Previously on Wings of Light:

--- *** ---

"I've been on dates where my exes have cooked something delicious even if two of them have admitted they're terrible cooks. And I haven't been with them for years or something. Even one of them with whom I've been for longest time about the seventh month, after we had a delicious dinner and you know what else, on the morning after I woke up in an empty and cold bed. At first, I thought he was making a breakfast for me or at least, he was in the bathroom, showering. Instead, I was in the bed, fully naked and he came in the bedroom, shouting at me without reason to get out of his house. I was quite confused. I didn't get it why right on the seventh month and after making love to each other the last night right after dinner, he wants me out. I asked him what was wrong or something. He just told me to pick up my clothes within a few minutes or he will beat the shit out of me."

"What an asshole!"

--- *** ---

"Here we go with the relaxing bloodbath!"

--- *** ---

"I'm good. I woke up an hour ago to make coffee for us after doing my morning yoga as well."

"Ah! Yar doing the morning yoga. That's doubtlessly healthy and marvelous. Why didn't ya tell me earlier it's part of yar hobbies?"

--- *** ---

"I do have, in spite of she was slightly, Ya know, she was unpleasantly surprised at first how we're having a baby by breaking a vow and about yar past." 

"Look what, rare bird! Hi lovely angel! Daddy missed you so much. Jude, she's absolutely wrong what she has talked about my intentions and breaking the vow we took years ago! We used to be a nun and priest years ago and I got you out shortly after you gave a birth to our lovely cherub angel. We're madly in love each other so that this miracle is with us at last and I don't see the mistake, because it's not a mistake what we have done with Edward and leaving the church and Briarcliff for good. If she thinks I'm going to manipulate you and let you down just like the old Timothy Howard would do when he was a blinded by its an ambition priest, that's the biggest lie. Because I've took a vow to not leave you ever again and I'll stay with you no matter the circumstances." 

--- *** ---

"Here you go, little cherub angel! I love you more than anything, Edward Ralph! And I'm so glad you and your Mommy are at home after these tiresome days of loneliness and emptiness. Jude, what are you doing?"

"I'm checking the piano."

--- *** ---

"C-Come on! I thought you were like the other men." 

"I'm not them, Andrea! I'd rather prefer getting to know you rather than getting laid with you. It's a humiliation."

--- *** ---

"Good evening!"

"Thank you!"

--- *** ---

"I'd like some Evan Williams whiskey for me."

"Jude,"

--- *** ---

"W-What's all this for?"

"No questions, rara avis! That's our love nest up to the next morning. You mustn't be worried about anything. It makes everything worse."

--- *** ---

--- *** ---

--- The Next Morning ---

--- 15th of February, 1966 ---

The morning after elapsed quicker than a leaping heart in euphoria, losing its evenly rhythmical heart beat.

As soon as Madeleine came to her senses by slumbering in the second bedroom which was used for guests, she got up by bathing Edward then changing him in conveniently warm baby clothes and feeding him through the baby bottle with his mother's loft breastmilk. Once Madeleine took a good care of the infant, she left him in the children's room to play with his prominent Christmas present which he received from his both parents altogether. The plush teddy bear. The young lady brewed herself some coffee without any quantity of milk and sugar. Once she went upstairs with her mug of morning coffee, whilst her petite-frame was clad in her comfortable pair of chenille pyjama towering the stairway to the second floor to supervise strictly diligently the young boy as a responsible young adult and trusted friend of the owners, her light, feminine footsteps hardly echoed that were shoed in fuzzy, convenient slippers.

"Edward, little cherub angel, guess who's back!" She managed to lower her solely free elvish, alabaster hand to the doorknob, turning it until the door widely opened at the sight of the young boy nipping with his freshly grown ivory teeth the cotton fabric of the stuffed animal's head, his pudgy arms hooked in a hug as if it's his solely trusted friend of his. "Edward!" The emphasis of his first name and the wry smile, indicated across her naturally rosy-coloured, cherub lips contoured her facial features with sternity, setting a foot in the room by leaving askew opened the door, having no spare time to slam it at the moment by leaving the mug of hot caffeine beverage on the dressing table. "Sweetheart, no!" Once the blonde scooted in light, short footsteps up to the infant, she crouched down, stroking lovingly, gingerly his dark hair, nuzzling her delicate nose tip against his alabaster temple alleviatingly sly, in order to snatch subtly the stuffed animal from his embrace. "Edward, it's not healthy to eat your stuffed animals and toys! Mommy and Daddy won't be okay if there are bacterias and germs in your tiny, sweet mouth."

"Nana!" A shrilling bewail floated from his pale lips, generous layer of blush powdered his cheeks with healthy sanguine pigment, tighting his eyelids in wee slits with rivulets crystal-blue drips, trickling downward his round face. His arms were spread in defeat in the thin air, insisting to get back his favorite teddy bear.

"Shu, shu, shu, it's okay, honey!" An affectionate seed was planted on the top of his head, her only free hand gingerly, dotingly caressing his cheek, thereafter the tad of her thumb daubed the trickling chubby tears. "You aren't supposed to be upset when somebody is truly caring about your health. You know who are going to be more upset if you're sick," She rested warily her forehead against his, muffling a yawn while holding the love child of the former members of the clergy's favorite toy. Pause limped in her throat, suckling on her lower plumpish lip, sorting her words and building its bricks of a rational response, rearing as a cape expedition. "Your mom and dad would kill me, of course!"

"Nana!" The friendly, loving nickname that the little boy addressed usually the Michiganian, planted a vibrant seed, consequently flourishing upon her porcelain, youthful complexion. Dab of warmness engulfed the glacial, thick layers that enveloped her flimsy heart. The memorable, sweet moments with not only family and friends, but also children that she collected as scarring memories for the rest of her days, imprinted in the mystery box with memories from the past that were really fascinating and overwhelming, leaving a track after its event. Whether nostalgic or gleeful.

"Here is your friend!" The hoarseness in her chuckle, seconds before handing back the teddy bear to the infant didn't fade away. Edward joined the symphony of the chuckles, babbling Madeleine's friendly nickname he incessantly addressed her. "Haven't you thought of a name for your little friend?" In the meanwhile, the only reply that Edward could give to the flower store's saleswoman was shaking his head in a solemn disagreement, in spite of his limited vocabulary for almost a five-month-old baby. "Oh, I can help as I can be the godmother of your little friend. But first and foremost, is it a girl?" The Michiganian opted to start with simple questions, sufficiently fathoming for the ray of sunshine without hindering him further due to his young age. The maternal instincts instantly unlocked with a special key after being stored inside when she was around children especially her friends' love child. She adored children, regardless how certain peers of her despised kids and couldn't stand them for a single second due to their childish prying and loud nature which was perfectly normal for their fragile age. Furthermore, the children liked Madeleine, however, Edward was a special kid, in her humble opinion. He was the sole infant that was very fond of the young woman.

In a simply strong disagreement, the infant shook his head humbly, an eerie flat line indicating across his baby pinkish lips. It wasn't a frown. Not a warm welcoming smile.

"So it's going to be a boy?" The timidness hesitancy in her enquiry promptly earned the answer she was looking for. Edward bobbed his head in firm agreement, affirming the final answer by identitying his favorite stuffed animal's sex.

"Oh, that's wonderful! I'm sure you share so much in common, I guess." In the interval, she ambled up to the dressing table by gulping a wee sip from the caffeine beverage, distinguishing its temperature that was warmer a few minutes ago, compared to the current moment. "And how we're going to name your pal?" Low hum lingered on her tongue, sipping her cup of morning coffee, attempting to overcome with something unique and genius for the plush teddy bear's name.

"Nana!" Meantime, the little boy's pointed pudgy forefinger at her as an arrow caught her attention in no time after leaving aloof with a few inches proximity the mug, avoiding future, haphazard accidents.

"What? Madeleine?" A sharp exhale hoisted its oxygen from the top of her brittle lungs. "Of course not, little lovely bug! Madeleine is a female name. It would be weird naming a boy with female name, you know!" She readjusted her sitting posture on the carpeted flooring of the children's room. "Okay, let's try again, little lovely bug! What about naming it after your father Timothy?"

"Nah!"

"It's not Timothy. How about that your parents' old pal Frank?"

"Nah!"

"I knew it you want more exoctic names. Sounding like rhymes. Just like your Mommy Judy's name." Then her solely free hand that rested on the young boy's shoulder, squeezing it gently with her fingers, she held the gaze whilst sipping her mug of coffee, throughout layer of caffeine thickly baptizing her youthful teeth, yellowing them faintly, losing its satisfying blanching cleanness and sheer hygiene. Her berry-coloured, caffeine-stained tongue twirled as a fan, licking greedily her cherub, damp lips. "What about Lysander? I'm sure you will agree on this one this time." Smug, vile grin bared her teeth, eyeing the almost toddler's contoured with bliss facial features. Beaming smile flapped its angelic wings, spreading them in the starless sky and hovering upon his chubby, round complexion.

"Ya!"

"So it's Lysander, right?" He managed a nod, whereas the young lady pursed her lips thoughtfully, pausing arching between them with its dispersing colourful arcs of the rainbow. "Hmm! That's a good guess for sure! And I'm officially the godmother of your little friend called Lysander." Afterwards her lean, alabaster arms managed in a lift to heave the weightless body of Edward Ralph, heaving him in the thin air triumphiantly, whilst his hands were occupied with snuggling Lysander the stuffed animal. "Your parents will be very happy that your buddy has a name at last." The young lady got from the ground, spinning with Edward altogether as a whirligig in the middle of the room, whimpering screams as if they were in seventh heaven. "Wee! Woohoo! The big Edward has finally a little pal called Lysander." Madeleine wasn't afraid of showing her childish side which was obvious for her inner circle only like her close friends and older brother Roman. After a several seconds, stars encircled the nausea that swamped the pit of her stomach, migraine aching her whirlpool of thoughts, dropping warily the little boy to play with his plush teddy bear, whilst leaning to pick up the plain, oyster-white mug of coffee. "Oh shit! Another migraine after spinning. Oh God!" In the interim, Madeleine excused herself, walking away from the room by scurrying up to the nigh bathroom, subsequently leaving on the marble sink the colder cup of coffee. She crouched down by opening the toilet seat fully, whereas bending down, encouraging the nausea to outcrop immediately. The recurring coughs, forcing the vomit challenged her, the chenille pyjama trousers contacting the cool tiled bathroom flooring as her knees scarcely ached. "Crap!" All of a sudden, she threw up, allowing the bog of cataract flowing from her tongue downward to the toilet water, staining it with uneven, olive-green liquid. Within a half a minute she got from the flooring, flushing the toilet water, while her other hand wiped with its flat back the vomit-stained lips gracefully, turning the sink's faucet as jet water ran to rinse her nostrils, mouth and lastly her blanched face after dizziness. She didn't even dare to glance at the wooden framed mirror, hanging over the sink to notice any obnoxious detail behind her manipulated reflection, mirrored on the frail glass.

After rinsing her nostrils, mouth and face, she gripped by the handle the porcelain mug, fleeing the bathroom without an ado.

--- *** ---

"It's a lovely morning after Valentine's Day, isn't it, Harry?" The middle-aged lady's radiance in her inquiry earned a beam at her from her partner, his strong, leanly muscular arm snaked around her waist. "Huh?" The slums were far from boisterous and overcrowded with abundance of strangers, pacing on the sidewalks in the wee hours of the morning.

"It's, Andrea! I'm so happy to go on a walk in the morning." Meanwhile, the blonde rested her head on his muscly, broad shoulder, emitting raspy chuckle after earning a peck on the top of her head. "With you!"

"After drinking hot chocolate down the streets, for sure!" The smile inclined to flourish into a grin. Beehive of small, translucent snowflakes, dancing in its sluggish pelt touched gently their exposed pale hands to the natural daylight, blanching the knuckles' epidermis.

Eventually Andrea and Harry the day before spent it in hikes, watching the black and white television's pictures that displayed on the prostitute's television screen and having a romantic dinner in her house as they both cooked together, putting humongous efforts in their homemade meal. The dimness of the mid-February sun's scintillating sunrays gleamed saturating spots, marking its own territory for melting the snow and icy sidewalks.

"What's going on?" The sudden choir of shot bullets snapped them out of the serenity that blanketed them under its warm quilt. On the other side of the slums, Lydia Jane was armed with a real pistol, aimed directly at the burglars that opted to break into the closed flower store, panicking them as they're running for their lives as if they're swift enough, it would strongly depend on their life and the trial they've been through. "What are those shoots?"

"I don't know this woman but she does definitely something good for the flower store's owners.I really can tell." In the meanwhile, two pairs of inquisitive dark orbs were darted to the terrified burglars, who were three men, visibly apparently approximately their 30s.

"Stay away from the flower store, you little bastards! I gotcha you!" The Floridian sped up to them to catch them, whilst loading the bullets for the impending shot at the solely fleeing offender until his head was shot unlike his both allies, whose legs were pierced with bullets. Their stamina was far from potent to embolden them to get from the ground, sitting on their knees on the glacial asphalt like wounded animals during the hot season of hunting. Wicked snicker clicked the roof of her mouth, far from reluctant to linger on her tongue. Adrenaline pumped into her veins.

"Shut up you dyke! The fact that you've a gun, that doesn't mean we're afraid of you!" The second man licked greedily his dry, cracked lips, whilst the duo eyed apprehensively the scenery of shoot.

"Let me explain this to you, Mister!" Meanwhile, the ginger stomped his spine, crouching down haughtily past him, whilst her feet stomped inescapably afflictive, barely having any intentions of releasing him from her trap. The gun contacted his creased forehead in obvious terror, contouring his facial features. "I have the gun which makes everybody to run like chickens as you did. But you the burglars are so pathetic hypocrites, thinking you're the best and unfearable bastards in town." She furrowed her eyebrows, twirling her tongue playfully instinctively. "I'm not even scared from both of you!" In two swift bullets, the other two men were already shot dead, luxurious, viscuous blood pool oozed from their shot areas, christnening underneath their corpses, whereas the homosexual puffed the gun's muzzle as a hot morning coffee, pooling its coffee liquid in a mug. "The job is already done."

"Whoa, triple headshots with three bullets!" The younger man's emphasis provoked the older lady's husky, inward chuckle, patting affably his shoulder as they tiptoed by from façade they were hiding and watching the massacre's sequence. "We shall go."

"Yeah, before this woman catches us in a big trouble and aiming the gun right at-" Meantime, the hooker nudged her partner's shoulder, shushing him as a caution to keep quiet until they establish in the other part of the street peacefully.

"Shh, Harry! I don't want even to imagine what would happen if she aims the gun at us." Their bashfully light footsteps tried to not catch any further attention, nor echo against the glacial, almost endless rug.

"Hey! You the birds in love." Suddenly the younger lady approached Andrea and Harry, lowering the gun without menacing them heinously unless they're endangering whether her safety or somebody else's. "Where do you think you're going?" A crescent arc inked across her bright pink lips.

"On a hike. Why you're asking us?" The younger man grasped his snaked arm around the blonde, pulling her towards him overprotectingly, in case, if the redhead plotted their homicide. The suspicious posed question sketched Harry and Andrea's faces with somber, achromatical hues. Their hearts sunk, risking their lives to be took by the redhead.

"I didn't mean to have any malicious intentions, but I don't even know if I have to trust you for something really prominent and discreet."

"What do you mean with this, miss?" The single mother's posed question taunted the younger woman's quirking brow, forming a pucker on her eyebrows' cusp. In the meantime, the blonde wedged her lips in a thoughtful, attentive purse. Goosebumps bristled overally her epidermis after the bone-chilling scene. "You're confusing.""

"What I'm exactly confusing both of you with? You think I would like to kill both of you along with these misters, who are smeared in its blood pools in their eventual afterlives? Huh?" They averted for a split second their gazes from Lydia Jane, glimpsing at the motionless corpses as Harry's jaw chattered balefully, having no intentions of dumping Andrea and leaving her on her own. "Of course, I'm bullshitting with both of you! You won't be dead, because I doubt you'll be a danger."

"First and foremost, what do you want from us, miss?"

"What I want from both of you?" At the moment, the lesbian's face closed its gap with the hooker's, sharing almost no inch proximity. "To know about one guy that is responsible for kidnapping a former nun and trying to rape her, but he fortunately got arrested and unfortunately, escaped the hellhole!"

"Cayden Gray, right?"

"Exactly, ma'am! I'd like to know if somebody between both of you had some kind of contact with him." The Floridian put the revolver in her coat's inner pocket.

"I did during my temporal custody in jail." The single mother's confession drew momentarily the homosexual's attention.

"And?" Then the proximity increased with a few more inches, making less uncomfortable the middle-aged woman, nibbling on her lower lip at the emphasis of Lydia. "Did he try to hurt you or having any bad intentions?"

"Of course not! We shared one another's stories of our past and how his family is still loving and supporting him, despite he's a vile serial killer with no mercy for slaughtering women and girls." Flushing reluctant deep breath as retrospection before the sequel of the monologue that unzipped her lips, holding the brutally honest stare with Lydia Jane. "And his daughter and older brother are going to have a revenge on the flower store owners along with its manager's boyfriend."

"Oh whoa! I didn't know how evil and manipulative is Cayden along with his family. Did you say anything to him?"

"Well, I tried to convince him to be diplomatic with the flower store managers but he refuses to listen to me."

--- *** ---

When the dim sunlight filtered the parked vehicle' windows with saturating duvet light, illuminating their pale as lily-white faces, a muffled yawn zinged the former holy woman's dry, bright red painted lips with its mild smear across her and her boyfriend's jaw. Once her groggy eyelids blinked in a recurring frequence, rubbing them with her fashioned in balled fists knuckles, callouses crinkling the delicate skin of her knuckles until the fuzziness faded away, blinking once again allowing to freshen her vision until her knuckles were with smeared with dark eyeshadows and mascara, inked irritatingly. Grunt in low voice floated from her lips, evading further drama in the early morning and waking up the former priest from his beauty coma.

Was he awake? Or Timothy was just pretending to kip beyond peacefully?

A few questions submerged her ocean of thoughts by turning to the other side, fortunately, coming to the conclusion he wasn't awake yet. She didn't have any intentions of disturbing him. The sight of the British compatriot without stirring and moving any single muscle relieved her. He looked so handsome, while he's sleeping like baby, in her humble opinion. The grasp of his hooked strong, muscular arm around her waist wasn't even bothering the blonde.

Anyway her honey brown embers were lost on surveying in a scrutiny his charming facial features as if Jude was inspecting a hand carved onyx marble statue, admiring its uniqueness by God's creation of her former boss. The lactescent skin tone, overally blanching his epidermis from head to toes. The delicate, symmetric structured nose with its nose tip that could molt her as a chocolate in an Eskimo kiss. The well-scuptured, carved by human flesh cheekbones and healthy chubby cheeks, merged altogether which could be peppered with feather, delicate cheek kisses all over the fleshy capes with light, unbothering blush touching them. The thick, dark eyebrows that motionlessly snoring in his sleep, howsoever, quirking, furrowing and narrowing while articulating the real faces of bewilderment, disgust, contempt, glee, misery and fury, depending on the eyebrow's tilt and angle. And now, utterly focusing on the full cherub, pale-pinkish with faint smear of ravishing red lipstick after the passionate kiss they melted and shared the last night. One in a million lips she could solely kiss and she wondered how does come a pious man with rich career and experience in the priesthood have such enchanting facial features, reckoning his lips. One in a million lips the former holy woman could long to not break off a kiss. The light scaring, scraped on his lower lip was excessively questionable for her. Perhaps a childhood incident befell him and that's why the incident affected with a scar on his lip irreparably. Eventually the British aristocrat has never talked about the scar on his lip and he hasn't even hinted it. Childlike inquisitiveness to find out more about his scar suddenly refilled the pool of thoughts.

All of a sudden, grunt escaped his lips just seconds before stirring, flopping on her side, grasping his snaked arm circa her slim waist as her slim, long as piano keys fingers combed playfully his dark hair, admiring the fresh softness adjoining her fingers' anatomy. His eyelids fluttered in a blink, grogginess staining in the first blinks. A relieving smile indicated across the former nun's plumpish lips at the sight of her boyfriend's awaked condition.

"Morning, Timothy!" The softness of her Boston accent tingled as the eloquent morning birdsong, returning the smile as his berry-coloured lips curled in the beam.

"Morning, rare bird!" It's unbelievable the last night." Mumble slipped from his tongue with his velvety, British accent, his only free colossal hand managed to reach for her disheveled fistful of long honey curls, tucking them meekly behind her ear. Softness contoured the former licentious nightclub singer's facial features, highlighted with the saturating sunlight.

"If yar talking about the river's sleepover, you're absolutely right!" Wryly husky chuckle didn't fade within a couple of seconds, lowering her delicate hands to the well-carved jaw line, cupping it while holding the piercing ogle. "I didn't think ya will drive us after I was so drunk here."

"I know, but it didn't hurt to have some romantic experience there!" A fistful of unruly gilt tresses were mopped from her face, fully refining her round profile. "Isn't that correct?"

"Definitely!"

"Didn't you like it?"

"I love it how creatively organized was. I thought we're about to be at home after the accident in the nightclub with that homosexual bitch." In the meanwhile, nuzzles, sealing the hollow gap clung the both former devotional members of the church in an Eskimo kiss, muffling warm morning breaths, staining their teeth until Timothy's berry-coloured, soft as satin lips reached for her forehead, dumping an affectionate peck.

"So as we promised together the night was all ours, correct?" Docile, humble nod in solemn agreement affirmed his words with low, silver-tongued humming as a weak car engine's buzzing. "That's right. Even if that lesbian tried to molest you or something, it didn't mean to entirely ruin the fun we had and the fantastic romantic experience by driving us to the lake and sleeping in the car, while Maddie is minding her business with Edward."

"I think you're definitely right! Even if something tries to ruin a good experience, it didn't mean for the whole day." Thumbs traced featherly the well-carved cheekbones. "Timothy," The emphasis of addressing his first name drew his attention momentarily.

"Yes, my rare bird?" Silence hushed in the immobile cab, capturing her lips. "Is anything wrong?" Shortly after the kiss, the hushing silence was quizzically foxing him as if the things didn't seem alright at all.

"Not exactly but I just noticed that ya have a scar on your lower lip while you were asleep." The huskiness in her voice didn't ebb out immediately, the tad of her thumb brushing lightly his lower lip, admiring its softness. "Is it a childhood accident?"

"Yes, I had a childhood incident. I was actually involved in a car crash when I was like 10 years old only." Sarcastic, half-hearted snigger tickled the corners of his mouth. "My older brother John, who tried to drive our father's car on the parking lot under my father's supervision hit accidentally a tree as we just flinched. I hit unintentionally my lower lip in the closed car's window glass, scrapping my lower lip. It bleeded for a few hours and my older brothers tried to treat it with a disinfectant and cotton. Despite their efforts, it was just a scar. It couldn't be removed or vanish with the time." He bit his lower lip uneasily at the thought of his childhood memory that was outstandingly memorable, imprinted in his ocean of thoughts and memories. "John loved the risky stuff. My father just hit his head. Anyway John apologized for the car's damages he's responsible for." Deep breath surged from the top of his brittle lungs. "My father didn't allow him to drive any vehicle unless he collects the sufficient amount of money to pay for the damages."

"On one hand, I think yar father doesn't have the right to force one of his kids when they're still minors and unemployed to pay for something they're responsible for as their gooses are cooked." The firm, stern response resurrected her philosophical, argumentative side where ugly disagreements would doom the debatable topic. "Second, if Edward was like teenager and he caused damages to our car, of course, I wouldn't force him to pay the entire price, ya know! John was still a kid."

"But anyway John worked as a salesman for vegetables and fruit downtown. My father trusted him until the vehicle's damages and then he tried to alienate as much as possible from my older brother. John was treated as shit from then."

"Well, even as a salesman for veggies and fruit it won't gurantee ya to pay something obnoxiously expensive unless you save the money for a few years without daring to risk any cash to be spent on anything from yar savings."

"My family is tremendously...tremendously wealthy, but I supported John and I tried to tell my father when I was like fifteen-year-old boy that was absolutely wrong to treat him as nothing than a human waste for something he did years ago." Heavy sigh flushed his toned, once constricted chest, releasing the encumbering oxygen ounce. "Anyway my father was too stubborn to listen to me. He still blamed John though he paid for the damages. However, my dad wouldn't forget and move on, thinking that by judging the past he could be the goddamn right. Furthermore, John doesn't live in the mansion. He's living now in Edinburgh with his wife and being happily married with two lovely daughters." His front ivory, yet firm pair of teeth suckled on his lower lip bashfully, absently, attempting to recollect his thoughts, sorting the words before slurring them. "John and his family came only for like Christmas and Easter. He didn't care about dad anymore when he opened a new chapter in his life for being treated as nothing else."

"I can finally see for who's is yar father. I genuinely don't blame your older brother why he's emigrated in Scotland, staying away from your father. Your father acts like a choad without giving a single shit about yar brother. That's not okay!" The vulgarity in her last sentences flushed the younger man's face with generous, unhealthily sweltering heat underneath his cheeks with blush, powdering them. Frown replaced her beaming smile.

"You're so right and no wonder why John hates my father so much! It's so childish of my father side." In the interval, the former sister of the church's stomach growled aggressively, yearning for modicum of food or anything to fill the hollow pit of her stomach, evading health issues for future. "It seems we should go home as soon as possible. Aren't you actually peckish?"

"I could say so and I'm completely sure Maddie is going to kill us for being so late at home."

"That's fine! She knows right away the last night we wouldn't be back at home, because it was our night. The whole night itself." A small smile dripped across her lips, grinning at the emphasis. Another aggressive growl of the older lady's stomach caught them off guard, seizing her lips in a sheepish purse. "Jesus Christ! Your stomach growls like a wolf. We shall find the nearest grocery store on our way to home for some crackers and mineral water. I can't stand watching you starving and dehydrated."

"I'll be fine to handle up to home without spending a single dollar on crackers and water." Her stubbornness, of course, taunted him, raising an arch of his eyebrow, nudging her to get up by folding the bedsheets and quilt and putting them back in the luggage carrier. The warmness that once overspread all over their facial skin was chilled with its natural common cold climate, compensating the hours they've spent bundled up without having any intentions to flee the comfort zone, lingering for hours. "No! Five more minutes!" The Bostonian mewed a headstrong whimper, crossing her arms with pout, creasing her lips while aiding him to fold the bedsheets and quilt.

"We have to find the nearest payphone to talk to Maddie, informing her that we will be at home very soon so that to stop her worries at all." The grin wiped off from the Bostonian's parchment complexion. "And of course, to fill your belly with something enough to stop these growls. I don't want you to have health issues, just because of starvation and accepting not enough amount of food."

"Of course, we'll! Yar worries must stay away as well. They're bugging off the hell out of me." When they finished with folding the bed equipment, thereafter they put in the luggage carrier, whilst the former promiscuous jazz nightclub singer rummaged the glove compartment for tissues, yanking them by dropping on her lap and snatching a napkin, whereas her only free hand dragged the visor. The compact glass mirrored the manipulated reflection of her face, daubing with the napkin the luxurious layer of eyeshadows, mascara and then regrabbing a second napkin for her lipstick, smearing it by implying the full removal of her make-up from the night before. "Oh thank God, the last night shitty make-up is out of my face! I ruined it this morning." At the moment, the back seats were adjusted by default and Timothy sat alongside her.

"No pressure just because you haven't eaten anything this morning," Meanwhile, she turned to face him, sealing her naturally roseate, cherub lips with his into a hardening, passionate kiss, silencing her resilient inner voices and demons of grumbles, dying on her tongue. The tissues were discarded back in the glove compartment with the balled puckered napkins after getting rid off the make-up. The palms of her amusingly warm, smooth as silk hands cupped his cheeks, whereas his both hands warily held her waist steadily. "Okay?" After they broke off the kiss, fluttering open their eyelids, halting in realization of the inevitable tasks they're supposed to do. The sweetness of the kiss succumbed them, yearning to be as eternal as the wretched, timeless's souls to roam the mortal world they're once mortal guests with uninvited ethereally eternal souls, seeking peace unless their quests are accomplished.

"Needless to say! I'm so sorry for being so harsh and cold. I just loved the idea of watching the river, while being in the bedsheets in the car."

"There's no reason to be sorry for. I completely understand you, Jude!" His mammoth, comfortingly creamy hand managed to tower up to her cheek, cupping it, whereas the tad of the thumb tracing lovingly her well-defined, symmetric cheekbone. "Everything is going to be fine soon when you're fed and hydrated and we see our little cherub angel and Maddie!" The bland, insurmountable apology of the former religious woman of the cloth wasn't to be blamed for and Timothy definitely could forgive her easily whether for her ire or blindness of discovering the truth later than the usual.

--- *** ---

--- A Half A Hour Later ---

The cab glided smoothly the freshly clean paths by the obstinate ice and snow as the car radio lowly hummed, whilst the both former pious members of the church sung together by finding the nigh grocery store nigh the gas station to refill some fuel on their way to home, in fact, the vehicle was almost out of fuel. It had a yen for its gasoline food, emboldening it somehow to proceed with its adventurous journey.

Once the vehicle was parked on the sole free parking lot of the gas station, catching one of the gasmen's attentions, who was visibly youthful and vulnerable, nonetheless, naïve wasn't parallel to his vulnerable youth. He was just in his early thirties and slightly younger than the former ambitious Monsignor.

"I promise I'll be back with a bottle of water and a package of crackers to be on your feet." A feather, tender peck on the lips electrified the goosebumps, prickling her sensitive epidermis, whilst the gasman was approximately the luggage carrier, circling up to the driver's seat as his destination. "Stay in the car, rara avis! I won't be out for too long."

"Mhm!" Jude managed a humble nod, affirming his promise. The low humming radio halted in fading away in the background as Timothy stroke gingerly the mane olf golden wavy hair encouragingly, lovingly after holding her chin during the brief peck, holding their stares until he got from his cab with his wallet.

After the older man ordered how much exactly liters of gasoline to be applied to the car, subsequently he ambled up to the grocery store to pay for the gasoline's price along with the mineral water bottle and crackers' package within a few minutes.

The middle-aged lady suckled on her lower rosy-coloured, plump lip at the sight of her boyfriend shopping in the gas store until the prospect of a young woman, visibly in her early 20s with dark hair just like Timothy's pigment, howsoever, somewhat longer than the former sister of the church's hair with his pair of chocolate brown coals, ignited with the most fierce flame, blazing them whenever ire or vexation creased upon their facial features when their emotions and feelings were erupting, reflecting its surface. What it struck Judy about the prospect was that the young lady opted to test somehow the former holy man's patience by everlastingly being after him until he turned to her by knowing her infamous family's background and menacing balefully they'll be eradicated if somebody dares to hurt him, Jude or somebody else from their inner circle with malicious intentions. Then he went to pay for the crackers, mineral water bottle along with the gas and leaving the shop without an ado.

"Anything wrong, darling?" The suddenness of her posed question after he opened by her side's car door to handle the mineral water bottle, removing its tap effortlessly, consequently swigging greedily, wolfily as if she's never seen ever water in her life, whereas the crackers' packet laid motionlessly on her lap except grinding on one of her hips while moving lightly, unknowledgably its thigh muscle. A weak smile with its loving feminine aura tried to assure the once holy priest. Meantime, his cocoa brown embers, ignited with flashing fury and adrenaline that also pumped into his veins by peeping over the parked car's roof, noting Martha paying for her iced coffee. "Darling?" Velvetness emphasized the friendly romantic nickname, nudging him by snapping him out of his mirage and thoughts.

"It could be. It didn't really look like if you watched from the car the scenery in the gas store. She was saying dreadful things about us and plotting a delicious slaughter of our family." He gulped the lump in his throat, not managing to release insurmountable oxygen, shifting his cocoa brown orbs up to the older woman, softing his facial features, ameliorating his adrenaline and impulsive wrath attached to his gaze once. "She threatened me I'll be the first one whose grave she will be dancing on with her father and his uncle." The crackers' packet was snapped in a swift motion opened. Sufficiently large gap unwrap its ingress, while the Bostonian attentively listened to each pelt word of the former ambitious Monsignor, retrieving a couple of low-fat, crispy crackers, lingering on her tongue after a half a day of scarcity. Widened pair of round, big citrine-hazelish pools in terror, almost choking, forbidding the munched crackers on small chunks to gush further downward until they fill the stomach.

"Jesus H Christ! I knew it Cayden that psychotic bastard will tell absolutely to his family or whoever it could be to plot our assassination even slaughter."Then her throat allowed swallowing the chunks freely without coughing and stifling, gulping them simply. The sharpness of her northern lilt, typical for the Bostonians grousing the utterance casted shadows on the couple's faces until Timothy peeped over the car's roof once again, making sure Martha has left the store for better without disturbing them. It didn't feel same with a young lady especially the daughter of the notorious serial killer, roaming Vermont's outskirts like a plague. Somber, bleak vibes of insafety and instinctive endanger contaminated them. The weak smile faded in an eerie flat line, sketched perpendicularly on her full, roseate lips. "I didn't suspect even Cayden has a family that support his atrocities after for trying to rape me after sedating me and throwing me as a corpse in the attic, locking me up in a cage and the brutal murders, kidnaps and rapes of other girls who're already eliminated. He eliminates anything feminine." Martha was already pacing the gas station, strolling nonchalantly up to Jude and Timothy. A smug, sarcastic grin brushed across her lips as her heeled ankle boots clicked against the cemented flooring, producing monotonous click. "Is she outside?"

"We need to get out of her even if there's a payphone. It's not safe to call Maddie from here." All of a sudden, when Martha charged up to the British aristocrat, gritting her teeth fiercely, the car's door slammed into her face as soon as for Timothy's own luck Jude cautioned him they're already endangered by nobody else than the only daughter that the infamous serial killer had. "I don't trust this place as much as that bitch outside, trying to break into our car." Meanwhile, the car doors inside were already locked as a second nature of relief and welfare for the both unwed parents. Fashioned in a balled fist with its bulging on her fragile knuckles callouses tapped balefully on the former man of the cloth's glass, trying to attract modicum of attention at least and keep his wits about the brunette outside.

"You won't get away for too long. There's no way even to escape me, my father or my uncle. Dance on your graves will be," Pause shimmered her voice once the car engine commenced to buzz, the cab being pulled off from the gas station in no time as a ghost that had abundance of abilities in his afterlife. Reappearing and disappearing within a second. "Perfomed! Dammit!" Grunt scratched her throat, extracted with irritation and higher, unhearable decibels that resuscitated the hushing atmosphere. "Run as quickly as possible, namby-pambies! One day I know what exactly will happen to you but I'll watch with enormous pleasure and enthusiasm what awaits you as a destiny you've did to yourselves."

--- *** ---

--- A Half an Hour Later or So ---

"Here we go, honey!" Jubilant giggle floated from the Michiganian's throat, while cradling the young boy that was seating on her lap on the porch, snuggling in a grasped embrace his favorite stuffed animal. Soft, maternally delicate hand ran over his chestnut, soft hair texture, admiring its fresh softness as a blossoming plant in its gardens. The natural mid-February common chilly climate waned the warmness and both organisms' temperatures even without an ease since Madeleine and Edward were swaddled in winter pantaletots, hugging their frail skeletons. Optimistically content smile swayed across her naturally mauve, soft as velvet lips at the sight of Edward. "Lysander is also impatient to see his uncle and aunt." Heavy sigh suddenly flushed her chest, glancing at the Victorian style polished gates, nibbling on her lower lip, danking it with mouthful saliva, glistening the sensitive skin of her bottom lip. "Oh God! How long it's going to take them to be at home? They haven't even phoned me once that they're on their way to home or they're safe at least."

"Nana!" The haphazardness of the broken ice bulked the juvenile blond, darting her honey brown irises, mottled with the most glowing hazelish pigment at the little boy, beaming back at him even with a simple gaze. He offered his plush teddy bear in protracted arms in the air kindly, babbling to her friendly nickname he addressed her. "Nana!"

"Needless to say, little cherub angel! You're absolutely right that I mustn't be upset that your parents are so irresponsible to let me know even if they're still alive." The plush teddy bear was scooped along with the infant in a kindhearted, doting embrace, pinching playfully, lovingly with a couple of slim fingers the alabaster skin of the infant's chubby cheek. "But do you know what, little sweet cupcake?" Her inquiry drained his absentminded highlight of his facial features, giggles choired. "I hope they're fine." A fingertip traced featherly Edward Ralph's nose tip as a cape on a geogprahical map.

At the moment, the incessant buzz of car engine choired as the vehicle was parked beside the Victorian style iron gates as Timothy got from its vehicle, in order to open its wings, spreading and flapping motionlessly.

"Hey, look who's home!" A pudgy forefinger pointed at the both older adults and the car, shifting his attention to the haphazard appearance of his parents after being babysitted by Madeleine, curling his tiny toes in his shoed feet. "Mommy and Daddy!" When the former members of the clergy parked eventually the cab in the yard after the exquisitely polished gates were shut and locked, throughout the both older adults fled the car as Timothy's first task was to retrieve the bedsheets and quilt from the luggage carrier and the already used, one-off napkins in the glove contrapartment.

"Oh hi, Maddie and sweetheart!" In the meanwhile, the juvenile blonde handed the weightless body of the infant to the former devotional woman of the cloth, scooping him in a tight, warm hug by sitting alongside her friend on the porch. "I'm truly sorry for being so absent with your Daddy, but everything will be good, I promise!" Gentle peck mapped the little boy's head as his face was buried in the crook of Jude's arm, patting gingerly his back with the flat surface of her palm. Incredulity and incongruity were inked on Madeleine's porcelain, young-looking complexion, wryly snickering to herself. "What's so funny, Maddie? Spill the tea!" It wasn't unnoticed by the middle-aged woman, shifting her gaze to her friend.

"You didn't bother to not mention why you're so absent and irresponsible, Jude! Stop being so childish!"

"Don't be so ironic, Maddie! There was a payphone on the gas station but it wouldn't be a wise choice to pay for a call for a few minutes. Cayden's daughter was on the gas station, threatening my boyfriend on whose grave she's going to dance on, besides her father and uncle." In the interim, the former sleazy nightclub singer's sensitive nostrils flared, rocking faintly, reassuringly loving her little sweet ray of sunshine in her scooped embrace. "And she was so dangerous and suspicious young woman!"

"Did Timothy confront that psychotic bitch?"

"He did. And that's why we left the gas station in no time after he bought me some crackers and a mineral water bottle."

"Judy!"

"Yes, darling?"

"I owe you an apology for being so brash and blinded by my childlike anger for being so late and for not calling me to keep my wits about your safety and being on your way to home, but," As soon as the British compatriot finished with taking certain stuff inside the two-story property as the cab was already locked, consequently he stepped on the porch, ushering Jude and Madeleine to enter inside without delaying. In the interval, they set a foot inside by walking inside the kitchen, seating on the kitchen table. "But I didn't really realize somebody is going to threaten your lives that harshly as if it depended on th-"

"Everything is alright, dear! Ya aren't supposed to apologize, because there's no reason. And it wasn't our fault the crazy daughter of Cayden was lurking around." Whilst bouncing the almost five-month-old baby, her only free hand reached for the Michiganian's by taking it into her petite, secure. The thumb of the former nun's hand managed to knead the back of the Michiganian, while the British aristocrat was on the countertop, retrieving clean, unused glasses. "Maddie, I hope you're alright and collect some rest, because I and Timothy sincerely appreciate your hardwork for looking after our lovely ray of sunshine. So Edward, tell us if Maddie was a good Nana." Then the middle-aged lady's caramel brown embers, igniting its coals of sheer love, warmness and benevolence ablazed them instantly lowered approvingly to the infant's chubby, round face, earning his mirthful, glowing gaze.

"Nana!" The sheer glee in the young boy's utterance wore a thousand patterns of felicity, convincing the middle-aged mother she's right.

"So Nana Maddie was a good Nana! I understood ya, honey!" Her fingers lowered to the brittle knuckles' highlands, admiring her youth.

"Would you like something to drink, ladies?" Even when Timothy felt like a third wheel between Madeleine and Judy, anyway the posed question wasn't unarguably overlooked, attracting their attention after closing the kitchen cabinet.

"Just a glass of water for both of us! That's all what we want, Tim!" The young lady ordered persistently, gulping a solid lump in her throat afterwards, whereas the faucet was turned. Generous layer of jet water running like a waterfall as the glasses were filled with fresh, lukewarm water until the faucet was turned off and he handed to his rare bird and friend the glasses of water gentlemanly. "Why thank you, Tim! God bless you for being incredible gentleman and having everything that makes you happy!" A diligently content smile flexed his jaw line once he seated against Madeleine by opting to caress his son's well-scultured dimples with his delicate fingertips.

"Thank ya, sweetie!"

"No need to thank me for anything, ladies!" Gamely, amicably wink at the both women, breaking off the eye contact with the baby by fixing his paternally doting stare from the baby for a split second at the Michiganian and Bostonian. Half-hearted snigger indicated his lavishly openhanded nature, articulated into his actions and gentleman behavior towards the feminine sex. "God bless you too, Maddie! For your intelligence, youthful down-to-earth character that keeps you rationality as strong as the reality. And of course, your selfless and unique nature!" The short prayer and clauses of listing what Timothy recognized Madeleine for as a special and one of a kind friend sent a tig of warmness and platonic love.

"Your generosity always makes us feeling so special, Timothy! And thank you for your kindness and your prayer!" After taking a modest sip from her glass of water, the juvenile blond left aside the glass on the dining table and squeezing the former nun's petite, smooth hand.

"You deserve it. All of you! There's no reason to thank me since it's just a part of me doing something to brighten you." He resat on the dining table again, this time by sitting alongside his girlfriend whose arms were occupied with their love child, bounced and rocked up in its embrace to alleviate him if a whine or high-pitched blubber was spiraling in the back of his tiny throat. "The real gentlemen will never treat a woman or a girl like their own toy or possession."

"That's goddamn right! I'm strongly promising with that loving, nonetheless, slightly strict discipline at home about our sweet cupcake that," Her round, huge caramel brown pools with the warmest caramel were transfixed on the round, chubby face of her four-month-old son. Mouth opened in a wide, meek grin. "As he grows up and being part of me and Timothy, he'll be the next generation gentleman after his father! He will treat every lady, no matter if it's a girl or a full grown-up woman with full respect and admiration."

"Judy, that's what I'm exactly thinking what kind of a man he'd grow up in the next fifteen years at least or less!" Her solely free hand's slim, elegant fingers, curled around the flimsy glass with pool of water were heaved until a handful of blameless sips hydrated the juvenile saleswoman.

"Since we used to serve the diocese, what kind of a child do you expect to rise on our own, Maddie?" Pure sarcasm was emphasized in the inquiry, thought-provocingly twirling his berry-coloured tongue, stroking gently his girlfriend and son's hairs by separating a quarter a minute per a family member without disappointing them at any cost. "A future criminal?" The punchline of the joke hurted Judy and Madeleine's bellies of a good laughter, while the guffaws blew up blowmindingly the entire kitchen, giving the kiss of life to the two-story mansion's atmosphere and gagging the silence resiliently.

"A future criminal is instantly eliminated!" At the moment, the young lady snapped firmly, headstrongly. "I can't imagine this...this lovely ray of sunshine in the next few decades, whose parents used to be a priest and a nun as this ex-nun is now a saleswoman in a flower store," Hemming gulped in the back of the juvenile flower store's saleswoman throat whilst molding a balled fist as the heel of her hand contracted on her lap. Pair of hazelish-brown, childlike orbs darted to the little boy with sheer affection and innocence. "To be part of corrupted organizations or being himself, corrupted and being the danger and in danger in the same time with his deeds. The future is so unpredictable, but a future criminal would never be his future job or occupation." All of a sudden, ring humming emanated from the front door, drawing promptly the adults' attentions, startling and rolling their eyes. "Who the hell it could be that troublemaker on the front door?"

"I think it's a better idea if I should check who's on the door!" The former religious holy woman suggested by overpowering her pryingness and taking the responsibility instead of Madeleine or Timothy even if Edward Ralph was nestled securely in her maternally doting, satin arms.

"Rare bird, no!" Much larger, creamy hand pawing her forearm suppressed her pryingness and strong-willed nature as Timothy got from the kitchen table until the elder blonde's rear dropped back on the chair. "I'll be the one, who will check who is on the door!" When his footsteps echoed from the kitchen up to the corridor, leaving the both women alone with almost a toddler in his mother's arms, his fingers hooked on the doorframe just seconds before the humming ring on the front door repeated for a second time, tingling dully. "I promise it's going to be really quick and it won't take than a few minutes."

"Absolutely!" The both ladies backed him up, sipping their glasses of cold, fresh water, lacing their tongues with hydration.

Once the former holy man took a deep breath, his pristinely masculine fingers turned the key in the keyhole until in the imminent click the door opened and for his own surprise, two police officers embraced his sight beside him with a couple of inches proximity.

Panic and bafflement warped his frail heart, throbbing violently in his chest. It was almost ten o'clock in the morning and after the unforgettable, marvelous night he had with Jude on the restaurant, night club even when they didn't have the chance to dance because of a flagrant scenery between Jude and Lydia Jane and finally kissing for first time for real with his rare bird in the car as the car was parked past the river now his roller coaster of adventorous experience from the last night up to the late morning were a total failure to keep brighten him. Or rather, his inner voices, the encouraging and vibrant ones attempted to persuade him to not focus on every incident or moment where he'd be against the entire world and punch almost everybody in the face except his inner circle that was standing for him. Regardless if it was his worst, coldhearted foe Cayden, Martha or even the police feuding him and playing their own cards right in their clueless conspiracy against him, anyway he was more than determined to protect himself and his family, numbering his friends in a heartbeat.

"Good day!" Although the panic, the British compatriot tried to be nonchalant and act as if nothing bad has happened.

"Good day, Mr. Howard! We're here due to a complaint of a young woman, whose name is Martha Gray." Meantime, the younger man's parchment, young-looking yet complexion blanched, losing its true glossiness, chattering inwardly his jawline, solely dinstictive its tingle and earning suspicious two pairs of bleak eyes, goggled on him as if he's an offender, getting away with his crimes. "According to her complaint, you've tried to touch her without her consent especially lingering your fingers on her buttocks, waist and bosom. That happens everything in the gas station's store."

"First and foremost, police officers, with all respect those are the most sugarcoated lies that have nothing to do with the happened on the gas station. She was the one who threatened and put under risk not only me, but also my family for being destructed." Ironic snicker clicked the roof of his mouth, holding the front door steadily by lightly swaying it. Suddenly Jude and Madeleine walked away from the kitchen, emerging in front of the former man of the cloth's back. "You don't have any clue this lady is being a child of nobody else than a serial killer, who's now all free and he's ready in a heartbeat to kill his next victims."

"What's going on?" The middle-aged lady managed a quirk of her dark eyebrow perplexedly, biting her lower lip while grimace crinkled her facial features. "Has something happened?"

"Excuse me, ma'am! But we're talking only with Mr. Howard, who's involved in a complaint."

"Hold on a second, what a complaint, sir?" The childlike inquisitiveness also made Madeleine to join in the hazard game. The authorities' detector lie test's game.

"Mr. Howard is involved in a sexual assault over Martha Gray, who claims he tried to touch her sensitive body parts without her consent in the gas station's store."

"Instead of minding your own business with a serial killer that has already possibly murdered a few ladies today, you're blaming somebody who'd be never capable of showing signs of adultery towards his girlfriend by sexually assaulting stranger women especially way younger than him." The sharp tone of the Michiganian earned the both cops' incredulous glares, rendering them uneasily to remove their caps by scratching their sweaty heads with their tiny fingernails. "Don't you have another business than trying to eat the brains off novice parents with a middle-aged woman, who's working with me in a flower store a half a day and who's looking after a baby that is barely a five-month old? What kind of disrespect is to these parents, who've a baby?"

"Maddie," The older woman rocked back her ray of sunshine, while retaliating at her protégé softly, being deeply touched from the bottom of her heart how her tongue laces the most venomous utterance, clashing the policemen, leaving them speechless to their last breath. Jude's honey brown eyes eyed admiringly her protégé, searching for her look to hold hers.

"I truly understand your words, miss! But Mr. Howard should come with us for awhile in the police station. For some questions that need answers!"

"I was a witness on the happened."

"What did you exactly saw from the happened, Ms. Martin?" One of the middle-aged men posed gravely the question, gruffily clearing his throat to unnerve her, despite giving her the chance to speak the truth from her point of view.

"I was in the car as well, while he was in the gas station store to pay for the gasoline, crackers and mineral water bottle. Until the moment, I saw a young woman taunting him behind, he totally ignored her as if she didn't exist."

"Go on!" Sharp exhale flushed her ribcage, seconds before resuming her monologue.

"Timothy would never touch or abuse any kind of a woman, no matter her age, according to that mistress's words which are far from the truth! I know him much better and more than anyone who's interactions with him." The elder blonde rocked dotingly, faintly the infant while reconsidering, constructing the words in her mind before dripping from her mouth. Her roseate, soft lips twirled in a glaring frown, highlighting somberly her facial features, due to the authorities' indifference by defending a daughter of an infamous psychopath rather than believing the innocent side. "I watched everything from the car. Even if I wasn't accompanying him in the gas station store, I saw everything with my own eyes. Once Martha's taunting was a bit too much to be handled by Timothy, he turned by giving her a fair warning that a self-defense in the family and inner circle's names will happen if something dreadful happens to either of us, thanks to Cayden, Martha or Cayden's brother."

--- *** ---

--- A Half an Hour Later ---

In spite of Madeleine and Jude's attempts to defend Timothy against the authorities' vicious and trustless claws, the former aspiring man of the cloth was temporarily in the police station for an interrogation over a fake complaint, which was far from the truth and the events taking its place inside the gas station store earlier today.

The Michiganian went back at home, taking after her mentor's advice to take a break from babysitting the former pious members of the clergy's love child for a whole night restlessly.

In the meantime, the British compatriot was sitting on the iron, extravagantly polished with its peeling lacquer, grayish four-wall room webbing him as an insect, being the impending prey of the spiders. His colossal, calloused in fashioned clutch hands into fists knotted its fingers on his lap, awaiting for the police officers and Martha to enter in the interrogation room. Flickering its yellow dimness lamp illuminated the lifeless four-wall room.

Suddenly footsteps echoed in the abysmal hallway, floodlighting his focus on the rusty, iron door until it was unlocked in a single click by two police officers as one of them is in a wheel chair, escorted by the notorious serial killer's daughter, Martha. Contangious serious glares feudened between the former priest and the brunette, crossing her arms that guarded her chest, opting to prove her wrath was still pumping into her veins, amalgamating with pure adrenaline.

"Detective Wilkerson, when the answer is accepted as no?" The second detective asked his disabled colleague after stepping inside the interrogation room by shutting the door, silence hushing the barren ambience, while Martha's intensifying glare was alighted with sheer contempt and abhorrence, transfixed on Timothy, clicking quietly her tongue. "When the answer is accepted as yes?" The suddenness of dinging tingled into their ears after detective Wilkerson's fingers clumsily pressed the bell on his wheelchair. "Good, let's go for the questions!" The first detective added. "Ms. Gray, is it true this man," Stutter floated from the first cop's pale lips, pointing with a forefinger at the former ambitious Monsignor, whereas her lips were pensively pursed. "Touched you non-consensually in the gas store earlier today?"

"Yes, he did!" The disabled police office didn't ding the bell for Timothy's relief. A quarter a minute later the brunette's corners of her eyes creased obnoxiously, faking her panting. "He did it." Still detective Wilkerson didn't ding the bell, gawking glassily, jadedly at the younger man.

"That's absolutely baloney, excuse me!" The eloquent emphasis of his retaliation drew the authorities' and Martha's reactions, outnumbering hers which was brightly contrasting. Shadow casted on her youthful, olive-tanned complexion. "She's making up this story so that to be here with you, being questioned over something I could never do in the name of my conscience and my inner circle instead of being with my family right now."

"It looks like, Ms.Gray, that you didn't answer sincerely the first question," Spleen painted the young woman's face, suckling on her upper lip, still crossing her arms by folding herself. The bile rose up in her throat at the first detective's words. "At all! Moreover, Mr. Howard had a key witness who was in his car and observed the scene in the gas store, although she's now at home with their child." Meanwhile, the bell dinged for very first time, affirming the first policeman's words. A smug, slight smirk puckered Timothy's baby pinkish lips. "Second question! Is it true you harassed Mr. Howard while being in the store, constantly chattering behind him even when he's ignoring you until he snapped at you due to the inhumane threats," Heavy sigh flushed detective Hope's fragile lungs, knotting his fingers as the heels of his mammoth hands clasped altogether. "Threats of dancing on his grave or either of his inner circle's grave eventually?"

The silence was broken by another bell dinging, tingling the young lady's ears as a scratching noise of nails, scrapping slowly and steadily from upward downward its wooden plank.

"Never make a threat you cannot carry out, Miss! Never!" Detective Hope advised the brunette, wryly chuckling. "Mr. Howard, what exactly you did after this young lady threatened you to dance on your graves and your family being slaughtered?"

"Of course, I stood for my family and inner circle's interests! I told her if this happens or either from the Gray's family dares to hurt somebody from mine, otherwise, the consequences are going to be unforgivable!" The daughter of the infamous serial killer's lips managed in a subtle purse, raising an arch of her eyebrow suspiciously. "But I swear I haven't touched her or tried to assault her." Third dull ding of the bell made the young lady unfold her arms from her torso, managing an inward scowl under her breath, solely distinctive for her.

"Final question! Did the beloved Miss Martha Gray disturb you even after leaving the gas station's store?"

"Definitely, she did! In addition to after paying for the gasoline and the bought stuff for my girlfriend by waiting for her patiently to collect some nutrients, as soon as I noticed Ms. Gray leaving the store, her destination was up to the car. She was up to something unarguably dangerous!"

"What did she exactly do to both of you?"

"She was mentally abusing me and tapping on my car's closed window glass until I drove away up to home. I and Jude fled the gas station momentarily after the turmoil. We didn't have even enough time and the chance to phone our friend, who was babysitting our son." In the meantime, Martha narrowed her chocolate brown embers at the British compatriot as her toes curled in her boots. The forthcoming chink from the wheelchair bell creased in abhorrence the young woman's complexion utterly, furrowing her eyebrows gesturing the authorities.

"Is anything wrong Ms. Martha Gray? Do you need some time alone?"

"Just a second!" The psychopath's daughter cautioned a mutter by walking away from the room, consequently slamming the door and finding the nigh trash bin, located in the corridor by charging her feet to kick it until it collapsed with the cached pile of slimy, old garbage, pooling her ankles. Balling her fists, baring her teeth fiercely while opening her mouth in a snarl. "Fucking ex-priest! Once a liar, always a liar!"

--- *** ---

--- Later that Day ---

The evening episode of the day approached quicker than the elapsing time in the police station's interrogation.

After the police station, it was determined Martha to be on a trial and being charged with a defamation with the false accusation of sexual assault over the British aristocrat.

As soon as Edward was fed along with bathed and changed abruptly into new pair of comfortable, clean pyjamas, cladding his petite, weightless body, the both former members of the clergy took a shower separately as Jude feared to take a shower with her boyfriend, due to the fear of rejection and noting the irreparable scar on her lower abdomen after giving a birth to their little cherub angel.

When the Bostonian was awaiting for the younger man to reenter the bedroom after his final destination in the kitchen by having a glass of fresh water, her honey brown irises, dimly glinting in the partly dim illuminated by her side night stand lamp glassily were gawking at one point. The curtains and the window, wrapped in its blanket, blocking the moonlight and the starless sky prospect.

Suddenly, the bedroom's door opened with a notorious creak, attracting instantly her attention.

"Aren't ya going to sleep finally? It's already midnight." The blonde's exclaimation enchanced with groggy undertone, flopping on the other side, meeting the younger man's soothing cocoa brown eyes or perhaps, the most vibrant cocoa brown she's ever seen.

"Unless you come with me!"

"What are ya up to now, darling?" In the meanwhile, the older lady unwrapped the blanket by hopping up in the fuzzy, convenient slippers, shoing her petite, flimsy feet by scooting up to her boyfriend, reluctant to allow her prying side to spoil.

"It's a surprise. Just follow me, Jude!" The softness of his British accent didn't fade away at all, holding the door for her as soon as she fled until it was shut when it was emptied, followed by a ginger slam. A muscly, strong arm dangled around her waist guided her to pace in the hall as their footsteps echoed lightly as levitating spectrals, in order to not wake up their son, who was soundly asleep in his cot in his own room.

Once they cascaded the stairway to the first floor, he guided his girlfriend to the living room as the coffee table was adorned with glasses of freshly poured, scrumptious red wine with exquisite quality. The piano's keyboard was opened.

Her caramel brown orbs in awe admired the romantic atmosphere that blanketed them once they stepped in the living room. They approached the leather sofa, seating next to each other while the former promiscuous jazz nightclub singer dropped her head on her boyfriend's shoulder, perching her long golden mop of lavish silky curls tickling his pajama top's fabric. Beautifully sketched with its vibrant nuances smile flourishing upon her naturally rosy-coloured lips, producing a girlish giggle.

"That's unbelievable, sweetie! I didn't expect this innocent journey to the kitchen for a glass of water is going to urge ya something to make as a surprise."

"Why it's unbelievable? Because I'm full of surprises!" Their hands reached for their glasses of wine, pursuing for his gaze, scarcely having any intentions of breaking off the eye contact in an ease. "Let's raise a toast for this romantic midnight!"

"Cheers!" As soon as their glasses clinked, choiring the hushing midnight silence, consequently they sipped from their glasses of mouth-watering alcoholic beverage until they left aloof on the coffee table. "It's so gorgeous. I thought you were sleepy." The former holy woman's voice altered after the first sip from the alcoholic beverage, reviving its mellowness and petering out its raspiness.

"Not at all! I just want to spend it with the woman I truly love."

"Aww!" Judy purred in honeyed voice, clutching tightly shut her eyelids while her wine-stained, damp lips reached for the other pair of wine-stained lips, sealing them with a hardening, steamy kiss. "That's so selflessly sweet of ya, honey! I really appreciate it." The chilly climate that fogged the mansion's rooms with low temperatures due to the lack of heating prickled the blonde's epidermis in goosebumps and pebbling her mauve, small nipples, mirroring its sore sensitivity on the old, large sized T-shirt of her boyfriend she wore over her bare torso along with the old, almost unworn pair of navy, cotton boxers. After swigging within a couple of gulps the wine, the former woman of the cloth flabbergasted the younger man with her versatile swiftness of finishing the red wine within less than a minute only. The alcohol adhered in her veins and blood, sedating the heart beats and turning ardently to him, waiting his ogle after unperching her head from his shoulder.

"Be careful how quickly you drink the wine! I don't want the same accident to reoccur again." His caution made the middle-aged woman roll her eyes dramatically half-hearted. Seductively grinning at him with her shimmering ivory teeth.

"I didn't puke, because of the alcohol. It was because of that sick lesbian, silly." At the moment, Jude stradled her boyfriend with an ease, while his both colossal, secure hands perched on her waist, squeezing it as his pristine fingers warily caressed the light stretch-marked waist, holding the ogles, fueled with sheer love, lust and desire. Their faces caulked the gap that once divided their faces' distance with a few inches. His warm, wine-stained breath fanned her porcelain facial skin, while licking greedily, gamely her cherub lips. "Let's forget about that incident the last night!"

"Sure!" Meanwhile, the Bostonian cupped in the palms of her pleasantly lukewarm, creamy as cotton candy hands his face, tilting his head to meet her tempting ogle and infernal grin. "You're so beautiful even when you wear my almost unworn boxers and T-shirt. Did I tell you that?" Blush touched her cheeks ruddily.

"N-No! But they're pretty comfortable." The tads of her thumbs traced delicately his well-sculptured cheekbones, chewing on her lower lip.

"I'm glad they're comfortable but they look drop-dead gorgeous on a lady like you!" Suddenly his lips urged to approach hers with hardly an inch distance until her wine-stained breath clouded. "Is anything wrong?"

"Nah, however, are ya completely sure ya want this?"

"You know, I'll never regret for kissing the first ever woman I laid eyes on and the last one I'm going to spend my eternity." One of his hands unclawed her waist by reaching for her full cherub lips, his thumb brushing her bottom plumpish lip as a delicate silken. "And for getting to know her in every way!" Afterwards he silenced her with a kiss, pressed on her lips in a hardening, sultry kiss, fluttering their eyes shut as they molted in the kiss as a warm chocolate after staying in a muggy room without a proper isolation for sweets and easily melting items. As they kisses grew ferociously aggressive, their wet, wine-stained tongues begun dueling one another until the former nun plugged hers into his mouth, deepening in a French kiss. Meantime, one of his hands pushed over her large-sized T-shirt up to her shoulders while pawing her sore, medium-sized round breast, playing with her sore, mauve nipple while Jude muffled series of moans and groans, wrapping her legs around his waist as his bulging manhood poked her pubic bone. Her hands managed to reach for his dark hair, playing with it nervously. Insecurity stung shut her eyelids, while cocking back her head as his lips glided downward from her lips to her delicate, pale neck, peppering it initially with feather kisses until they grew ferocious, technically nipping its silky skin. His fingers teased warily her erected, sore nipple, in order to not cause abundance of physical pressure to her. Her neck flushed with blush when he uncupped her breast, running his hands all over her floppily lean torso until his fingers kneaded the beginnings and very endings of stretch marks, mapping her abdomen along with the scar.

"Oh fuck!" It was a third wheel for the Bostonian to control her language, formulating it with less cussings and inappropriate words, constructing her utterances. "That feels so damn good!" Thereafter his lips drifted down, indicating smoothly downward from her bosom up to her lower abdomen, peppering with tender, light kisses the stretch marks and the scar, admiring her stamina and everything as a dynamic roller coaster she's been through, weighing on its scales her strong personality and the battles she won and lost. "Oh Jesus Christ!"

"They're lovely!" She barely dared to flutter her eyes open at the sight of her boyfriend assaulting with tender, feather kisses her stretch marks and the scar after laboring for first time. "Mmmmm!" Her slim, long as flute stings combed the rich harvest of chestnut hair, darkening her gaze when it landed on her lover teasing the most sensitive topic about body parts. Timothy actually worshipped to pieces the traces, mapping her lower abdomen after giving a birth to their ray of sunshine. Initially, the former sister of the church thought disgust would swamp the pit of his stomach while admiring her natural beauty and most of all, body flaws after being through the three trimesters of sandstorm. "You're just perfection into my eyes!" Thus he stopped in a halt,readjusting their posture as he pressed his lips on her in a brief, sensual kiss, subtly hushing her pleas.

"Am I?" Shortly after breaking off the kiss, they took their time to admire one another's flawless facial features. "I thought these stretch marks and scar will disgust ya to bones."

"No, no! Never!" He shook his head in strong disagreement, whilst the former woman of the cloth was seating on his lap, his both strong, muscly arms folding her in the scooped embrace. "They are as perfect as you, my rare bird!" Giggles choired in the living room after the couch became a love nest of their. "Are you sleepy yet?"

"Not anymore! Would ya like me to play something on the piano?"

"Indeed! I'd love to see you playing on the piano. Just for me!" A promising, benevolent smile softened her facial features after kissing his cheek, whereas holding his chin for a split second by retiring from his lap and sitting on the piano's stool, her fingertips pressing the piano keys, reproducing musical tones along with her low humming as retrospection before chanting the song lyrics.

"Even before the moonlight casting its own light, dropping below the shadowed church," In the interim, the once holy priest pursed thoughtfully, attentively his berry-coloured lips, whereas his fingers fidgetly played with the frail glass, fixing his coffee brown irises at his rare bird. "Shadowed St. Andrew's church by demons and celibacy, an unknown yet to the Bostonians priest with perhaps two homelands," The eloquence and mellowness of her contralto tingled angelinc anthems into his ears, clapping quietly hands, cheering her up as the sole audience she'd. "Having no intentions of finding the perfect, young woman of his own dreams, making a beautiful family with adorable children and then having grandchildren in the next few decades by following the future generations!" The blonde gulped in the back of her throat a lump, biting her upper lip for awhile. "Then he met the nuns that were an enough selection which one would be his right hand. Nevertheless, his instincts never lied to him by landing his eyes on the nun in the middle. She's the one, who would be his right hand and being sent on hallowed missions in other, unidentified lands. Foreign for their eyes than Boston, the small city of Massachusetts." A deep breath paused, while the piano instrumental didn't cease at all. "The sisters weren't too impressive for him except the only one, who's chosen after shaking her hand, noticing the impressive traits of her authoritiy and professionalism. But something urged him and her they couldn't be just friends and co-works in a madhouse and behind the church's walls." A few piano keys were pressed in the same time, ideally matching with the song's rhythm. "Friendship couldn't be the exact word, describing their complicated relationship that was a roller coaster they've been through, besides the hectic business. A superior power above them and judging them told them they're made for one another. The rare bird only knew that as that priest called her." In the meanwhile, her hips swayed in the rhythm, whilst applauds of her boyfriend were sufficiently encouraging her to resume the song. "The Monsignor at first was utterly dedicated to become a Cardinal and the Rome's Pope. He wanted to change the rules in the diocese when he takes his rare bird in Rome. Marrying each other and having the children they've desired of and fleeing the bleak Boston, having a fresh start in sunny Rome."

"The Monsignor at first was utterly dedicated to become a Cardinal and the Rome's Pope. He wanted to change the rules in the diocese when he takes his rare bird in Rome. Marrying each other and having the children they've desired of and fleeing the bleak Boston, having a fresh start in sunny Rome." Even the British compatriot chanted the song lyrics along with her, clapping his hands as his lips bubbled up.

"How about passing and overlooking with their children, made of their own flesh and blood the nuns and priests, while stepping on the aisle, ravishing red as that nun or rather, his rara avis of his dreams's red slip which she wore for him only and clad to her bones for tonight," She cleared her throat softly. "Being applauded and worshipped by the general population after meeting the United States' president and the English Queen and having photos with the most admired faces of the world," Resonance thicked her deep voice, eyeing lovingly Timothy with a smirk. "The church wasn't shadowed anymore. Illumination by the true, divine love which was found in Boston and sentenced to life in Rome casted over St. Andrew. Daylight they're partners in crime and tonight they're the wild beasts in their love nest of Rome. Queen-sized bed's bedsheets wrinkled and series of lustful dew staining them , losing their pure innocence. Dreams are always possible even in Rome. Dreams in Rome are where exactly the true love continued and writing more paragraphs of the chapter of the love story." Suddenly the piano keys were untouched, petering out the reproduced click until the instrumental faded in the background. Crystalline, fat twin tears dripped from Timothy's lower eyelids, daubing them as if he's on cloud nine, gulping the remaining wine in his glass.

Bonus: Do you think they verged to reunite together fully and was it a hint the smut is approaching way too soon? Do you think Martha will survive up to the trial and being sentenced if Timothy plays his own cards right? Is it possible Lydia Jane to be part of Jude and Timothy's team or otherwise teaming with Cayden and his allies? 

Author's Brief End Note: Not gonna lie, Martha bugged me off more than Cassandra by proving how much worse she'd be with her demeanor and manners. Cassandra could treat harshly her mother and still neglecting her, nevertheless, Martha's lies and false accusations are on much higher level of brashness and arrogance. She's way much worse than her father, in my humble opinion. But I've to confess I like Lydia Jane and her complex character, despite her predatoric behaviour in the previous chapter in the nightclub. Further, we'll discover more behind the mask of Lydia Jane's character in the next chapters as a wee spoiler. 

Anyway I'd like to apologize for postponing with the updates over this story and for not keeping my promise with the new short book I was about to publish these days but instead, I didn't have any motivation and I kept pushing myself to finish the new chapter of Wings of Light. Anyway a short book is its own way to be published. I won't spoil and leaving it on a cliffhanger with its fans that are eager to read it extremely soon. Last but not least, the song in the end that Jude chanted was originally thought of me in the last seconds of writing the final scene. I know how silly is the song, nonetheless, some joyously romantic ambience wouldn't hurt to revive the readers' smiles after being pressured for so long with Jude and Tim's scandals and hostility. I hope you liked and enjoyed the chapter! :))