263: LOVING YOU IS NOT AN ACCIDENT, IT'S DESTINY

LOVING YOU IS NOT AN ACCIDENT, IT'S DESTINY

Looking back, she could not believe that she was able to overcome it all. The explosion that had happened seems like yesterday. Bitter yet sweet memories of him came rushing in…1

SHE was so disoriented the moment she regained her consciousness. She couldn't hear anything because of the impact of the explosion. She asked about her husband, but all of them were just ignoring her gaze, seemed afraid to answer her.

When their family arrived at the hospital, all they did to her was to comfort her and hugged her.

"Everything will be alright. We'll survive this. Everything is okay now. Your husband finished everything, just like he promised." Then they all wept bitterly. She could not understand what they are saying.

"What do you mean? Where is my husband? I need to see him. I – I have - haven't seen him in ages. Please bring me to him." She begged, but they all just bowed their heads.

"Mommy? Mom? What is happening? Why are you not answering me? What happened to Clifford??"

"I am so sorry… but Clifford… he… he…" Helen Briggs could not continue as she is overwhelmed with many emotions. The other people in the room silently communicated who will reveal the news to her.

"There has been speculation that he didn't make it. Sheldon Measley has been found and unfortunately, dead. However, Master Clifford's body haven't yet found, so.. There is still a possibility that he survived, we are still searching for him as of the moment madam." It was Griffith who spoke.

The moment she heard it, she took off the IV needle and throw a fit. She screamed and wailed like a child. She will never, ever accept that news. She will never forgive herself if something happened to her husband.

Her guilt is eating her up as she remembered their last conversation, her unjustified jealousy, and her doubts to him when he meant no harm to their family.

"NO HE IS NOT DEAD. I SWEAR, HE IS NOT. HE IS MY CLIFFORD. HE WILL NEVER LEAVE US. ME. HE LOVE US, RIGHT?" she asked just like a child,

"Of course sweetheart, he won't betray you. He will come, you'll see." Her mother consoled her.

First stage of GRIEF: denial.

She denied again and again about the possibility that Clifford was dead. She could not accept it. Even after she was discharged from the hospital she was still saying that her husband is still busy coming home and that he's still creating a way out. She did not let their men to stop searching for him and their family allowed her to until she will accept the reality.

"Mommy, when will daddy come back?" Clark often asked.

"Soon, baby… he'll be home soon. Just wait for him okay? Since, he's not yet around, you should be brave for your little siblings will you?" a pang of guilt forayed her within. She seems a great liar to her children.

...

'WHERE'S MY HUSBAND NOW AFTER WHAT HAPPENED?'

Tears fell from her eyes because she is starting to accept what her family is telling her: TO LET GO. She felt hopeless. Yet another voice was telling her to hope one more time. Just when she began the process of accepting her fate, she received a call.

"Hello, is this Mrs. Ingrid Briggs?" a woman called.

"Who is this?" she answered suspiciously, "how did you get my number?"

"One of your staff gave it to me.. I need to tell you this.."

Without second thought, she went to where the woman told her to go with her bodyguards, of course, for her security. She already learned her lesson. She walked her way to a shabby house and upon reaching its door, she trembled as she raised her hands to knock.

But before she could knock it, the door went ajar. A man, wearing shabby shirt and a trouser came into view.

"Cliff…" her heart flutters, "you're alive!" without warning she clung to him and kissed him passionately. "I miss you so, so, so much love…" the man chuckled.

"Wait, wait, who are you exactly?" her hope shattered.

"Don't you recognize me? I-I'm your wife, Ingrid."

"Oh, I do have a beautiful wife… so it's true.. How sure are you that I am your husband?"

"Daddddyyyy!!!!" a child came running to him.

"And a handsome child who looked exactly like me." He bent down and scooped the child to his arms, his eyes teary eyed.

"What are you wearing? Whose house is this? Can we come in? We miss you so much daddy, please come home with us."

"Tell me, what happened…" Ingrid pleaded. Clifford recalled.

The bombs were already detonated however, there was still one they haven't found and it was the one that exploded just outside where Clifford and the rest were standing. All of them were injured.

Parts of the building collapsed and before the house was burn down to ashes, they all went out. Because of the expanse of the area and the black smoke that hindered Clifford's view, he did not know where he was heading. His men were all protecting him that they were all the more injured than him. One of them instructed him to find his way and secure himself because they felt they could no longer protect him.

Instead of walking back to them, he went farther and farther and all he knew was that the house burn down and another explosion occurred because of the gasoline Sheldon conserved. Out of exhaustion, he collapsed.

"I was in coma all the time you were looking for me and the moment I opened my eyes, I have a temporary amnesia. But the other day, I saw picture of me in the newspaper and the rest was history."

…

SHE smiled at the thought of him. He fooled her and pretended that he still has amnesia then later laughed at her as if nothing worse happened in the past.

All the pain in the past is now gone. We are starting anew. Our children are growing so fast that Clark is now a teenager. The twins are now seven years old and God knows how sassy they are.

'How long has it been since she's been here in Vienna with my best friend, sipping tea or coffee?'

She left Clifford with their three kids while she's here sipping her favorite coffee with her best friend Liane and have their bonding moment just like the old times. The very café they were always going to before and the place where she announced to Liane about her plan to have a baby.

"I wonder what happened to them as of the moment?" her musing was interrupted with Liane's giggles, also thinking of her husband left with their two equally mischievous kids.

"Sis, do you remember the day when I told you about my plan of having a baby?" she laughed.

"How could I ever forget that moment?" Liane grinned as she also reminisced that day. "The most shocking announcement you ever told me, save for the father of Clark.." they both laughed. "I wonder what had happened to them as of the moment.

The two women were, still, oblivious of their surroundings and just have their own serene time with endless chatter. Without their cognizance, their husbands started to be possessive and stormed to their wives side with hurried, sure steps, as they notice that some of the men in that café were looking at their wives.

"Hey there, love…" Clifford snaked his arms around her waist, showing his possessiveness. "Let's go.."

"Where to?" he still have that boyish grin she loves so much. The two couple left the café and separated ways.

"Wait, don't use your charm on me, where are the kids?"

"Is it still working? They are with their Grandparents, bonding time. I can't afford to be away from you for so long. Let's make more babies, the twins are getting grumpier, I think another set of twins will make them mature." She chuckled.

"As if! You just want another sexy time. We already did it earlier." She protested, but Clifford just rolled his eyes at the thought. What they did was just a quickie because they both knew that their twins will invade their room early in the morning.

"Not a quickie, but that slow, passionate making love, like our honeymoon…" she blushed and then agreed.

"Where are we heading?"

"The place where we first have our honeymoon." Her eyes twinkled.

"Oh I love that…"

"Surely, loving you is never an accident." Clifford declared.

"It's destiny, my love…"

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