   Henry opened the gift and his eyes filled with tears. It was the picture from his daycare, a beautiful picture captured during Mother’s Day celebration. His mother was wearing a beautiful beige silk blouse and a black pleated skirt.
   In the picture, Little Henry was placing a crown on his mother’s head, she has this most adorable, proud smile. Seeing the photo, his mind travelled back to all the amazing days he had spent with her. He did not realise that Julie had brought him to his bedroom balcony.
   The tears in his eyes and a smile on his lips, told the depth of his pain. He fondly looked at it cherishing and missing the moments with his mom.
  When Chelsea found this precious picture, Julie knew that he would be happy and equally sad at the same time but it will be in his most prized possession.
   “I have been kept away from things that would emotionally weaken me, I had also decided to keep it that way” Henry said. “Sir, you could trick your brain, but not your mind, it’s still stuck there”. She remembered (refer chapter 13 “Mom stop tickling me”) how his mind freshly played the memories with his mom.
“How do you think it’s going to crumble your strength? Look at the proud smile of your mother in the picture, she would still have the same smile looking at you now.
   In the last few days spent with you, even when you’re at your worst health, you haven’t slipped from morality. Despite the adverse effect of the drugs, you had a control over your conduct, it was because of your dignified mother’s genes and her esteemed upbringing. She would feel nothing, but proud of how good of a person you are, especially how good of a gentleman you have become” Henry smiled.
   After seeing his mother’s photo, Julie felt that Henry resembled more like his mother. He not only inherited her kindness, but the smile lines too.
   “Why stay away from your parents memories? That’s not going to break you down, instead they would bring you happiness. Imagine the moment and feel the warmth that radiates” she let him embrace and cherish the surreal moment. He fondly visualised the beautiful memory.
   “It was always awkward whenever people bring up my parents in a conversation, I would quickly pass over the subject, maybe due to the fear of emotionally being possessed. But today my perspective has changed, thanks to you. I haven’t given a big thought about it to view this sensitive issue from a different prospect” they both gone into a deep thought.
   Henry said “you do not deserve to be treated the way you have been treated today. I would apo..”
“Sir please don’t!”
“But..”
“Sir,he was misled by falsified evidence” she said and turned around to pacify her emotions that started brimming in her mind.
He knew she was deeply hurt. “Juliet, it may be your generosity to forgive people, but being an old man, he could have admonished, not slander or defame you in any way. He should have temperance and self restraint over his words. I do not approve his attitude towards you”
   “Sir, you both maybe Kingston but do not share same genes. You two have extremely different personalities and approach. There is hardly any similarities. No one would believe that he was your mentor who groomed you” Henry laughed at her observation.
   Mr Smith knocked and came in to inform them that the doctor has sent massage therapist. When the men had massaged his legs for few minutes, Henry could feel the relief.
   Julie and Smith sat at the waiting couch behind the curtains. Mr Smith said in a hushed voice, “Julie, I had failed to protect you today, when you had to face the wrath of Sr Kingston. It was me who involved you in this chaos but I did not standby you when you had suffered. I feel so miserable” he became emotional, so he put his face down to avoid eye contact. Julie knelt down to his level, held his hands and said, “Sir, you have always been my biggest support, made me fly high, gave me opportunities to learn, explore and grow in my career. You are my father figure, I am forever indebted to you. You still made me come here and prove my point, that’s how you have pushed me to try new things which I wouldn’t have done it if it wasn’t for you. You had guided me to evolve as a better person and stronger version of myself” she looked at him.
“I hold you and Mr Kingston in high regards, you have done everything in my best interest, I am grateful for that” she smiled.
“Sir, stop being remorseful” she said in a little louder voice. “Who is being remorseful?” Henry’s question shocked them.
Henry was half asleep.
“How do you feel?” Smith asked Henry.
“Niceee” he said dreamily.
   Julie decided to leave, so she informed Mr Smith, “Sir, I shall leave then, I will come back by morning” Mr Smith felt that he had lost the right to ask her to stay until he recovers, so he just nodded.
“No, please” Henry murmured.
Julie stopped for a second, but continued, thinking he was just talking randomly.
“July Stay” she turned back and looked at Smith. He remained quiet to let her decide on her own and not influence or pressure her in anyway.
   She did not have the heart to walk off against his request. “Okay, Mr Kingston” Smith smiled at Julie and left.
   After a while, Henry was shifted to his bed. He held his head in both hands and winced in pain. Julie gently massaged his temple, forehead, eye muscle and bridge of his nose.
   She warmed the heat pad and placed it on his forehead, covered in a napkin. Henry slept comfortably after few minutes. Julie did not knew when she had dozed off, leaning on the headboard. Lack of proper sleep for the past few days, just exhausted her.
   Henry woke up fresh in the morning after a good sound sleep last night, but he could not move as his shoulders has been caged by a soft, delicate hands.
   He noticed that Julie was half lying on her side beside him with her left palm on his forehead and right hand, engulfing him securely on his shoulder. He gently took her hands off and observed her facial features. Her beautiful bronze hair covering the sides of her face, her long eyebrows, sharp nose, the crease on her lips, he gently caressed her cheek bones with back of his fingers slowly and stopped himself when his hand travelled towards her lips.
“Beautiful inside out” he whispered.
   Julie woke up around noon, everyone who met her in the house, asked her the same question to her, “did you see the newspaper?” She was curious and extremely nervous.
   Everyone was in the drawing room when Henry handed her the newspaper. When she saw the headline, her ears turned red eyes popped out and she closed her mouth with her hands in shock!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*What do you think was there in the newspaper?
*Hit the star at the end of the page if you liked the chapter.
Comment