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Aug. 2nd. (continued) I head straight for John, and whisper in ear, "Have all this shit delivered to my work place at the Marriot...", as I hand him my credit card. "You OK?", he whispers back at me. "I think its that damn slipped disc again... I need some time there to rest, if you don't mind.", I tell him. "I'll take care of everything. But remember- you owe us for this.", John says as he hands back my credit card. Cathy and Rachel stand behind us, listening in but not being able to understand what we're saying. "Don't remind me.", I tell him. "Anything else?", he asks. "No.", I answer. "Have the car take you there.", John insists, as he nods to his remaining team members. "Can I refuse?", I ask. "Since you're in this deep, I have to say No.", John says. "OK, lets go girls...", I tell them as I slowly turn to them. We leave the office, Rachel and Cathy reach for the bags, but I tell them to leave it behind. They were about to start arguing, but I snap at them, telling them that they would be delivered, and apologize to them afterwards. They leave the bags behind and continue to follow me, with the agents behind us in tow. Get we to the first floor and I stop to look around, unsure where to go. The two agents behind us step in front of me, looking at me through their dark glasses and nod. They continue off on their way and we follow them. "Where are we going?", Cathy asks. "Shut up and follow.", I tell her, holding back the pain as much as possible. We get outside, where the two agents are talking with other agents near two black cars. One of the other agents opens the rear door for us to get in. I close my eyes to concentrate the pain away, at least for a moment, as I point to the door. Cathy and Rachel crawl inside. I manage to get inside without making the pain worse. Several seconds later, two agents enter the front of the car and close the door, driving away from the store. The inside was spacious, though not a true limousine, but enough to classify it as a coach. Rachel steps out and squeezes herself on my lap, trying to separate Cathy from me. "Now is not the time for us to be fighting now.", I tell them both. Rachel leans against me. Somehow her added weight seems to alleviate the pain, just a tiny bit. We drive past the Marriot and into an underground garage on the other side of the block. Going through the underground maze, we stop by a set of elevators. A hotel manager stands by waiting. The door is opened for us and the girls step out first. I follow slowly. "Glad to see you again, Mr. Gutierrez.", the hotel manager begins, "The room is ready. Is there anything else you need, sir?" "Just send up a lunch menu for me and the ladies in about 30 minutes.", I ask as I take the keys from her, "Thank you, for complying on such short notice." "No problem sir, for you, anything.", the hotel manager says. She presses the elevator button and the door open. I walk in, Cathy and Rachel is unsure what to make of this, but I signal them to come in. They eventually comply. The elevator ride was slow and long, up 32 floors. It opens on the 33rd floor. The hallway was empty, as we walked through it to my work room: 3303. I put the key into the lock and open the door, stepping in, to turn on the lights. The girls step in and awe at the room: a two level duplex with a hot-tub Jacuzzi at one end, a balcony on the other, a kitchenette and dinning area near by a spacious living room with a large screen TV with the latest video game consoles. The stairs that lead up to the second floor is where the master and guest bed rooms are. I start heading to the stairs. The girls stand there, trying to soak it all in at one shot. I have already entered my master bed room, where I have managed to strip down to my socks, underwear and t-shirt, but finding my bathing suit on. Carefully, I crawl onto the king-size bed and lay flat on my back in pain. I close my eyes and wish for the pain to simply go away. I can start hearing them calling out for me, but remain silent. Cathy finds the master bedroom first, and slowly walks to the bed, finding me laying there with the pillow over my head. "You OK?", Cathy asks. "What you think?", I ask her. "But what is all this about?", she asks, as she gently gets on the bed. "Its my work office, when I have to work for my boss there, and not need to leave the city, but need to disappear for a while- this is where I disappear too.", I explain. "This is an office?", she asks. "Its where I live out the Spy Game, and like now, for emergencies, I place I can hide for a while.", I tell her. She kneels up on the bed, and slowly take the pillow off my face. "What's wrong?", Cathy asks. "Just a little recurring something from my gymnastics accident...", I explain. "When you picked Rachel up- isn't it.", she says. "No, it was when I was fighting the bastard, but I did not felt it until after I picked up Rachel- all the adrenaline wore off by then.", I explain to her. Rachel steps into the room and see us both on the bed. "But Rachel...", Cathy started to say. "Rachel nothing.", I almost yelled at her. "Why are you yelling at me then?", Cathy snaps back. "Look, I'm in a lot of pain, and can't hardly feel my legs right about now.", I explain loudly to her, "So before Rachel falls and drowns in the Jacuzzi, bring her here." "I'm here, Gutichie...", Rachel says as she walks into the room, approaching the bed from the other side. "Come here, Raych.", I tell her. She climbs onto the bed slowly and sits besides me. "How bad is it?", Rachel asks. "Bad enough...", I tell her. "You seen him like this before?", Cathy asks her. "Many times...", Rachel answers, but I interrupt her from giving out details. "You seen me like this before, Cathy. So lets just relax for a bit and I'll get better in no time.", I explain to Cathy. "When have I seen you like this?", Cathy asks. "Plenty of times.", I explain to her. "Name one.", she demands. "Anytime I was lying on the floor for some odd-ball reason.", I tell her. She remains quiet for a while. "What is this place?", Rachel asks. I reach over to her and draw her closer to me, having her lay down on my chest. "This place is probably one of the safest place on Earth. Its where I go to do some work for these men that you have seen.", I explain to her. "That undercover spy stuff you used to talk about two years ago?", Rachel asked. "Yes, them. My, you remembered.", I tell her. "Then why is this place is so big... and fancy... and with a tiny pool inside...?", Rachel asks. "I wanted it that way. And they set it up for me.", I tell her. For a moment, I lay there, closing my eyes and concentrating on the pain to go away. Nothing much more happens other than my energy reserves dropping to near zero levels, and sensing that I'm about to collapse from exhaustion. "Cathy, go to the downstairs phone and order some lunch for the both of you. The Fillet Minion is good here, so order that.", I tell her. "What?" Cathy asks. "Oh yeah, they do not serve soda, so only water or juice for Rachel, or else they will serve wine and I don't want the both of you drunk.", I explain to Cathy. "What is Fillet Minion?", Rachel asks. "Its very expensive.", Cathy answers. "Its a type of hamburger.", I explain. "A very expensive hamburger...", Cathy complains. Rachel can only lay there and watch us argue about the fillet minion between us. "And what are you going to have, Gutichie?", Rachel asks. "Nothing for now.", I tell her. "Then I wont eat unless you do.", Rachel says. "Alright then, looks like I have to get up somehow.", I say to myself. "Raych- you know what needs to be done." "I think so...", she saids, slowly getting up as I sit up on the bed. She straddles my lap and wraps her legs tightly around my waist as we grab onto each other's shoulder. Holding on tightly, she slowly leans back with much resistance on my side, but continues on with the pressure of pulling. As much as my body refuses, my back slowly twists, until she is almost laying on my legs, and suddenly- several loud cracking noises come from my lower back and she lets go. I fall back onto the bed. "Rachel, I love you...", I say to myself on the bed, panting for air and almost laughing from the joy of relief of pain, even though its just temporary at best. "You always say that when I do that to you.", Rachel says "What was that?", Cathy says out loud. "What is what?", I ask her? "That noise and that what she did to you just now?", Cathy asks loudly. "Its one of the few ways to realign my spine when it slips, and that cracking sound was my spine fighting a lot of tense muscles- like when you pop your knuckles? Same thing but on a much larger scale.", I explain to her. "But....", Cathy asks before I interrupt her. "Raych- the other side now.", I tell her. Grabbing the other shoulder, the process is repeated again until my spine cracks loudly, and we let go of each other again. "That feels so much better, a thousand times better.", I say to myself as I lay on the bed and stare at the ceiling for a couple of minutes. Cathy crawls over to me and looks at me from above. "Cathy, go order some lunch, please...", I tell her. "OK, but what do you want?", Cathy asks. "Tell them the usual. They know and a fillet minion for Rachel with grape juice. You better have the Filet Minion too. Their chicken is not too great here.", I tell her. She looks at me oddly, as if I have lived here all my life, and though the few short weeks I have stayed here during missions, I try to get to know the menu as best as I could. "Where's the phone?", Cathy asks. "There are several down stairs, just pick one up and ask for room service.", I explain to her. She complies, but reluctantly. As we both hear her walk down the stairs, Rachel repositions herself on top of me. "You feeling better, she saids as she crosses her arms on my chest. "A lot more then you think.", I tell her. "So why you in the bed almost naked? You can Cathy gonna do it or something?", Rachel asks. "No, its something I do, or don't do...", I tried to explain. "Well, I'm listening....", Rachel saids, waiting for an explaination. "Well, I don't go into my bed in my street or work clothes, only in my pajamas...", I tried to explain to her. "And since you sleep naked,....", she started to say. "Lets not get beyond ourselves...", I tell her as I interrupt her. She stares into my eyes, knowing that each color in my irises represent an emotion or other mental condition. "Your back is OK?", she asks. "Much better, thank you.", I tell her. "Your eyes....", she started to say. "What about them?", I asked. "They're yellow and purple.", she tells me. "You know what each color means.", I tell her back. "Yellow means that you're happy or excited, and purple means you're very sick or in a lot of pain.", she saids. "Yes... that true about the colours.", I tell her. "But at the same time?", she asks. "It happens.", I explained. "But How?", she asks. "Lets put it this way...", I start to explain, "1) Since that little incident that the pool when I pulled that girl out, my spine's been slipping a tiny bit every time I push the limits of my normal strength..." "Yeah...", she saids, looking into my eyes to see if I'm telling the truth. "Well, the girl, the asshole that ended up getting killed, the fight with the security guards, it just added up and yet I felt it coming but ignored it...", I continued explaining. "And then when you picked me up, it happened?", she asked. "Sort of, not quite?", I tell her. She looks at me inquisitively, trying to figure that answer out. "The nerve was already pinched by my spine being slipped, the pain was there- but I was under 1/2 Red-Eyes mode, and was able to ignore the pain for a long time...", I tried to explain. "And when you picked me up, Red Eyes wore off...?", she asked. "Yeah, and that's where the pain started to hurt really bad.", I tell her. "Maybe I should get off you then?", Rachel asks. "No, you can stay if you like...", I started to say, "besides its any sideways movement against my spine that causes it." "Sideways?", she asks. "You know, bending to the side, or getting bumped on the hip really hard causes it.", I explain. "But what about me being on top?", she asks. "That's no problem. Up and down or back and front movements does not cause it, only sideways...", I explained to her, trailing off, "probably because when I hit that wall in my gymnastics accident, I hit it sideways..." She looks into my eyes, nodding her head negatively. "What's wrong?", I ask her. "Just thinking if there was a way to make you feel better and never to have you hurt again, I would do it.", she saids. "Anything? Watch what you ask for, you may not like it...", I warn her. "For you, I would do anything.", she repeats herself. "I'm serious... you may not like it.", I warn her again. "How bad could it be?", she asks. "Bad enough, so lets leave it alone...", I tell her. I can hear her mumble 'OK' to herself. Cathy walks into the room, seeing what we look like we're doing but not. "I thought I had nothing to worry about the you two.", Cathy says as she walk in on us and sits at the edge of the bed, looking at us with disapproval. "It aint like I'm naked, I still got all my clothes on...", Rachel tells her, almost about to yell her. I just want to sink deeper into the bed. They both stare at me wondering how to get rid of the other while having me stay behind. Then they switch to each other and stare at each other for an uneasy while. "Perhaps you should get off my boyfriend.", Cathy says "Maybe I don't want too, besides, he's my godfather and protector.", Rachel says. "How about we just calm down and stop eyeing each other as property...?", I protested silently. They look at me for a second, wondering how to respond. "Look, Raych... you're more than my god-daughter in many ways, but you can not be my girlfriend or wife.", I begin to explain to the both of them, "Cathy, Rachel is special to me as is Debbie and Stephanie when they return to camp. But You're also special to me, in a different way." They continue to stare at me and then at each other. Rachel quickly wraps her arms around my head and neck, "He's mine..." Cathy nods her head negatively, "Do I have to worry about this if we have a daughter?" I put my arms between Rachel and I and lift her off me, though she fights hard to hold on, she eventually lets go. "Rachel! This Is Unnecessary!", I try to keep from yelling at her. "Hrmmm...", Cathy says to herself. "And you too!", I almost barked loudly at Cathy, holding much of it as possible. I continue to lift Rachel up off me and set her down between Cathy and myself, then I make my move to sit up on the bed. I take the pillows and stuff them against the head board and throw myself at them. "Now, if you girls don't mind, lunch will be over in just a few minutes, and we might as well be ready for it.", I tell them, closing my eyes and holding the back of my head with the bed's head board, trying to hold back what little left of my lower back pain is giving out. They both eye each other for a second, before jumping off the bed and heading downstairs. For the moment, I am left alone to my pain, if but for a few seconds. Downstairs, the doorbell rings and a muffled voice on the other side saids, "Room Service." Rachel runs to the door and opens it, while Cathy stands by the staircase's. The waiter rolled in the serving cart into the room to a nearby large table. He starts to place the meal onto the large table in silence. Rachel walks around him and views his actions. Taking one of the personal service trays and uncovers it to show her its contents. A small but thick slab of round meat sits in the middle of the tray, garnished with vegetables around. She never seen filet minion before, so she was hardly impressed. I start my way down the stairs, but getting out of the bed would be a problem. My back hurts to the point where the muscles have tighten up and are not releasing my spine into mobility. But eventually I get out of the bed and step out of the room, taking that short walk to the stairway where I can see Cathy standing at the bottom step observing Rachel. Quietly, I make it down the stairs until I am right behind her, placing my feet by hers and holding her by her waist from behind, I rest my chin on her shoulder. She reaches up behind her to the back of my head and ruffles my hair for a second before putting her hand down on her waist to meet mine. "What ever you do, don't move... please...", I whisper in her ear. She turns her head to face me, "You OK., dear?", she asks. "Not exactly, but if you are going to move, move very slowly.", I tell her softly. She turns around to face me, slowly as I told her to, and takes my hands off her waist and holds them in hers. "Should I call a doctor or something?", she asks. "There is nothing they can do but tell me to rest for several days. But...", I try to explain. "Then what are you doing down here- I could have brought the lunch upstairs to you.", she said. "No, you don't understand.", I tried to tell her, as the waiter looks around for the 'one in charge of the bill', who would me. He raises his hand towards our direction, in a thumb rubbing the inside of the fingers gesture signifying that he wants a tip. I in turn put my index finder to my palm and gesture to him to write it on the bill. He nods his head and bends down to write a notation n the bill before he leaves with an empty serving cart. "What was that about?", Cathy asks. "It was sign language between us.", I explained to her, "He wanted a tip, I told him to put it on three bill. He did and then left." "You better make sure he did not double the price on you.", Cathy said. "I'm not paying for it.", I tell her. "Then who is?", Cathy asks. "Our tax dollars...", I tell her. "Huh?", she saids. "Don't ask.", I answer her. "You two done?", Rachel says as she stands next to us. "Lunch is ready then?", I ask her. "Yeah, but it looks funny.", Rachel answers. "Funny?", as I try to take my first steps, even though it was quite painful. "Fernando, don't move, I'll take care of it.", Cathy said as she takes a step back towards the table. "uhm.. Cathy, you know what filet minion is supposed to look like?", I ask her. "No, but food is food- right?", Cathy answers. "Let me take care of it.", as I start walking towards the serving table. There was an intense pain with every step until I make it to the table and hold to its sides. The girls followed me as I walked, getting really concerned about my condition. Holding onto the table with one hand, I reach to lift the cover off one of the small serving trays and look at its contents underneath. It was nothing more than your basic filet minion smothered in gravy and mushrooms, but I can see where it can throw off Rachel when we told her it would be a very expensive hamburger. "Raych- its OK. Its supposed to look like that.", I tell her, as I take each small serving dish and hand them to the girls. They both take the covers of their serving dishes and look at it: a small round piece of meat, a couple of inches thick but as large in diameter as a big burger at a fast food restaurant. They both stare at theirs and then at me as I take the cover off mine. The smell of cooked flesh and gravy filled the air. Taking a fork to the meat to hold it down, I slice off a piece. It falls flat on the larger side and I skewer it with the fork, drawing it my mouth and chomping down in it. Filet Minion has its own distinct flavor, so unlike the rest of the cow. The larger piece, being medium rare, starts to bleed onto the plate- the way I like it. They start to work on theirs, finding the meat to be soft to the cut, and velvety smooth to the taste, but for them- more fully cooked than would I like to prefer. I start to open the other smaller serving trays which contained the baked potatoes and steamed vegetables. I hand them out to the girls, with Rachel refusing to take her share of vegetables. I just gave her a stern look and she immediately takes them without argument. Eventually, she eats them without complaint. Half way through the meal, Cathy stops, and looks at her hand holding her fork with a piece of meat on it, but studying the ring on her finger. "What's wrong?", I ask her. "Nothing... really.", she answers. "Diamond's not big enough?", I asked, in a 1/2 joking tone. She just returns a stern look at me for a second. "No it's not, its fine..." "Then what's the problem?", I asked again. "You made a promise for me to wait...", she started to explain, before abruptly stopping. "Oh, well... uhm... you can give back the ring...", I tell her. "...Why would I do that?", she said, trying to hold back the 'HELL NO!' "How soon would you want to get married...then?", I asked. "I don't know.", she answered. "I understand.", I answer her. She continues on take a bite from her fork for a moment, eating and then swallowing. "What kind of future can you provide for us?", Cathy finally says the thought that has been floating around her mind since we first met again yesterday. "I don't know...", I started to answer her, "But I would do my best to make you happy even if we remain poor for the rest of our lives." "I see...", she answers, as she goes back to her plate. Rachel takes a bite as Cathy answers, and continues to chew though wanting to answer. She places her fork down beside the plate, giving of a body language that she was not satisfied with Cathy's answer. She finally swallows her mouth-full and places both her fists on the table. "No you don't.", Rachel saids, in a loud tone that was almost yelling. "Rachel...", I started to say softly but sternly. "I don't what?", Cathy turns to Rachel and answers her challenge. "You don't see that Gutch here is willing to do what he can to make you happy- no matter what it is he has to do in order to do it", Rachel explains to her. "I can see plenty from where I am at.", Cathy stated to her in a semi angry tone. "No you don't, because he promised you that he would try his best for you, but he may fail in his trying, but he says that he would do his best for you to make you happy, even though it may make him unhappy.", Rachel tells her. "That's enough, Rachel", I tell her sternly. "No, its not- because you have done your best for me, Debbie and Stephanie, and even though you failed at time, you spared us from being hurt. What does she want from you?", Rachel almost yells out at me. "Rachel...", I continued to call to her sternly. "I want some guarantees...", Cathy, interrupting me. "Guarantees?", I look towards her, asking almost silently. "See... the bitch was up to something all along.", Rachel said almost proudly. "I have a child to support, and look after. A little boy to grow up into a man, and I can't be messing around with risks and gambling with his future. That is why I need guarantees.", Cathy explains, looking down at her plate. I push away from the table and get up, wincing a bit from the pain in my back and slowly straightening out, turning towards the nearby stairs and walking towards them. "If you think you made a mistake, you can finish with lunch before you leave.", I said. I take the stairs slowly, with every other step being painful as if a bolt of lightning striking down my spine. I stop 1/2 way up the stairs, and take a heavy sigh. "You are such a bitch...", Rachel said to Cathy, before jumping out of seat and running up the stairs towards me. She runs up the stairs as I take a couple more to make it past the 3/4 mark. She out stretches her arms and grab me by the waist as she continues to run up the stairs, causing us to fall onto the steps. I reach out for the stair in front, holding onto the banister with my other arm as I fall. "God Fucking Damn it...", I cry out loud from the pain. Laying besides me but still holding onto to my waist, repeatedly saying, "I'm sorry Gutich..." I slowly undo her grasp around me and turn around to sit up on the stairs. She sits with me, leaning against me and wrapping her arms around me again. "Let me go, Raych...", I tell her, almost wanting to yell at her. "No.", she said in protest. "I said- Let Me Go!", I yelled at her. She lets go, and holds back her tears. I get back up and take the last 4 steps to the top of the stairs and into the room. Once through the threshold, almost double over from pain and stagger to the bed. Once I reach it, I throw myself to the bed and lay in a semi fetal position, then switching to laying flat on my back and try to fight the pain. I lay flat, putting my arm over my eyes, forgetting the time as it passes by. The door to the room closes, and a loud clack of the lock can be heard, as well as the foot steps walking to the bed. The bed shifts as somebody sits in it. It was Cathy, though I tried to ignore her presence, she shifted the bed enough for the pain to reintensify itself. "What are you doing here?" I ask her. "I just wanted to see if you were alright.", Cathy stated. "I'm alright, now leave.", I tell her. "Fernando, are you mad at me for saying what I said?", Cathy asks. "You don't want to get married, that's on you. Now leave.", I tell her, reaching for a pillow to cover my eyes with. "But Fernando, are you mad at me?", she asks me as she turns on the bed to get closer to me. "You have your reasons, Damn It!", I almost yell out in pain- but holding back the tone, Cathy misconstrued it for a negative reaction to her. "Well... if you are going to have that attitude with me, I'm going to leave.", she saids as she bounces towards the edge of the bed. "God Damn it- stop moving the bed so much! Cant You See I'm in Pain!!!", I almost yell at her. She stops for a moment, holding her position on the bed and slowly turning to face me again. "I swear Fernando, I don't know how put up with you back in school?", Cathy complains. "Catherine.... this is me at my worst, this is me in a lot more pain than you will ever comprehend...SO STOP MOVING THE FUCKING BED!!! I GOT FUCKING MUSCLE Spasms and pinched nerves- OF COURSE I'M GOING TO GO OF ON YOU AND ANYBODY ELSE THAT CAUSES ME MORE PAIN! BUT OFF COURSE.... I'm not mad at you because you don't want to marry me now or ever. Understand that." as I yell in between moments of calm. "Then... what's the problem?", Cathy asks. "I already told you what the problem was. Its my back, giving me a lot of pain right now...", I explain to her. "Maybe you should see a doctor then.", Cathy explained. "I don't need some stupid quack to tell me what I already know. So leave it alone at that.", I tell her. "So, you're not angry at me then?", Cathy asks. "Move the bed one more, and I will show you what being angry is all about.", I tell her. "I've already seen what you can do when you're angry...", she saids to herself. "And I'm capable to doing worse now.", I said, taking the pillow of my eyes. She slowly turns around, and slowly crawls on the bed towards me, trying not to cause the mattress to move and sway with ever step she takes until was next to me. She puts one arm above my head and the other over and besides me until she was hovering over me, looking down at my face. "But you never ever tried to hurt me, even though there were times from which I deserved it.", she saids looking into my eyes. "I don't hit girls- no matter what, unless my life depends on it, and Cathy... just as a warning- I will hit you if you move the bed and it causes me pain.", I tell her, closing my eyes and trying to concentrate to make the pain go away. It doesn't. "Do you mean what you said?", Cathy asks. "No, I'm going to kill you if you move the bed in the slightest bit if it makes me hurt...", I answer her. "No... not that.", she said. "Then what are you talking about?", I ask her. She slowly lifts up her arm and raises her hand to my face, showing the engagement ring to me. "This...", she said, "and what you promised with it." "I made no promises to anyone.", I tell her. "What about loving me unconditionally, without question or reason.", she asks. "I said that I love you unconditionally, more than I can explain. But I will question it, you and put to reason any answer to it that I can find.", I explain to her. "I'll accept the first part and ignore the rest. Now, what about what your god-daughter says, about doing your best to make me happy?", she asks. "You of all people should know what I did for you just to keep you happy, even at my own expense.", I tell her. "Pretend I forgot and explain what you did.", she saids in an almost demanding tone. "I don't have to explain nothing to no one. You already know the answers.", I tell her. "Then humour me.", she saids. "No.", I reply. "Why not?", she asks. "Why not? Since day one, I put my life on the line for you, went against everyone that has done you wrong and made them beg on their knees for your forgiveness, and I have never asked you to give anything back. But you did and that is your answer.", I explain to her. "And of my past?", she asks. "What about it?", I answer in a question. "My numerous rapes...", she started. "Now wait a minute- I never consider that part of you in you being my friend...", I interrupted her. "You mean as your girlfriend...", she interrupts me. "You were never my girlfriend until you told the others, and you did not tell me until almost a year later.", I tell her. "...and what of the others you cheated on me with?", she asks. "What others? Evadney? Duana? Jeanie?", I ask of her. She almost started to laugh in hearing Jeanie's name, remembering the time of when I has a little Asian servant girl for saving her life of diving in and pulling out her out the deep end of the pool when she was pushed in, 5 months of hell having this little servant slave girl trying to tend to my every need- including sexual, when all I wanted was to be left alone. "You had a sexual relationship with Evadney, one that included 3-day weekend dates and sex in the class you two shared from what I heard...", she started with first. "Evadney only wanted a sexual relationship, not an emotional one- which I wanted.", I tried to explain. "But you had sex with her....", Cathy said louder than what was necessary. "What 16 year old male wouldn't?", I almost yell back at her. "And Duana?", she asked. "Duana was a mental case. She did anything and everything to get what she wanted and screwed everyone in the process, I'm just glad she did not get me.", I explained. "That was not what I heard.", Cathy stated, almost challenging my statement. "The girl lied, and you know she lied.", I tell her. "And..." she started to say. "Don't you dare say Jeanie...", I tell her sternly. "...alright then.", she started to say, "What about Estelle?" "Who?", I asked. "Estelle, Kristen's friend, you know- little black girl with the migraine headaches?", she asked. "I know who Estelle is, why bring up her name?", I ask her. "Its been 4 months and you forgot?", Cathy asks. "Forget what?", I ask her. "The Shortfellow Tribunal against you, where Kristen tried to hang you for sexual abuse...", she started to explain. "That Tribunal went on in my absentia, and frankly- I did not care what she did, I wanted her out of my life once and for all.", I explained. "And in your absence- a lot of females admitted to you having a sexual relationship with them in order to prove that you were not abusive to them and could not be abusive to another.", Cathy explained. "No, I was abusive to Kristen in the end but only because she was abusive to me and I not only defended myself, I put in guarantees to make sure that she would not happen again.", I tell her, almost admitting my crimes. "Then what about Estelle.... as a matter of fact, what about Juanita (Gloria)?", Cathy asked. "Juanita and I never did anything, though she spent several nights with me during the tribunal to make sure I would not do anything stupid, but nothing happened between us.", I explained. "That I already knew, but she lied for you and told everyone that you were a very caring and sympathetic lover to her. And it if was not for her statement, the case would have been decided for Kristen and you would be in jail by now.", Cathy explains. "How do you know so much of the Tribunal?", I asked. "Because I was there, testifying on your behalf, like all the others.", she answered. "Alright, so then I owe you then?", I ask. "No, I still owe you more.", she said, softening her tone and slowly lowering herself to kiss me. Unfortunately for me, the mattress shifted under me just slightly, but enough to increase the pain exponentially for every inch she lowered herself. I quickly put my hands on her shoulders and push her up at the full extent of my reach, holding her almost in mid-air. "Why you did that for?", Cathy complains. "I'm in a lot of pain Cathy, I really am...", I start explaining, "and as nice as your kiss would have been, you lowering yourself onto me was beginning to hurt a lot." "You should really see a doctor, Fernando.", she said, extending her arms downward against the mattress as I slowly began to lower her. "Cathy- they would say, 'you got a slipped disk- take a week off work and lay in bed.' I have been through this many times before and the outcome has always been the same. So let leave it be.", I tell her as she slowly moved to lay next to me. "And if I marry you, I have to go through this?", Cathy asks. "Yes you would have to sometimes.", I tell her. "Then maybe I should not marry you then...", she adds. "Why not?" I ask, interrupting her. "I need certain guarantees, not just me but for my son. I need someone that would be a father to him and a provider to us. I need somebody who will protect us from danger and not bring danger to us at home. That's what I need, Fernando. As much as I may love you, all I want to know is that can you provide all that to us?", she explains. "I do not know what I can do, Cathy- I really don't. I can only do my best for that special person, to love her and cherish her and not to do wrong by her. Currently I'm in school, but between my life guarding in the summers, programming video games and doing computer crime cases for the government, I hope I can make enough money for a decent living.", I tell her. "What if I ask you to make sacrifices for me, would you do it?", she asks. "I would do almost anything for you except anything that would hurt my girls.", I answer. "Would you drop out of school?", she asked? "Why?", I ask. "So that I would continue to go to school and you work to support us and we care of my little boy.", she explained. "Don't you mean our boy?", I ask. "He will always be my boy.", she stated. "But wont I be his father?", I asked. "Not officially, but you already know how it is to be a step-child, and I don't want him to be treated differently.", she explained. "That would not be the issue with me.", I tell her. "Would you drop out of school to support us then?", she asks. "Yes, but only if I can go back when you are done and you go to work.", I tell her. "That might not be for 4 or so years, could you wait that long?", she asks. "I could wait longer if I have too.", I answer her. "And if all this fails?", Cathy asks. "I can only try, and spare you what ever pain that might come, Cathy...", I tell her. "What if I want a divorce after a few years?", she asked. "I don't know how to answer that. I hope we would last longer than a few years.", I tell her. "I'll accept that as an answer.", she saids, adding after a moment of silent thinking, "Why?" "Because...we all know that I will not live long enough to see my 45th birthday, unless by some miracle some cure is developed before then.", I remind her. "You are going to be here for a very long time, Fernando.", she saids, "and one way or another, I am going to be there with you." "Even as my wife?", I ask. "As your friend first and above all. I do not know if I want to remarry; its not you, Fernando- its me.", she tries to explain. "Well, you can keep the ring if you like.", I tell her. "Who said I was going to give it back?", she saids. "Where's Rachel?", I asked. "She's out there somewhere, I told her to wait so I can have this talk with you.", Cathy answers. "I can bet that she's thinking that we are fucking in here.", I said almost to myself. "And what's wrong with that?", Cathy asks. "Everything...", I said. "But, she a sexually active girl. She already knows all those things we might do in here.", she interrupts me. "I'm suppose to set the example- and not be taking her to go pick up girls and take them to hotel rooms to fuck them.", I explain. "How sexually active is she- if you know?", Cathy asks. "I wish I didn't know.", I said to myself. "Why? You and her....", Cathy started to ask. "Hell -NO!....", I almost yelled out. I take a deep breath and let it out, then saying, "...any boy she takes to her home, she fucks. She worse than Denise as far as sex on first dates are concerned." "So she's a little slut then?", Cathy says to herself. "No, she's not a slut. Just a highly confused little girl.", I answer in Rachel's defense. "Fernando- she's a slut.", Cathy replies. "Explain why...", I started to ask. "Any girl that gets the taste of sex, and wants as much as she can get it, is a slut.", Cathy explains, interrupting me. "Then are you a slut?...", I asked, followed by a slap and Cathy bouncing off the bed, causing me much pain. She starts to walk to the door, not looking back at me as I grab the pillow and begin yelling and cursing into it from the pain she caused by her sudden action. After a while, I stop and lay on the bed in a semi-fetal position- as much as my back is willing to allow me to bend. In one of the rare times, tears start to roll down my cheeks brought on by the intense pain. She stops by the door and looks at me, seeing that I was crying. She slowly lets go of the doorknob and walks back to the bed, stopping once she got to the edge. She leans over, putting her hands softly on the mattress to hold herself up as she looks at me. "Fernando?", she calls to me, "You alright? I'm sorry... I forgot..." "Just get the hell out of here before I hurt you...", I said in a very cold and threatening tone. "Then I'll be with Rachel for a while until you get better.", she said, thinking about what to say first. "No- get out and take Rachel with you...", I tell her silently, "...and don't ever come back..." "You cant be serious, Fernando...", she saids. "Get the hell out of here before I get up and trash the room, and if you're in here- I'll trash you too...", I threaten her. "You wouldn't dare hurt...", she started to say. I slowly reached for another pillow that was behind me, and shoved it at her as hard as I can, knocking her off her feet before she could finish her sentence. She sits on the floor for a moment with the pillow on her lap in silence. She slowly gets up, letting the pillow fall to the floor and silently walk to the door. Continuing with her silence, she unlocks the door and leaves the room, closing the door behind her. I slowly roll to the edge of the bed and reach for the phone on the night stand. I take the receiver off the hook, and start to talk to the voice on the other end, which was not room service, but of the organization I worked for. "Escort the two females to their homes.", I tell to the person on the other side. "Will do sir.", the voice on the other end answers. I hang up the phone, and feel along the edge the night stand until I find a round button on its surface near the edge. I press it, and the door pops open just a fraction of an inch, just enough to allow me to hear the activity outside. "No...we did not fucked, like you think...", Cathy stated to Rachel, "He is in lot of serious pain and does not want to go to the hospital." "Don't lie to me...", Rachel stated, "...I'm going up to go see him." "Don't... give him sometime to calm down. He's sorta pissed at me...", Cathy started to say. "That's you he's pissed at. Not me.", Rachel said in an almost boastful tone as she starts to head for the stairs. The downstairs door opens up as the waiter comes in to clean up and retrieve after our meal. He starts to put away the dishes and serving trays on the service cart. "Wait a minute, aren't you supposed to knock first?", Cathy asks. Rachel turns to see what was going on as she stood on the first steps of the staircase. Another 3 figures walks in, wearing suits, dark glasses and two of them with their small arms in hands. "Quietly follow us, and no one gets needs to get hurt.", the one without a weapon stated. Rachel takes a step up on the staircase. The room servant steps away from the service cart, removing a gun from behind his back and aims it at her. He signals to her to walk down the couple of steps that she had taken and to join Catherine. Seeing a gun at her direction, she slowly complies. "Don't make any sudden movements and you will be home safe in under an hour.", the one without a weapon says to them, "Now walk this way please." He holds open the down stairs door for them as they slowly start to walk out the hotel room. The four of them start to walk down the hallway, leaving the one without a gun and the room attendant behind. "I'll be back in about 90 minutes, agent Armonds.", the one at the door says to the room attendant. "I'll take care of the mess here, agent Corvinton. See you later...", the room attendant says to the other. I can hear the room attendant clean up downstairs as his fellow agent leaves. Once putting everything onto the service cart, he too leaves the room with cart in tow. The downstairs door closes and the hotel room becomes quiet again. I'm in too much pain to think about what occurred, and frankly, did not care about the consequences that are to follow. Only a very few can understand the pain that I am under going, despite the fact that other can understand and feel for me. But they don't. This is the kind of pain that people want relief from, the kind of relief that only high doses of morphine or death can bring on. Sad to say, if I were an animal- lets say a horse, my torment and suffering would be ended immediately with a bullet to the head. But I'm not a horse and the pain that I am undergoing is a thousand times more than any broken limb can bring on, so I have to suffer with the torment and suffering. Fortunately for me, that means taking a couple of days to laying still and things will right itself. But what of Cathy and Rachel? They will be sent home in the private limo that is downstairs, but does that answer any questions in their minds about me. In my mind, not only am I failing, but to yield such power when many thought that I had nothing more than just my big mouth and my fists to back them up. In my mind, I have failed. Failed in controlling the pain that is ravenging me. Failed in the emotional control I'm supposed to have as a grown man. Failed in that I could not have found another easier way of having to deal with the events of day that would eventually affect the rest my life. I sit here, typing on one of the agency's SX-64s, unable to find the answers to the questions I have. I'm just going to have to wait and see what answers comes up later on. Its hard to say if I am patient enough to wait for them, and to accept them when the times comes. But right now, I am forced to do the one thing I do not like to do- lay still for a considerable length of time and hope my spine will right itself. If I take it slow, I can go to some mild activities, but rest is needed to fully heal. Damn that bastard for trying to shoot me in a mugging at the store- damn the store security and damn Cathy and Rachel for their insistent arguing about me. This has been probably one of the worst days of my life thus far, if not the worse week. I can feel the pain slowly crawling up my spine, so its best that I end it here and continue on tomorrow. |