Rye held and comforted Gillian until the sobs became occasional hiccups. She was slouched on his lap. Her face was on his neck. She could smell the masculine perfume that he wore. Desire rippled like winding river down her spine.
Gillian wiped out her tears with a hand.
"I'm sorry I cried on your shirt again." She used the handkerchief Rye had wordlessly given her. She blew her nose.
Lupo's hand was shaking when he directed the nozzle to Gillian/Genova. This was the first time he held and fired a gun. His fingers were slippery on the trigger.Genova...She was the perfect picture of his late mother. The mother who nurtured him inside her womb but punished him when he came out. He was chastised for the way he looked. He was small and balding even as a baby."Ah! Why do you look like my father?" She always screamed at him.Lupo thrived even though he was fed irregularly. He survived wet diapers and dirty clothes until she remembered she had a child to take care of.The house was large and sprawling. It stood alone near the woods. From the road, the driveway was a rough path.Lupe was statuesque and beautiful like an angel. She always brought a man in the house, with lots of food and drinks, of course.She had a flawless and fair skin. Her hair was long and flowing down her back. She looked like a goddess yet she was evil inside. She knew how to torture Lupo.Yet his
Gillian slept through the night. It was a dreamless sleep. She woke up refreshed the next morning.Rye was sitting at the nearby chair. He was reading the newspaper."Good morning," she croaked chirpily."Hi! Good morning!" He quickly folded the paper and stood up. "Did you sleep well?" he queried with a gentle smile."Yes. How about you?" She smiled back while struggling to get up. She seemed smothered with the sheet. She was wearing pajamas and a nightshirt. Both colored white.Rye helped her. "I'm sorry. Were you uncomfortable? I had to cover you."Her wide eyes questioned him."I slept here with you and I want to... lessen the temptation." His neck and ears reddened with embarrassment but his eyes scorched her with a burning desire.Gillian blushed when she understood. She looked anywhere away from him. "I--I want to go to the bathroom..."She closed the door and leaned on it. She was serious when she told him that she did not want to have sex anymore. Her first reason: she was pre
The next morning, her parents and Tita Chedeng flew by helicopter to the site. Sam and Ginny went with them. They promised to be home every weekend."Bye, Mama! See you on Friday evening!" Ginny waved cheerfully.Because she was pregnant, Gillian decided not to come back to her work.
The large house sat on a hill with an overlooking view of the restless sea. Its private beach was empty. The waves formed foam against the rocky formation on the dark sands. The sun just started to set, rendering the skies with purple, orange, and red hues.Rye put down the binoculars."What's the plan?" Jim asked while he watched appreciatively the magnificent Pacific Ocean.
Rye was ready. He planned to grab any opportunity that would place Gillian into his life so he came prepared. He had applied for a marriage license a month ago."When is the wedding?" Jamil barked at Rye."Tomorrow," he replied humbly."Too soon?" Genova reacted worriedly."I will marry Gillian in church when the baby is born, Ma'am Genova.""You want to have a civil marriage?" Jamil expressed straightforwardly. "Gillian, my child, do you agree?"Gillian was still bemused as she gazed at her engagement ring. She looked up when her name was called by her father."What is it, Papa?""Rye wants a civil marriage. Do you want it, too?""Yes, Papa," she replied with no hesitation. "A church wedding is expensive."'I want to see you in a white resplendent wedding gown, Gillian!' Rye shouted inside his mind."Can we be married here?" Gillian requested modestly. Her limpid eyes pleading with Rye."Dad?" Rye seek his father's assistance."We can fly Judge Cortez over here tomorrow," Jim answered
Neither of them signed a prenuptial agreement. Both Jamil and Jim thought of it but when they saw Rye and Gillian gazing lovingly to each other, no one mentioned it.They saw the love that burned between Rye and Gillian even though they didn't know yet.Jim remembered something buried deep in his memory. He was pensive when he came near Rye after the wedding.
"The baby's head already popped out!" Chedeng's nursing instinct went on rescue mode. She gave instructions to Sam and Ginny left and right.Rye did not feel relief upon seeing the trio. He was too worried. He remained by Gillian's side because of her tight grip on his hand.When the baby gave out its first shrill cry, Rye could not explain his feelings. He cried while grinning like crazy."Here's your Junior," Chedeng laid down the bundle of joy beside the tired but smiling Gillian. "He is hungry!"An uproar of clapping hands and laughing voices sounded outside."The grandparents are merry-making," Sam observed while tiredly wiping his sweating face. "They are outside," he added as an afterthought."Oh, what a way of coming out to this world, little brother!" Ginny exclaimed cheerfully.Chedeng helped Gillian with the breastfeeding of the baby. "You will be awkward on the first try, Gillian. But you and the baby will get the hang of it, you'll see," she imparted kindly. She helped Gil
"I was thinking, Gillian," Rye announced the next morning."What is it?" Gillian asked curiously.They were walking side by side on the sands. They were holding hands while he cuddled Rhys in one arm. The baby was watching the seagulls flying above drowsily."I want to build a house by the sea. I don't want to come back to the mountain house." Rye halted and faced Gillian. "What do you say?""It's okay by me. I'll live wherever you want to live, Rye," she replied softly."The mountain house has no occupants for a long time. My parents often forget about the place.""My mother often wonder why I chose to live in the mountains. The transportation is difficult. The houses are scarce. There is no excitement, as Ginny had always commented. Until you lived there..." Gillian murmured pensively."It is fate's intervention. I met you when you needed my help." Rye kissed her knuckles."Yes, Rye. Without your help to my family, I don't know if we could survive the storm..."Rye pulled Gillian on