CHAPTER 2

5 YEARS LATER

The sweat began to drip down from Gary Santiago's forehead. A bead entered into the corner of his eye, making him squint momentarily. He quickly wiped his face with the back of his forearm, leaving an obvious damp mark on the grey workout jacket he wore. Then with one final shook of his head, he returned to making sure he wasn't going to hit anything or anyone as he jogged through the park.

It was the end of September, but the coolness of the autumn season still didn't seem to sink in yet. Gary was really working up a sweat. Did he always perspire this much? He wondered if he should get himself checked. Even if he had just wiped his face, he could feel the beads forming yet again, with some starting to drip down already. He quickly checked his watch and saw that it was already a quarter to ten o'clock. He was surprised to know that he had been jogging for almost two hours. It felt like he had just arrived at the park and had begun. His mind was a complete blank. He didn't even notice he had been playing music through his earphones. Yet he knew he had to admit to himself that something was bothering him. This wasn't the first time he had gone for a jog but mentally felt like he was at a standstill, as if he was running in place, his mind afloat from anything physical.

He was about to turn the corner of the path when he felt a heavy nudge to his side. He abruptly stopped in a panic, but found Richard Wright smirking at him. Richard was wearing a black nylon tracksuit that highlighted his fair skin, blue eyes, and slicked-back black hair.

Gary relaxed and took off his earphones.

"Why'd you start without me?" Richard flashed his signature charming smile that made all the ladies back in high school and college swoon.

Gary rolled his eyes, "Oh, please!" He huffed, "Dude, you're like an hour late!"

Richard just laughed. "Sorry. I would've texted but you know—"

"—yeah, yeah. You and Helga. Busy." Gary scoffed. But after being friends for so long they just both shared a laugh.

They decided against jogging and instead took a walk. They made their way to the streets by the avenue, since Gary was feeling parched and wanted a pretzel. After buying from one the stands stationed, they re-entered the park and strolled around.

"So, how's the wedding plans going?" Gary said through a mouthful.

Richard sighed. "Well, Helga's still a crying mess every time something she likes that's a European and cultural staple isn't available here and can't be shipped in."

"Yikes. Remind me again why you guys can't get married back in her country?"

"Well, some of the investors of the company are kind of too old or sick to fly out."

"And remind me again why they have to be at your wedding?"

Richard exhaled. "For one thing, it's good business to extend an invitation to them. They're crummy old men. Stroke their egos a bit and they'll toss out another hundred grand or two to the company. Another thing, my dad wants them there."

"Wait—what? Why? Your dad's paying for the wedding?" Gary stopped in his tracks, jaw wide open as he was about to take a bite of his pretzel.

Richard shrugged. "Only the best for Helga."

"Dude, can't you afford any of it? Aren't you an heir to a fortune?"

Richard rolled his eyes and began to walk. Gary skipped to catch up to him.

"You're forgetting in order for me to be an heir, my dad has to be dead. I only really earn from the deals I close. There hasn't been that many," Richard clarified.

Gary just nodded and continued munching on his pretzel.

"Besides," Richard spoke. "I don't mind having to rub elbows and please my dad. Helga deserves the best. You know there was a time she and her family lived off of their goats' milk? Like that's all they had for an entire week or two."

Gary whistled in a sympathetic tone. "Her family must be very happy to hear she's going to have a grand wedding, then?"

Richard nodded. "Oh yeah," He spoke. "I met them a couple years ago and we chat online back and forth every now and then. They're kind people. I think they like—"

Before Richard could continue, a scream pierced through the calm morning. It came from a few steps in front of them. A young woman and a biker had seemingly collided. The man didn't seem like he was biking for exercise. He was dressed in rather rugged clothes. He had on the hood of his green jacket. He was in a panic as he pulled himself up and his fallen bike. But rather than help the young woman, he quickly boarded his bike and pedaled away. Several onlookers attempted to catch up to him, shouting for his attention. The young woman was sprawled on the ground, unconscious with a bit of blood coating her forehead. There was a little girl with braids that knelt beside her body. She was crying and shaking the young woman.

"Wake up!" the little girl croaked.

Richard and Gary immediately went to the scene of the accident.

Gary tossed the remainder of his water bottle and pretzel to a nearby trash bin. When he reached the little girl, he placed a hand on her back to comfort her. Richard tried to lift the young woman off the ground as he yelled for onlookers to call for an ambulance.

The little girl was quite upset and turned to embrace Gary.

"It's okay," He held her tight. "Don't worry. Everything will be alright."

She looked up at Gary, tears streaked her cheeks and welled up at the corner of her soft, blue eyes. There was something about her that made Gary feel warm all over. She didn't say a word and went back to burying her face in his chest.

The ambulance arrived and medics placed the unconscious woman on a stretcher. Richard and Gary felt responsible and decided to come along with the little girl to the hospital.

The little girl no longer cried, but she wouldn't let go of Gary, so he held her tight.

"Where do you think the coin is?" Gary held out his two fists. "Left or right?"

"The left!" The little girl bounced and gave a short clap.

When she had calmed down from being frightened and upset, she was well-behaved and answered all the questions from the doctors and the authorities diligently. Her name was Hope and she was four-years-old. The young woman at the park was her babysitter, Maggie. They didn't come to this city on days Maggie looked after Hope. But that morning, Maggie insisted she and Hope go to that particular park. They were just walking, about to cross the park to get to the other end where Maggie explained they would meet her "special" friend and eat bagels together, when the biker had hit her from behind.

Gary opened his left hand and revealed an empty palm. He feigned a shocked expression.

Hope gasp, but she was also feigning as they had done this routine before. "Where is it?"

"Should we check the right?" He said in an exaggerated inquisitive tone.

She nodded with excitement. Gary opened his right hand, but it was empty yet again.

"Where?" She kept up with the act.

"Where do you think?" He teased.

Hope pointed to her ear, trying her best to suppress her giggles. Gary winked at her. His hand went behind his ear for a second or two then quickly pulled it back into her view revealing a 50-cent coin. Hope grabbed the coin and squealed in a pitch Gary wasn't used to, having not much experience with kids. He cringed with one eye closed but tried his best to keep a smile on his face. Several nurses and patients looked at their direction. Gary gave them a sheepish smile and waved in apology.

He placed and finger over his lips and Hope giggled as she tried to copy him.

"Sorry," she whispered.

"It's okay," he whispered back and patted the top of her head.

They were at the emergency room. They had occupied themselves with magic tricks for more than half an hour already. Hope was sitting on one of the white beds. The curtains were drawn open since it wasn't a busy morning so there were only a few patients. The area was dimly lit, not to put on a mood, but since it was a public hospital so they were probably under budget. The light above their bed had gone out while the pediatrician performed a routine check up on Hope, just to make sure she was physically okay even if she had avoided the altercation by a few inches. Richard had gone to talk to the doctors and medical staff at the nurses station to double check on information regarding Hope's parents and any relative of the young woman. Gary stood watching over Hope, anxious about having a stranger's child be in his care. But he also felt very protective of her. There was something about her, with her braided black hair, light brown skin, and deep blue eyes. She gave Gary a warm feeling that he hadn't felt before about a child—about anyone. If he had felt like this. It was a long time ago. There was something about Hope that gave him a feeling of home.

After a while, Richard returned and beckoned for Gary to put some distance between him and Hope so she wouldn't hear them.

"What is it?" Gary asked.

"Apparently, they're not from this city. They're from the suburbs of Glenmont, specifically from the Acre Homes there." Richard's voice was just above a whisper.

Gary's eyes widened. "No shit? That commercialized posh subdivision you also live at here in Huntsfield? The little girl's some rich kid?!"

"Yeah. They suspect the babysitter took the kid out to visit her boyfriend here. He's her emergency contact and his address is listed at the apartment building at the other side of the park. So it checks out with Hope's story that they were headed that direction. And there's a cafe below the building. They also called the kid's mom already and she's driving in from Glenmont."

"Oh damn. She must be worried sick."

As if on cue, the doors to the emergency room swung open and a woman dressed in a striped white blouse, black blazer, and dark blue denim pants with long, jet-black hair and blue eyes wide in a panic rushed straight to the nurses' station.

"My daughter?" She said almost out of breath. "Hope Von Dame? Where is she?"

"Mama!" Hope cried in delight. She hopped off the hospital bed, almost tripping in the process from how high the bed was from the floor. But she managed and ran straight to the woman, arms wide open.

The woman's panic expression was replaced with a look of relief as she knelt down, spreading her arms as Hope ran towards her. Hope wrapped hers around the woman's neck as they embraced each other tightly. Afterwards, the woman broke away to check up on her.

"Hope, sugar bunny," the woman patted her hands all over the little girl. "H-How are you? Are you okay? You didn't get hurt?"

Hope nodded. "I'm okay, but Maggie isn't. I heard she has concush... a concus..." Hope struggled to find the right word.

The woman forced a smile. "Concussion, sweetheart. It means she hit her head real bad."

"Yes! The bike hit her!" Hope recalled. "Will she be okay, mama?"

"I-I don't know. We'll see. But y-you, my sweet angel? You're okay, yes?"

Hope nodded again. They embraced each other tightly again as the woman stood up carrying her. Hope moved away to face the woman. She had a bright smile on her face.

"Mr. Gary and Mr. Richard helped me! And Mr. Gary knows magic, mama! He kept getting coins out of my ears!" Hope twisted her little torso towards Gary and Richard and pointed her little finger at them. The woman followed and turned to the two men.

All three adults' eyes widened as they properly came face to face with each other.

"Rowena!?" Gary and Richard shouted, mouths wide open in utter shock.