MANNY©

Chapter 64

Bette, Rachael, Alyssa, and Todd took care of the little ones while Maddy and Tyler sat in the living room reporting to the police that Charles came over unannounced, drunk, and attacked them both. Charles was still unconscious and now on a stretcher as Edward agreed on what happened. The EMTs put Charles in the ambulance while the police got in their cars. Edward told his driver to follow the ambulance and he would meet him there. 

He climbed in the back with his son, knowing this was the end. Charles was done and wouldn't hurt anyone again. "Charles, you are about to get a rude awaken to reality." He told his son before sighing as he watched the EMT work on Charles' vitals. "When you learn what your life is really about and how the world really is, you won't know what hit you." The older man mumbled.

Once the kids were calmed and in bed falling asleep, Bette, Alyssa, Rachael, and Todd sat in the living room with Tyler and Maddy. "Rae, What Charles-." Tyler began as Maddy spoke. "Mama, I can explain-." Rachael cut them both a look as they sighed before hushing up. "So, he wasn't just speaking like a crazy-ass fool. It's true?" She asked with tears in her eyes, looking at her husband and daughter. "That you both killed that psycho woman?" 

"Mom," Maddy said as she stood up and faced them all but looked directly at her mother. "I was held in a place where they sold children to men to have sex with. It was when I learned that Gertie had me kidnapped. But she was outbid by some fat, creepy pervert who saw me on a billboard with daddy. He also paid to have me kidnapped and told me that he wanted me to, " She closed her eyes and felt dirty repeating what the man said. "Sit on his lap and love him like the white man I was sitting with on the billboard."

Everyone but Todd and Tyler gasped in horror before Maddy continued. "He was about to take me when Gertie arrived with eight million dollars. Double what he had. The man went crazy and I heard shots. But while I heard that," She began to cry silently as she struggled to tell what happened to her.  "Gertie was in my face telling me she was so glad to have found me. I told her that I knew she had me taken. And I wasn't going anywhere with her. She cursed me out and kept walking towards me so I grabbed this loose board off the window sill and hit her in the face with it."

Rachael, Bette, and Alyssa all looked shocked as Maddy held her head up, letting the teardrops fall down her face and slide down her chin. "Mama, I'm sorry but I would do it again. Because she didn't have any problem choking me until I was passing out." Maddy admitted to her mom. "That's when that nasty fat man came in while she choked me until I blacked out. He started to scream at her. Then I heard shots." Maddy shook her head as if she was trying to shake away the memories.

"He shot her while she was choking me. When she hit the ground, he came and held me. I prayed to die if this was the person who was going to save me and take me away from there." Maddy said while feeling her throat burn. "I  faintly heard daddy's voice and more shots while I began to fight to stay awake. He shot the fat man. Then I passed out. So, it wasn't daddy mama. It was me. Blame me if you want to. Blame me." She said, sobbing as Rachael sobbed hard herself. She opened her arms for her little girl to come to her. Maddy ran across the room and into her loving embrace.

Alyssa and Bette held each other and cried hard not believing what really happened to Maddison. She started to pour out all of what happened when she first woke up to when she met Sunny. Hearing the screams of those children who had their lives and souls stolen from them.  To safely falling asleep on the plane with her grandfathers, her Uncle Avery, Sunny, and her daddy.

Rachael let her red, bleak eyes glance upon Tyler, whose eyes held a deep sadness in them. Each adult hugged Maddy before Alyssa and Bette took her to her room. Todd excused himself to check on the other children while Tyler and Rachael stood there in the living room. Rachael turned away from him and headed to their bedroom before he followed. Once inside, he locked the door then reached for her hand. 

"May I speak, Rae?" He quietly pleaded. "I don't care." She said nonchalantly which caused him to slowly spin her back towards him. "Don't do that, Rachael." He said in a heartbreaking tone. "Do what, Tyler?" She said, feeling drained. "Ignore me and not care about what you want to know." He replied.  "What is there to know? You killed the two people who tried to hurt my daughter." She stated. "Our daughter." He corrected her. 

"Not only did I take out that nasty son of a bitch because of the obvious. He was about to hurt our daughter. Let alone anyone's daughter. As for Gertie," He said trying to keep calm at the thought of both former evil people. "Between Maddy's hit and the pedophile shooting her full of bullets, I just sped it along." He admitted as Rachael turned away and shook her head. 

"I don't need to hear about it." She said turning away. Tyler gently forced her to look back at him. "No, baby, you will hear this." He said in a hoarse tone. "I love you and our children. I love our family and friends. I love them to the point that if anyone.  I mean anyone hurts any of you I will do what needs to be done to protect you all. You all mean that much to me." He said as he eased his arms around her and pulled her closer. 

"I have been in love with you since the moment you opened the door. I knew that I shouldn't have, but I was. When we got closer and started to bond, I wanted you so much. And the only way that would be possible was forever." Tyler admitted to Rachael. "When you made me the happiest man in the world by marrying me and giving 11 going 12 great, wonderful, beautiful children I had my family. I knew that no one would ever take what's mine and hurt those I love."

 "If it meant snuffing the old bag out, then that's what I had to do." He told her while looking down in her sad, tired face. "And those who came along with me knew what we needed to do. We not only saved Maddy and Sunny, but we also saved a lot of children that day. The fat bastard took out half the people and Gertie before I took him out." He finished telling her while still holding her. Rachael looks off in thought before sighing more to herself than to him.

"I guess you hate me," Tyler asked her after letting her out of his embrace. "I know you could never hate Maddy, even though she thinks you think less of her. I understand if you want to be alone but I needed to explain, baby." He said before Rachael moved back towards him and gave her husband a soft, passionate kiss. He pulled her closer and kissed her back before the kiss ended. 

"I don't hate you or our little girl," Rachael admitted while still in his arms. "That was a horrible time for her. She did what she needed to do in order to survive. And you," She told him then breathed against his mouth before looking into his eyes. "Did what you had to in order to save our baby. Both of our babies." She said before they kissed again then just held each other. Tyler pulled away from her before leading her to the bed. They both climbed in and snuggled together, letting their bodies shut down from exhaustion.