CHAPTER 61: DANIEL IS SOLVED
It’s now midnight and everyone is still loitering in the waiting area. Jessica, Eric, and Olivia have fallen asleep in their chairs. Jason is still awake sitting forward with his fingers crossed looking at the floor below. Daniel is by himself, standing in the hallway, looking into Iva’s room at Frank and Julia sleeping in armchairs.
Daniel shifts his eyes down the hall and sees his mother approaching with a half grin. He shifts his eyes forward again and continues to monitor the room like a guard-dog. She stops at his side and look into the room at the three of them resting, peacefully.
"How’s your arm doing?" she asks him.
"It’ll heal,” he replies but keeps his eyes into the room.
"Your fight with Hellhound will stir a lot of problems. The humans will start suspecting things,” she says. “Soon, our secret will be out.”
"I have no control over that,” he responds carelessly.
A slight pause comes between them two as they gaze into the dimly lit room.
"I want to talk to you about something,” Kenya tells him.
Daniel sighs and keeps his eyes on guard.
“This question has been on my mind all day. A question only you can answer. Hellhound out-smarted you in every way. Then Iva was taken from us, and placed in a warehouse in the middle of nowhere. Yet, you knew where she was. How did you find her?”
His tense eyes fall subtle all of a sudden, but he doesn’t answers her question.
“What do you mean?” he asks humbly.
“When all hope seemed lost, somehow you were the only person who knew where she was. Even when Hellhound had her all alone in that field, you knew she was in danger. You were always there to protect her.”
Suddenly, Daniel breaths turn heavy, and he swallows down the lump expanding in his throat. He turns his face away and tries his best to collect his emotions.
"I..,” he starts to speak but realizes his voice is trembling so he stops to break. "...I just..,” he swallows again trying his best to fight his emotions. "...I didn’t ask for this,” he says to her softly.
Kenya smiles at him with joy.
“Oh son, nobody does,” Kenya replies.
She walks around him in order to face him. Yet again, he tries to lower his face from hers. She uses her hand to adjust his eyes back into hers.
“Am I cursed?” Daniel asks in a low voice.
“Do you love her?”
He moves away from her and shifts his eyes toward the floor. He doesn’t respond immediately.
“When she was taken away, I was terrified. I was terrified of losing her,” he says with watery eyes.
Kenya then thinks about her son's comment and smiles.
"Son, after you have solved all of life’s greatest puzzles, there will always be one left to solve...,” she places her other hand over Daniel’s chest. "...and that’s your heart,” she says with a soft grin. “I can only hope you find that missing piece.”
Kenya glances behind herself, into the room at Iva, then back at Daniel.
"Or maybe...you finally have,” she finishes.
She then turns and walks away. All of a sudden, Daniel hears the toilet flushing in the bathroom behind him. A second later, Maria comes out, staring him directly in the eyes. She then smiles her hardest.
“What?” Daniel asks.
“You know I heard that right?” she asks him.
He sighs and shakes his head.
“Heard what?” Daniel plays stupid.
“It doesn’t matter if you admit it to me,” she says while grinning. “I always knew. All I’m saying is……I want to plan the wedding.”
Daniel turns his face so his sister don’t see him blushing.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Daniel says.
“Mane and Iva sitting in a tree,” she whispers a song to him as she walks away. “K.I.S.S.I.N.G.”
Maria then chuckles at her brother and walks off to join the others in the waiting room...