Chapter 71

Triffany woke up from hearing some sound, she looked in the direction of the door where it was



ring if Carlos was there.



She knew he had warned her not to come to that room, but she had to find out what was wrong. She slowly turned the knob and there she found Carlos holding the picture with his face buried in his arms, crying.



She entered without his notice. "Carlos.." He looked up when he heard her voice and immediately wipe off the tears in his eyes. "What's wrong?" This was the first time she had ever seen him in tears.



"Why are you here?" He asked her, but she walked even closer to him. "You should be in here."



She looked down at his hands and saw the picture he was holding. "Is that your parents?" She pointed at the people in the picture.



This was the first time she had seen such people, there was no image of his parents in the house, she hadn't asked, since it was not her place to ask and he wouldn't tell her too.



She knew they were dead but haven't heard anything about them, or seen their pictures.



Triffany looked at Carlos's face, he looked down at the picture in his hands as tears filled his eyes again as he tries to hold them back. "You miss them."



"Today..." His lips quiver as he sniffles. "Today was the day they died." Triffany covered her mouth with her hands as she looked at Carlos with tears in her eyes.



Oh no! She screamed in her head.



She squats close to him and hugged him silently. "Today is their memorial." He sobs on her shoulders as they both stayed silently in tears.



After a moment of tears, they sat down together in the room as Carlos looked at the picture in his hands.



"They were the best people in my in my life, but death took them from me and my sister." He sniffles.



"We were so happy, very happy." Triffany was listening to him, she could hear the sadness in his voice as he speaks. "They called us 15 years ago, this date, they were both coming back from work with a present for me and my sister."



"I remember my mother's laughter and my dad's voice." Tears filled his eyes as those memories came rushing into his mind like they were only yesterday.



"They were so excited, I remember my dad said, "Carlos we'll be home in 30 minutes and we would all go out for a Joyride, just us as family." He tried to suppress his tears. "And my mother added, saying they got us our favourite present if we wish to guess." Tears fell from his eyes no matter how hard he tried to hold it back, the tears won't stop.



"We expected them happily, as I and Gabby restlessly wait outside for them, but..." He pressed his lips together. "But it was the last day." He closed his eyes gently and exhaled sharply. "They came with the news, they told us they had an accident."



Triffany placed her hands on his hand, with tears in her eyes. Just listening to him, made her feel sorry for him, he must be so young to had experienced something like that. "My parents died. They both died."



He brought out a wrapped box. "I couldn't open this for 15 years." He told her, placing the box between the both of them.



"Is this the present they got you? Triffany looked down at the box.



Carlos lifts his eyes to suppress the tears that were trying to flow down. "It was covered in blood, my parent's blood spilt on it." He exhaled sharply.



"I couldn't open it since then, I wanted it to remain a mystery box." He looked at Triffany. "It's childish right? I'm childish."



Triffany shook her head. "No you're not, you're strong and a bold heir." She told him.



Carlos was not sure if she was right. "You thinks so?" He asked, raising the corner of his brow.



"I know so." She said seriously with her eyes on his.



Carlos lifts the box up facing her. "Would you help me open it?" Triffany looked at him.



She nods and gently unwrapped the box and discover a yellow toy car and a little jewel box. "It's a toy car." She hands the toy car over to him.



Carlos smiled with tears in his eyes. "It was my favourite sports car. I cried to them to get me one." He held the car in his hand. "They bought it for me after all."



"And this." Triffany hands him the little jewel box."



Carlos took it from her, he opened it to see a necklace and its pendant joined in twos and he couldn't hold back his tears anymore. "I'm sure this was my mother's idea, she never forgot."



Triffany looked at the necklace he was holding in his hand. "I'm sure they are memories in this necklace." She knows that something like this could have a story.



Carlos looked at the necklace again. "I watched a movie with my parents and saw couples split one necklace into twos, each one having half the pendant and I wanted one too because I loved it."



He looked at Triffany. "Mom said she would get it for me and I can give it to whoever I please."



"She's a thoughtful woman." Triffany smile.



"The best, she was my treasure and I wanted to give her one side of it because I loved her dearly." Carlos smile. Triffany had expected him to say it was for Kelsey, but she felt relieved that he wants to give it to his mother.



"But she's gone." Tears rolled down his cheek.



Triffany put her hands on his cheek and made him face her, she used the tip of her finger to wipe off the tears in his eyes. "If your parents were here, they would tell you to stop crying and to move on, they will be so proud of you Carlos."



His eyes met hers as he held her gaze. "Thank you Triffany, for being here, next to me." She was surprised, he was grateful to her.



Carlos sniffles, his eyes still on hers. "I normally cry alone, so that my sister wouldn't hear me, but am glad to have someone close to me, that would cry with me and comfort me. Thank you."



Triffany smile, for once in her married life, she felt useful and helpful, she felt happy within herself, glad that she had finally discovered something about him, something that made them seem closer a bit. Like real married couples.