Would You Catch Me?

Chapter Eight

4 years ago

April peered over to Lana on her small bed to check for the millionth time if she was still sleeping. Little Lana was snoring heavily like the young angel she was. April tiptoed out the room and onto the balcony to answer the call.

April - Hey

Roger - Hi April

April felt like a teenager, hiding these phonecalls from her daughter like it was her mother. As much as she hated to admit it, she felt at peace whenever she spoke to Roger. The two were bipolar. They had good days and bad days. There were some days where Roger could grasp her back into his arms and lock her there forever, and then times where she would never text him back. 

The two remained on the phone until the early hours of the morning. Talking about their days and what had been happening in their lives lately. April tried her best to not melt at the sound of Rogers voice, his late-night voice hit different and sent sensations all around her body. 

Roger enjoyed hearing her voice, like a mix of sweetness and honey, it was soothing for his soul. He took what he could get, Roger appreciated the little things when it came to April. 

______________________

Present-day.

"Who's your ex?" Una questioned as Marley wiped the remainder of her tears.

"Sorry I really try not to cry in front of people. He's just a distant memory" Marley shrugged picking up the glasses and taking them back into the kitchen. Una was in disbelief over how far men can actually push women. This generation toyed with the word love like it was nothing. 

Roger was at the dinner table eating. He hadn't eaten or slept much since April disappeared but Marley had somehow forced him to choke down some food before leaving again. His phone buzzed. A text from April.

27 Lanecove ave. 15 minutes. 

Roger shot up from the table and rushed outside with the address pulled up on his map. No time to think or call for backup, all he was thinking about was getting his woman back by his side. Roger pulled up to this house and knocked on the door, nearly busting it down.  He found April tied to a chair in the middle of a living room. 

She was unconscious, with dry blood on her clothes and bruises around her face and arms. Rogers blood began to boil. He rushed over to April and untied her, carrying her back into his car. He felt a strong pulse on her which was enough for him to drive home and tend to her needs.

Marley was startled at the sight of Roger carrying an unconscious April inside the house as the boys cleared the couch for her. Roger tried shaking April awake but there was no use. Marley took charge and opened Aprils eyes to judge based on her pupils. 

"She's been drugged. I can't exactly say what it is yet but there's something in her system that's pulled her into sleep" - Marley.

Roger looked at her raising a brow, 

"I'm a nurse" She brushed Roger off and began tending to her wounds, scanning her body for anything alarming. Marley then ordered Roger to carry April into the room so Marley could examine her privately.  A few tears rolled across Marleys face as she washed Aprils body with a wet cloth, rubbing away all the dirt and dry blood. 

April woke up three hours later and motioned to stand up. Roger, whom was anxiously waiting beside her, tucked her back into bed and felt her temperature. She was back to normal. April pinched herself hoping this was all a giant nightmare, but she had no luck. 

"H-he touched me" April leapt into Rogers arm and began crying. This only fueled his anger and prioritised his warpath to bring hell to the man who hurt his woman. Roger rocked her back and forth, whispering her words of reassurance.

"Omg. Where's Lana?" She wiped her tears away and searched the room for her daughter.

"She's been staying at Edens since you were gone. She's okay. Let's focus on making sure you're okay" He continued to hold her in his embrace.

"Hey sis. Someone wants to talk to you" Una knocked on the door and gave Roger a look. Seconds later and both men exited the room.

"Marley?" April smiled trying to tame her hair as Marley sat on the bed beside her.

"I am so sorry" Marley began to cry.

"Don't be. I'm glad I saved you. I would've done this again so don't blame yourself. Thank you for keeping the boys sane while I was gone" April smiled giving her a hug. The two girls began talking about anything and everything. April discovered that Marley was a 23-year-old nurse at the Prince of Whales hospital and loved her job. Surprisingly Marley had felt comfortable enough to open up about her last relationship an the unrequited love she was condemned to. This story made the hairs on the back of her neck stand and gave April a new perspective on love.

The girls heard arguing coming from the living room, and like the curious women they were, they walked into the living room. It was Keahi and Roger with Una in between the two.

"What the hell is going on?" April yelled at the grown men acting like young boys. Keahi had a black eye and Roger's lip was busted.

"A you ain't got time for this clown. You need to leave" Roger lightly chuckled, pointing to the front door.

"I just came to make sure she was okay" Keahi wiped the blood from his knuckles.

"I can do that. I brought her back. You ain't needed here" Roger kept throwing verbal bullets. All this made Aprils head spin. 

"Can you both... stop" Aprils legs began to give way causing her to fall as both men failed to catch her.

"She's been through a lot these past few days. She doesn't need this added stress. "Marley shook her head. Roger motioned to pick her up but Una stepped in instead.

"Dox go and cool off. I'll watch her" Una pointed to both men as he took April to the room. Roger stared at Keahi for a few moments before grabbing his keys and driving away. He had a lot of anger in him and the best way to let it out was in the gym. The gym was his second home when he wasn't working. Roger hated being home.

His home wasn't a home without his woman or daughter. He didn't enjoy it anymore, thinking about April in every corner of their house. Those memories made him miss her even more, so getting out of the house was the best thing for him. 

April woke up an hour later and apologised for blacking out. She sent a text over to Eden asking if she could drive over and drop off Lana, which Eden was more than willing to do.

"I don't know the context of your situation but I know both of those men are in love with you" Marley narrowed her eyes at April. April felt frustrated as she sighed.

"I love Roger... I love him. I need to let Keahi know that we're just friends." April was hit with an epiphany. Life could be ripped away at any moment and she didn't want to spend another second without Roger. But now, she would begin to chase him, afraid that he would not welcome her back with open arms.

Roger punched into the boxing bag imagining Keahi's face. He nearly punched it off the hook once he began focusing on April's attacker. He was disgusted by men who preyed on innocent girls. He first felt this way when he learned the truth of Darius' father and granted him lucky that he lived in New Zealand. Although Roger and the boys would happily jump on a plane and find him. He decided he would enrol Lana in boxing. God forbid anything bad happened to her if Roger wasn't there to save her, he needed to know that his daughter could defend herself.