More Than A Dream

Chapter 9

"Hello Jeremy. Are you back to your senses yet?" asked the man seated near the window without preamble.

"How do you know my name and why didn't you just kill me after kidnapping me? I don't have anything to live for anyway." answered Jeremy dully, totally unbothered about being in the darkness with a complete stranger.

"Contrary to your belief, I'm not one to stab people in the back Franklin, that particular thing is your speciality." said the stranger as he all of a sudden flicked on the light, abruptly emptying the room of darkness.

Jeremy was blinded by the unexpected light in the room. He blinked rapidly as he slowly adjusted his vision to the light. When he could finally take in his surroundings, his eyes fell on the small figure that was sound asleep on a mattress, on the floor, in the far end of the room.

"Jack!!!..." yelled Jeremy as he sprang towards the sleeping Jacqueline, momentarily forgetting his dejection and wretched state.

He had scarcely taken a step when a loud commanding voice warningly said "Don't you dare take a step further."

Jeremy paused, turning slowly to see who exactly this person was whom he had completely forgotten about due to his uncontrollable joy at finding Jacqueline.

One look at the stately dignified man standing opposite him was enough for Jeremy to grow pale with terror.

"Edmund?" mumbled Jeremy with a gasp, unable to make eye contact with his oldest friend.

"Now you know how I knew your name don't you, dear back stabbing friend of mine.." said Edmund his face devoid of any emotion.

This was the most humiliating moment of Jeremy's life. How could he face Edmund who was not only his best friend but also the father of the child he had kidnapped. No matter how you saw it he had no excuse, no way to redeem himself. He felt trapped in a situation of his own making.

"Since you seem to have lost your ability to speak let me tell you that I have come here to take my daughter back. I've waited eight long years for this day." stated Edmund matter of factly like he hadn't just tilted Jeremy's world out of it's axis.

"You cannot." pleaded Jeremy desperately. "She is all I have, the only part of Rose that belongs to me. I beg you." Jeremy whispered hoarsely, his hands beginning to tremble with fear.

"Do you know that I've been meeting my daughter regularly for a long time now. She calls me her father and it wouldn't take a second for her to follow me.

In a few years from now she'll forget about your very existence. I want you to forever burn in the pain of that loss like I did, like Rose did, until the point of madness." barked Edmund angrily as he made his way towards the sleeping Jacqueline to take her away.

A desperate Jeremy allowed Edmund to go no further by latching onto his leg as he kneeled down beside Edmund's feet.

"I'm begging you like I've never begged anyone before in my life Ed. I know it's my fault, I'm the lowest of scum but Jack is really all that I have left.

You saw what happened to my grandmother, if I lose Jacqueline too I wouldn't be able to live." said Jeremy as an unexpected sob escaped his lungs.

Edmund's eyes burned with unshed tears at his friend's desperate plea. He clenched his fists tightly as his throat constricted painfully against his will.

Nobody knew of Jeremy's tortured past better than Edmund, in a wierd way he understood why Jeremy did what he did, understood his powerful longing for love, happiness and laughter which had been absent in his childhood.

He pushed Jeremy away from him and approached his sleeping daughter quietly.

He gently stroked her hair lovingly as he used every ounce of his willpower to suppress the pain twisting in his heart.