Chapter 19

Shaquille POV

Sitting in silence, I watched the young man Lynn said was her brother,

"Jimmy... how did you find me?"

"First, I googled your name, and your number came up, but your address was listed under restricted information. I called you many times, but I couldn't bring myself to talk," he said, almost near to tears.

"So that was you, the weird calls... nothing saying anything?"

"Yes,"

"Okay," Lynn pulled him into a hug, "it’s okay,"

The kid wasn’t well, and even the blind could see that, I hope I am mistaking but I think he is using,

"I am sorry Lynn, I just didn’t know where else to go... or what to do, I–"

"Shh... it's okay, I am here now," she pulled wrapped her arms around him, Seeing Lynn nurturing side, sent me deep in my thoughts, thinking about her as a mother, she would be so kind, and the kids would look like me most definitely, but they would love her because of the way she loved them,

"Listen," she looked into Jimmy's eyes, "You are going to stay at my apartment, I will try my best to get you a job, and you are going to get yourself cleaned up, okay? You will be okay,"

She still hasn't asked him what happened and why did he try to find her, but I think she already knows, and I can bet those parents of hers had something to do with it, they didn’t seem like kind people and is probably the reason Jimmy here turned to drugs and has ran to Lynn, because she is strong and she got way,

"Come on," she stood with him, "let's get you upstairs,"

As they both climb the stairs, I sat back in my seat, thinking about today. I should have seen it coming, my father and Lilith coming at Lynn like that, I should have known, and I should have protected her. And those things she said about me, for a minute I thought, damn I wish she would tell them to me, and mean it, but I knew better than that and knew it was all pretend, something I paid her to do. Thinking back, everything was now making sense. That's the reason why she was so nonchalant towards Billy at the store because his name must have been some sort of trigger for her. I should have known. I should have researched these things, but my father got them first, and poor Lynn is paying the consequences.

There was another problem on the table, one I don’t know if Lynn will go through with, and I would be understanding if she wants to back out now, and at this point, I want to back out too, let Lilith have it all, because today that man who and crucify Lynn, was not my father.

"He is asleep, sorry about him showing up here like that, I will send him to my place tomorrow—"

"Lynn... its fine, that's your brother."

"Thank you," she sat down,

"Lynn... again I want to apologize, and I think I want to come clean and tell you everything before I tell you what I am about to do next,"

"Okay,"

Lilith came in the picture after my mother passed, and I know she doesn’t love my father, it's all about securing a steady future when he dies, which can be any time,"

She stared at me.

"And in order for her not to inherit every last penny, I had to get a girlfriend, but now, it has changed, and they want me to marry."

"Jensen—"

"Before you say anything, I know it's crazy, and I am putting an end to it. I won't force you make a commitment like that, I won’t... so I will still be giving you a million dollars. In fact, four million. Learning how traumatizing this must have been, and now your brother, I want make sure you are secured."

"No," she mumbled

"I don’t understand—"

"That bitch is the one who dug up my past, not your father, and she won’t be getting a red fucking cent,"

"Lynn, I—"

"I understand your reasons, and I am a part of this war now... we are getting married."

Weeks later I hardly go to the store, but it has been renovated and Lynn was great at being a manager, she even got close to that cashier... Susan. Jimmy has settled in well, he is now living at Lynn old apartment, and even got a job as a janitor, Lynn said he has to prove himself before she takes him in to work at the store and I agree. As for Lynn she has moved in fully, we still share separate rooms, but we are friends, good friend, and even though our agreement will end in a year, I was hoping we could still remain as friends, But today, today is our wedding day. We all were already at the church, my father, a displeased Lilith, her daughter, Billy, his father; Mr. Johnson, Susan, Jimmy, and a lot of rich mother fuckers, I don’t know, but we were all here, expect for Lynn.

Where the hell was she?

We both decided we wanted a small wedding, I didn’t have friends, just acquaintances and Lynn, she recently got her brother back and a work pal, Susan. So, I would say we didn’t have a choice, we had to do a small wedding.

"She's here," Susan announced, causing everyone to shuffle in their seats as she dragged Jimmy behind her. He was the giving her away. The tune of “Here Comes the Bride” began to play in the back. Everyone was staring the entrance, even me. Why was I nervous, I don’t know, it's not like this is real wedding, where a couple falls in love and gets married, we were faking it, but not me, I wish she knows how I feel about her, I wish.

Marching in slowly, she clasped onto her brother’s arms, I stared in awe as she approached me, she was gorgeous, always have been and will be. Taking her hand her brother nodded, and I nodded back, even he was oblivious to what's going on, Lynn and I decided, that it would be best if we let our little plans stay between us only. Standing before me, I lifted the veil over her face, and a feeling of guilt took over me, she was doing because of me, she will be stuck in fake, marriage, dying to get out of the trap, and I felt responsible for it all.

"Hey... I want to do this, stop overthinking it," she spoke, "your face is turning pink."

"We are here today, to celebrate..." after that most of what the pastor said was blank, I didn't care to hear it, I just wanted to keep looking at my beautiful bride, one who had no knowledge of my dying love for her.

"Lynn," the pastor spoke, "Do you take Shaquille as your lawful and wedded husband?"

"I do," she mumbled, taking the ring from off the cushion next to us, slipping it on my finger,

"And Shaquille, do you take Lynn as your lawful and wedded wife?"

"I do," I took up the remaining ring, slipping it on her thin fingers,

"And you may kiss the bride."

Grabbing Lynn cheeks, I devoured her mouth, and the crowd cheered, winched quickly turned in screams, something was wrong.

Pulling away I saw a small group around someone, someone has fainted,

"Call an ambulance," someone yelled

Rushing over, my heart began to pound faster, when I saw who it was, it was dad.

Crouching next to him, I began to cry, why was this happening to me, on a perfect day, why did this have to happen, "Dad... dad, stay with me, come on stay with me,"

"Son..." he mumbled, "I didn’t change the will, everything was always destined to be yours, from day one until now," he coughed.

"And Lynn... tell her... tell her I am sorry,"

"You're going to tell her yourself, Dad, okay... promise me."

"Oh honey," Lilith knelt next to us, "I know this is bad timing, but... did I hear you say you left Shaquille everything?"

"Really?" I glanced up her, eyes burning with tears, "Your husband is on the fucking floor dying! And you're worried about a fucking will!"

"I am no doctor. What else am I to do? Play God?"

"You conniving bi—"

"It’s okay... it's okay, Shaquille," my father coughed again.

"Where is the fucking ambulance?"

"Lilith, my dear wife, why… why would I leave you anything, huh? I know... I know you've been fucking my old pal, Mr. Johnson."

I glared at her. All this time, she was fucking Billy's dad.

"Son, I-I..." But he ran out of time. He died in my arms,

Pandemics arrived on the scene and took his body away, and I was still on the floor crying, taking me in her embrace, Lynn hugged me closely, and I crumbled in her lap, it's like he waiting to die, he waited for weeks, right up to the point where Lynn and I said I do, now I had no one, only my wife.