IT HAD been hours since Tami heard the news, and it all still seemed surreal.
Raphael had been the sole reason why she had even been holding up, and now he's gone too?
It couldn’t be true. So, Tami didn’t believe it.
Fifty-two times. It had been fifty-two times that she had called him, and even when the call went to voicemail every time, Tami was convinced that he was still out and free.
Yet despite all that, she still couldn’t help the nudge in her mind— the only voice that was making sense, because it was telling her the truth. The truth that she had been in denial about for the past five hours, but knew she would have to escape from eventually.
Tami couldn’t help but wonder if she was being punished.
Was it all the times she stole the sugar without her parents knowing? Or was it the times she went to bed at 12 instead of 9, knowing her mom would be pissed if she found out.
Or maybe it was the fact that she chose to stay with this very man for a whole month, knowing her family was worried sick, which might've also caused her own father's life.
Yes. That was the thought that stung the most. And though the universe probably isn’t 'punishing' her as she assumed, that was the only thing she could think about.
Hence , Tami tried to stay in denial. Because facing the truth would ultimately cause those thoughts to surface, and those thoughts hurt like hell.
But sooner or later, she would have to come back to real life. And it was most likely sooner, rather than later.
"Tamika, I know this is a hard pill to swallow, but I think you would feel better if you go see him." Amy had been trying to get through to Tami for the past two hours when she returned home from her meeting with Malik.
Amy was still very much pissed at both Tami and Raphael, but during the time her elder sister had been home, she had noticed how the two lovers interacted. Even though Tami was sad most of the time, Amy was able to see the happiness brought by this man that stole her sister away for a whole month. And so, she admired them.
Now, she wanted to get Tami down to the station to see him before the visiting hours had passed. The investigation had come back to life over the past few hours, and apparently the police found evidence against Raphael. No one knew who re-opened the case, but whoever did, opened it with clean evidence.
However, Tami wasn’t interested in the evidence. She only cared about Raphael and getting back to normal as soon as possible. And that is exactly what Amy had been trying to get her to agree to, but the woman won't budge.
“Don’t you want to see that he’s okay?” Amy asked and Tami nodded. “Good. Now come let me take you to him.”
Amy had been talking as if she was speaking to a child, coaxing them into going into the classroom for their first day of elementary school.
Luckily for both of them, Tami reluctantly agreed, slipping on her shoes to follow her sister outside. She was silent the whole way to the station. The closer they got, the more real it became. Tami realized that he was actually arrested, and that meant that the police went against her wishes and reopned the case.
And if they arrested him, then it must be some solid evidence. She only hoped that it wouldn't go to trial. Still, all she needed to do was clear the air once again, and they’ll be free.
Scrap that. Tami grew determined that she WILL clear the air, so that this won't go to trial. She already lost her dad and almost lost her sister. She wont lose the love of her life too.
As Amy drove up to the station, Tami didn’t even know where the urge came from, but she was jumping from the car before Amy even parked. The truth had finally dawned on her, and the beat of her heart in her chest was so fast and loud that the whole Caribbean shook as she ran.
The sun was setting in the sky, and the beautiful beams lit the horizon behind the station. The evening was a bit cold despite the fact that they were in the middle of summer. It seemed like a perfect representation of Tami’s mood towards the whole thing.
Amy’s voice could be heard from behind, calling out to her as she dashed for the entrance, but Tami paid her sister no mind. She simply kept moving.
As she pushed through the station doors, she immediately crashed into something tall and hard—or someone, rather.
But it didn’t take Tami more than two seconds to register the scent, and she immediately knew who it was.
A peace that she has never felt before bathed her senses as she instinctively wrapped her arms around him. Tami refused to cry, but she couldn’t help the escapee tears as they flowed.
She felt overjoyed, yet confused. He was here with her and not in a jail cell as she assumed. Does that mean he was free?
Wanting to know the truth more than anything else, Tami inclined her head in his direction so that she was facing him. He smiled down at her immediately, trailing his thumb over her cheek to rid it of the tear drops.
“Why are you crying, mi nena?” he asked in such a soft and soothing voice, that it sent shivers down her spine.
“I’m sorry I didn’t come earlier. I heard that you were arrested but I-I…” Her lips started to quiver as guilt for not being here for him flooded her veins. He had been her rock throughout these hard days, and the minute he was faced with his own hardship, she was too busy wallowing in her own self pity.
But Raphael didn’t want to see his favourite girl cry any harder. He didn't mind that she didnt come earlier. In fact, he needed her now more than ever. He didnt want her to feel guilty. So, he kissed the quiver away.
She instantly melted even more in his arms. It had felt like ages since they had kissed. It had been far too long.
Their kiss was slow and sweet like a soft melancholy to remind them that they are each other’s calm in any storm. Their lips moved together like a new song that they made together, and it was exactly what they both needed, even more than air itself.
It was absolutely and undoubtedly perfect.
“You don’t have to be sorry, Tami. It’s just a little handcuff, that’s all,” he mumbled once he pulled away. Her eyes fluttered open to look at him again. This time he looked even more beautiful under the lights of the setting sun.
“But why did they arrest you? I thought I dropped the case.”
“We did, but remember when those cops came to question you earlier? They were trying to figure out a lead. I don’t know who gave it to them, but it was pretty good.”
Tami’s lips curled into a frown as her eyes dropped to the ground. “So does this mean we are going to trial?” The very thought had her tears returning again. She could do all she could to dismiss the case. But if there is evidence that Raphael took her against her will, then this might just get serious.
The only way they could prove that she was taken was if they have…
Oh no…
“Did they find security footage of that night?” Tami asked in fear. Even though she was knocked out and that still couldn’t prove that Raphael took her against her will, it could just be enough to do the trick with a good lawyer.
Raphael nodded slowly. That explained a lot, still it explained so little.
So all this time while the case was active when they were in Grand Bahama, no one decided to pull for security footage until now? Something about this ‘footage digging’ was off. Still, she didn’t focus on that. She focused more on how they would overcome it.
“Well I was asleep in whatever footage they might’ve found, so that can't prove anything,” she said in slight annoyance.
Raphael nodded. “I know. But they also have witnesses. There’s the bartender, your friend Malik…”
There it was.
They both knew it was him from the get go, but no one wanted to say it. It so happened that only a day after he left the funeral being all suspicious, this all happened.
“Hey but don’t worry. I’ll hire a good lawyer and when we go to the preliminary hearing, I doubt it will go to trial.” Raphael tried to reassure Tami, but her nerves wouldn’t rest.
“And when is that?”
He chewed on his lip before answering. “Next week.”
“A whole week!” Raphael knew that this would be torturous for her. He didn't want to stress her, but he knew there was nothing more he could do.
He was already so privileged to be sent on bail this early, when he was being charged for something as big as kidnapping. It took all day, but his assistant, Maddie, has been on it all day and finally proposed a sum that was acceptable for his bail this early. Hopefully, he won't have to see another officer until then.
“I know baby, I know. But everything will be alright, okay?” he whispered as he pulled her back into a hug and rubbed soothing circles in her back.
Tami knew there was nothing more she could do about it, so she simply let out a long sigh, snuggled closer to his chest and prayed that next week will go as they both wish.