Blind Love

Chapter 10

The next morning, several of Sofia's appointments were cancelled due to heavy rain. She took on the occasion to go check on Mikhail. It was about 10 in the morning when she entered his room. He was seated on his usual chair but as soon as she closed the door, he shot on his feet, startling her.
"Sofia, I need you help."
"What's wrong?"
He breathed in deeply and opened his bathroom door.
Two little boys made their way cautiously towards her.

They were clean, dressed in Mikhail's shirts which reached their ankles. They were really thin and the tiniest placed his little hand inside Mikhail's hand. The older boy did not come near the adults but he stayed protectively close to the younger one.
"Manny. Juan. This is my friend Sofia."
The boys' piercing dark brown eyes warily darted between Mikhail and her.
"Mikhail, please explain."
"Please sit down. It's really complicated and I can't tell you everything."
Sofia sat down on the bed and waited. The younger boy came next to her and smiled shyly.
"I'm Manuelito Gonzalez."
"Hi, Manuelito. Nice to meet you", she said smiling and extending a hand towards him.
His smile widened and he shook it.

She looked at the older boy. His eyes seemed much older, betraying traumas and sorrow.
"You must be Juan."
He nodded and approached her cautiously. He extended an arm and she shook it, smiling at her. The boys sat down on either side of hers. Mikhail sighed, not knowing where to start. They seemed to have warmed up to her - it was obvious she did not belong to their world. He took his armchair and turned it towards the bed. He sat down and closed his eyes. He wanted to see how she looked like. Juan seemed to trust her more than he trusted him.

"I need to protect them, Sofia."
"It's been two weeks since the last time I saw you and you are already getting in trouble, Mikhail?"
"I can't tell you everything but their lives are in danger."
"Do Flora and Ivan know about them?"
Mikhail shook his head.
"Why didn't you tell them?" she asked, gently running her fingers through Manny's hair as he sat even closer to her.
"I didn't trust them. I trust only you", he said sheepishly, his cheeks flaming red.
This totally melted her heart. She was so happy that he trusted her- at least, one of his guards were down.

"That means a lot to me, Mikhail... Why are the boys in danger though?"
"Let's just say that someone wants to hurt them and send them away."
"Emilio..." Manuelito whispered, shifting even closer to her until he was nearly in her lap.
Mikhail cursed, earning him a warning cough from Sofia. She scooped Manny up and laid him on her lap. She looked at him softly and gently caressed his cheek.
"He is the bad man who wants to hurt you?" she waited till he nodded to continue, "Why does he want to hurt you?"
"Because he can. He is evil", Juan whispered, staring into his eyes.
She pulled him into a hug and after a minute, he relaxed into the hug. She wanted to protect them. Her heart ached for these two innocent souls who were deprived of a normal upbringing.

"It's okay, baby. Mikhail and I are here now. We will protect you."
"You can't. No one can't. He killed our parents in front of us because he thought my dad glared at him. It was daylight, in front of a police station. The policemen watched as he dragged Manny and I in his car. No one can stop him", Juan said angrily.
Sofia hugged them even tighter. She was taken aback. Who was this man and why no one had arrested him yet. He seemed to have broken several laws but he was still roaming free.
"I'll stop him. I promise you, Juan", Mikhail stated.
Juan broke out of Sofia's embrace and shot to his feet. His eyes held so much hatred as he glared at Mikhail. Even though, he couldn't see him, Mikhail could hear the venom from his words.
"You are just the same! You are his brother, after all. You are as evil. If it wasn't for Manny, I wouldn't have stayed with you."
Mikhail closed his eyes and breathed in deeply. There were so much rage and hatred in this child- his mind flashbacked to his own childhood where he possessed the same feelings.