Broken Promises (COMPLETED)

Chapter 16 - Noël

Photo Credit : Screen Grab from GMA Christmas Station ID

Due to requests for an update as a result of my tragic chapter, here's a peace offering for my lovely readers. I'm sorry for the pain, I know it was a difficult read. I was also emotional while writing it, I almost did not finish it. 

But let us put that behind us now. It's Christmas in this chapter, and it is only apt that our couple should be happy. I hope this chapter softens the blow of the previous one, may you feel lighter with this and start the short workweek with good vibes.

Thank you for all who gave feedback for the last chapter. I tried to answer all your comments, any others I haven't answered, I will surely find time to do so. Happy reading and please comment here too :)

December 24, 2013

Dei and Rose were busy in the kitchen cooking up a storm. Christmas dinner was a major event in the Faulkerson household, especially now that Richard and Dei were joining them for the first time. The couple spent their first Christmas together in their condo, wanting to enjoy it as it was their first Christmas together. But this year, Dei suggested to join Richard's family, because both of them badly needed an emotional boost to be back to their happy selves.

Ever since the accident, things changed in their household. It took Dei two months to fully recover from her physical injuries, but her heart was still recuperating. She still feels like crying everytime she sees a baby. She still holds on to her tummy from time to time, missing the baby bump that she was so proud of. Secretly, she still computes her baby's month age every month, like the baby would have been four months old by now.

Richard has been nothing but sweet to her. He takes care of her as he used to, he still does all the sweet little things he used to do for her, but laughter is sorely lacking in their household. And all of a sudden, Richard wears condoms when they make love. The first time he did this, he explained that he wants her body to recover before they think of having a baby again. But it made her uncomfortable whenever he pauses from making love to reach for that foil pack.

She knew he appreciated this suggestion to spend Christmas with his family. They needed to be around other people, to laugh and be carefree again. She wanted the old Richard back.

"Dei....are you ok?" Rose asked her with concern.

She approaches Rose and gives her a hug, her head leans on Rose's shoulder. She suddenly feels like crying and just lets go. She sobs quietly, while Rose wraps her arms around Dei, rubbing her back to comfort her.

"Just let go sweetie, it's ok. It's ok."

They were like that when Richard and his dad walked into the house, their laughter suddenly stopped midway. Rose put a finger to her lips and motioned for them to leave. Richard Sr. put an arm around his son's shoulders and took him to the garden to check on the dogs.

"Dei, you want to talk about it?"

"I don't know where to start mom. Something's wrong between Richard and me, and I don't know how to fix it. We don't fight, we still do the same things we used to do, but it's so different now."

"Have you tried to talk to him about it?"

"No...he always works late. I feel so alone a lot so I started accepting more work, to forget about the accident. I feel guilty about losing the baby. Sometimes I think he might be blaming me for losing the baby. I don't want to be just an obligation, mom."

"But he loves you Dei. You need to talk. I know he won't be blaming you about that accident, because he blames himself. He thinks he should have seen that SUV and avoided it."