by Iris Deorre
He pulled back. ‘I’ve got to go,’ he said.
‘Okay.’ She tried to stay strong. ‘Okay.’ She nodded.
Justin turned away and walked towards the men in the suits. He nodded and soon they were on their way. This had been part of the deal, it was what the family had asked for. The officers had promised not to place handcuffs in front of his son, but did so once they were off the grounds. Justin was gone, he was back behind bars, to pay the debt to the Reed family.
Chapter Ten
‘Mummy,’ said Gabriel.
‘Yes sweetheart.’ She turned from the mirror and looked at her son as he entered her bedroom.
‘Can I take this picture for daddy?’ He walked over towards her and handed her a drawing.
Amelia gazed at the picture of a mother, a dad and a child all holding hands. It was a bright and happy picture and Amelia felt her body swell with pride.
‘Of course honey, this is beautiful.’ She ruffled his curly locks. ‘Well done for drawing such an amazing picture.’
He smiled and nodded. Doctor Gallagher had been right, the more positive she was with him, the more he wanted to do good. The truth was that Gabriel might never be able to feel empathy for others, but he would understand that doing good got better results than doing bad. He thrived on attention, and giving it positively worked wonders. He would become a healthy functioning adult and this was why she was so happy about the centre opening.
‘Are you ready mummy?’ he asked.
‘Yes, let’s go.’ She held out her hand and he took it eagerly.
They headed downstairs hand in hand. She popped her head through Mandy’s office, and left some instructions. The other assistant was out of the office doing things that had been asked of her by Mandy.
‘I’ll be about two hours,’ said Amelia. ‘Please just take messages, and deal with things that don’t need me.’
‘Yes, Miss Woods.’
‘Look at the picture I drew for my dad,’ Gabriel said proudly and held it up.
‘Oh, that’s pretty decent!’ said Mandy.
She’d learnt how to communicate with him.
‘I bet he’s going to be pretty impressed.’
‘I think so too,’ said Gabriel.
‘Let’s be off,’ said Amelia.
The pair set off out of the house and into the waiting Jaguar.
The trip was pleasant, they sang songs, something Gabriel requested on his trips to see Justin. There was something about music that excited him. It excited him so much that Amelia had invested in music lessons for him. It was another thing that kept him out of trouble.
‘I can’t wait to see Daddy,’ he said excitedly.
‘Not long now honey.’
Forty minutes later they arrived at the prison. They were shown into the room that he had been given for special visits. A deal had been made, but it had been made at a hefty price, a price that was worth it, in Amelia’s eyes. All the money in the world didn’t matter, what mattered was spending quality time with her family.
‘Hey.’ He stood up as they entered the room.
‘Daddy!’ He ran towards him and Justin took him into his arms.
It amazed her, how the two males in her life had transformed. They had changed so much that Amelia found it hard to believe. Justin knew what to do and he’d mentioned that the more he did it, the more he wanted to do it. The more he hugged his son, the more he wanted to touch him and love him.
‘Look what I did for you daddy.’ Gabriel handed him the picture.
Justin studied it for a moment and then smiled.
‘This is brilliant son!’
‘Do you like it?’
‘I love it! You are an extremely bright boy!’
Amelia could see the way Gabriel’s eyes beamed from his dad’s words. It was like watching a glow. It was something Gabriel craved that the doctor had encouraged. It was like a cure, something that stopped him from being destructive.
‘How are you?’ He asked Amelia and took her into a hug.
‘I’m great, even happier seeing you.’
They sat down and had a family chat. Amelia could never be happier. It was odd, the route her life had taken.
‘You ready for the big day tomorrow?’ he asked.
‘Yes and no.’ The opening of the Justin Hughes Centre had finally approached.
‘Why no?’ he asked.
‘I’m worried about my speech.’ She fiddled in her bag and brought out her iPad.
‘You? Of all people, nervous?’ He chuckled. ‘Aren’t you the same woman who used to address us at board meetings?’
‘I know it sounds strange, but this is different. At work, I know what I’m doing. I’ve trained for it.’
‘And you know what you’re doing now.’ He looked at Gabriel. ‘You may not have the degree in psychology, but you have the experience. Just say it the way you would.’
‘Will you listen to my speech?’
‘Of course.’
She opened it on the device and started to read. There were a few interruptions in between from Gabriel, but eventually she got through it.
‘I think it’s perfect,’ he said.
‘Really? You’re not just saying that?’
‘Do you think I’d just say that?’
She laughed at his statement. ‘No, no I don’t.’
They spent the next half an hour just being a family until it was time for them to split up again. Gabriel had got used to the routine. They hugged goodbye and Justin wished her the best for the opening of the centre. They would meet again in another two days, and would continue this way until Justin was finally released from prison.
****
Amelia looked around the crowd that had gathered outside the new centre. So many people had turned up, including friends and family. It was going to be a successful project by the looks of things. A few organisations had helped back the idea. It was a step in the right direction, and as doctor Gallagher had said, she was the light, the key to change. If they could start by changing the minds of the young early enough, the world would be filled with well balanced future adults.
Soon it was her turn to address the crowd, and finally cut the yellow ribbon to open the centre. She looked around them all and smiled. Her mother waved from the second row and she nodded. Everything was in its perfect place.
‘Thank you all for coming,’ she started. ‘This has been a big vision for me, and to finally see it come to fruition brings me great joy. For those of you who know me, know that I’ve come through some hard times.’ Her eyes wandered over her friends and family. ‘Some may think why I made such a sacrifice, why not make myself happy, but the truth is, I’m happy. I’ve never been happier. Happiness isn’t something you keep, it’s who you become. How you view the world will determine how happy you are.’ She took in a deep breath. ‘Our lives are not all destined to be the same. The higher the calling, the bigger the challenge, and more is expected of you. I don’t stand here as a woman who has lost her husband, but as a woman who has gained a man. A man who has in so many ways began to heal himself. A man I visit everyday and who is not only doing well, but building a better life for himself, and in turn he’s building it for us.
We’ve thrown away the key, we’re standing in the light, we’re learning to make our world a better place. And this is one of the reasons this centre exists today. I’ll end by saying a few words by one of the greatest teachers who walked this earth, Jesus Christ. He said in the book of Mark 2:17, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.” This is what we say at the Justin Hughes Centre. We’re here for those who are born broken, but are still children of God. God bless you!’
There was a round of applause and cheering and then Amelia took the scissors and cut the ribbon, and the Justin Hughes Centre was opened!
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Did you love FREED? Then you should read The Look In His Eyes by Iris Deorre!
It wasn’t sympathy or disgust, it was acceptance. It was something Jasmine hadn’t experienced with a man. Not only had Jasmine spent years struggling with her weight she has a disorder no one understands.
At seventeen a teenage girl does the most horrible thing a teenager could do to another. From that moment forth Jasmine struggled with the terrible disorder that has always rubbed those who don’t understand the wrong way
After two disastrous dates, Jasmine vows never to go on a date again, even if it means being single for the rest of her life. But one morning after she drops by a coffee shop she meets Zack.
Zack is tall, handsome and an extremely successful architect dealing with some issues of his own. Zack seems to understand her completely and perhaps he understands her more than she understands herself. And so their unlikely journey begins. Zack becomes the key she needs to finally break free, fall in love and possibly feel normal again.
Excerpt
He lifted her hand to his chest and looked into her eyes. That said it all and without much thought Jasmine pulled the keys from her bag and put them into the keyhole. She shut her eyes knowing very well that the minute she stepped into the house she would have to turn the key back and forth to make sure it was locked. Did she really want him to see that part of her?
The door unlocked and she stepped in and Zack stepped in behind her. She pushed the door closed, placed the latch on and put the key into the keyhole. She leaned against the door in darkness and turned the key once but couldn’t resist the urge to turn it back and forth. She scrunched her eyes closed with her other hand against the door and began to turn the key back and forth. She felt him move closer and his hand touched hers and together they were turning the key back and forth. His lips gently touched her neck, his hand not moving from hers. She gasped at the feeling, the soft touch of his lips and slowly and surely the turning back and forth of the key stopped.
Jasmine reached for the light to the left of the door and again the urge to switch it off and on overwhelmed her. But that didn’t stop him, instead he kept his hand over her hand and as she switched the light off and on, his hand simply followed her lead. Jasmine shut her eyes and let his tender lips explore her outer neck. It sent shivers down her spine that exploded between her legs. She’d never felt this way with anyone and although it was a new feeling it was the best feeling in the world.
‘I…’ she stopped flicking the light and turned towards him.
‘Ssssh, its okay,’ he whispered and cupped her chin in his hand. ‘It’s okay.’
Read more at Iris Deorre’s site.
Also by Iris Deorre
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About the Author
Iris Deorre is not only an Author but she is also an Entrepreneur. She loves to write erotic stories, weaving difficult love triangles with exciting and daring sex. Iris loves to mix her erotica with paranormal. You’ll find Shapeshifters, werewolves, vampires, to name a few.
When Iris is not writing, you'll find her spending time with her daughter, taking long walks in the country or you will find her spending time with good friends and good wine.
Read more at Iris Deorre’s site.