Ciara laid Derrick slowly and quietly on his bed, tucked him in, and stared at him for a couple of minutes. She sighed. She's already used to spending time with the little lad and now, she knows, she has to leave. She has to leave to a faraway place where no one will be able to find her.
Her uncles and maybe Ryan too. She felt tired of the whole escapade and wondered if she will ever stop running at all. She had to flee from Ryan just because she couldn't stand seeing him get back with his ex-girlfriend and now her uncles too?
Reminiscing over the mobile conversation she overheard sent cold chills down her spine, likewise her rage burning through.
Ciara was filled with trepidation, agitation, and rage too. She couldn't pinpoint her emotions, but she was sure the rage that was boiling through, definitely, surpassed every other emotions of hers.
Ever since herself and Derrick were little, they had trusted uncle Kent much as they trusted their parents. Whenever their parents are away for business trips, they spend days, weeks and sometimes months with him until their parent's arrival from whatever trips they went to.
Ciara wondered if there was another mistake as huge as trusting uncle Kent their whole life; she doubted it -clearly putting theirtrust in him and seeing him as the father figure that he is not is the greatest mistake they will make until their existence ceased.
Ciara was done crying. In as much as she wanted to slump to the floor, bury her face between her thighs and shed those hot tears she's been caging for long, she thought its way from useful. It will only define her as weak-she hated being the princess in distress, the reason she had left Ryan, and now she won't be the same title she despises a lot.
"...Like no one had suspected that Fellers and his wife's death was planned, so will be Ciara's too. I'm only waiting for the perfect time to strike..." the words continuously wouldn't stop ringing in her head. The more she thought of it, the clearer it becomes.
Now that she thought of it, she realized it was supposed to be the hard truth. If someone else had told her it was uncle Kent who had murdered her parents, of course, she wouldn't have believed, and she doubts that she wouldn't hurt the person in return for spitting out trash in her face.
She vividly remembered that the day her parents had an accident, uncle Kent had paid a visit but left as quickly as he can with the excuse that he had some important things he needed to attend to. No one had ever suspected he had a hand in her parent's death -not even her suspicious self.
Dwayne, as she always knew, believed it wasjust a normal road accident and nothing more was attached to it. As a nurse, she had seen more accident, where patients are rushed into their hospital, and she realized her parents weren't of ordinary; there seemed and sure was more to it.
She had thought that maybe it was one of her parents' business partners might have done this to them, perhaps her parents had offended one of them and wouldn't let it slide. Her suspicion was right as thought, but not her suspects; it was the least of person she could everthinkof.
'Now that she's aware of the whole truth, she is never letting this slide...' She vowed to herself. Her uncles, each one of them, must pay dearly for whatever crime they have committed and likewise the one they are yet to because she knows deep down herself that she'll never let them hurt her -not even a strand from her hair.
She went to her room and packed her baggage in a haste yet quietly, she did not want to attract attention to herself, she did not know how she will react if she keeps seeing her uncle's face. She can as well finish him off like he wanted to do to her, but she hated the thought of being a murderer like he was.
"There are much better and yet awful and horribly revenge to murdering." She muttered under her breath, her face covered in disgust at the thought of having her hands stained with blood.
She had intended to leave when her uncle fell deeply asleep, and she thought of leaving a note too, just for him to be less suspicious. The minute he suspected she knows about their dark secrets, she knows it's a dead end for her. That, she did not want.
*******
"Why have you come back home, Ciara." Dwayne asked, as he was shocked to see her sister come back home -in the middle of the night. "...unexpectedly." "You won't want to hear whatever reason it might be, Dwayne." She told him, trying to wave him off from asking her further questions. "I needed some space, I could say."
He stared at him sister, with an obfuscate look and his brows deeply creased. "You needed some place?" He mouthed her words in repeat, like he was trying to memorize it, and disbelief was laced in his voice. "That's one of the weirdest things I'll ever hear from you, Ciara -and horribly funny as well."
She sighed as she faced palmed herself, she did not know how best she'll explain to her brother without raising a suspicion. She did not want him to find out, not when she's yet to gather any evidence. And she did not want to disappear like she did at first, she doubted if Dwayne would be able to live through it.
She has caused him enough trouble already, and she hates to see him worried about her, it breaks her more than anything. If she has to leave without causing him any trouble, she must find a good reason for it.
"In as much as I hate to say this, but I have too..." She replied in a hushed tone. "I saw Ryan earlier today and in no time he will find me and want to take the child away -he is that kind of person. I told you and made a vow to myself, I'll never allow him to do that."
"So...?" Dwayne countered with his brows still creased. "Is that enough reason to leave in the middle of the night? Why can't you be considerate for once, Ciara? What if something had happened to you on your way back, did you even think of how I will feel? Did you...？"
She sighed. That was her point, if she had stayed longer at her uncle's house, she couldn't guarantee herself her safety and Dwayne will never be able to forgive himself...