Augustus carried sleeping Olivia on her back. It was still a long walk and he couldn't imagine how Olivia came to that spot in the bridge on her own. It was so steep and the bridge was broke. It broke fifteen years ago when he was still two years old when there was an earthquake with a magnitude so strong that it broke the bridge on half. Olivia was a little heavy for her age bit he manage to carry her until they reached the rest house.
Madam Odette was so worried and she hurriedly run towards Augustus who was still carrying her daughter on his back. She immediately took her in her arms and ask Jane to put on the blanket on Olivia. She saw light scratches on Olivia's legs and she was upset about it. Her daughter have beautiful legs that it was already so prominent at her young age.
She was about to get inside the house when Don Maximus got out of the house carrying a stingrays tail. He seem to be furious at the sight of her daughter.
"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO OLIVIA!" Don Maximus angrily asked Augustus.
"I haven't done anything wrong Don Maximus." He was slowly backing out as it seemed that Don Maximus wanted to strike him with the stingray tail.
But Don Maximus was so furious that he did strike Augustus who was not prepared to accept the painful impact of the stingray tail. He knelt down due to the pain he felt.
Berto just finished packing his tools when he heard his son's cry. He went to the front portion of the house and saw what just happened. He run towards his son who was still kneeling and wondering what ha just happened.
"Don Maximus, Madam Odette, what's the matter? Why is Don Maximus beating my son?"
Even Madam Odette doesn't have any idea why Don Maximus did it.
"MAXIMUS!" Madam Odette called out as she saw that Don Maximus almost raised his hand again to strike Augustus. "Stop that! Why are you doing this? What's the matter?"
Olivia was awakened when her mother shouted to her father. She raised her head and when she saw Augustus on his knees ahe was alarmed.
"Dad!" She called out to her father, "What are you doing to Augustus?"
Olivia was already crying and felt helpless as her father beat Augustus a couple more times.
"Listen to me Olivia, stop day dreaming! Stop your insanity over this guy here cause if you don't, I will beat him to death."
Don Maximus was so serious when he left them and throwing the stingray tail at them.
Madam Odette had no idea of what Don Maximus was talking about while she was so worried looking at her daughter who was crying hard. She cannot ask her child nor ahe could confront her husband as of the moment because whenever he was like that, he would still be furious until he would sleep it off.
Berto was wiping the blood from Augustus wounds left by the beating of Don Maximus. He was so heart broken seeing his son on this state. He couldn't believe that the Don could really do it but the sight of his son'a wounds are evident that he was really a hot tempered person.
Tears flowed from Augustus eyes from the pain he felt and from the words he heard that still echoes in his ears. He could not fathom the reason behind Don Maximus beating but it was clear enough that it had something to do with Olivia's recent behavior with their constant communication that had change the young madam's behavior.
Suddenly, Augustus remembered Olivia as they ltalked awhile ago near the broken bridge.
"Hey! Do you know what you're talking about?"
"Yes."
"Do you know what love really is?"
"Yes, perhaps I know. Like how my mom and dad loves each other."
"Precisely. You're a smart kid. And smart kids with beautiful eyes like yours never get to know real love unless they get to the right age when they know how to handle falling and being in love."
"But I want you and I don't want you to go with Kristina. I heard you two talked awhile ago and i can't stand not seeing you if you go with her."
"Lily, look at me. What you are feeling to me right now seems to be just a brotherly love since you don't have any siblings. I do care for you because you are like my little sister."
"No!"
Olivia cried to her hearts content. She couldn't understand her feelings at the moment that even the comforting words of Augustus seems to be unheard.
Unable to make Olivia settle from crying, Augustus made a promise to Olivia just for her to stop crying and so they could go home already since its already pass lunchtime.
" Ok, listen to me my little Lily. If by the time you are old enough to be my wife, I will surely love you...but you have to grow up first because you are too little to become my bride."
"Really?" Olivia lifted her head and looked at Augustus with full of hope in her eyes. "And you will be breaking up with Kristina, is that right?"
"Yeap."
"You will really wait for me?"
"Yes."
"Cross your heart?"
"Hope to die."
As they walked along the broken bridge, Augustus noticed that Olivia was sleepy so he offered to carry her on his back. Olivia was happy at the moment. He lowered his body for her to easily climb up.
"You know Lily, I admire your courage to say things like that to me." Augustus began talking to Olivia as he started to walk while carrying her.
"You are so brave for your age like when you talk to us you seem to be like a teenager already. You are so mature when it comes to how you converse with your elders." he added.
"Well, my teacher in Ontario told me that I seem to be a genius one but I don't believe her. I am just used to talking people who are older than me. Like I enjoy their company much more than those my age since I tend to learn more with them." Olivia still managed to respond despite the fact that she's so sleepy already.
"So that explains it Lily."
"Yes. Just like how I like talking to you."
"And why is that so?"
"Because you talk to me like I'm not a kid and you don't treat me like one. Maybe I like you even more because you seem not too scared to converse with me knowing that I am noted for my tantrums at times." Olivia replied while yawning.
Augustus could already sense the sleepiness that Olivia was feeling so she asked her, "you want to sleep already?"
"A little but its nice to still keep on talking to you."
"Really?"
"Yes. By the way, can I ask you something?"
"What about?" Augustus asked as he could feel Olivia's breath near his ears.
"Do you like Kristina that much that you even wanted to be with her when you go to college?"
"Not really. We've been best friends since our elementary years and everyone thinks that we have a romantic relationship." Augustus replied like he was talking to a person of same age as him.
"Don't you have any special feelings for her aside from being just plain friends?" Olivia raised his head trying to look at Augustus from the side.
"Well, there were times when I thought I like her more than just a friend but a lot of times I can't think of her in a romantic way." Augustus explained as if looking above them and really thinking hard.
"But I think both of you could be a perfect couple somehow." Olivia tried to swallow hard something that seems to hurt her inside.
"Really? I think that can't be. I have pinky promised with you. Don't you think I would be too harsh if I broke my promise with you?" Augustus was teasing her after remembering what they were discussing awhile ago.
"Oh, about that..." Olivia smiled shyly.
"Who knows along the way, if you believe in fate, why not?" Augustus was serious as he spoke.
"Maybe, but I am too young for you and I know that." Olivia said as if she do accept the fact that they have a seven year age gap although she was extremely happy on the other side.
"Then we have to cross they bridge when we get there."
Olivia just nodded and laid her right face on Augustus shoulder as she was still carried by him walking in the narrow path for home.
Augustus was pained with that thought that just awhile ago there was nothing much to worry about Olivia but then while looking at his wounds, he was wondering what was Don Maximus thinking when he did it to him.