Giselle cried out again and retreated on faster steps.
“Shh...” Humphrey extended a calming hand. “I’m not including you in that.”
She stilled. “What do you mean?”
Humphrey’s expression was somber, yet traces of his mania remained evident. “I know Giselle. I know what you are.”
“How?” Her voice shook violently on the word.
He smiled. “It’s not important, but you are very important. You’re proof that this could work. Ophion isn’t willing to give my ideas credibility, but you’re proof that-”
“Proof.”
“That light can come from dark. Same as my nephews.” Some strange excitement took shape in his eyes then. “With my research and Ophion’s box, we can create children that everyone can be proud of. No more mistakes.”
“You’re insane.”
“No!”
The animalistic fury in his voice, nearly brought Giselle to her knees.
Again, Humphrey extended a calming hand. “No, bella. No I’m not. I’ve studied this half my life. Great men, great minds have wanted to make this a reality for centuries. My mother may have accepted Pitch if he hadn’t come out wrong with all those savage traits from his nigger mother-”
Giselle’s sharp cry clipped his speech. She ran, dodging him as she weaved through the theater chairs. On the wall screen, Humphrey’s brutal surgery was still in progress. Giselle found her way clear when the projector’s light beamed brighter. The room door was still cracked, a sliver of light marking her path for escape into the hall. She’d grabbed the door handle, when he caught her, his arm clamping like a steel band when it folded over her chest.
Humphrey took Giselle down with him. “I’m not crazy, Giselle. I’m not crazy,” he chanted. “Don’t think that. Please don’t-don’t you see you’re my answer? You came from darkness on both sides and emerged angelic and you even birthed an angelic boy.”
The mention of her child, renewed Giselle’s struggles. Her elbow clipped Humphrey’s ribs and his hold eased enough for her to crawl toward the door. She screamed when he yanked the hem of her pant leg. She lost her shoe when he dragged her across the carpet.
“It’s fine, it’s alright. You’ll see-”
“Help! Help somebody, plea-!”
Her cries were silenced, when his hand covered her mouth.
“Shh...shh...I can’t let you go until you promise this stays between us,” he whispered frantically. “Swear it on Brogue’s life and I’ll believe you.”
Giselle’s struggles intensified suddenly. Humphrey pressed his hand down more insistently, not realizing he covered her mouth and nose as well. When she stopped moving, he breathed in deeply.
“Thank you, thank you bella,” he said with soft laughter lacing his gratitude. “You’ll see. You’ll see this could be a finding that will change so much. I’m glad you know. I’m glad we can share this.” He moved his hand from her face, kissed her temple and stood with intentions of helping her to her feet. When she slipped from his grasp to the floor, he frowned.
“Giselle?” He called after a stupefied moment of watching her lying prone on the carpet. “Giselle? Giselle...no. No, no,” going to his knees, he scooped her up, shaking her and emitting an anguished sound when she didn’t respond.
“Giselle!” He shook her again, awkwardly fumbled about, trying to get her to sit up on her own. “Jesus...oh Jesus! Giselle! Oh God, oh God...no. Giselle...” he began to cry, sobbing her name over and over into her hair. He held her that way, rocking her back and forth until the film reel ended and the screen was only a white square.
Humphrey stood, keeping Giselle against his chest. He looked down into her face for long moments and then put a lingering kiss on her forehead. He left the private theater then, carrying Giselle with him to a room behind one of the locked doors along his leisure hall.
~50~
Two Days Later...
“Gabriel?”
“Hey Imani, um-”
“Uncle Gabe!”
Hill and Isak ran full tilt toward their uncle, not stopping until they’d collided with Gabriel’s jean clad legs and were holding on tight for a hoped for ride.
Gabriel’s haggard expression softened with love for his nephews. Imani stepped aside to let her brother-in-law pass with the boys attached to his legs.
“Alright guys, that’s it,” Gabriel said when he made it to the end of the entry hall. He knelt to pull the brothers close for a warm hug. “Roman home?” he asked Imani.
She nodded slowly. “Boys can you take Uncle Gabe to Daddy?” she asked.
Roman was in his home office, scowling over the contents of a folder when the foursome arrived. The smile coming to his face, froze when he saw who stood with Imani in the doorway.
“Grek?” Roman stood behind his desk.
“Sorry to bother you at home, Ro.”
“It’s no bother, Gabriel.” Imani said.
“She’s right.”
Gabriel looked to his brother and his wife with tired, red-rimmed eyes. His slumped shoulders took several inches off his 6’5. “Thank you both, I-” he fixed Imani with a tired smile. “Do you mind if I talk to him for a minute, Imani?”
“Not at all,” she patted his arm and then clapped for the boys. “Alright, my loves, cookies in the kitchen.”
