Part Two
***
The low buzz of chatter went around the room as Tami stepped inside. Her eyes immediately landed on her family a few seats down.Her heart warmed at the sight. After everything that has happened, plus what just happened outside with Malik, their support meant the world to her. Especially Amy. She has been warming up to Tami again ever since Raphael’s arrest.Slowly, she learnt and understood why Tami stayed and considered her feelings. Tami acknowledged that she hurt them greatly, and she will forever live with it, especially not being there when their dad died.But they were on the road to recovery. All the Knowles women, together.And to make it better, last night they all had dinner with Raphael for the first time. They simply forgot about what would happen the next day, and acted as if they were simply a family meeting Tami’s love interest for the first timPart threeConfusion, guilt, disbelief and fear.That was all that was going around the room as the lawyer presented Tami’s logs on the screen.Raphael looked over his shoulder in pure innocence as he silently asked Tami what those were.When the police came to him and told him that they had a warrant to search his house on the island a few days ago, he didn’t resist, seeing that they already made it public that they were staying there.He didn’t e
Five Years Later“Love always finds a way. Years may pass, people may change but love always remains the same. As for these two, they knew their journey had only just begun, yet they couldn’t wait to see where this road called life would take them. The end.”Tami beamed brightly at her husband as she read the finishing line of her book. It had been quite a hassle getting it there, but she was proud that she did it.Raphael returned her smile wholeheartedly as he gently caressed her shoulder, but the glint in his eyes told Tami that he was about to make a joke about something—something that she is not likely to like.&
HIS LITTLE toes curled under the impact of the fall, and tears sprung to his eyes the moment his knees connected with the rocky terrace of the sea cliff. He wailed in pain as little droplets of blood stained the gray stone, and not a single soul stopped to help him.Little Raphael's eyes watered even more as he watched camper after camper waddle passed him, no one even acknowledging his presence.He knew he wasn't the most likable kid at camp, and he was merely forced to go by his dad. Still, he wished someone would show him a little compassion...a little attention, at least once in his life.
Sixteen Years Later THE SMILE never left Tami's face as she climbed the stairs that led to the stage. Cheers from her peers and her family were almost deafening, as she collected her graduating certificate. She felt so proud of the journey she had made thus far, and she was more than eager for the others to come. "Tamika Knowles. Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences" The reader announced as she smiled for the picture. Despite the heat that encamped her body due to the large black gown, it all felt worth it as she walked from the stage with her degree in hand. She had finished her first stage of becoming a doctor, and she was more so excited to start medical school this fall. Over the years, Tami
Is that the last bag?" Raphael asked his driver, as he handed it to one of the flight attendants."Yes sir. You're all set for your flight" David smiled at the man he's called his boss for the past six years. They weren't exactly 'friends' per se, but they got along quite well.Raphael was even a bit bummed that he wasn't coming with him. But David had his wife and kids here in Puerto Rico. He wouldn't take up his life and leave his home, no matter how well Raphael paid.Raphael understood completely. When his parents separated when he was just seven years old, he had to move from country to country to be with either his mom or his dad, despite the fact that they didn't give a flyi
EXHAUSTED YET exhilarated.That's what Raphael felt when he hit his hotel room's soft bed. He had arrived in Nassau not even six hours ago, yet he had already had the best time in his life in years.He had seen her. He saw the woman he had dreamt of all his life, and seeing her actually went good.His cheek bones hurt from the smiling he had done all the way back to the hotel. Maybe his cheekbones were complaining about such a new position, not being in the least bit used to it. Yet he didn't care.He rolled onto his side with his phone in his hand, gazing at the number he had gotten from her. And she agreed to see him tomorrow again! He just wanted to go to sleep so that the day would come quicker, but he was still so anxious, that he couldn't even close his eyes.
THE NEXT day, Raphael was out of bed from the minute the sun made a peek of its presence over the horizon. Even though they didn't agree to meet at the pub again until 7, he was still very eager to meet her. For the first time in a long while, he was excited about a day. Instead of his usual blazer and slacks, he shrugged on a black T-shirt and dark jeans, swinging his golden watch over his wrist, but eventually took it off when he thought it was too much. His assistant, Maddie, was in the lobby at 7 a.m. already waiting for him when he arrived, but she looked tired. After her talk with Raphael last night about purchasing the women's clothes and appliances, she stayed up an hour later talking to Nick about it, before Nick's wife scolded him and brought him to bed. Nonetheless, Maddie didn'
“I damaged myself badly, but I didn't realize it at the moment. All my life experiences should have taught me a lot of things, but all I got out of it was a single, definitive truth. That I am, in the end, a being capable of evil. I never set out to intentionally hurt someone, but when the situation called for it, I could become totally self-centered, even cruel. I was the type of person who could impose a never-healing wound on someone I cared for by creating a convincing excuse.” Raphael repeated the quote that he tried to remember over and over, as he sat at the edge of her bed and waited for her to wake up. The fact that Tami only stirred and mumbled in 12 hours worried Raphael. She should've been awake by now. And the silence in his huge house, thousands of miles away from Tami's home was gnawing away at his consci