To Love and Avenge

Chapter 17 Her Fiancee

Next afternoon at Alforques residence…

Everyone is in chaos, they are busy with their phones except for the old Alforque. Either they make calls or either way.

As soon as Dauis arrived, the old Alforque came running immediately to meet him, whose face was so eager, hoping for a piece of good news from his dear daughter.

“How was it, son? Have you found her?” he eagerly asks. Since young, as he and his brother were already close family friends with the Alforques, both were also called 'sons' by Alistair.

And since they have constant communication with them, it isn’t hard for them to call him and ask for help.

“I’m sorry, I have used all my resources but she seems to hide well. I’m looking forward to hearing news in an hour. I guarantee you that, uncle, and let's hope that she is safe wherever she is now.”

"I hope so too. she had never done like this before,'' he said as he heavily sigh.

“Dad, I guess, we better stop this. There is nothing we can do at the moment." we all turn to daven as he spoke. he looks anxious but he remained calm. "We knew how stubborn she is. The more she learns about the search, the more she hides. she always has her way to overcome all this.” he continued.

“Do you hear yourself Daven? She is your sister but you don't seem to be worried, at any cost, whatever will happen to her, I will be at fault," he responded with a scowl.

"Dad, I'm worried, yes, we all are, okay? we are tired and anxious. What I am trying to say is that we cannot forcibly find her unless she will let us. She is a very capable dad, she was no longer the Ale we have known for about two decades now. She's as strong and independent as mom. I'm sure as hell that she is fine." Daven explains to his dad with all the sadness in his voice. I understand that he only wanted to comfort the old Aforque, but he believed otherwise.

"And what do you suggest?” he frustratedly asks. His frustration was already written all over his face. With the mixed emotions of anger and worries that his daughter intentionally hides from them, secondly; she left with an unsettled matter, she was even mad. This makes the old man more worried than anyone around. His daughter never leaves even once before, even how many quarrels and misunderstandings they’ve got. But now, she just ran away and hide. He's afraid that this will trigger her, that she will be back with her previous self after losing her mother.

“Just let her be, let's give her time to think. A space. She needs it. And she will surely return back home when she clears up her mind. After all, we knew Ale more than anyone else here. She’s stubborn and tough and everything we call her, but one thing is for sure, she always never lets anything go unsettled. she will never let anyone down. We should know better.” he spoke so tenderly while he hold his father's shoulder and look directly into his eyes. This is the only way he can think to calm his worried dad.

“I hope so son, this is kind of tough for her, we should be at her side to support her at this time, but I was so insensitive towards her yesterday. I should have at least considered things for her.” the old man retreated. He sighs slowly releasing the air he’s been unconsciously holding before he sits down on the sofa near him. With tearful eyes, he covers both of his palms to his face. he ran his finger to his hair in frustration.

“She will understand dad, I know she will. she always will.” he tapped his dad's shoulder consoling him, before kneeling in front of him to reach and hug him.

It's the sweetest thing you can see to a man comforting his own father even if he too is so lost. Watching him now was like watching a different person. This is very far from his personality.

While Dauis listens to their conversations, he was also busy thinking about where and how to start telling them the things that had happened between the two of them, until Allen and Shiela came in.

“Hey bro, how long have you been here?” Allen greeted fists bumping with him.

“I’ve just arrived,” he answers shortly and comes to Shiela and gives her a light hug, she also reciprocated the gesture with a light pat on his back. The old man watches them greet each other, he felt disheartened at the sight as his daughter is the only one missing from the group. These youngsters have been constantly around the house since when they were all little, even until after his wife’s death, and even witnessed Ale's sudden change of behavior. But Ale and Dauis never got a chance to be friends. They are always quarrelsome, they cannot be put in one place without a fight.

Yes, they always do.

Now, all of them are here except for Ale.

His thought was distracted at the moment the telephone started to ring. Everyone immediately turned in the direction in rush and gathered themselves around, curious about what will be the call is all about. Everyone hopes that it would be good news this time.

The old man immediately held the receiver to his ear to answer but was stopped as a soft voice came to speak from the other line. He felt excited as he heard her, his face immediately lit, only then that the others have already guessed that it was indeed Ale.

Dauis then silently open his tracking device to track Ale’s location.

“Dad, sorry, that I came up to this and ended at this point. I hope you understand,” she said in a barely audible voice.

“It’s okay sweetie, just come home and let’s settle this, okay?” he pleaded. still sad even though she already called to inform them that she is fine.

“I can’t for now. But I sure will soon, Don’t worry about me. I just need some time to recuperate-"

Dauis, on the other hand, came to the man, signaling him to hand the telephone to him, the old Alforque despite his confusion gave in anyway. Dauis then speak to her with urgency.

“Ale, come home, let’s talk this over—” Toot–toot–toot.

“Wait… hello? Ale? Hello?” but there was no answer at all, only the constant beeping sound of a hung-up phone.

“s**t!” was all he can say as he slowly put down the telephone, pissed by this woman's stubbornness. Everyone around was stunned at his sudden outburst. Eyeing and waiting for him to tell what was going on between the two of them.

“Are we missing something?” the old man asks curiously with a sour face. hinting that something is going on between the two. Dauis turned around to face the old man and said;

“I think I will discuss this when Ale is already here”

“Why not tell us now instead?” he pondered.

“Just a head start, Ale and I have some understanding.”

“And?”

“That’s it. It’s up to her to tell you. For now, I will just go and find her. If you'll excuse me, uncle.”

The old Alforque is starting to get mad. How did this happen? A lot of questions loathed in his head but what he is more concerned with– is the ‘Understanding’ thing between the two. How come they didn’t know?

“You are not going anywhere until you tell in my face everything, and I mean it!” he demanded awfully with a loud voice making everyone turn to him wide-eyed. No one dares interrupt him nor tried to calm him down as they already knew the old man’s temper. And he is just starting.

“Please uncle, understand us this time. I need Ale here to tell everything”

“You will tell me now or you are going to suffer the consequences? you know me very well Dauis, you know me. be it whoever you are. ” At his word, it was a silent threat.

“Okay, I-a, Ale and I have been intimate relationship." he stammered, the next thing he realizes is that the old man's fists flew to his face sending him to the floor. Blood then ooze from his lips. Daven held his arms and help him up.

"I'm sorry that we kept this," he said, he never minds wiping the blood in there. let alone freely flow. what is his concern is how will he make it more believable? he has to convince him.

"And she can’t marry any other man other than me because I think that I have impregnated her. I never get the chance to have her check as this has already happened.” he continued to lie. Wow! What a great actor he can be. He is too good to be true.

But thinking about his own word, sure enough, after whatever her father will do to him, he still needs to be more ready because if she learns about this, it would be a disaster.

Her wrath is more dangerous than that of her father.

The old man steadied himself, ready to blow another jab but Allen immediately stopped him. Holding him in his arms.

"Dad, please, what is important is, she's okay. okay?

The old man’s feature upon hearing him softens a little and he slowly walks to sit down to calm himself.

“How come that you both have been intimate but you never told me? She didn’t even get to mention your name,” he asks in anger and full of doubt.

"why would you keep this from us? And just last day, just last day, someone dropped her here. I thought... I thought--"

“She asked for it. She asked me to keep it for the time being. Until she is ready enough”

“Ready for what?”

“That I don't know…I asked her, but she refused to answer. I always respected her decisions. ” Dauis answered with a saddened face, to show them that the idea of keeping him in the closet as her lover was likely something he didn't want.

He is on the verge of applauding himself for an award-winning act like he always does when suddenly, Old Alistair speaks.

“I’m not getting this,” he said as he shake his head in disbelief.

“Dad, Ale is a grown-up woman. She can handle herself and I’m sure she has a reason for all of this..” Allen speaks, calming his furious father. because he knows based on his tone that anytime soon will be not good.

“Does this mean that you are her fiance that she had just told us about?” Alistair turns to him with a questioning look.

“Yes, I was her kept fiancee,” he answered looking directly into the man’s eyes showing him his sincerity.