Destiny

Chapter 39: Determination

Days pass and Lini is ready to leave the hospital, she waits in her room, while Taker is busy with the paperwork. She felt lonely when Taker abruptly left, he hasn't come back since today. She thinks Taker is mad at her because she's not grateful for what he's done for her. But she is. She is very grateful to him, he takes care of her daughter, he gives her a place to sleep, he protected her, he stayed in the hospital for her when she was sleeping. Even today, he bought things for her to get her out of the hospital, again a little attention from her when she reacts badly with him.

She looks up when the door opens and sees Taker, dressed in a gray singlet with black pants and a black bandana. He helped Lini up and then put his hand in her arm to help her walk. She still limps a bit but the doctor told her that she shouldn't force her leg for two weeks maximum but she is determined to work on her leg to make her return to the screen as soon as possible. With Taker's consent or not.

~!~

Taker stopped the car in front of Lini's house because she wanted to see what was left of it. She walks with difficulty, her eyes full of pain from what she sees. Everything was destroyed. The memories she had in that house went up in smoke, Josh's pictures went up in smoke. She has nothing now, she rubs her arms, her tears streaming down her cheeks when she sees the nearly burnt wedding photo of her and Josh. When will this nightmare end? What did she do to deserve this? She doesn't understand why he's picking on her. She hugs the burnt photo in her arms, falling to her knees crying hot tears. Taker gets out of his car and runs towards Lini who is losing control of herself, he kneels in front of her and hugs her.

"I lost everything"

~!~

On their way home, Lona and Agnes run to Lini to give her a big hug, very happy that she is home. Lini is very happy to see them again and to finally go home. Taker takes Lini's  bag to put it in the hallway and closes the door. "You were good?" She asked her daughter, she had missed her so much. "Yes mom, we made drawings for you" She said smiling and showing them. Lini is happy with the drawings of Lona and Agnes, Paul smiles at them, his arms crossed next to Taker who is also looking at her. "Are you going to tell her?" Paul asked Taker still looking at the girls. Paul has talked a lot with Taker about the case and Paul thinks it's best that she finds out before she finds out from the police. Paul understands that it's not easy for Taker to talk about this kind of thing but it has to be. "Later."

~!~

This afternoon, Taker, Lini and the children went to the store to dress Agnes and Lini who lost everything due to the explosion. Lini has bought lots of stuff so that she and Agnes don't miss anything, Agnes is happy to shop with her mom, her idol and her friend Lona.

Then they went to have an ice cream and landed in the park nearby where the children could go and play. Lini is sitting in the grass, dressed in her beautiful floral dress, smiling as she watches the children play ball. Behind his black glasses, Taker can't help looking at Lini, she's so beautiful in that dress, her smile lights up even more than the sun. Seeing her with the girls laughing makes him happy but on the one hand, he always thinks of his wife and his son, he can't smile or even laugh heartily because of his thoughts.

Taker lies in the grass watching the clouds, his hands below his head as he hears the girls playing and laughing. Before he didn't pay attention to Lini's emotions at all, taking her for a simple woman who was only good at cooking or cleaning the toilets. He took her as someone who had nothing to do with him or the wwf. But her motivation, her determination made him change his mind especially how she managed to be even more mysterious on TV than he could be. He started to take an interest in her when he found out the policeman was her husband and tried to get her questions answered.

He looks next to him and looks at the girls all while staying in his position for his back which has been hurting him lately. He offered to help her just for his selfish reasons but when he saw how she really was, he started to change. He saw her differently than at work as soon as she entered his house. The relationship she has with her daughter made him change his behavior towards Lona too.

It seemed like Lini was the sun that was to illuminate the darkness in Taker's life. But when he saw Lini on the ground near her burning house, he felt his heart sink, it was the fear he felt as if the shine were going to be taken out of his life again.

"Yayyy!!! All on Undy!!" Cried Agnes before throwing herself on Taker who was still lying down, Lona and Lini throw themselves on Taker without hurting him and laughing together.

~!~

After spending a very nice afternoon, they all go home. The kids run around to play some more in the garden while Taker helps Lini out of the car with all the bags. Lini thanks Taker for his help and quietly goes into the bedroom to put away the clothes.

Tomorrow is King of the ring, the event she was supposed to wrestle but everyone forbids her to work because of her leg. She has to give up wrestling tomorrow and it makes her sad, she had worked hard to get there.

She looks at the bandage on her thigh half hidden by her dress. The sad look has become a look of determination, she finishes putting away her clothes, changes into sports shorts, tank top and white shoes to go running.

Taker goes into the kitchen to get something to drink after working on one of his motorcycles outside. He looks out the kitchen window that leads to the garden and sees Lini running with the girls behind, he is impressed by her determination, she really wants to wrestle tomorrow.

~!~

Evening was falling, the children have already packed their bags for tomorrow, they are very happy to accompany their parents, they are so happy that Lini had to read two stories to Agnès to put her to sleep. Lona, meanwhile, still can't sleep, not because her father's stories are boring, but she has a question she's been wondering about for a long time. "Dad?" She said, Taker looking at her when he finished reading the sentence from the book.

"Dad, are you still in love with mom?" She asked watching her father slowly close the book, Taker put the book on the bedside table. The truth is that yes he still loves her, death can't stop love but on the one hand he realized he had to move on.

"Yes but as I told you, she can't come back." Said Taker struggling to find the simple words to make her understand that she is no longer of this world. He always refused to say what really happened to her brother and her mother. Death is not something to discuss with a little girl, especially in horrific circumstances. "I know but when will I see her and Calvin again?" She asked her father, looking sad, knowing her father's answer that it's impossible to see them again. Taker sits on his daughter's bed, taking her hand in his. "I would like to see them again too dear." Said to his daughter calmly before giving each other a hug.

~!~

Coming out of Lona's room, Taker heard Lini coming out of Agnes' room as well. Lini smiled at him before walking ahead of him to take the stairs down. Taker follows her but instead of going into the kitchen like her, he goes into the basement where he hasn't set foot in a long time.

~!~

Lini turns around with two cups of hot tea after preparing but realizes that Taker isn't there, though she had heard him come down. Then a noise of breaking glass as well as a racket is heard in the basement, she frowned wondering if everything was fine then headed for the door of the basement. The door is ajar, she hesitates to go in because Paul told her that it was forbidden to go there but she is worried about Taker who looks pained. Sounds of chairs hitting the wall violently, tables turning over, glass breaking.