Promise Not To Leave Us

They left the classroom and in a jiffy, they were inside the car. As the car drove the father and the six kids to the ice cream joint, Broderick wished badly that the kids were his. He loved them so much as though they were his bones and marrow.

After getting them an ice cream each, they went back home. Once Amy heard the sounds of a fleet of cars parked outside, she stood and watched through the window as the children were welcomed down like the children of king.

She loved how her children were given so much respect, it was even more beautiful to see the most powerful man in NorthHill who was luckily their father smiling with them. She watched as the father and kids walked inside the house.

Once the kids saw Amy, they ran to her and hugged her dearly, they began to gist Amy about what happened at school today before they could even sit.

Broderick simply walked inside his room.

Amy listened to them as though she had no idea about whereas, she had watched videos of how Broderick bullied a man whose son allegedly beat his children.

A couple of hours later, the children were in their room while Broderick sat in the living room alone, reading a newspaper when his phone rang.

He answered it once he saw that it was his head of guards that was calling him.

"Hi, sir. I'm so sorry to disturb you but some lawyers from the international court wanted to present something to you," the head of guard said.

He hung the call up and stood, 'did this bully's father had the gut to sue him?' he thought as he walked to his door, he pushed the door open and walked towards where the lawyers were standing. They were four, three men and one fat woman. They were all dressed in suit.

They presented their ID card to him and identify themselves as lawyers from the international court.

"What did you want?" He asked, unbothered about them.

"Mr. Callan had filed against you, accusing you of keeping his wife and his children with you. Hence, you will need to appear before the court on the fifth of this month, which is two days time with your lawyer," the lawyer stretched the case made against him to him.

"I'll be there," he didn't bother to collect what was presented to him, he just walked inside.

Callan's wife? Callan's children? Weee the six kids Callan's children? Broderick wondered. Was Amy lying to him?

The international court was the biggest court in NorthHill and cuts across other nations and continents in the world so it was impossible for Broderick not to honour them.

He walked over to Amy's room and planted a knock on her door, soon, it was opened.

Amy was surprised to see Broderick, "I'm to appear before the international court day after tomorrow."

"Why?" Amy asked in concern.

"Callan claimed that you are his wife, he also claimed that the children belong to him," Broderick said, observing her kneely. Truth was, he never trusted her. He only stopped punishing her because of the kids.

"What!" Amy exclaimed," he must be stupid. The children are not for him. Infact, he once kidnapped the kids performed a DNA test on them and he confirmed then that the kids were not for him. Ever since then, he had been pestering me on whom their fathe is," Amy said.

"Why would he sue you to court? He must be out of his mind," she added angrily.

"I don't trust you," Broderick said, "you are only good in lying."

Of course, Broderick doesn't have a heart to trust and love anymore. Not after how his late wife who claimed to be in love with him for three years was cheating on him secretly.

"Please beleive me. After I caught Callan cheating on me many years back, I immediately filed for a divorce and dropped it behind for him then left his house," Amy said but Broderick grabbed her neck all of a sudden," you are lying, woman."

He shoved her to the bed and roared in fury," how dare you lie to me? Are you not scared of your life?"

"I'm sincere, please beleive me. That jerk is just being a bitch. He's probably jealous that I have moved on," she managed to speak with his hand tightened around his neck.

"You women lie a lot. I was on my own when you came lurking around me, forcing yourself on me six years ago and now, you force yourself to get married to me yet you dare to keep lying to me," he said and Amy immediately began to cry

She was not even angry at Broderick cause she understands his reason for not trusting women, she was however angry at Callan who was trying to make her life complicated.

"The only reason why I have not killed you now is because of your children," he said and removed his hand.

What if Callan wins the case? Does that mean he would not get to see the children again? No, he can't afford to separate himself from the children. His love for the kids keeps growing day by day.

Was this woman lying to him? She sure is. She's a lier! A big lier! As he thought about this, anger arose from the deepest part of him and he hit the wall multiple times until his fist start hurting. If those angry fist should land on Amy, she won't live another second.

Broderick flung the door open violently and walked out of the room, rather than going to his room, he walked to the girl's room instead. The girls were already asleep.

His heart clutched together in pain at the possibility of Callan winning the case and taking the kids away from him.

Ever since his wife died and particularly after finding out that the woman he had loved and thought loved him was actually cheating on him, his life had been in total darkness. But ever since he met with the kids, he got drawn to them and find himself loving them more and more as the day passes. It was an inexplicable feeling.

He covered the girls well with the duvet and kissed them all in their forehead, he then stood with a painful heart and walked to the boy's room. While standing before the door, he kept hearing laughs.

Laughs? They must be busy playing. He shouldn't expect less, they were males and won't sleep easily.

He planted a knock on the door, he did that up to thrice before the knob finally twisted. Apparently, the kids were so engrossed in what they were doing that they didn't even know someone was knocking on the door.

"Dad!" Moses was the one who opened the door, he shouted once he saw Broderick.

Elisha and Elijah dropped the game pad and climbed off the bed, they all went to hug him and after disengaging, they walked him to their midst and then he sat in their middle on the bed. His face fell on the screen of the television, seeing that they were playing a football game, he smiled.

"Who knows how to play this game the most?" He asked, looking around at the kids.

"I"

"I dad"

"I"

The kids kept claiming that each of them were the best.

"Okay, how about I play with one of you?" Broderick wasn't really good at games but he had played it a few times in the past.

"I'll play with dad," Moses shouted.

"No, I..."

"Dad, let me play with you first,"

"Easy! Okay I'll play with everyone. If you win, you all can ask for what you want and I'll do it, but if I win, then you guys must go to sleep, it's late already," Broderick said.

Seeing that the kids agreed, he said," I'll play with Moses first."

Moses climbed his brother, Elisha and picked up the gamepad, "dad, I'll win you and you will do what I want."

"Let's see," Broderick began to play with Moses, a couple of minutes later, Moses dropped the game pad and jumped off from the bed, jubilating, he had won Broderick with one goal.

Broderick smiled, he wasn't used to defeat but these were kids he loved so he better gets used to it.

"Elisha, your turn now," Broderick said and began to play with him, Elisha dropped the game pad once the game was over and went to hug Moses. "We won."

Elijah picked the game pad and said," dad, will you give up?" He even scoffed.

Broderick ruffle his hair and said," you look like someone I'll win."

Elijah laughed, "easier said than done!"

"Elijah, win dad with more than two goals," Moses said and went to watch the match, Elisha climbed the bed back and kept hailing Elijah as he played against Broderick.

"Goal."

"Goal."

"Goal."

The kids shouted in intervals as Elijah eventually won Broderick, three against zero.

The kids Jubilated and then Moses asked," so dad, can we ask for what we want now?"

Broderick smiled and nodded.

"Give us a second, let us think of something," Moses said and went to a corner of his room with his brothers.

They began to talk quietly, they came to a conclusion after a few minutes had passed, they all went back to Broderick and stood before him.

"You want a million dollar?" Broderick asked and smiled," what else could these littles ones think of if not a huge amount of money since they are well aware about his status in the city.

"You guessed wrong, did you want to try again?" Moses asked.

Broderick's smile widened, the way the kids were standing before him gallantly amuse him, Broderick thought about what they could possibly want and then said, "if it's not money then I guess it could be shoes, clothes ..."

"No, " Moses said.

"He would not get it right, let's tell him," Elijah said to Moses.

"Okay, tell me please. You have my words, no matter what it is, I'll grant it," Broderick said.

"Well," Moses started," you have to promise us that you will never leave us."

"We are scared that someone may come in the future and claim toi be our father, we don't want anyone, we want you as our dad," Elisha said.

"Yes, we want you as our dad. You are the most powerful man in NorthHill so everything is actually possible for you, give us your word that you will never leave us and our sisters too," Elijah added.

Broderick remembered the court case that he was to attend in two days time and sadness held tightly to his heart as if it will rip it apart.

He didn't know what evidence Callan has to prove that Amy was his wife and to also prove that the kids were his. The kids were not his so there was nothing to prove in the first place. How will he keep his words if the court gave an order for the kids to leave him?

"Dad, why are you quiet?" Elisha asked.

Broderick held Moses's two hands and said to him," you have my words "

He let go of his small arms and held Elisha and Elijah in their hands," I won't leave any of you. You have my word."

The children were so happy, they thanked him and played with him for a few more minutes before he was able to get them to sleep.

After he had ensured they slept, he kissed the the boys on their forehead and left their room.