Chapter 6

Past

When they arrived home, Molly hugged Huggins in the door way. "Thanks a lot dad" she said to him and he carried her in his arms. ''Don't mention dear. I want to promise you one thing. So long as you're here and mom and dad aren't back, I'll try my best to never make you feel their absence". He hugged her once more and let her go.

How time flies. Huggins made sure to live up to his words. It had been a year since Molly's eighth birthday and today, she was turning nine.

Kevin and Molly trekked home hand in hand since the school bus broke down midway. Molly's cheeks were filled with smiles as she thought of Huggins' words in the morning. "Happy Birthday big girl. Turning nine huh? I'll do well to look out for any letter from your parents and when you're back from school, we're going shopping . It's my special treat so whatever you want, you can get it alright?". She remembered, word for word and kept on smiling like she had some weird disorder that causes you to smile all the time.

When they were few metres away from home, Kevin saw a dark smoke from a distance. But, meh, he just over looked it. Upon taking the last curve towards their home, they saw a huge crowd. A look of confusion and wonder, displayed on their faces as they fastened their pace. Before they could reach home, an ambulance sped past them, blurring it's siren loudly, followed immediately by a fire fighters truck. "Fire fighters?? Ambulance?" Kevin mumbled, as they made their way through the crowd.

Kevin dropped to his knees immediately he saw the only place he had ever called home on fire. As Kevin knelt in front of the house motionless, Molly tried to ask the adults if anyone had set eyes on Huggins. When no one responded, she attempted to go into the burning building herself when a fire fighter spotted her and grabbed her. "Where're you going little girl?" he said to her. "I want my daddy! where is he?"

"I-I-I am (he coughs uncontrollably) h-h-here dear" Huggins tried to say as they laid him on the stretcher. Molly saw him and pulled up Kevin towards him. The two kids knelt beside the stretcher and Molly sobbed whilst Kevin just remained motionless as tears rolled down his cheeks and his eyes wondered all over his dad's body. Huggins tried to smile despite how bad his face was burnt.

Huggins looked a mess. He was badly burnt from the fire , from his head down to his toes. All his hair, pointed fair skinned nose, small eyes and cute hot pink lips along with his mascularly built body were difigured. He was unidentifiable. He managed to lift his hand to touch Molly's. "I'll be fine dear. don't cry. All I need is a favour from you both." "Don't say anything else dad. Just be quiet. You-You'll be fine." Molly said between her sobbs. He managed a smile and requested to make an emergency call before he was taken to the hospital. "Can't it wait?" Molly asked him. "No dear. It's very necessary"

Huggins: please come over with the documents. I don't have much time. Be-be fast.

(call ends)

He coughs in between his speech. They carry him into the Ambulance and the two children sit next to him as the practitioners put so many cords and stuff around him. "Molly?..... I need to tell you someting important"He said when they reached the hospital. "Leave me alone. I need to speak to my daughter. it's illegal to treat me against my own will. So leave me alone". " But sir your condition's ...." they don't move further as Huggins glares at them. " Molly dear, about your parent....(coughs), they-they........"

Present

"Good morning" Molly greets as she slumps into the passenger seat like it was her sofa without sparing him a glance. "Good morning. How was your night?"he says and ignites the engine to life. "Cool" She says and takes up Pedro Alejandro's case and starts to read through. "hey, any dreams about me?" He says trying to flirt like he usually does in the mornings and she quite plays along fine. But it seems today was going to be a bit different. "no"she replies sternly. He stops the car abruptly and she jerks forward almost hitting the dashbboard, but he puts his hand between her head and the board.

She pushes his hands off her head and picks up the file that had fallen. Before she begins to read again, Mchenzie snatches it. "What's up with the attitude and straight annoying answers?" He says and she looks away. "Say something for God's sake, DARN IT!". "Are we going to work or not? If not, i can actually just board a cab you know. You're just wasting my time". She says still looking out the window. He doesn't move the car and she attempts to leave.

He grabs her hand and pulls her vigrously towards him. She falls face first on his torso and he snakes his arm around her waist. She tries to get off him, but, turns out only one arm is enough to keep her put. "Let me go!" She says. "Not until you tell me what's up with you". She sighs and rolls her eyes, then looks away from his face. He turns her face towards him and pulls her face closer. Their faces get so close, that just a jerk forward by either of them, and there's a kiss . "Fine, I'll tell you. But leave me first".

He lets her go and she sits back in her seat. "There's nothing wrong with me.....I just thought it'd teach you something to know how it feels when someone is hiding something from you and doesn't want to share it especially when that person is your friend". "Wait. What? What has that got to do with me. I'm not hiding anything..." "From me? is that what you're going to say? Then just, don't. Why are you hiding those files!. Apart from being your friend, according to my job as your P.A, I'm supposed to help you on every case so why...." "Don't end the sentence........... So it's about the files again. Those files have nothing to do with you, or the law institute, okay? Just get it that way and leave it. It will be safer and better if you just mind your own business. Moreover I am the boss and I decide which case you handle" he says and drives off.

They walk in silently and they both settle in their offices. After an hour and half, Molly seeks permission to go find out more about Pedro from Mckenzie via text as she doesn't want to talk. Without waiting for his response, she packs up and leaves the office, slamming the door just enough to anger Mckenzie. He looks up from his desk and rolls his eyes.

Briiiiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnngggg! Molly presses the doorbell as she waits for Pedro to open up. A well built half cast blond guy with few strands of black glossy hair carefully styled backward appears shirtless in the door way. Molly's eyes widen as she stares at him from his feet to his refined abs and broad chested torso, to his green eyes. Their eyes meet and he stares into her bright blue eyes with interest. "Ummmm... so-sorry...... Molly moon, a PA of Mr.Mckenzie from KEMO's law firm and we're handling your case concerning your divorce with your wife, Mrs. Alma Alejandro". She says and stretches her hand. He takes her hand and seductively licks his lower lips as he shakes her.

*wow* Molly thinks as she blinks consistently and slowly as if blinded by a bright light, that she doesn't realise the man trying to remove his hand from her grip. "Sorry" she says and lets go feeling embarrased. "Come on in" he says and ushers her into a well furnished sitting room and offers her a seat. He goes in and puts on a shirt , then joins her with two glasses of fruit juice. He settles in the seat accross her. She begins to ask him questions concerninig his married life and the approaching divorce as she takes notes in a pad.

"Well, I must say, you seem to be really good at this. You really got me to say stuff I never planned on sharing. You have a sense of persuasiveness and you know quite well how to get the truth from people without much effort." he says and smiles, watching her slender waist and protruded chest in her lemon green office pants and grey blouse. *I wish I could get him to talk as well* she thinks and sighs. "Okay, thanks Mr.Alejandro, I'll be back" she says and gets to her feet. "You can call me Alex, it's my middle name. I wouldn't want such an exuberant lady like yourself stressing to mention my name". He says and stretches for a hand shake. She takes his hand and blushes. She walks out and he smiles as she watches her back in admiration. Immediately she's out of the apartment, she meets Mckenzie.

"Get in". He says firmly. She hesitates, but obeys anyway. "Why'd you come here?"he says as he settles in the drivers seat. Without allowing her answer he speaks again. "If I had known this is where you were coming, I would have stopped you. why did you have to come to his house to get details about the case?"

He pulls over on a bridge over the lake and unbuckles his seat belt.