't finish putting baby plant in the hole,"

"It's okay. Daddy will take care of it."

She picked Louis in her arms and rushed inside.

Metilda turned on the tap in the kitchen and placed Louis hand's under the running water. From the kitchen window, she could see John and Jannet arguing. She speed walked to the window and closed the blinds, shutting out the evening sun.

Before she had closed the blinds, she had seen John get into Jannet's car. And all she wanted to do was run and tell him.

"Don't go, please."

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Note: [unedited chapter]

Whoa, long chapter. The day I get one of theses stories in the top tens, I'll be so happy. (but I'd probably be in my grave by then, rotfl)

I really need to write the epilogue for MRIS and finish CE. I haven't updated those in ages. Sigh. I spoil you guys so much. XD