responsibilities

It was a cold rainy and dark morning ,and Stark found himself bouned by heavy enchanted chains on the roof top of an industrial build ,about twenty thousand feet high .

Brenda slowly staggers at the edge few steps away from him, as he remained helpless held down by chains and shackles .

With no way to catch her as he struggled to break out of the chains ,she falls off .

Mike in his god mode at a distance, laughs at him as he tries to pull out of the chains with several attempts as he transformed too

Clang ! clang! clang !clang !

"No Brenda!" Stark screamed.

Brenda! Brenda! Brenda!

"Sir, sir, Mr ,Mr stark," a nurse frantically tapped Stark's legs. As he opened his eyes and shrieked ,frightening the nurse only to figure out it was just a dream though he wouldn't want to call it that - nightmare preferably.

He took a deep breath of relief as he got up and requested for his woman and child. "Where is Brenda I must see her now, " stark questioned and insisted to see them immediately.

"Sir you will have to be calm your wife and baby are very much okay for now." The young nurse tried to explain to him.

"What do you mean for now?" Valu asks with stress while massaging his forehead.

"That's it I must see Brenda now as we speak," he rose his voice.

"Sir please bring your voice down it's about 2am, and there are other patients like Brenda here in the hospital. Stress and noise would stand as a threat to their health right now. Likewise, the doctors and nurses would work better without your noise and stress," Stark was lectured.

"I don't need your f-"

"You will just have to give the doctor a few minutes, then he will grant You permission to see her ,once he steps out of the room he is just giving her medications," the nurse interrupted the lecture he wanted to give about not wanting her lectures.

At this point, Stark wanted to go against what the nurse said. All he wanted to do was see Brenda who was carrying his child. He didn't care about whatever they said.

Just as he was about to ignore the nurse and barge into the ward the doctor stepped out of the ward room door which brought Stark to a halt.

Stark approached him, "Doctor I'm her fiancee and the father to her child. How are they doing"?

"She is fine actually there's nothing to worry about," replied Doctor Brent. Stark let out a breath of relief and smiled at the doctor.

"Thank you very much sir," Stark thanked the doctor.

"Oh you are very welcome but I didn't do much in there, I only gave her necessary medications.

But somethings still suprises me about her and the baby in her .....unless, the incident you reported wasn't true."?

"What do you mean doctor? Could you explain?" Stark asked in curiousity

"Ok you reported that she drowned right ?"

"Yes I did" Stark replied.

"But I don't see any signs of such an incident and looking at the bruises and scratches on her ,I can't even imagine how much stress she has passed through,"

Doctor Brent pointed out .

"Yes doctor she passed through a lot of stress indeed ,she was kidnapped as a matter of fact. It was a tough time for her and I just couldn't do anything about it and i feel like less a man; I couldn't even defend her . I am just a useless failure" Stark replied looking down in shame with a lot of guilt eating him up.

Putting his hands on Stark's shoulders and looking into his eyes , Doctor Brent told him, "I have been Brenda's personal doctor for almost two years now and if there's something I know for sure, it's that there is more to this story than it seems but you are trying to hide it from me."

Immediately stark looks up at Doctor Brent trying to read him with suspicion.

"Oh yes , I am not a fool stark," Doctor Brent proved his suspicions. "And maybe even Brenda doesn't get it yet , but at least for the fact that she bears your son, is a good enough reason not to leave her in the dark. Or do you think it is fair to do so ?" He went on to question.

Stark shakes his head in disagreement.

"I'm not asking you to tell me what might be going on now stark. "

"Not wanting to bore you with all the talks I would really love to share a word of advice my dad always shared with me even on the day he passed away"

"I'm all ears " stark replied.

"My father always told me, 'True Love is the only thing that can make a man give a very costly sacrifice and not feel it at all' so son, make sure your true love deserves your love."

"Now the question is, do you deserve her love ?" He continued. "You might ask yourself , what sacrifice has she made for me ? Try throwing the ball against the wall and let it bounce back. Brenda might be rough on the edges,but show her your love , and you will always be greatful that you chose her. I don't need to explain that to you, you are a grown man now; a father and husband to be as a matter of fact. It's no longer about just you Stark. You've got responsibilities now, and a family and their welfare is now your duty. You need to step up your game man." Doctor Brent concluded his speech as he checked his wrist watch, "I must leave now Stark, think about what I've told you. I have a meeting to attend to now."

Doctor Brent tapped his shoulders and gave an encouraging smile and Stark's replies with a nod and small smile. Doctor Brent walked aways after giving an encouraging nod.

Immediately, Stark walked into the ward room Brenda laid in. He walked slowly to her and sat beside her then held her right hand palm slowly and softly with so much care. He held like she was fragile.

Stark looked around and seeing that no one was in the room with them , he slowly gave her a soft kiss on her lip.

Then he noticed a movement from her hand.

"Stark is that you ?" Brenda asked with her eyes closed in a barely audible voice more like a whisper.

With extreme emotions, Stark replied as he kissed her hand and forehead continually, as tears ran down his cheeks.

"Yes love it's me," mwah ! Mwah ! "I'm so sorry I'll leave your side again," Mwah !

"I am very sorry for all you've passed through" Mwah

"Please forgive me Brenda. I promise you will be avenged and you will never face this situation again. I will always be there for you and our son." One could hear the emotions in his voice almost breaking. He softly landed more kisses on the back of her palm.

Brenda tried to sit up but Stark stopped her. "What do you think you're doing dear. This is why Doctor Brent didn't want me here at first , he said you shouldn't face any form of stress. Please rest your head and be strong for you and the baby."

"Doctor Brent ?" Brenda asked with a very weak tone .

"Hmm," Stark responded why making sure she was laying properly on the bed. He kept on adjusting every part he felt would cause her the slightest discomfort.

"He must have been the one who told you.

I am very sorry I wanted to tell you that night but Mike came and - "

"Shhh that's enough, there's no need to explain we will talk when you get better ok?" When she nodded he added, "Now have some rest; besides, I am very happy about the news." He smiled brightly exposing his dimples.

"You are?" Brenda asks with a little doubt.

"Oh dear, why would you think I wouldn't. be? I am very happy more than you can imagine my love. Now please have a nap" he pecked her on her forehead.

Stark patted and softly stroked her hair till she fell asleep. He got lost in her beauty like it was his first time seeing her.

Just then, a deep voice broke his beautiful moment of silence and peace.

"Seems like you've gotten so carried away that you forget the deal we had ."

Stark swiftly turned around and saw Mike in the room but this time in a more depressed and unorganized look .his rough hair fallen covering his eyes and his tie sagged on his neck hanging all the way down between his legs and his shirt unbuttoned and ripped on the arm like he had a fight and one could tell with the way he staggered and spoke that he was definitely high on something .

"What are you doing here? How did you get back in the hospital " ?

Stark asked with rage growing with each second that passed, showing in his eyes as they glowed red.

"Really even in the hospital? Calm down we don't wanna make any noise now, do we?"

Mike said as he took his words one by one .

"You must leave now I don't wanna see you anywhere near her and m_"

"Oh please spear me the details Stark. Your threats dont work on me anymore .

"I don't make threats to scare ,it's a warning leave now"stark replied as he stood up from the bed .

I just wanted to let you know that I have change in plans towards our deal an_

"There will be no deal "!

Stark interrupted as he raised his voice ,almost waking Brenda ,as she twists and turns.

"You might want bring your voice down a little bit , we don't wanna wake the sleeping beauty now do we "?

"Take a look at yourself you shameless fool ,the God of the seas drunk and dirty like a street rat "

Hehehehehe

mike laughs at Stark statements and said

Might be drunk ,but I am still very much in my senses, and how dare you calm the God of the seven seas a street rat "

"You must leave now i must not repeat myself again" stark warned again , trying to contain his anger .

"Oh I am not a child you decieve torzeo ,you must fulfill your promise to me .

I am giving you from now till the month end, also known as the night of the full blood moon . Don't disappoint me stark, mike took a deep breath and plucked a flower from the flower vase in the ward, "...things might get a little bit messy."

"Is that a threat?!"

Mike walked towards the door while saying, "take the period of time I gave you as a favour. 7 months is a whole lot of time. Like I said, I don't have anything to loose but you now do with your baby and beloved woman.

You made a promise and you must fulfill it."

He opened the door of the ward stepping out. He stared over his shoulder, holding the door to maintain his stamina ."don't fail me Stark" he concluded the conversation as he walked off with that evil smirk on his face.

Stark kept silent and stared at the door for sometime. He took a deep breath, "he thinks he can come to my face and threaten me and my family? This is getting out of hand" Stark muttered under his breath as he held Brenda and continued stroking her hair as thoughts ran through his mind.