After two months, Ivy started trusting Roel. She was becoming comfortable around him and she was enjoying his company. She became open with him and Roel gave her no reason to doubt.
He took her to places and he never left her side. Eventually, he got a house for them and they lived peacefully together. He avoided disappointing her and did everything possible to please her. He looked for a job and he was employed in a company. He worked to perfection, just to give her a good life.
Ivy was learning that Roel was the right person for her and she saw his efforts. She appreciated all that he did for her and never stopped thanking him.
✓✓✓
Nick became worse per day. He stayed locked up in his room and he rarely held his daughter. Gabriella knew she had to do something that would bring Nick out of his state. Trevor never left Nick's house and he took good care of his niece.
It was in the afternoon and Trevor had just laid his niece to rest. He was busy cleaning her milk bottle when Gabriella called her to the living room. There was a lady seated at the couch and she gave him a smile. Gabriella explained that she was a babysitter that she got for Nick. Trevor called her aside.
" You did it again mom."
" Did what?"
" Doing something that involves Nick without his consent."
" I am helping him."
" Come on Mom. You should first make sure he is okay with it." Gabriella nodded.
Nick walked downstairs and looked at Cynthia, who was looking around the house. She turned to him and their eyes met. She stared at him.
" Sir?"
Nick ignored her and walked to the kitchen. Trevor and Gabriella turned to him. They went silent and watched him as he took a glass, fetched water and drank it. He left immediately he was done, back to his room. Gabriella followed him and Trevor sat in the living room, opposite Cynthia.
" What is your name?"
" Cynthia."
" Cynthia? Okay. Welcome."
" Thank you."
The door to Nick's room was not locked. Gabriella entered the room and found him seated on his bed, playing with his ring. She sank on the bed, next to him.
" Nick, how are you?"
" Good."
" I got someone to help you with the child. She will be helping you with everything you need. She says she can also do house chores."
" Okay."
" Okay?" Gabriella asked, surprised. Nick turned to her sadly.
" I lost the most important thing in my life. Right now I don't care about everything else. Nothing matters anymore."
" Nick, you are a father. Are you forgetting that? That little girl needs you. You haven't even gotten a birth certificate for her."
" Trevor will do that."
" No. It is your responsibility. Plus you haven't named her."
" Trevor will do that as well." Gabriella sighed. She took his hands into hers.
" Nick, be the father your Dad was to you. Though I wasn't there, he took perfect care of you. You turned into a very mature and hardworking person because of him. You emulated everything he did. The same way, my grandchild will emulate you. Please start being THE dad." Nick gave no response. He turned to his ring. Gabriella stood and left the room.
✓✓✓
Roel watched Ivy's walking stick as she walked towards the bed. She placed it aside and stretched her hands out towards him. He watched her and smiled. She slipped and he quickly held her before she fell. Her hand was on his shoulder and he had wrapped his left arm around her waist. He looked down at her. She was facing down. Roel took her face into his hand and raised her face up. He softly kissed her lips to see her reaction. She received it and did not try to pull away. Roel hardened the kiss. He then pulled away after a short time. She smiled and looked away.
" Now you trust me?"
" Yes."
" Okay?"
" Roel?" He took her hand in response.
" I want to work."
" Oh."
" What did I do? My career." This got Roel off guard. He looked away and he was worried. He did not want her to be associated with anything from her past so that she will not recall any detail in her life. He did not want her to know she was a writer. He tried to think of something but his mind did not process anything.
" Roel?"
" Acting. You enjoyed acting around me and it was your dream." He bit his lip immediately he realized what he had said. She squinted in confusion.
" I love acting?" Roel started shaking his head when he saw her lips curved into a smile.
" Can you help me get back on track?"
" Ivy... You... How?" His question was not on how he should help her get back on track. Instead, he was wondering how she would even start acting. She was not good at acting at all. He blamed himself for having nothing else to say to her. He knew if he said any career that required documents, she would ask for them and would expect that he had them because he told her they were together for long and this she must have trusted him and given him access to her documents.
" Maybe you should try taking me for auditions."
Roel tried to hold back his laughter but he could not. He laughed out loud. She was listening to him sadly. He stopped laughing and turned to her. Just by looking at her face, he started laughing again.
" What is funny, Roel?" She asked sadly.
" Nothing. I... I'm just wondering how you can do it when..." He went silent before completing the sentence.
" ...When I am blind? I can do it Roel. Let me try."
I didn't want to say that. I'm just wondering how you can do it when you are not a good actress, Ivy.
Roel only nodded. He whispered an 'okay' and she smiled.
