The Game Of Redemption (#2)

Chapter-4 Damien's in for shock

                                                                         Damien

"Where you been all day?" Richard asked, as they sat by the bar later at night. Lisa was passed out after doing all the crazy stuff and Richard dragged himself to Damien's room for a drink. 

"Going around..." Damien answered and smiled as he remembered the little girl. 

"Oh, you are smiling," He pointed out. Damien grimaced but he realized Richard did have a point. Smile, happiness...these were all alien feelings to him. He faked a smile with the clients and with those he needed to but the feeling of that gesture...it has evaded him a long time ago. 

"I met a girl today," Damien answered and Richard's eyes widened in surprise at that. 

"Oh, this is interesting. Finally, do tell..." His brother prompted, drowning his glass and Damien scowled in response. 

"A baby girl...maybe four or five years old," Damien answered, smile creeping up his lips again. "She is the sweetest thing I have seen in a long time," 

"Since when are you into kids?" Richard looked surprised as hell. Damien shrugged, surprised himself too. 

"I don't know...it felt very weird," He murmured. "Almost like she was someone very close to me. She...she reminded me of Hazel. It's her birthday day after tomorrow and the poor girl is looking for her father. I promised her I will tell him to get back to her and I really wished I could do that but...I have no idea where her daddy is," 

"Damien, you are just here for two more days," Richard said softly. "I understand she might remind you of Hazel but she is just a kid and a complete stranger. It's better not to get wound up in somebody else's life," 

"You wouldn't be able to say that if you saw the look on her face," Damien answered. "She placed so much hope and faith on me. I have to see her once before her birthday. Maybe, I can give her a gift on behalf of her father," 

"And where the hell are you supposed to find her?" Richard demanded, looking at Damien as if he was a crazed person. And maybe he was. Since when was he even remotely interested in kids? But something about that little girl...just stayed with him. The pull he felt inside him was insane and he was already longing to see her again. See her and listen to her smart mouth. 

"I know where her mother works but I will wait for her in the park first," Damien replied. 

"Damien..." Richard muttered and he nodded his head. 

"Yeah, I am crazy. But I felt peace and even a tiny flicker of happiness on seeing her today. I know it's insane but I am greedy and I want to feel that again apart from the fact that I want to see her too," He answered. "She was so much like her..." 

"Lisa was upset after you left today. She told me about this whole time thing and that you agreed to it," Richard said. "I know it's hard. I understand because not a day goes by when I don't feel shitty about  how things happened and I wish nothing more to beg for her forgiveness. She is the reason I am even remotely happy in my life but...are you even ready? You wouldn't want another Hazel to happen, will you?" 

"No, I am not ready, Richard," Damien stared, staring blankly at his empty glass. "I will never be ready to let her go. Everyday...every single moment, I miss her. It hurts so much, that I can't breathe some time...but Lisa is right too, I can't live like that my entire life. So maybe...I don't know," 

"I don't think you can ever love anyone the way you loved her," Richard murmured. "But yeah, maybe it's time you try to move past her. However, to forget her...you need to let her memories go too. You still have all her clothes, all her stuff with you...you need to let them go too," 

"Did you try and talk to Madison again?" Damien asked hopefully and Richard softly nodded his head. 

"I tried to but you know her...she loathes me just as much as she loathes you. And it's hard to contact her now that she's...you know. She probably does knows where Hazel is but she won't ever tell me," Richard replied, gritting his teeth. "God, she is so crazy, I don't even want to face her,"  Damien nodded his head and sighed. It was just flat dead end. Where the hell did she go? How could she just...vanish? He didn't want to think of the ghastly thoughts that threatened to rear their heads but given how there was just no trace of her, it wasn't something he could rule out completely. 

"Thanks, Richard," Damien mumbled. 

"No need, I got your back," Richard rubbed his back. "I know I should have done that a long time ago but...I get it now," Damien gazed at him and nodded. What would he not give to just see her once? Just once. If she has moved on with someone else, he will accept that because she deserved all the happiness in the world. All he needed was to see that she was okay and happy and healthy, that's all. Even if that was without him. 

Damien had no idea what to buy for kids. He was so agitated that he was almost tempted to buy the entire store. But of course, he was not even sure if he will find Summer again so he can't do that. The woman behind the counter said that girls like dolls so that's what he got. He sat where he sat yesterday, hoping she would come along and he just cannot believe that he was actually waiting for a five year old in the middle of the afternoon. 

Maybe it was time he starts going back to Avery Caling. He stopped right after Hazel left because she wasn't helping either way and he was tired of all her nonsense talk. He sat on the bench for God knows how long and was almost ready to leave when she noticed her walking towards him, the same backpack lounging on her small back. She wore blue shorts, sneakers whose size surprised Damien immensely and a red top. Her long hairs were let open today and Damien was pretty sure she will turn out to be a very beautiful woman when she grows up. He still can't fathom why he was just so pulled towards this girl. She was a complete stranger. 

"Oh, we meet again," Damien pretended to be surprised. "Hello, Summer," She just stared up at him with her big eyes and Damien wondered what she was thinking. 

"Mommy told me not to go alone to the park. She scolded me," She mumbled, looking serious as she struggled to get up on the bench. Damien was tempted to help her but he wasn't very sure how she will react so he refrained. 

"So, did you lie to mommy and came here?" He asked. Summer shook her head and grinned at him, almost mischievous. 

"Mommy felt bad for scolding me so she let me come here for a little," She answered and Damien laughed and he was amazed at how alien it sounded. So this tiny thing manipulated her mother into agreeing with her. That's a good start for sure. 

"Why are you here then? To draw again?" Damien asked. She shook her head again. 

"To see you," She answered, pulling out her drawing book. Damien watched with curiosity as she shuffled through the pages and stopped at the last one. She struggled to tear the page but eventually succeeded and handed it over to him. Amused, Damien stared at picture and presumed it to be him. She drew him, why the hell does that makes him so happy? 

"What's this for?" He asked and she smiled, revealing two big dimples again. 

"It's a gift from Summer. For talking to Daddy," She answered. "Did you talk to daddy?" Damien hated to lie to her but she looked so expectant that all he could do was smile at her. 

"I did.." He answered brightly. "And though just as mommy said, daddy is very busy...he gave something to me to give to you. It's Summer's birthday gift," Her eyes widened in surprise and he pulled out the bag from behind him and handed it over to her. 

"Daddy gave it for me?" She asked, her face going red and Damien nodded his head. Maybe, he was making things hard for her mother but all he wanted was to bring some happiness to this poor little girl. 

"Yes. He said, he will try to come see you as soon as he can," He replied. "And until then, he asked you to be a good girl and listen to mommy. You promise, right?" 

"Yes," She smiled, clapping her hands. "Can I open it?" 

"It's your gift, sweetie...do whatever you want," He answered. "Do you want me to help?" Summer nodded and just as excited as her, Damien did a quick work of unwrapping the gift. "Oh, she's pretty," He added as he handed the doll to her and Summer squealed, almost bursting with excitement. He had no idea this little doll could make her so happy. Had he known, he would have brought more. 

"Do you like it?" He asked, hopefully and she giggled in response. It was an insanely gratifying sound. 

"Thank you so much," She smiled and to Damien's delight, threw her tiny arms around him.

 They weren't even big enough to cover him entirely and her head just reached up to his chest. He was so thrown that he was clueless about how to react. But eventually, slowly he hugged her back, cautious not to end up crushing her. His heart was beating so furiously, just the way it did whenever Hazel was near, it baffled him. She smelt just like she did yesterday, like fruits and milk combined. Damien smiled and refrained from planting a kiss on the top of her head. It was so absurd that he was so attached to a girl he just met accidentally yesterday. 

"I will go and show this to mommy," Summer exclaimed, jumping down and taking off full speed. He smiled as he watched her and then he suddenly realized, she needs to cross the road to get to the restaurant her mother worked at. Crap! She was too excited for her own good. So excited that she left all her stuff behind. Damien hurriedly grabbed her bag and drawing book and dashed after her. 

"Summer!" He called, as he spotted her at a distance. 'Wait up!" Of course, she was in no mood to and Damien's heart almost stopped as she scooted to the other side just as the lights were red and sighed. Thank God. He was about to follow after her but paused as the lights turned green again. Agitated, he turned his eyes to her and froze. 

No...

It can't be....

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