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The police officers took our statements, their expressions stern and professional, as they documented every detail of the traumatic events. Once they finished, the head officer assured us.
“Ms Esther will be facing serious charges, including attempted murder, and given the severity of her crimes, she’ll be facing a long prison sentence without possibility of parole.” He paused, his gaze sweeping over us, ensuring we understood.
“You and your family are safe now. She won’t be able to harm you again.” He guaranteed.
Willy, sensing the tension, snuggled closer to us, her eyes wide with a lingering sense of uncertainty. I wrapped my arm around her, holding her close, as Jerome nodded in agreement, his
expression soft. “You guys are safe, That’s all that matters.” He pats my shoulders, and converses
with Willy, trying to distract her, all the while we were there.
Finally, we were home, the familiar surroundings a welcome respite from the chaos. But the ordeal
had left its mark, especially on Willy. She clung to us, her eyes wide with fear, as we tried to soothe her into sleep. It took a while, but eventually, her eyelids grew heavy, and she drifted off,
exhausted.
Even in sleep, her tiny body seemed tense, as if the memories of those terrifying fifteen minutes
would forever be etched in her mind. Leo and I exchanged a glance, our own emotions still raw. We
knew it would take time for the trauma to fade, for the sense of safety to return. Those fifteen
minutes had left an indelible mark on our lives. We sat beside Willy’s bed, watching her sleep, my
hand wanting to be entwined with Leo’s, our hearts still healing.
The anxieties of what ifs” settled heavy on my mind. If only I had acted sooner, if only I had been more vigilant, if only I had protected them better.
And then, the chilling realization: if Alenia’s bullet had found my heart, would it have been a more
bearable outcome? At least then, I thought, Leo and Willy would have been spared the trauma, the
fear, the memories that would haunt them forever. The thought sent a shiver down my spine. No, I
couldn’t let myself go down that path. I had to focus on the present, on the fact that we were alive,
together, and safe.
Leo comes out of Willy’s bedroom, exhaustion settled on her face.
“Leo, I…I can’t begin to explain how sorry I am….I am so…“clearing my throat, trying to find the right words, but they get stuck in my guilt–choked voice.
But she stops me midway, her hand on my arm, her touch gentle but firm.
“It’s okay, I don’t blame you for her fucked up mind,” her response coated with exhaustion and resignation.
But beneath the surface, I sense a hint of unspoken emotions, a subtle undertone of frustration, of
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weariness, of being overwhelmed by the constant fallout from my actions. It’s as if she’s saying I’m tired of being angry, tired of blaming, tired of dealing with the consequences of your choices. I’m tired of paying the price for your mistakes, Wilson. I’m tired of being strong.
“I’ll sleep in the guest bedroom,” she speaks, her voice hesitant, a hint of sadness beneath the
surface.
“I don’t want to explain the situation to Willy if I slept with her.” She clarifies, yet somehow my
wound was nothing as wounding as the distance between us.
She gazes at my wound one last time, her eyes welling up with tears, a mix of concern and
heartache.
Then, she turns and walks away, leaving me alone with my thoughts, the weight of my mistakes, and the uncertainty of our future together. The silence is deafening, the last sound only is the soft click of the guest bedroom door, to re remind me of the distance growing between us.
I stood at the threshold of the bedroom, gazing at the space with a sense of dread, as if it were a
ha
prison cell where I’d be forced to confront the darkness and silence alone.
I gazed at the empty space beside me, where Leona should have been. If only I hadn’t shattered her trust, hadn’t betrayed her in the worst possible way, she would be here now, her warm hands on my
skin.
But instead, I had transformed her, my actions turning a vibrant, loving woman into this distant, unexpressive woman. The thought was too much to bear, and I felt tears prick at the corners of my eyes, as I realized the full extent of the damage I had done. I had taken her light, her joy, replaced it with a hollow, gnawing pain. The ache within me grew, for doing that to her.
and
I tried to shake off the notion, reminding myself that Leo was willing to try, to work through this together. But the voice of self–doubt persisted, taunting me with the fear of losing her if I revealed. the truth. What if she leaves me after that?
Yet, a part of me urged me to come clean, to be honest with Leo about everything. She deserved the truth, no matter how painful it might be. The question was, would I find the courage to reveal the truth, or would I let fear silence me?
Chapter 1
