chapter

Robert sat down at the side of the bed with his daughter to talk about his day. "My day was full of surprises, some ups and some downs," he said, looking a bit sad.

Gaelle, excited, asked, "So it was like a roller coaster? But why do you look so sad?"

Robert started to tell her about his day at work and the things he saw on the streets, but then he noticed Gaelle had fallen asleep again. He gently covered her with a blanket, kissed her forehead, and turned off the light then moved to the kitchen.

In the kitchen,Robert whent straight to the bar and poured himself a drink, trying to forget the tough day. A glass was not enough to calm the storm within him so he took a second glass but it wasn't still enough. Just as he was about to take the third glass, Marilyn came over. She had been watching him since he left Gaelle's room but didn't want to interfere. However now was the perfect moment for her to act.

"You haven't told me about your day yet," she said, wrapping her arms around his waist from the back.

Robert sighed. "The director of our drug research project was in an accident today and didn't make it... I'm not sure what to do next. I trusted Prof Maxwell so much, and now he's gone."

Marilyn was quiet for a moment, then said softly, "That's the same accident Jamale's mother was in. Mr. Palmar's wife, the man you had a meeting with today. But you're smart, and you always find a way forward, even when things are tough."

Robert felt a bit better hearing this. "It's so sad he had to go like this. I never even met his family. Life is really short, isn't it?" He turned around and looked into Marilyn's eyes, and she moved closer to him.

"Is Gaelle really asleep?" Marilyn whispered, hinting at some grown-up time together. After a few gentle kisses, Robert picked Marilyn up and carried her to their room, closing the door behind them and turning off the lights. The house went quiet with only few mourns escaping from the room as they enjoyed some adult time alone.

After a while, the lights came back on. Robert and Marilyn were cozy under the blanket, their clothes scattered around the room, and Marilyn's hair was all messy. They had a quiet moment together after a long tough day.

After a deep sigh of relief, Marilyn started the conversation. "The graduation is at the end of the year. You should clear your schedule so you don't miss it for anything."

"You know that even if I clear my schedule, there are some meetings that can't be pushed or rescheduled, right?" Robert responded.

"Are you hoping for such a meeting to fall on that day? Robert, this is an important event for Gaelle. I wouldn't mind if you didn't attend, but think about the impression it will leave on Gaelle's mind. These moments and memories will shape her into the woman we hope to see in the future."

"Alright, I'll do everything within my power to be available on that day. Just remind me of the date and time... Is that why you showed up at the office today?"

"Yes... Would you join me in the bathroom?"

"Sure, just give me a second."

Marilyn went into the bathroom to freshen up. She waited for Robert, thinking he might have changed his mind about joining her. When she finished, she returned to the bedroom only to find Robert fast asleep.

"Robert, you never change, do you? And I keep falling for this," she said to herself.

She picked up the clothes from the floor, changed into her pajamas, and climbed into bed. She said a quick prayer before falling asleep.

The night passed, and it was Saturday morning. The Browns were still asleep, but not for long, as Marilyn and Robert were awakened by the ringing of Robert's phone.

"Hello... It's only 7:30, and today is Saturday. Why are you calling me this early?" Robert answered the phone, sounding very sleepy. But then his expression changed to one of alertness. "What are you talking about... I'll be there right away." He jumped out of bed and quickly got ready, not taking the time to greet Marilyn or explain anything to her. He only mentioned that he was heading to the police station as he left, not leaving any room for questions.

Well Mornings in the Brown household were typically unpredictable especially for Robert as meeting could come up at almost anytime so Marilyn wasn't immediately alarmed when Robert rushed out. However, concern crept in when she recalled the mention of the police station. "What could have happened to make Robert leave so abruptly?" she pondered. With no immediate way to find out more of what was happening, she gave up and began her usual housework, hoping the situation wasn't anything he couldn't handle.

At the Palmer residence, the ringing phone disrupted Jamale's sleep too. It was almost the same time as the call from Robert House. With his father's room empty, Jamale answered the call. The voice on the other end was vaguely familiar, and it urgently requested Mr. Palmer's presence at the Molyko police station. After hanging up, Jamale searched for his father within the house but found him in the garden.

"Good morning, Dad... You have a call," Jamale said calmly.

"Good morning, son. Who was calling? Did they leave any message for me?" Clement asked, expecting news from the hospital as edithe was still recovering there. He was surprised to learn it was the police station calling.

Clement quickly called Bright to come look after Jamale, as he couldn't leave the boy alone he was only seven or eight, after all. Once Bright arrived, Clement headed to the police station, filled with a mix of urgency and concern. He wasn't aware of anything that was happening at the station. His only guess was that it could have something to do with his wife recent accident.