E/LENA

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

“Happy birthday Daddy, happy birthday Daddy, Happy birthday, happy birthday… Happy birthday Daddy!” Elena sing a song with her Mom Selena, as she holds the birthday cake in her hands, with a wide smile plaster on her and her Mom’s lips.

She and her Mom, came to surprise her Daddy Sander, for his birthday after she and her Mom, faked being mad and grumpy to his Dad this morning to execute the birthday party, that she and her Mommy planned before.

“Ohh, Sweetie!” her dad said in surprise and happiness as Elena went to her Dad with a cake that she baked with the help of her Mom on her little hands.

“Happy birthday Dad!” Elena greeted with her toothy smile as she come closer to her Daddy Sander, “I made this cake for you with Mommy’s help.”

Elena said sheepishly to her Dad, as she approach closer with her Mom beside her.

“Oh, thank you my princess!” Sander said in glee and turn to her Mom to give a peck on the lips, and her on the forehead after.

“Come on Daddy, the candle is melting, blow in up,” Elena said excitedly, “and oh, make a wish before blowing your candles!”

Sander and Selena laugh in chorus by their daughter’s cheerfulness.

“Okay my princess come here!” Sander said scooping an 8 year old Elena, on his arms after Elena went closer to her Dad more.

And with Sander eyes closed, he wish and blow the candle after, and the clap from his wife and daughter comes after.

With a please joyful smile, Sander said, “Thank you wife, and to you my princess.”

Elena comes first to give his Daddy a kiss and her Mommy came after.

“Daddy what did you wish?” Elena asked curiously with her knotted brows as she and her Mom done giving their kisses to her Dad.

“Well, I wished that you and your Mom will always be safe and healthy.” Her Daddy answered and gave Elena a kiss on her cheek again, but Elena frown after she heard her Daddy’s wish, making her parents confused.

Elena turned to her Mommy and asked, “Mommy can you light the candles on Daddy’s cake again? Please!”

“Why sweetie, is there anything wrong?” Her Mommy asked in confusion for her daughter’s request.

Elena shake her head and said, “I just want to make a wish for Daddy as well, because he only wish for our safety and health, so I want to wish him a good health and safety as well.”

The couple chuckle from Elena’s innocent answer and lit the candle like she requested and made a same with but this time its for her father.

The couple felt a lone tear escape from their eyes and laugh afterwards fo their daughter’s sweetness  and gave their princess a kiss on her both cheeks, that made Elena giggle.

“Mom, Dad, it tickles!” Elena squealed as her parents both kiss her underarm after.

The Mirabello’s house was filled with giggles and laughter the whole family continued their bond on their way to the dining where there’s a plenty food that Selena cooked for her husband’s birthday.

“Wow!” her Dad exclaimed as they entered the dining, “did you cook all this, hon?”

“Yes Dad, Mommy cooked all this, and I also help, look!” Elena said, pointing at the semi burnt fried chicken.

Her parents laugh again, as her Mom told her Dad why did the fried chicken end up being semi brunt, its because, Elena was the one who insist to cooked her father’s favorite.

“Thanks for helping your Mom, Elena.” her Dad thankfully said as he caress Elena’s cheek.

Her father turned to her Mom and said, “thanks hon, for everything. I love you.”

“I lo—” her, Mom was about to say was cut off, when they heard a sudden commotion outside..

The commotion became louder and louder, that made her Dad, stood up from his seat to check the commotion.

But, just as her Dad was about to enter the living room, her father suddenly stilled in shock and surprise for the unwanted visitor who just barged in all of a sudden.

“Raffy!” They heard her Dad said, as he looking on the way towards the living room.

Elena felt herself being scooped by her Mom, and with a worried eyes she stared at her.

“Elena, princess. I know you’re a very obedient girl, and I want you to hide for Mommy okay?” her Mommy suddenly said in panicky voice.

“But, why Mommy?” Elena asked her Mom innocently.

“Ahm, Mommy, just want to play hide and seek. You like it right?” Her Mom asked that Elena response with nod and smile.

“Okay, Mom will count one to three and you should hide fast. Mom will search for you after you count one to one hundred okay?” her Mom said, “and I want you to cover your ears and eyes.”

Elena nod, to her Mom ordered, and excitedly got down under the table, to tricked her Mom, that she will hide there but the truth, she will transfer to another place to hide.

Grinning from cheek to cheek, Elena was about to transfer to another hiding place when she halted, after a loud groan. As curiousness strikes, Elena removed cover on her ears and quietly crawl under the table that was covered by thick table clothe, where she was in to peek on what is happening.

Her breath hitch as she saw her Dad, being beaten by the two guys, while laughing insane. Her, tears began to pour out as she witness how her father breath hitch in pain and while his blood flows freely on his head and mouth.

“Ah!” she heard her Mom shouted, from the other side.

She saw her Mom fall on her back as the man she didn’t know slowly approaching her Mom, while her Mom’s tears are freely flowing while begging the man to stop the men who beating her Dad.

“No, Raffy please stop!” her Mom plead, “why are you doing this, he’s your brother for goodness sake!”

Her Mom said, in despair as the man continuously approaching her, while grinning, yet anger can be seen on his eyes.

“You know, he never been my brother Selena. He took everything from me including you!” the man angrily said.

Shaking her head, her Mom answered, “You know your brother never stole anything from you. Its just your so much greed is taking over you. I’m your friend and Sander never get against to our friendship, so please, stop this.”

Her Mom said. Elena saw the man jaw clenched after what her Mom said, and in a snap, she saw her mother being hold on the neck by the man, that her parents called Raffy.

She was about to come out from where is she hiding when her Mom saw her and signaled her not to come out by slightly shaking her head.

Crying quietly she back out, and what the next scene was to much to bare, seeing and hearing her parents pleading, while the men who barged in there house just laugh at there plead, while she, covering her mouth while weeping as she watch her parents being beaten and molested.

“Mom, Dad!” Elena said repeatedly

“M-Mom, D-Dad, no p-please stop!” Elena murmured on her sleep making Ms. Estrella woke up.

“M-Mom, D-Da—” Elena murmured stop as Ms. Estrella woke up Elena.

“Mom, Dad!’ Elena exclaimed as she woke up, and weep harder, as her chest tighten from the dream she dreamed.

“Shh!” Ms. Estrella consoled as Elena continuously weep hard.

“A-Aunt E-Elle! I saw Mom and D-Dad, t-they w-were p-pleading.”  She said to Ms.Estrella in between of her sobs.

“I know. Shh!” Ms. Estrella continuously console to Elena.

The dreamed, stayed on Elena’s mind, but Ms. Estrella’s hug helped her to calm down after a while of weeping. And just that also, made her realize that they were in the hospital.

The memories of abduction suddenly entered of her mind, making her eye widen, as she remember Ms. Estrella being punched by the man who are the apprentice on her abduction.

“A-Aunt E-Elle.” She uttered.

Smiling Ms. Estrella got what Elena meant with her stare. Elena is worried to her, and curiousness about what happened can be read on her eyes.

“I’m fine, Elena don’t worry. I will be discharged tomorrow.” Ms. Estrella answered on the question on Elena’s eyes.

“and about what happened, Lena escape by your abductor.” Ms. Estrella ended on answering.

“You dreamed about your parents.” Ms. Estrella said changing the topic.

She  nod and answered, “Yeah  Aunt Elle, and I feel my heart is being squish.”

Ms. Estrella caress Elena’s back, and that way Elena didn’t notice she had drift to sleep again, while Ms. Estrella remain to be awake, and took the necklace Lena told her to give to Elena until she regain her memories.

Lena told, her to take care of the necklace until then, for that will put Elena into her right place at the right time that Lena finished her revenge.

Lena told her  glimpse of how Elena’s parents died, and how Elena suffer at a young age, and who is behind of Elena’s abduction. It was a man named Raffy Mirabello, the man who killed Elena’s parents and put Elena to a harsh situation that made Elena what she is today.

Morning came, and Ms. Estrella is being, discharged to the hospital. On their way home, Ms. Estrella broke the deafening silence inside the car.

“Elena.” Ms. Estrella called to Elena.

Elena seemed not to heard Ms. Estrella called for her, as her mind keep on wandering about her dream. Why is she only dreaming about it now? She thought.

And a memory of the house where her abductors took her suddenly appear, that made brows knotted as the house is the same house on her dream, where she saw her parents died.

“T-Then that m-means.” She though as her instinct kick in.

“That’s our house.”  A sudden voice said on her mind.

As realization hit her, Elena didn’t notice that she had stepped on the break making the car stop in the middle of the highway.

“Elena?” Ms. Estrella called to Elena, and this time Elena turn to her.

“Is there anything wrong?” Ms. Estrella asked worriedly.

Smiling, Elena replied, “I’m fine, Aunt Elle there just something I remember. I will tell you later.”

Elena started to maneuver the car after replying to Ms. Estrella.

The car, where Elena and Ms. Estrella was just a few meters from their house when they saw a multiple men are watching over their houses. Elena chest thud in nervousness as she saw a one particular man, that she saw in her dream, that was one of the men beating her Dad.

Elena’s hand begin to tremble that Ms. Estrella notice, and saw Elena’s face became pale as her sweat dripped on her forehead.

“Elena, what’s wrong?” Ms. Estrella asked, “do you know those guys?”

Ms. Estrella asked pertaining, to the men outside their house, but Elena didn’t answered and in a hurry she maneuver the car again towards the exit of the village.

Elena took her to Dr. Monte’s clinic. The travel on the way to the clinic was deafening, and she know, Elena is worried about something for Elena is trembling on the whole duration of her drive. Ms Estrella wanted to asked Elena but, she don’t want to make Elena feel pressure opening up to her, and she can only do now is to wait Elena to open up about what’s bothering her.

“Eleanor, Elena.” Dr. Monte said in surprise.

“Dr. Monte, I’m sorry but c-can I ask you a f-favor?” Elena said all of a sudden as soon as they entered the clinic.

Dr. Monte came closer to Elena, as he notice Elena is being panicking about something, that isn’t for Elena.

“Relax Elena, your panicking.” Dr. Monte stated.

Turning to Ms. Estrella Dr. Monte signaled Ms. Estrella to make Elena seat to relax a bit, and took a water to give to Elena to drink to ease the tension on her body even for a bit.

After a while Elena, became slightly at ease even though the worry in her eyes stayed.

After contemplating, Dr. Monte finally asked, “what is happening Elena, why are you panicking?”

“Their waiting infront of our house.” Elena replied.

Confused on what Elena does mean, Dr. Monte asked again, “Who is infront of your house?”

“The one of the three men who killed my parents.” Elena answered, “I saw him a while ago.”