Caught In A Name

CHAPTER TEN

"Excuse me?" Daniel asked puzzled.

"I said, Richard can't tell you what he doesn't know."

"Maine..." Richard whispered in an attempt to stop Maine from telling her story if she wasn't ready.

"No. It's okay Richard. Your brother is right. He needs to know what's happening, well you need to know, since it seems like I might have brought the danger closer to your doorstep. Heck, Mr. Jones and Mr. Smith might actually be in greater danger than they think."

"Maine. Mr. Smith and Mr. Jones can take care of themselves. You can tell me your story when you're ready" Richard answered back.

"That may very well so Richard, but if Mr. Jones and Mr. Smith have been followed, it's only a matter of time till they are followed again. These people are relentless. They will not stop until they get what they want. And it looks like Mr. Smith and Mr. Jones are now within their line of sight. You know why? Because they were seen with me. I should've known. I thought it was just my imagination when I saw one of the men this morning as I was crossing the street from the hotel to the hospital. These are the same men that shot you three days ago" Nicomaine explained.

"Excuse me. Pardon the interruption but who the fuck are these people?" Daniel asked exasperated.

Nicomaine sighed in defeat, coming to the realization that she has now endangered the lives of these people. They are just trying to help me. But now, I might have signed their death warrants. Fuck, fuck, fuck!

"Hang on" she stated as she looked over her shoulder. "I need to tend to Charmaine for now but once that's done then we can all talk. If that's okay with the two of you?"

"Go. Settle the baby for the night and meet us in the library after" Richard instructed.

Nicomaine nodded and was about to turn back to the nursery when a thought stopped her in her tracks.

"Uhhmm. Where exactly is the library?"

"Down the stairs to your left. It's the first double doors before you reach the kitchen."

"Okay. Oh and one more thing. May I take a shower first?" Nicomaine asked a little shyly.

"Yes of course. The towels are inside the closet behind the bathroom door." Richard answered feeling a little stupid for not thinking of that. Well, he didn't really think of anything else other than his all too inconvenient arousal ever since Maine woke up from her sleep.

"Thank you" Nicomaine mumbled before walking back to the nursery to attend to the now screaming baby.

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Daniel remained quiet the whole time, just observing the two. His suspicion that they were both hiding something was growing stronger by the minute and he does not like it. His gut instinct kept nudging him and so finally when Maine walked back into the nursery, he turned to his brother, who by now was standing upright and heading towards the closet.

"STOP! Stop right there. Tell me RJ, is Maine really your wife?"

Richard stopped in his tracks and was on the verge of lying to his brother again but came to the conclusion that what was the point. He knew that his brother will not stop until he gets the answer. He is a Faulkerson after all. So, with a defeated sigh, he turned and faced his brother.

"No. She's not my wife. I just met her three days ago. She was trying to get on the same freight train that I was already on, probably to stow away, like I was. However, she wasn't just trying to get on the moving train with a baby carrier in front of her, at full speed I might add; she was also being shot at. What was I supposed to do? So, I tried to help her but a stray bullet hit me, hence the bullet wound I am now sporting. The thing is, she could've left me. She could've taken off on the next stop. But she didn't. Instead, she tried to staunch the bleeding with what she had, her clothes. She stayed with me until the next stop and called 911 at the risk of exposing herself. And then again, after dropping me at the hospital, she could've disappeared then. Yet she didn't. She stayed not knowing what was in store for her."

Richard then paused and looked at his brother, silently asking for understanding. Because this was never like him. Never one to rescue damsels in distress. He prefers his women to be able to fight. To be able to defend themselves. But then again, he seemed to have gotten both with Maine. She needs his help, even if she admits to it or not. But he has been a witness, firsthand, to how much Maine is also capable of defending herself.

"She saved my life bro, at the risk of her own and her baby. The least I can do is help her until she can be on her own again. I don't know her story. I don't know what I'm getting myself into but I am not about to just let her go without at least trying to help her" he finished.

Daniel didn't say anything for a while, just silently mulling over what his younger brother just revealed. And he's right. His brother is right. They were raised to help those in need and from what it looks right now, Maine does need help.

"RJ. You're right. Maine and her baby need our help. I owe her for saving your ass. But we need to know the real story before we can make a plan. And we do need a plan" Daniel contemplated out loud. "There must be a reason why she's being hunted like that. She doesn't seem like a person to be involved in something illegal BUT I could be wrong. However, you're right. Dad would kill us both if he found out that we didn't at least try. Ugh! The things he would do to us" Daniel finished with a fake shudder which garnered a smile from his younger brother.

"Thank you Kuya Daniel. I owe you one" Richard stated before he engulfed his older sibling in a bear hug. "I miss you" he whispered before letting him go and stepping back.

Both brothers cleared their throats to dispell the awkward silence that followed after. The Faulkerson men are not very affectionate beings since they were raised by a very strict father. However, their mother balanced their father's strictness by showering them with hugs and kisses. But as they grew to become men, they both chose the life of being in the military and the police force so affection is rarely shown between them. Their sisters however are a totally different story. They took after their mom, who would dispense hugs and kisses whenever the opportunity comes.

"Well, okay then. I will head downstairs and see if there is food in this house to heat up" Daniel awkwardly stated, heading towards the nearest exit.

Richard laughed at that because he can see how uncomfortable his older brother had become. He lunged forward, faking another hug and Daniel walked away as if his ass was on fire leaving his brother laughing in his wake.

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Unbeknownst to the brothers, Nicomaine was eavesdropping on the other side of the nursery door. As much as she didn't want to, she couldn't help it. They were talking about her after all. She was touched that Richard saw her as the one who saved his life and yet she thinks the same of him. Daniel is right. They need to know the whole story since they are already involved and they might have already become a target just by taking her and her baby in. They do need a plan.

But what got her the most was the interaction between the brothers. Then as she stood there, she suddenly felt this longing for her own family. Her family, who by now, are probably thinking that she's dead. For the last 33 days, she hasn't had a chance to think of anything else except her and her baby's safety. She's been busy running and looking over her shoulder if she was being followed or not, making sure she covered her tracks.

Maybe this is finally the break she asked for. Maybe God has finally answered one of her prayers. In the form of Richard Faulkerson Jr.