building bridges
episode 1
Separating from his arms feels like leaving her soul with him, as he carry down Eloi to a wooden chair in the small patio facing the sun. her body feels hot even though she is still wet from falling to a river, didn't feel much pain from her feet but a full of gladness in her heart. She is infatuated
" Good day Mr Cocoi how may i help you?" a soft voice from a man inside the house. Eliot and Elton who is who is Elois younger brothers approach as Elloi sat. the two known this man because they are always with thier mom and dad in the farm as they grow. " hey handsome could you give us some ice in an ice bag please" the two boys running inside to get some ice they are very happy giving it to the man , " i am alright now sir, nothing to worry about, this will heal in an overnight " as the man continue to move the ice pack in her swollen foot. but in her mind says not to stop and never go. minutes gone and Mr Co is still in her House , He intentionally waited for her parents to come Home to tell them what happened, because he never want anything unclear when they know that he come to thier house carrying thier daughter in just his arms. his two brothers are talkative and got nothing to hide. so He was like ask everything to them and they feed him information like a God.
He now knows everything about this pretty little lady, thanks to this two awesome young man. They said they do not have enough money to offer anything food to eat or drink because their mother is not yet buying groceries, and Eloi leaves them in the house with many household chores so they can't play outside and Eloi always going to the field to watch the sunset because they don't have cable. They told him everything from thier childhood till then and from thier mother and father they also told that thier parents are married at young age and also her 2 other sisters and they are living together even though they have own family.
Its 7pm, he saw her parents walking towards them and in hurry greeted him and ask him why he is in thier house late at night so he told them about the incident happen in the river between his border. Elois sisters also come home a minute after their parents. obidiently greeted Mr Coi they were also pretty but in her eyes Eloi is different, from the way she moves the way she smiles it was always a half smile, he didn't know if it really was a smile or just it is her natural glance. she was an angel as her minds description.
He was enchanted from the first time she look at her very innocent face. that beauty she have that cannot buy even a million worth of property. Alicia her mother seeing Elois was injured started to cook the vegetable she bought from her co farmer.
Alicia Sims was married to Vin Herald her father is a daughter and one of the heiress of Sims rancho in thier town, one of the smalltime ranch in thier town. alicia has 10 siblings so their parent devidded thier lot into 10 of them and the lot where thier house now stand is Alicia's part it was huge before but in hard times they need to sell little by little to Mr. Co Cois farm. now the river is thier border to mr Co's properties.
She told Mr. Co to stay for dinner but he refused because it is already late and her mom might be worried because it is gotten him so long so he say his good bye to them and thank them for thier hospitality. also the parents thank him very much for helping thier poor Elois.
Dinner time, Eloi Silently eat her
vegetables " what was that Eloise you come out in the river to end your life because we cant send you for college is that it" ? her mom calmly said in the t table " that's not it mom, i just want to be peaceful i just want to rest a while but i was surprised so i fall down in the river"she obidiently reply. thier house is always noisy because of the children's playing and fooling around. her 2 brothers don't stop fighting, talking and shouting at her nephews and nieces as the parents go to work everyday. her workload is tight, everyday she have to make food for lunch feed the childrens and dinner for all of them so many laundry, many dishes, the house is untidy. and she is sick tired of it everyday. sometimes repair thier wall repair porch, also the gardening and feeding the chicken and pig and goat. God know how she is God damn tired.
" Don't go there again" her father expressed.Vin Herald is a son of the Coi's oldest caretaker so after his parents died he became thier caretaker too in replacement for his father. Coi's family has been always good to him ever since. he didn't go to school because they cant afford enough to send him to the city. Vin as a man in charge to his family ensures that they have food in a plate everyday and a shelter where he can protect his family.
Eloi is just silent. never reply. she go to her room with a pain in the foot with her dress already dried in her body and a jacket hugging her she sat infront of the mirror she smell the jacket, a very strong scent of a man in his nose so addictive. his face flashes in her mind. a kind of man she want to be with everyday a kind of man she willing to do all the chores in the house a kind of man she want to see face every morning when she open her eyes. also the kind of man that can give her everything.
Elois is a simple young woman on his 17 obidient like her mother, gracefull with a very proportion body built, tall for her age she is not popular in school , she always wear old and weary dress old fashioned as they called, not friendly but have one best friend named Roy he is nerdy super smart know it all genius always bullied. and Eloise is his savior while Roy guides her into study. that how thier friendship goes.
It is early in the morning Mr. Co prepared his horse. his mother couldn't help but notice the excitement in his sons movement. " what are you up today Son? " she asks" Im fixing fences mom" then he goes ahead.He intentionally go to the boarder where she saw Elois. he delicately cut the burbwire using the boltcutter he carry along the way he cut straight for a person can pass trough he made a simple opening where he can easily enter. he calmly inspection the big tree and plan on making a small bench for someone is safely sit not falling in the river.He Goes back in his barn to get the nessesary materials that he needs.
Conner Coi finishes masters degree in engineering but sinse there is no one to manage thier farm because his father died a long time ago and her mother is now very old, being the only child he have to take the responsilbility. Even born wealthy and powerful Co was never an ass, he is responsible and fair unlike his father who is greedy. thier farm become that big because of his fathers competency. he offer small amount of money to the land owners near thier farm to become thier property.one of those are the Sims property which his father bought less double the price.
Conie, Conners mother is kind soft hearted. and very gorgeous in her younger years all she wants is to give Conner a life he wanted.
its already noon but Co is still Finishing the halfway bridge like bench under the tree beside the river. It was magnificent.
Elois is watching far from her room to a man working in her favorite spot on the river she have no idea what's going on so she called one of his brother to look for it. she send Eliot.
"Good day Mr Co, my sister send me, she cant walk so i have no choice, will you tell me what you are doing so she can rest easy? " he told him that he is making a bench like bridge so if somehow he like to cross the river he will not get wet. The boy was amazed to ehat he said and run back to his sister. " He said he make a bridge for himself" he shouted she was confused she don't know on this mans mind, what is his purpose, maybe he make it for her, or no maybe he want to own thier land also. why does he need to make the bridge outside his border, although it is also not his property but it is already out of thiers.
Night comes and he open up to her parents what's been done in the river. but her parents nothing to say about it . " let him do what he wants as long as he never bother us !" but she insist it is not his property anymore, and her father said "it is also not ours. "
Another day pass and the bridge still not done Eloise still watching a far admiring the strength of a man working alone day dreaming of one night sitting thier with him drinking wine under the lighted tree. She send Eliot again to give a man a cold beverage and a biscuit in a pouch and Eliot emidietly run to give it to him. He thank him for that kindness. he said it was her sister that send him,Mr. Co have a spark in his heart and become more energetic as if he never felt tired al along.
It was week long the bridge was finish and her feet is already heald. He put some lights on the tree and it looks like a fireflies dancing around the tree.
The season start to get cold and the rain starts to fall everyday the grass is slippery and the ground being muddy. the sky so gloom like her face not seeing the man building the bridge. shee took the initiative to walk to the spot that she used to go,now with the newly built bridge that looks sturdy, as she cross the river to reach for the tree. She noticed that there is a small opening in the fence so she pass through.
Using binocular, Co is always watching the border and she saw that the woman she adore crossed the border so he immediately run his horse to greet her. but before he reach the border, Elois already go back home. He really wants to see her face again he is madly addicted to see his eyes glaring at him it feels like she is soothing his soul whenever she look at him. He have to make a move he said to himself after a week of making himself busy not to think of her he still longing for attention. so he made a plan. He told her Mom that he wants to give a full scholarship to some the children of his workers, employees snd farmers who wants to go to college.His mother agreed to everything of it, his mother loves charity so much so did he. but it is really not his intentions but to be close enough to Elois and his family.
Sun goes down. the fairy lights around the tree is mesmerizing as he cross the river border of his land. He intentionally go to Heralds home before Eloise parents arrive. He found her cleaning the floor because it is muddy she just got home from the library a few kilometers walk from home. He said helo she just smile back. and ask him to take a sit. then She go inside to cook for dinner almost not to talk to him. He opens a conversation but Elois barely replying to his questions he open up the reason why he go thier and it makes her stop what she is doing.
I would like to offer you a full scholarship if your parents agree.
She stood and froze, this is the most she wanted the most. This is the way she can run from all this household chores and she can gain freedom from being a housemaid she called herself. She need to convince her parents to agree.
Elois not knowingly held Co's hand teary eyes and ask," Are you sure of that Sir,? It is been my dream to study college Sir" and Co was captivated with that scene holding Elois hand smelling her hair gives him a poison in his brain not to think anything but to give Elois all that he have. her puffy eyes never lie." You will go to college i promise " That's the only thing he can speak .
From a far he saw a group of people coming so he gently unhand Eloise and said he will talk to her parents. As the parents entry the house Eloise made some tea for everyone and Vin start the conversation. " i wish my daughter did not give you a trouble again Mr. Co!"" Its not like that Mr. Herald it is a Good news." he replied " so what's up this time? " he gladly ask." Mr. Herald my mom is opening a charity for our long time employees who has been with us for a very long time like you and your wife Alicia, we would like to sponsor on your children's college education, "
" Im afraid i can let go our Elois for college Mr. Co as you notice she is the only one who take care of his brothers and nieces when we are at work we really needed her here,, " mr Herald frankly said "."please Dad i really want to go to college please i will do anything just send me to college. just say yes dad i will not ask any penny to you, i will work for it i will study hard for it i will graduate and i will find a good job after i promise" Elois said with a tears in her eyes,
"Alicia, perhaps you can work for me even you are at home so you can send her to college and still there is a woman working and looking for the children. what do you think? " Co suggest "It would be a much help but very pricy to you sir, because besides you need to transfer those horses i been taking care of, you also need to make me a horse stable and fence. " alicia said. "if that's what it takes it will not be a problem" Alicia's eyes open bright because that is what she also wanted all along. not walking far to go to work and raising horses like her own, nobody checking if her job was done not eyeing every move o ride she take, if this is really happening she is really a God damn blessed.
" Are you alright with that Mr and Mrs Herald?" he ask. "So we are good to that your daughter Eloise will go to college right? " he added. "Sure Did Sir, this luck don't come often. how could we say no? "Vin reply
Co, smile at Eloise and said. " I told you , you will go to college" Eloise was so excited hug the man infront of them and thank him very much, Co was over whelmed but cant make an overly move, he just touch her head like it was nothing while she was tightly hug him devouring his fresh manly smell like it was just a no meaning hug but for him it makes his heart explode he cant breath because of the intensity of his feeling. she was awkwardly remove her body from him she was ashamed to her parents and to this man, " im sorry i am just very happy" then she hug her mom and dad and say thank you.
She cant sleep at that night, she is very excited she finally can go to college. thanks to the handsome man he met weeks ago also she can't move on to what she have done, she hug him and she feel loved she feel alive and she feel important. That's the greatest feeling so far that she felt. His hard mascular body, His smell is fresh as a morning breeze, His voice deep but soft like he has all the power in the world makes her senses awake and think of him all night.
It is a Good morning Connie is having his coffee while waiting her son come down and have a sweet chat for a while before going to whatever work he have to do, it is in every day scene in thier mansion, Co's smile is her precious medication every day. Just to see her son happy and lively, Connie can never be more blessed and well.
"I heard that you gave a scholarship to Mr. Heralds daughter, my son?" she said "Yes my very beautiful mother in the whole world, " he replied she giggled, he really knows how to make his mother happy and how to make her day. " here pretty woman this is a flower from the mystical land of fairies where you are the Queen" he gave a flower of lily that he found near the river he presented it with a very beautiful vase that shines like a thousand diamonds. His mother sheds a little tears, "this is perfect Son" holding the vase with magnificent lily flower. " I am relocating some of our horses mom " he said to his mom while they sat on a coffee table, if that's what you wanted love," no questions ask that's how much connie loves and trusted his son, ,"I love you mom after they finish the coffee, Co excitedly call out Bon to gather some men for thier another project.
The relocation was not easy but they don't face any problem, it takes three weeks to complete the horse stable and moving the horses. Elois will graduate soon and she was very excited on what will happen on the next chapter of her life, she can see her mother often now unlike before, she have now a buddy to do some chores and to look for the kids, his brothers don't seem to fight more because they were always scolded by mom, her sisters also decided to move because thier mom told them that they need to figure out on thier own on how to handle thier own family's. now our house is cleaner, and bigger for the 5 of us only, we also have groceries always because mam can go to the market whenever she wanted because she have a horses to use. my father being the mansions caretaker bring home the old furnitures when Connie bought a new one,our house looks much better now, inside and outside, we rebuild our porch thanks to the excess materials from the horse stable for the roofing it also given to us.
when you come inside you will be amaze on how expensive our furniture is. Connie said when he gave it to dad that it was a loan that she is giving it to him for a very small price because it is already damaged but Connie never deducted it from his salary,and the items are really good condition she just said it that way for the other employees won't be jealous. and my father was very thankful for that. she thinks Connie is very kind, in fact she really is.
Before graduation come, Co often visits his horses just to see Elois doing, his timing is always great, when She got back from School, sometimes he wanted to wait her on the road and then they will ride home, but it was too obvious he think, and her parents may not approve. so he just watch her going home so he know she is safe then he appear near in thier home, it was almost everyday, some people might think he is obsessed with her if they found out, but it is really true that he is obsessed with her.
He wants to see her everyday he wants to be with her. so he is finding all the ways that he can have a chance to be with her that nobody notice." my lovely mom here's your coffee" he teases his mom while getting a flower on his pocket, "here mom a pretty flower on your ear.owww you look like Goddess " his mom giggled. " Son when will you give me a grand children? " he was stunned to his mom's question? "why all of a sudden mom?" he replied with smile in his face. " I just feel old son, i wish i still can see your own children before i die. " stop it mom, you will live forever, trust me i know.Besides don't worry, just wait i already have someone its just she is much younger for me so i am waiting for her ok? " Ok love" his mom reply.
Eloise finally graduated, Vin ask a day off for he will accompany her daughter to stage, connie was delightful and she think of what gift she can give to his caretakers daughter, and she thinks a horse maybe a Good one, so she choose a white horse on her 11th horse stable and told its caretaker to put a ribbon on the neck of the horse. Elois is so happy in that day, she rides on his school using the white horse gift by connie and when they are home, her mother prepared a little graduation party in the house in inviting thier few friends also Mr. Co he give his gift to her it is in a small box tied with a pink ribbon and a note says congratulations, she was very excited to see what's inside, it was a 24k platinum necklace with a star shaped diamond, its dangling it is very beautiful in her eyes. it is her first time to see such beautiful necklace she didn't even know its value, but it is more than a price of 30 horses her mothers caring for the Coi's. Co, put it in her neck and hug her, she hug's him she turn to her mother and father and hugs them, his best friend roy also in the house, also gave her a gift it is a handcrafted bracelet with a name on it, The party went well and the visitors all gone except Co.
With a butterfly in his stomach Co, ask Alicia and Vin Herald, Elois parent sincerly approach to talk, " can i talk to you about something". "sure did" they said as they sat on the vintage dining table with Eloise he start to tell what is
it he up to. " I want to formally convey my intention to court your daughter" he said the three was all shock to what they have heard, thier Boss want to court thier upcoming college daughter? was that for real? Eloise was speachless, her mother too.." i know that your intentions are pure Mr Co because i know yo since you were a child and i am not against t, and all of the help and kindness you have given us, maybe thats on purpose but it really helped us to make a better living, in that case me and forsure my wife too are giving you are blessings to court her if she wanted too.
" Can i take her into the bridge that i made?" he ask the parents, they just smile. "Eloise can you come with me for a while, don't worry i will just want to sincerely talk to you. " Eloise Fallowed Him up to the Beautiful scenery in the Bridge that he made by his own hand. under the dancing light it is a very enchanted scene as if they were in a different world.
" I built this for this purpose, he started, "I want you to be my wife and i want to court you everyday" he said it with an authority "What are you talking about?" Elois couldn't believe what he is saying " i don't know if i am ready for this You just ask my parents if you can court me and now you are going to be my husband in an instant" she said calmly " what i mean is you are the only one i dream of having to be by my side forever, i mean I love you and i will always love you? could you give your love to me also? " he asks
Eloise with a tears in her eyes confess to him" I have loved you since the day i fall from this river till now that i am standing i know that you Fallowed me everyday from school, i smell you from a far and i am addicted to your presence when you are around i cant control my self but to be near with you she added, i am just worried because of our status, you rich we are poor, and we have nothing without your family, please let me prove myself to you first, i want to finish my studies and be successful. " she declare " there is nothing to prove Eloise there is none." but for Elois even though this is his dream man and this is a dream come true she can never be sure about future.
"I will be your girlfriend but let me do my thing on my own way is that alright" ? she said " so its official now, i am your boyfriend? " he ask "Yes sir" teased Elois Conner hugged her with sweetness and they go back to Elois house and Eloi declared to her Family that today Mr. Co is his boyfriend snd she still going to college as per promise.
Its vacation, i can wake up late, i can cook what i want at last. this is in Eloise mind before she close his eye then the wonderful event in his life flash back again as Co confess his love towards her. her happiness is overwhelming and still couldn't believe that happens.
Eloise woke up late, she cooks breakfast for just her brothers and hers, she open the refrigerator and found a whole chicken. she fried a rice and she also fried the chicken and the three of them enjoy eating their breakfast -lunch meal.. she is expecting Co to come but it is almost evening still did not come, she was confused, that she thinks all of that happens is just a dream or imagination. Her mother come back after going to the Coi's farm and give her a very upsetting news. Connie is in the hospital and Co is devastated, in her mind, what if she is the reason of her hospitalization, maybe Connie did not approve and they have a fight that's why she is the Hospital . "hey young lady ate you day dreaming" her mom shouted. "what happened to her?" Elois said" "she slipped in the garden, don't worry she will live long. but cannot stand right now she might need a therapy they say." her mother said Alright it was not because of me thank God, in her mind.
" Im sorry i get so late to catch up with you, it is an emergency, "Co explain as he go down his horse." there is nothing to sorry about, i have heard you're situation and i just wish you stay in your mom's side because she needs you the most right now. " she said" i needed to see you also love" he replied with tenderness in his voice. " come eat first i cook some foods for you" she insist, " love will you come with me to the hospital ? i will ask your parents.! " so Co, ask if she can take Elois with him to the hospital and her parents agreed in an instant.
They arrived at the hospital riding in Co's truck. second nearest town is the only hospital that was built in the district, few kilometers from Coi's farm. Connie Sitting on a large hospital bed in a room half of her house, complete with television bigger than what they have in a house and a refrigerator Just like thiers. 3 nurses attending Connie helping her out, they are all looks pretty in thier white uniform. "Hi dear, thanks God you're here again now will you help us?" said the most pretty woman, why on earth they still need my boyfriend's help? Connie is not heavy enough, with a bright glance from the woman and the way she talk to Co, she hardly breath, maybe she just jealous . Please leave us Connie order the nurses, as the nurse gone, Elois immediately hug the old woman, " I am glad you're ok" she sincerely whisper, she knows Connie very much as well as his late husband, She used to sleep over in the mansion during the time that Co is studying. She was Connie's little flower girl, she cooks for connie and clean her room and she was this old ladies buddy, Connie knows her well more than her mother.