Chapter 604 Tommy's Narrative (1)
Lying in the hospital bed for the past few days, Tommy felt like time had come to a standstill. He knew his godfather couldn't possibly still be alive, and even if he was, there was no escaping prison.
He knew there was no future with Gillian. So what now? Spend a few years in jail and then what? He didn't know, and he didn't dare to think about it.
From the day he broke the law, he was destined to be someone without a future. At this moment, he even felt that death would be a relief. The only thing he couldn't let go of was Gillian.
That foolish Gillian loved him so much. If he died, she would be devastated. Would she be able to move on? How many years would it take?
As he was lost in thought, he heard a noise outside the hospital room. He looked up to see Alaric entering. Because of his status, no one was allowed to visit him. These days, he had been lying in bed alone, counting the hours.
He was grateful to Alaric. The last time there was a fire, he and Gillian managed to escape thanks to him. This time, if it weren't for Alaric's insistence that Neil make him wear a bulletproof vest, he would have been dead already.
Seeing Alaric come in, Tommy tried to sit up, but the pain from his wounds made it difficult.
"Don't push yourself. Just lie down," Alaric said.
"No need," Tommy insisted, struggling to sit up. It felt disrespectful to talk to Alaric while lying down.
"Thanks." At that moment, Tommy didn't know what else to say. There were so many things he wanted to express, but in the end, all he could say was those two words.
Alaric didn't respond. He just sat down next to the bed.
"How are Mrs. Knight and the kids?" Tommy had been worried about them, but he had been completely cut off from any news while lying there.
"They're fine. Josep was rescued too."
"That's good." Tommy finally felt a bit of relief. After a pause, he asked, "And Gillian? Is she okay?"
He had been too afraid to ask about Gillian, avoiding the topic out of fear.
"I've been keeping it from her."
Thanks to Cormac, who had been pretending to be Tommy and chatting with her, they had managed to keep her in the dark.
Tommy fell silent, unable to find the words.
"Tell me," Alaric said. "Tell me about you and your godfather."
Tommy knew Alaric would ask, and he was prepared to answer.
"The day I met my godfather was one of the darkest days of my life. My parents divorced when I was three, and I lived with my grandmother, who supported my education."
"When I was seven, my grandmother passed away, leaving me to fend for myself. She didn't have much savings, so I barely had enough to get by, let alone pay for school."
"That day, it was raining. I went to my dad's house to ask for school fees. I could smell roast chicken from the doorway, but as soon as I entered, they hid it away. When I asked for money, my dad and stepmom cried poverty."
"They said they were struggling to raise two kids and couldn't afford to support me. My dad told me to go to my mom, saying she had married a rich man and my school fees were just pocket change."
"With no other option, I went to my mom. She had married a wealthy man and lived in a big mansion. I was too young to understand much. When they opened the door, I went in."
"My wet shoes dirtied their floor, and I remember the maid getting all bent out of shape, griping about having to clean it again. My stepdad was livid, chewing out my mom for not teaching me basic manners. My mom just kept apologizing."
Tommy's voice trembled as he recounted the story, the pain still raw.
"I realized then that I didn't have a mom either. I never asked for the school fees. That incident made me very sensitive, or rather, insecure."
"I was terrified of people saying I was an uncared-for kid with no manners. So I became very cautious in my interactions, which eventually turned into the person I am now."
"I have no personality. People can't see my true emotions. It's just a facade."
Tommy gave a self-deprecating laugh before continuing. "Back to that day, I left my mom's house feeling awful. It was still raining, and the streets were empty. Suddenly, I heard a commotion and saw my godfather being chased and beaten by a group of people."
"I felt sorry for him, seeing him as someone as pitiful as me. After he managed to escape and hide, I helped divert his pursuers. He was very grateful."
"Neither of us had eaten, and the rain was getting heavier. I learned he was from out of town with no place to stay, so I took him to my grandmother's old, rundown house."
"It wasn't until much later that I found out he had committed a crime in Arizona City and fled to our town. With no one to care for us, we became each other's family. Maybe out of gratitude, he paid for my school fees."
"For over a year, we lived in that little house. He did hard labor to support my education and took on other jobs. My godfather wasn't well-educated, but he was very smart and came up with many ways to make money."
"One day, he struck it rich. He said he had made it big, moved us into a big house, and bought me lots of toys I'd never seen before. He took me to amusement parks, making up for the happiness I missed out on as a kid."
"Then he got busier, making lots of calls and meeting many people. To me, they all seemed shady, but he told me not to ask questions, saying he was doing big business."
"This comfortable life lasted for about two years. One night, he came home covered in blood, saying the police were after him. We had to move immediately, so I went with him."
"He had been shot but was too scared to go to the hospital. We hid under a damp bridge, just trying to survive. That night felt endless. I was so scared he would die, but he made it through."
"For the next few days, he stayed under that bridge while I secretly brought him food and medicine. When things calmed down, he said he had to flee, but I couldn't leave because of school."
"That's when he gave me that phone, telling me to deny knowing him if anyone asked and to keep the phone hidden. From then on, I always kept it on me, sewing a pocket into my clothes to hide it."
"After that, we rarely saw each other, mostly staying in touch by phone."
"After he left, I had nightmares almost every night, dreaming of him lying in a pool of blood, never coming back."
"To me, he was my only family. Even though I knew he was a bad person, I was terrified of losing him. That's when I decided I wanted to become a cop."
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