She has the Right to Know
1046 Words
"She has to know the truth..." Mandy said helplessly as she took off her coat.
Bill stopped, surprised at her decision. He knows what she is thinking but he just cannot bring himself to accept that his daughter, his one and only princess, would be subjected to the same pain inflicted by her worst nightmare in life years back. It is just like opening a wound that has healed over time.
"Bill, our daughter's not young anymore," Mandy added when she received no response from him. "As much as we want to shield her from all sufferings in the world, it is impossible to do that, isn't it? It's better that she hears everything from us than to be surprised by a sudden attack out of nowhere."
He sighed heavily. He just cannot see himself breaking out the entire incident to her. He cannot imagine himself doing that.
Ring! Ring! Ring! Ring!
Mandy took his cellphone on the bedside table and handed it to him.
He looked at the screen. It's Carl. Although reluctant to speak to anyone at this time, he knows that he cannot disregard this call from this man right now.
"Hello?" he asked in a distressed tone.
"Sir, the man has been taken cared of," Carl answered from the other line.
He sighed heavily. Another sniper.
"I was supposed to run and save the young miss when I saw a policeman running towards her. I didn't intervene, afraid of being suspected of anything. I just watched from a distance and made sure that the young miss is taken cared of."
He sighed again and nodded his head. This is not the first time that his daughter was targeted by someone. Since young, she has been the target of an unknown group, one with a black spider sign. Every time his men found the killers, they would see an embroidered black spider on their clothes as if they belong to a syndicate.
"Identity?" Even without him expounding, he is sure that Carl knows what he is asking about.
"Black spider, sir," Carl answered immediately. "Same as usual."
He already knew it. This group is determined to hunt his daughter down. For an unknown reason, they want to kill her. But what could be the motivation? Who has he offended in the past? Regardless of how many times he thinks about it, he cannot remember a person that he hurt. When he was a President before, he cannot remember anyone he offended except Terrence who tried to kill Mandy.
Finishing the call, he returned his gaze at Mandy. His wife already knew that Norrie did not just faint near the river. For years of dealing with the situation, she knew that her daughter's fainting is not just an ordinary one.
"Black spider?" she asked, looking straight at his eyes.
He nodded without saying anything.
Looking at his reaction, she bit her lower lip and shook her head. Turning around, she walked towards the bed when she felt her husband's arms on his waist. She cannot hear any word from him yet his action is an utter declaration of his helpless state. She can feel his heavy breathing on her ears before he laid his chin on her shoulder.
"You're right..." he said after a few minutes. "It's time for her to know what she should be wary of."
She didn't reply but stayed on that position with him for a few minutes. Just like him, she needs strength to go through this heart-wrenching situation. They have no choice but to pass through this sooner or later anyway.
They stayed in that position for a while before she slowly turned around and kissed his cheek. He hugged her tightly as if he's trying to get some strength from her. A while later, she pulled herself away from him and proceeded to change into her pajamas.
Bill was not in their bedroom when she came out of the bathroom. She sighed, knowing where he is at this point. Walking outside the door, she proceeded to their daughter's room. There, she found her husband staring at their sleeping baby girl with a heavy heart.
Lifting her hand, she reached for his shoulder and leaned her head on his arm. She felt his lips kiss her hair. Together, they stayed there looking at their daughter, their princess. Her life would drastically change the moment they tell her what's really happening and she feels sorry for her. She would not feel as free as before. That thought alone is wrenching her heart. But what choice do they have?
A tear quickly escaped from her eyes as she recalled how she and Bill tried to "repair" the damage that the incident years back brought to their daughter. It was never an easy task to the point of giving up some cases just to stay home and tend to her daughter's emotional needs.
Then, Norrie has been in constant hiding for months, unable to meet other people. She has been shaking every time she saw men with mustache. That has been her trauma, the trigger that kept her speechless. She refused to talk even to her and Bill. She only stared at them and cried for days. If not for the intervention of a psychologist, she would not have come back to them in full piece again. However, that came with a price, they had to suppress some of her painful memories and make her "forget" for a while. As a result, she has been living her life, carefree from all worries and fears.
They could not leave their guards down though. For years, Carl and some other well-trained men have been guarding their daughter from a distance. Without her knowing, she has guards all around who followed her wherever she went. That's how she and Bill knew everything that happened to her. One suspicious move and they run immediately to her rescue. They could not afford what happened in the past to repeat itself. If only she could turn back time, she would not take her back to that island. Even though that's a gift from her beloved parents, she would rather not step on it again if it means Norrie's safety.
How sad she just can't turn back time.
- Writer
