Unexpected Love

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Richard Anderson

"What is your name?" A girl of 5 years sat beside me on a fence wall and asked. We were almost of the same age. I was watching boys play football.

"No. 47." I told her.

"That is not your name, silly." She giggled in her hands "My name is Giulia, what is yours?" She had this curly hair and dark, big brown eyes.

"I don't have a name, no one named me." That was the fact, the caretaker of the orphanage, Mrs Kurt, never bothered to name me.

"Everyone has a name. Do you want me to name you?" She said innocently.

"Are you new here?" I asked, I had never seen her before and no one here talked to me. They thought of me as a freak because I was very thin.

"Yes, my parents died drunk driving, and they brought me here. How long have you been here?" She was sad.

"I have always been here. I don't know what happened to my ..my parents." As far as I remember, I have always been here. My parents didn't want me, maybe, so they must have dumped me in this orphanage.

"Oh!" She scrunched her nose.

"Can you seriously name me" I was excited with the idea of having a name and to be called something besides no. 47, or Dumbo, or freak, or all the names they called me with.

"Yes" she was excited too.

"Ok then, name me" I challenged her.

"Ummm what should we call you?" She looked so cute thinking with her finger on the chin. "Richard?" She exclaimed.

"Why Richard?" I furrowed my brows.

"I like Richard Gere so much..I will call you Richie" I liked the name she game me Richie, at least my name sounded Rich.

"I will call you Lia" I told her, Giulia is such a strange name.

"Friends?" She extended her small hands towards me, smiling brightly.

"Friends." I took her hand in mine.

We become thick friends, always together. We just had each other against everyone. We were bullied and harassed by older kids, Mrs Kurt was never bothered about anything that was happening in our orphanage. But someone came in our life to save us and protect us.

Once Lia and I were surrounded by a group of bigger boys, they were hitting us with football continuously, both of us embraced each other to protect ourselves from blows.. They were laughing and making fun of, calling us names. All of a sudden, It stopped, someone took hold of the ball and stood in front of us.

"Who are you?" One of the boys asked.

"Viktor, Viktor Anderson" He said glaring at them. "DON'T ever trouble them again" he said in a dangerous voice.

He became our protector. Other kids feared him, he gave out that scary aura. He never smiled and never cried and remained secluded, but l used to follow him everywhere. He was my idol. He used to get annoyed but nevertheless took us under his wings, and we became a family. He was our big bro.

He insisted on educating ourselves even when teachers were least bothered. He provided us with food when Mrs Kurt was drunk and forgot to feed us. We were 16 When he turned 18, he had to leave, leaving us behind. We thought he would never return. But after 2 years, he did. He was waiting for us outside the orphanage gate, leaning on a second hand Honda. In two years he had bought a house, car and had got a job in the army. That day, he gave us a home to call ours, where no one would ever tell us to leave. It was a small two-bedroom flat. Along with room with shared everything, our secret desires, our fears, and our dreams.

When he was injured badly in that bomb blast, we were shattered, we were lost. Poisonous gases from the blast had damaged his lungs, the force of the blast had ruined his handsome face still he came out of it, he fought and survived, but again he was broken by that bitch Jenny. I never liked her, what bro saw in her, I don't understand. Good she was out of his life, but she left a wound in his heart that he never allowed to heal.

Today he was again in hospital fighting with death, why I was not there for him, when he was and is always there for us.

I dashed towards the Reception of the hospital.

"Mr. Viktor Anderson?" I asked receptionist.

"Third floor room no. 309"

"Ok Thanks" I took stairs instead of waiting for elevator. On my way, I informed Lia and Bruce.

I saw Jia seating on a bench outside bro's room, Bruce was already there leaning against a wall, he gave me a curt nod.
Before I could ask Jia anything, Lia came running towards me, she was crying and...and that fiancé of hers was right behind him.

"How is Bro" she inquired sobbing.

"Doctor is checking him inside". Jia answed for me. She looked worn-out, the whole event had taken a toll on her.

Dr., Rashid came out of the room, he was our family doctor.

"Richard, what is this? How can you be so careless towards him?" He gave me an accused look, which drowned me in guilt.

"Thank this young girl here that Viktor is still with us. " He said pointing towards Jia.
"It was a severe attack, nothing to worry, he is stable now. He will be on oxygen support till morning."
Jia stood up from her seat and Lia hugged her.

"Thank you so much" She sobbed on her shoulder, Jia patted her back. Lia turned and was about to hug me when Liam came in between and took her in his arms.

'Bloody fucker'