" You want to know what happened?" He asked and she slowly nodded.
Carl wrapped his arms around her and sighed again and his thoughts drifted back to that day which he would never forget in his life.
__
It was the day of his father's wedding with his stepmother. That time he was six and he already knew Jack by then because they went to the same school and were in the same class.
Jack's family also attended the wedding because of the little girl who was a niece to his stepmother and she was also Jack's cousin.
The wedding was filled with so many socialites of the city while he stayed alone inside his room, writing, as he didn't like mingling with so many people even at that time.
Jack had come inside his room to put the little girl down as his mother was busy, chatting outside with the other women. then ran off to play with Zach who was outside, playing with the other kids that had come with their parents.
He was left alone with the girl who was sleeping quietly and he also continued scribbling down on his book while his eyes will dart to her now and then, hoping she wouldn't wake up and disturb him.
After some minutes, his attention turned to the girl and he took out a drawing book and started copying her features on the small book because, at that age, he already knew how to draw very well.
Sometime later, he had managed to draw her face when the girl suddenly woke up and started crying.
He didn't know what to do and contemplated whether to go downstairs and call Jack or to take her to him. But if he went downstairs and the women spotted him, he was sure his cheeks were going to get sore with lipstick marks.
His eyes darted to the girl whose cry was intensifying with every minute and he finally decided to take her through the backyard from the play room's door, then look for his soon-to-be stepmother who was her aunt.
When they arrived at the backyard, the place was fortunately empty and he sighed in relief as his eyes glanced around the dark area.
He looked down at the girl who was still wailing and was about to go to his stepmother who was probably in the dressing room nearby when two burly men in masks suddenly appeared before him.
They tried to snatch the baby from him, and he managed to struggle out of their grasp and was running toward the crowd when a strange man appeared before him and the last thing he knew was the sharp pain he felt in his head.
After that, he woke up in the hospital and learned that he had been unconscious for a week and the baby had died.
Since then, Jack had blamed him for her death as he couldn't come to terms with what had happened to his little cousin.
__
Clara sniffed and looked up at him with glossy eyes as he finished narrating the incident. She had never thought that what happened would be so complicated as this. So it was a baby, and she was killed.
She sobbed silently while her arms tightened around him. ' Poor Carl.' She couldn't imagine how a six years old boy would have to go through that. He must have blamed himself for what happened.
And Jack, no wonder he hated Carl so much. He had trusted him with the baby. This was all a messy situation.
" It's alright, don't cry." Carl stroked her hair and sighed deeply. He also wished he hadn't left the room that day. Jack's family had to move to another city because they couldn't come to terms with the sudden murder of the baby.
" Carl, do you mean that you can't remember the man?" She looked up after some minutes and Carl nodded then started wiping her tears.
" If you finally remember his face does that mean____ Carl!?" Her eyes instantly widened as he suddenly groaned in pain.
" Carl? What is wrong?" She sat up and held his shoulders while her expression turned between confusion and worry.
Carl held his forehead and shut his eyes tightly then heaved a deep sigh.
After some seconds, he opened his eyes and said, " It's okay, don't worry." Then stood up and staggered toward the bed while Clara quickly followed him.
" Carl, are you alright?" She asked worriedly and watched as he retrieved a small box from the bedside table then took out a white pill and swallowed it.
" C..Carl?__"
" Don't talk, " he whispered and hugged her tightly.
Clara hugged him back and sniffed silently. What is wrong with him? He was just fine a while ago.
She sighed heavily while patting his back and after some time, felt his weight became heavy on her. Did he fall asleep?
She tried to free out of his tight embrace but felt him groan and hugged her tighter. She gave up after some time, then lay down on the bed with him still hugging her.
She did not know how much time has passed as her eyes lingered on his face which would frown now and then and she sighed then slowly caressed his face as her thoughts wandered to what he just told her then after some time, she also closed her eyes.
__ A Few Hours Later __
" Urgh! stop it." Clara groaned in her sleep as she felt continuous taps on her cheeks.
" I said stop it!" she snapped and shot her eyes open as she tried to push the figure away which was hovering over her.
" Huh?" She stared blankly at him and rubbed her eyes.
Carl chuckled and stopped pecking her cheeks then got down from the bed while Clara snapped out of her trance as her eyes followed his back.
" Carl, are you feeling better now? Has the pain subsided?" she jumped up from the bed and hurried behind him to the couch with a brightened expression.
" Mm." Carl nodded with a smile and dragged her to sit beside him.
" Let's eat." He opened the food box which was on the table and took out the flask and spoon.