There where it all started

memories

(Flashback)

Today is the day. Everyone are very happy and excited, and so I am.
Because this is the day, the day that I've been waiting for since then. The day that I've been wanting and dreaming since I was a kid.
Today, is my wedding day. And finally I will be able to marry the man that I love the most, the man that I'm willing to give my everything, the man that I will spend the rest of my life with.

"Elle sweetheart, are you ready?" Mom asked
I nod and hold her hand tightly, "I'm just nervous" I said.

"It's ok, just enjoy, this is the day you've been waiting for" she said while smiling and kissed me on my forehead.

"Thanks mom, thanks for everything. I love you so much" I said, and my eyes started tearing up, I just can't help it.
I'm very happy and thankful to have a mom like her, because she managed to raised me regardless of having no husband to support her.

(Remembering past memories)

My mom and dad separated when I was 10 years old.
My mom caught my dad having an affair with other woman, it hurt her real hard but she ignored it, she decided to let it pass and act like nothing happened, because my dad promised that he will never do it again.

But just a week after, my dad started having an affair again, there are times that he doesn't come home for almost 3 days straight, and I saw how my mother cried every night for it, I witnessed all the hardship she's been through just to keep our family complete for our sake.

There's this time that I asked her why is she letting my dad do that, why does she need to endure all the pain in keeping our father, and you know what she said?

" Elle sweetheart, I know that you're still young that's why you might not understand it yet, but always keep in mind that no matter what happen, no matter how painful it is, I'm willing to endure every pain just to give you a happy and complete family that you and your brother deserve to have."

As a child I don't really understand her but I decided to respect her decision. Everything went well in our family, we tried to ignore the problems and trouble that my dad is causing just to keep our family in peace.

But everything changed that day, when my dad came home very drunk and furious, he's been throwing things everywhere when my mom came to stop him, we're already crying because of fear on what our dad might do, he's already hurting mom physically which me and my brother can no longer stand and allow, that's why we run towards them and tried pushing our father away from mom, but he slapped me in the face which makes me hit my head into the wooden table, my vision became a little bit blurry.

But what my dad did to my brother shocked us, he held my brothers neck and hit him multiple times.

"NO DAD! STOP! PLEASE! DON'T DO THAT! DAAAAD STOPPPP, STOPPPP, NOOOOO LIAMMMMMM"  I was crying out loud telling him to stop but he didn't listen, until my mom came and pointed him a knife.

"Let him go or I will kill you?" My mom threatens.

"I endured all the pain that you've caused me, I let everything passed just to have a complete family, I did everything to understand you but this?, this is what I cannot allow, hurting me is ok but hurting my child's is an exception. Try laying your hands even your finger to my child's again and I will kill you without any hesitation." My mother said furiously.

"Really Ellise? Oh I'm scared" my father mockingly said.

"You can't do that to me, you love me so much, and you're too weak" he said while grinning.

"I love you" mom said sadly, "but that love is not enough for me to let you hurt any of my child, yes I'm weak but when it comes to them there's nothing I cannot do even if it means killing you with my bare hands, so try me." Mom said and pointed the knife into my fathers neck.

"Now leave before I lost my mind and strangle you" mom said gritting her teeth.

He was about to leave but policemen arrived before my dad could escape, they arrested him and bring him into the police station.

We hurriedly went to my brothers side and bring him to the hospital.

We're walking back and forth in front of the emergency room, and what the doctor said almost stop my breathing.

" I'm sorry we did everything to save him but his been beaten up and choked badly. His body didn't make it. Sorry we lost him." The doctor said before leaving.

We run inside the room and saw my brothers lifeless body covered with white blanket, our world immediately stop, I crashed into the floor as tears started falling.

I can't believe it. My brain doesn't take it.

"No! No! No noooo this can't be, no, Liam no! Liaaam, Liaaaaam" I cry hard as I watched my mother losing her self crying out loud that she can no longer breath. Mom fainted, she lost her consciousness and I can't do anything but watch her, I can't move, I can't breath. And everything went black.

The next thing I knew I was already into the trial court standing in front of the person who killed my brother, yes it's him.

My dad.

"E-e-everything w-was good b-before, our f-family is a-almost p-perfect, u-until until my father had an affair with other woman" I said as I looked straight into my father's eyes and anger started filling my heart and mind.

" Mother let everything passed, she endured all the pain that you've caused, but you're never contented." I said as tears started flowing.

"You hurt me and my mom emotionally and physically. YOU KILLED MY BROTHER! YOU KILLED MY POOR BROTHER WHO DIDN'T DO ANYTHING BUT LOVED YOU, YOU KILLED HIM! YOU KILLED LIAAAM!" I cried hysterically.

*plok plok*

"Order in the court, Witness sit down" the Judge said frustratedly.

"Request for dismissal"  the Prosecutor advised after feeling the tension between me and my father.

*plok plok*

"trial dismiss" the Judge announced for approval.

We've been into a lot of another trial after that day since the case is not easy, we must give a lot of effort in pursuing our case so it wouldn't be dismissed.

"The accused William Gonzaga Cruz is convicted of abusing his own son Liam Avelino Cruz. Also it has been proven that the accused had murdered Liam Avelino Cruz. In addition the accused had violated the law of Anti-Violence Against Women and their Children, and is convicted of concubinage." The Judge said with full of authority.

"The court sentences William Gonzaga Cruz, guilty."

*plok plok plok*

The Judge said as he read the verdict.

We finally had the justice we've been asking, my father will finally be imprisoned. 

"I'm so sorry"

That's the last thing that my father said before getting pulled my the policemen.

It's hard seeing your own father going to jail, but law is law he should be punished and he must pay for his sins.