Generation 3: Chapter 20, Finale Pt. 1

 

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. . . EZRA'S POV . . .

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This was the part of my job that I hated the most; waiting.. Waiting for anything to happen at all. I started earlier this week watching Hannah, Gibson's wife, like he had asked, and just by how uneventful this week of watching her has been, it made me regret not charging him because I was actually really bored. But, I guess my pay was good enough since I was helping out a friend and I got to stare at a fox like her all day. The best part of some of my jobs was watching hot housewives, or making them disappear..

I got coffee and went to Gibson's house around six this morning, seeing him leave with Oliver and Camilla and I assumed he was off to take his son to school and go to work with his daughter. About half an hour later, I saw Hannah leave and I followed her to her bakery, watching her open and getting the place ready. As I sat in my car, drinking the coffee I had, I let out a relaxed sigh and I was actually glad it was Friday, but for more than one reason.

Gibson was a good, old friend of mine, and as much as I enjoyed helping him out when he needed me and I was seemingly the only one he could turn to, I really wished that today would be the last of it, and that Hannah would prove that she wasn't messing around with anyone else. He didn't deserve something like this.. I had heard from Gareth that Gibson had found out about his last girlfriend cheating on Gibson with him, which was actually surprising considering how close they were to one another.. I would've never thought Gareth would do something like that.. But, then again, I don't know the whole story, only the general sense of it from Gareth telling me.. Since it's already happened once to Gibson, I'd hate to report back to him with the same information, that she was cheating. 

"Alright, Hannah.. Today's your last day, beautiful.. Don't disappoint me," I said to myself quietly as I sat in the car, continuing to watch her from afar.

Gareth and I have been seeing a lot of each other compared to Gibson and I. I used to be the boss, the head honcho in town to call for 'exterminations', the kind of jobs I used to give to Gareth a few years ago, but he's proved to be rather resourceful and he's gotten a lot better at this type of thing than I have. He surpassed me about a year ago, taking over the jobs I'd usually assign him and he would assign them for himself now and give me all the shit jobs, kinda like the one I was doing now for Gibson. I guess Gareth's the boss now of this area, and to be quite honest, the guy scares me. A lot. 

A few months back, Gareth needed help with a job and he needed me to be a lookout so he could get it done without any screw up's. I only helped because he promised me a cut of the money and it seemed easy enough to make some quick cash just by keeping an eye out for him while he worked the job. This case was different, though.. While Gareth was carrying out the job, I took a look at the piece of paper with the strict instructions on it that he had left in the car, reading it with wide eyes the whole time and I was nervous to even check on him.. The things that the customer requested for him to do was a job only Gareth could carry out and it was very specific. The customer wasn't getting anything out of this, no dead-spouse money, no property, nothing, all he was getting was the satisfaction of knowing his wife was tortured before she was killed and he didn't even put a limit on what Gareth could do.. Just as long as she suffered.

I checked on Gareth after about an hour of keeping a lookout, we had caught her and brought her to an abandoned warehouse just outside of town.. When I went into the warehouse, I kept my presence unknown to Gareth and I could hear pain, suffering, the torture he was instructed to do being carried out and echoing through the warehouse.. I was nervous to even lay my eyes among what he had done to her already.. I came around a corner and I'll never forget what I saw. Blood, everywhere. I knew the woman was still alive, but even if I went into all of this not knowing it was a woman, I wouldn't know the gender either way when looking at the body that was on his table, there was too much blood and too many parts missing or mutilated that there was no way to tell for sure.

I got chills as I sat in the car, my stomach feeling a little queasy after remembering that job with Gareth and I tried to not focus on it anymore, putting my attention back on the bakery and I continued to watched Hannah, who was a breath of fresh air to look at compared to what I just had in my mind. As I sat there, I wondered to myself what kind of person Gibson was.. I knew him to be a lot like his brother, though of course they were entirely different at the same time. I wondered why Gareth made it a point for me to never ask Gibson to do what we do, to never breath a word to him about what it is that we do exactly, and to not even mention that we worked together.. I was surprised when Gibson had called me last week asking for these kinds of services, but I don't think he knew that our jobs went way passed the point of just simply tailing people.

I sat in the car for hours, taking one or two quick bathroom breaks in the surrounding shops and continuing to sit in my car as I watched Hannah's business, trying to keep myself occupied by either thinking of inappropriate things regarding Hannah, or just spacing out in general and thinking of absolutely nothing as I starred at the bakery. The clock inside my car read four-thirty-two and I assumed she was closing at five tonight like she did on Monday. 

"Nothin' to report, Gibson.. Day ain't over yet, though.." I said softly to myself, getting a little more attentive now that it was getting close to the time when she would close up the shop and head home. 

I removed my shades, watching as the last customer left just before five and I watched as Hannah brought in her standing menu from outside, watching her lock the doors as well and flipping her green 'open' sign to the red 'closed'. I let out a relaxed sigh, glad that this all had turned out to be one big chase with no result and also happy that Hannah wasn't doing anything behind Gibson's back. 

"Alright, sweetheart.. Just turn the lights off and head home, then my work is done," I said quietly to myself again.

The sun finally hid over the horizon and I continued to watch her walking throughout the bakery, shutting almost all of the lights off, but she left the ones closest to the doors within the kitchen on and I began to wonder why. 

"Why are you leavin' those lights on? Just leave, Hannah.. Please, just leave.." I somewhat pleaded as I continued to watch her. 

I sat there for fifteen minutes, watching Hannah cleaning the counters slowly, counting the register slowly, even pushing in all the chairs more than they needed to be, slowly.. Like as if she.. 

"Fuck.. Are you waiting for someone..? Come on, Hannah, just go home.. Why aren't you leaving?" I asked myself. About a minute later, I watched as a car pulled into the same parking lot I was in, though on the other side of the lot. Naturally, I ducked down, peaking up only a little and I looked to the car that had pulled in using my side-view mirror, "Wait.. I know that car.."

I continued to watch the car and eventually the driver got out, my heart instantly beginning to race when I saw Gareth and I watched him with my eyes growing wider in shock. He looked around the area a little, checking his surroundings and I was glad that I was far away enough for him to not notice me watching him in my car. He walked slowly through the parking lot, smoking a cigarette and taking his time with it and I watched as he stood in the rain for a few moments. As he smoked, assuming he was finishing his cigarette before going anywhere, I noticed he was starring in the same direction that the bakery was, as if watching Hannah, just like I was.

Gareth tossed his cigarette when he was finished with it, bringing his hands up to the collar of his jacket and popping it up a little more to hide his neck from the rain and I watched as he began his venture towards the bakery, "No.. No, no, no.. Don't go, Gareth.. If you're headed where I think you are.." I spoke softly to myself, continuing to watch him and the moment he reached Hannah's bakery parking lot and began walking up onto the deck, my heart started beating faster and it was actually a little hard for me to believe all of it at first.

"You stupid son of a bitch, Gareth.." I said, watching as he knocked on the bakery's locked door and I noticed Hannah's face light up with excitement when she had seen Gareth. "Fuck, fuck, fuck.. Don't Hannah, don't do anything fuckin' stupid," I continued, watching as she unlocked the door and let him in, Gareth then walking in and locking the door again behind himself. "Wait.. He is her brother-in-law.. M-Maybe he's just there to talk..?" I tried to convince myself.

I watched through the open windows as Gareth manhandled her a little, gripping her ass and pulling her into him and my insides sank as I watched them kiss. 

"Ohh, fuck.. I can't deal with this shit! What the hell am I going to tell Gibson? He's going to freak the fuck out! Shit, shit, shit!" I panicked, "Oh God, the fact that I haven't called him already, he must be thinking that something's up.. What do I even say?!" I asked myself quickly, "God dammit, Gareth!"

I looked back to the bakery after having a mini freak out and I watched as Gareth and Hannah talked for a moment, then Gareth pulled out a few stacks of cash from his pockets and held them within his hands.. I recognized those stacks, they looked a lot like the stacks we got for the jobs we carried out.. 

Hannah took the stacks and put them within the register, "Shit.. So that's where she's getting the money Gibson mentioned.. He's been giving her the money he makes from his jobs.. He wouldn't tell her where or how he got it, she probably wouldn't take it if she knew where it came from," I continued, still watching them and it didn't take much time at all before they were in each other's arms again and kissing once more. 

I sat in my car, starring at the bakery and watching this unfold before my eyes, "If they're about to fuck, do I call Gibson? ..Do I tell him after Gareth leaves? Fuck! I.. I gotta get out of here!" I told myself, quickly starting my car and pulling out of the parking lot to go home. I pulled my phone out of my pocket, driving as quick as I could and I dialed Gibson, but not before I was far away enough from the bakery just in case he wanted to go there and confront them.. I didn't need that kind of drama and I didn't want to be anywhere near that. Being in the middle of Gareth and Gibson fighting? I didn't want to be within the same town as that..

"Hey, Ezra.. Calling a little later than I expected. Everything go okay today?" Gibson asked and my heart was pounding out of my chest. I really hated to have to do this to him, but I guess it's what he wanted, so here goes..

"Ehh.. Uhh.. Listen, Gibs.. I can't do this shit anymore, I know this is my last day anyways, but I can't watch her anymore. I can't risk your brother seeing me. He scares the fuck out of me, dude, and if he knew I was spying on him, he'd kill me, literally.. I'm not even fucking joking. He would physically make me sorry and I can't let that happen.. Okay? I.. I just can't do it anymore, alright?" I said with more panic than I intended.

"..Wait, wait.. Ezra, what the hell's going on?" Gibson asked, and I noticed then that his voice got a lot quieter, "Why are you talking about Gareth? I didn't ask you to follow him at all, I wanted you to only follow Hannah.. I thought I was pretty clear on that..?" He replied, confused a little and I hated that I had to explain it even more.. Or.. Maybe he was in so much doubt that he didn't want it to be true..?

"Look.. I was just at the bakery, man, and I'm not following Gareth, but.. But, he's.. He's the one that showed up! Gareth showed up there and I-I saw.." I paused, taking a few deeps breaths, but before I could continue, Gibson replied with a tone that sounded more collected than I thought he'd be, though the underlining anger is what made me feel a gentle sense of fear..

"What did you see.." He more demanded than asked and I swallowed hard, still driving quickly towards my house and I pulled into the dock parking lot, getting out of my car and walking towards my house hastily.

"You know what, I-I don't even know what the fuck I saw, I just.. I can't watch her anymore, alright? I can't get seen by Gareth.. I'm calling it quits right now.."

"Are you still watching them?" He demanded next and my hand shook as I removed the keys from my pocket and unlocked my door, walking inside my house.

"No.. I.. I went home.. I just got here.." I replied, shutting the door behind me and standing there, frozen in my tracks.

"I'm coming over." He announced abruptly and I grew even more nervous than I already was.

"W-Wait, what? No, don't come here, Gibs!" I replied, but he had already hung up and I dropped my arm slowly, putting my phone back into my pocket. 

"I'm fucked.. I am so fucked.." I said softly in a depressed manner, leaning back on a wall near the front door and sliding down it until I sat on the ground, my knees to my chest and my hands ran over the sides of my face.

A door opened within the house, assuming it was my bedroom door and I heard soft footsteps approaching me, "Hey.. Are you alright?" My girlfriend wondered, kneeling down next to me and I looked up to her, removing my hands from my face.

"No, no I'm not alright.. Listen, do me a favor.. This guy is going to stop by, but don't come out of the bedroom, okay? Not until he leaves, do you understand?" I requested and I watched as she nodded with worried eyes.

"Okay, I won't.." She replied and I could still feel my heart racing, "Are.. Are you in any danger..?" She asked and I chuckled with a pathetic grin, though it faded almost as fast as it had formed.

"I might be."

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. . . GIBSON'S POV . . .

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W-What..? Had I.. Had I heard him correctly? Gareth..? Gareth was the one seeing Hannah..? Of course.. How could I be so stupid? Of course it was Gareth! Why the fuck was I so naïve this whole time?! Everything just suddenly clicked when I had hung up on Ezra.. The money she had been receiving, it must be the money that Gareth had showed me that he wanted me to take before I moved in with her, the money he's been letting her take to take care of my family.. The distance she's been having, she's been with Gareth physically and he's been giving her the intimate time that I had wished Hannah and I still shared.. She's been distant for so long, though.. Have they been together since we first started fighting about me not being home enough when Oliver was born and as he grew up..?

Oliver was sitting on the floor, playing with Camilla within my office at work, but he's been looking at me ever since I got off the phone with Ezra. He got to the bookstore after walking home from school around three thirty and he's been here playing with Camilla until now, which was roughly five twenty in the evening. 

"Dad, who's Ezra? ..Who is he watching..?" He asked, but I didn't know what to tell him, I didn't think he'd overhear some of the things I had said..

"..Dad..?" Oliver said softly to get my attention, but I couldn't bring myself to answer him. I was fuming with rage, what the hell hadn't Ezra told me? He didn't tell me any detail at all other than he saw Gareth show up at the bakery. I was still blind, even after all this time and even after hiring Ezra to find out what I couldn't.. I was still blind..

"Gather your things, we're going to Aunt Nina's.." I demanded, seeing his expression turn worried as I stood from my chair, though he didn't question my demand and he grabbed his backpack. I went to Camilla and grabbed her from the floor, walking downstairs in a hurry and Oliver shuffled his feet quickly behind me to keep up.

I noticed Jaime by the registers, but I looked towards Oliver before going to him, "Take your sister to the car and put her in her seat, buckle up, too.. I'll be out in a minute," I said calmly as I set down Camilla, though I held no expression other than slight anger, seeing Oliver stare at me for a long moment before nodding and taking Camilla's hand and he walked her towards the door, "Come on, Millie.." He said with a sad tone.

"Mr. Dubois, are you leaving early?" Jaime wondered and I walked over to him quickly, pulling him into the corner of the room where no one else could hear our words.

I spoke quietly, "I'm leaving.. I'm dropping off my kids at their Aunt's place, and.. And I don't think I'm coming back.." I replied quietly and I watched as his expression fluctuated quickly from happy to a little confused.

"Oh.. Uhm, Okay.." He replied with a nod, "I can close for you. I'll take care of everything and I'll see you on-"

"No, no.." I cut him off, "I'm not coming back.. As in at all. Ever.. I'm quitting. Don't ask me anything.. Please. Take this however you want it, but.. You're taking over, okay? I'm giving you my job. Take good care of this place.. Take care of yourself and your family, too, got it?" I questioned and he nodded quickly in understanding, but he still gave me a worried and confused expression and before he could say anything else back to me, I walked away from him and left the bookstore in a rush. I wish I could say I was going to miss this place, but then again, it's the one place that took over my life and kept me from my family. It's the reason all of this was happening right now. So, no.. I guess I won't miss it.. I'd much rather burn this place to the ground, but I didn't have time.

"Dad, why are we going to Aunt Nina's?" Oliver questioned, having already put his sister in the car and I quickly walked around to the driver's side.

"Just get in the damn car, Ollie," I demanded and his expression showed fear and slight shock, but he got into the car without another question and I got in as well, driving away from the bookstore quickly and towards Nina and Gareth's place.

"..Dad.. What's happening..? Why can't you tell me anything?" Oliver questioned and I couldn't hold the rage I held within me.

"Oliver, please.. Just stop asking questions! Okay? I'm dropping you two off and then.." I stopped, gripping the steering wheel tightly in anger before continuing, "Just.. Please, Ollie.." I continued, seeing him give me the same worried expression through the rear-view mirror and still seeing the confusion in his eyes as I continued to drive to Nina's.

We got to the parking lot on the dock and I noticed Ezra's car, knowing he was still home and I got out of the car quickly, rushing to the back-side door and opening it to let Camilla out of her car-seat as Oliver got out of the car on his own. He walked around the car and watched as I rushed to get Camilla out, "Dad.. What's going on? ..Dad?" He asked and I stopped after shutting Camilla's passenger door.

"Oliver.. Stop it, right this second! I'll explain everything later, I promise," I confirmed, but I could tell in his expression that he wasn't okay with just a simple promise of mine, not by how I was acting right now, "Come on," I encouraged, grabbing his hand and dragging him towards Nina's place while holding Camilla, trying to block her from the rain as we walked down the dock that I hadn't walked down in a long, long time..

I walked into Nina's house without knocking, something I assumed she would be okay with and once we walked in, I heard her rushing towards the door and she saw us coming inside, "Gibson..? W-What are you doing here..?" She questioned at first and I watched as Camilla ran towards her happily after I had set her down. Nina picked her up and cuddled her for a moment, but looked back to me with worried eyes. 

"What's going on?" She asked.

"He won't tell anyone," Oliver said angrily and I looked to him and sighed, then looking back up to Nina.

Katalina came into the room with a smile, "Hey, Ollie! Hi, Uncle Gibs," she began, but once she noticed all of our troubled expressions, she lost her smile, "What's going on..?" She asked, but I ignored her. I didn't have time for this..

"I need to deal with something, I need you to watch Oliver and Camilla, just for a little while.. Please," I stressed, seeing her expression continue to remain worried, though she nodded to my request.

"Of course, anything you need.. But, why? Is something wrong? Is there anything else I can do?" She asked next.

I knelt down to Oliver's height and he continued to give me a troubled and angered face, his eyes tearing up a little due to all of his confusion and worry that he couldn't contain.. I knew I was scaring him, but I couldn't bare to see him like this and I needed to leave. 

"Listen to me, bud.. Don't worry, okay? Everything is fine.. I just need you to watch over Camilla and your Aunt and cousin for a while, alright? You can do that, can't you?" I asked, watching as he lowered his eyes to the ground and nodded in response.

"Y-Yeah.. I can do it.." He replied, though I could barely hear him for how soft he was talking.

"I know you can, because you're a strong boy. You've got Dubois blood in you," I replied with a smile, but he didn't return the same smile I gave..

"Where are you going?" He asked next, looking up to me and I sat there a moment, trying to figure out how to answer him, but I couldn't come up with anything that would do him justice.

"Stop worrying.. I love you guys. Always remember that, okay?" I asked and I watched his eyes widen, but I quickly stood back up and went for the door.

"But, Dad!" Oliver tried to contest, but I didn't stop, walking out the front door and walking back down the dock towards Ezra's house.

I walked quickly down the dock with heavy steps and when I reached Ezra's house, I tried to open the door but it was locked. I banged on the glass, "Ezra!" I called out, continuing to bang on the glass and I even wondered if I'd break it for how hard I was hitting it. 

"Open the damn door, Ezra!" I continued and I noticed him come out of one of the rooms in his house with an uneasy expression and I knew he didn't like seeing me there, watching him come and unlock the door with shaky hands and I opened it roughly.

I barged in and he stepped backwards quickly, almost stumbling over his own feet, "You tell me everything that you saw down to the last fucking detail or I swear to God, Ezra, if I think for any reason that you're keeping something from me-" I threatened and he put his hands up in defense.

"L-Listen, Gibs, you need to just take a few deep breaths and calm down a little, man.. Y-You're kind of scaring the shit outta me," he replied but I didn't care.

I put my arm to the front of his chest close to his neck and pushed him against the wall roughly, sliding my forearm under his chin and I pressed hard into his throat, "I don't have time to calm down! Tell me everything you saw this second and if you hesitate, or tell me to calm down again, I'll paint these bland walls with a new shade of red, do you understand me?" I implied and he nodded quickly with scared eyes, "Now talk!" 

"O-Okay, okay!" He struggled to reply, his voice sounding muffled a little from my arm against his throat, "I was sitting in my car, watching her close up the shop and at about five fifteen, he pulled into the parking lot I was in across the street and he went to her bakery. She unlocked the door for him, they kissed, he gave her a few stacks of money and she put it into the register, they kissed again, and then I got the fuck out of there and called you.. That's everything, I swear.." He answered with a raspy voice.

I slowly let go of his throat with my arm and he brought his hand to the front of his neck, coughing softly and taking in more air than he'd normally need so he could catch his breath. I stepped back and away from him a little, my breathing getting heavier, my anger rising, my confusion and denial no longer existing and I could feel my chest constricting. My blood, my own brother, doing this to me for a second time, with my wife.. How could he do this to me..? He knows how much it ruined me the first time, why would he do it again? How could she do this to me, to our children? How could either of them do this to me!?

"Gibson..? You okay, man? You're getting all sweaty.." Ezra wondered with caution and I looked up to him.

"Give me a gun," I demanded.

"G-Gibson, I don't have any g-"

"Don't even finish that fucking sentence if you want to keep your life, Ezra.. This is literally the one time you cannot lie to me," I walked back up to him slowly and he stepped back, "I don't have time for this shit!" I yelled and he stumbled back against the wall. 

"Do you have one with no serial number? A clean one?" I asked and I watched as he eventually nodded. "Go and get it now, or I'll drop you right here and find it myself," I threatened and he nodded quickly again, walking away from me and he went into the room closest to us.

I began pacing around the room impatiently, "Hurry the fuck up, Ezra," I warned, hearing him rustling around in his room through his things and he rushed back out within half a minute, handing me an object wrapped in cloth. I ripped the fabric away and a beautiful, black and silver 9mm pistol starred back at me, "No serial number? Your prints aren't on it? No ones are on it?" I asked sternly and he nodded, confirming to me that it was, indeed, clean, "Loaded?" I asked next and he nodded again.

"Just gotta turn the safety off," he replied, "There's one in the chamber and the magazine holds eight, so you got nine all together.." He continued with his tone still sounding worried.

"I was never here, got that? You don't even know my name," I threatened sternly and he nodded quickly, lifting my shirt in the back and tucking the pistol in my waistband, "Say it back to me, Ezra."

"Y-You were never here and I don't know you.." He replied without hesitation and it was good enough for me, but before I could leave, he grabbed my attention again, "Gibs.. Before you go.. I really don't want you to use it on either of them or even use it at all, and I guess it's none of my business what you do after you leave and where you and your brother stand in all of this, but.. Just be careful, okay? Gareth is, well.. It might not be easy to do whatever it is you plan on doing with that thing when it comes to him.. Hell, I'd be worried.." He hinted slightly and something told me that he knew just about how dirty Gareth was willing to get his hands.

"Well, I'm not you, Ezra. He's my brother.. I know exactly who he is.." I replied harshly and Ezra seemed to believe my words, "It's him that should be worried about me," I continued, walking away from Ezra and leaving his house to go to the bakery.

I walked quickly to my car, determination, rage and the feeling of betrayal coursing through my veins and at this time, even though I was weapon ready accompanied with the murderous rage I needed and used as fuel, I was still unsure of what I might do. I was going to confront the woman I loved as well as my brother, the two people that I've grown the closest to throughout my entire life, and here they were getting close with each other.. Would I freeze up when I saw them? Cry? Yell? I.. I didn't know anything.

I stumbled a little when I reached the driver's side door, but I caught myself by putting my hands on the car. I starred at my reflection in the window, my head getting light and foggy and my legs shook as they struggled to carry my own weight. My brows began to furrow against my will and my bottom lip began to quiver, leaning into the car more and I hid my face in my arms.. Why? Why did I have to know the truth so badly? The truth hurt so much more than I thought it would and I swear that if the raindrops weren't so loud as they danced with the thunder, I could hear my own heart beginning to crack. 

I soon regained whatever composure that was better than sobbing and got into my car, pulling out of the dock parking lot and driving as fast as I could without catching any eyes of the law as I rushed to the bakery. I couldn't afford to get pulled over and I needed to get there now, looking at my clock in the car and seeing it read five thirty, ten minutes after Ezra had called me. I was surprised by how all of this seemed to take no time, but that's exactly what I needed and I rushed on purpose. I wanted to catch them in the act. I wanted to see the look on their faces when they saw me waiting for them. Part of me wanted them to suffer. Part of me even wanted to have hope that Ezra was completely wrong and nothing that he had told me had happened, but I was smarter than that.. Than them. I knew to believe it because that's just who my brother was, he loved to hurt me. He loved being selfish and having no regard for anyone else. Him and I were done, through, finished.. I was just surprised that it took me this long to finally realize it.. This long to finally accept it for what it was, and maybe even always had been.

I reached the parking lot of the bakery and pulled in, seeing Hannah's car at the end and I got out, walking towards to deck, but I stopped for a moment, looking to the parking lot that Ezra had said he parked in across the street and I noticed Gareth's car still parked there, knowing that he was still here as well. Everything was going to work out as I had hoped.. I continued towards the deck and walked up onto it, slowly reaching the bakery door and I checked the knob, feeling that it was locked and I pulled my keys out, finding the spare to the shop and I unlocked the door quietly. I placed the keys back within my pocket and entered the bakery, closing the door silently behind me and locking it once again.

I was greeted by the overwhelming smell of frosting, sugar, flour, everything that I could imagine that was sweet to the taste and I walked towards the counter, bending down and walking under it to get to the other side and I opened the register, gripping the inside of it and looking under the drawer to see a few neatly laid out, crisp stacks of money, right where Ezra said it'd be. 

"Hmph.." I let out softly, taking the money from the drawer and stacking them next to the register.

A loud moan behind a closed door caught my attention and I looked up, standing still as I continued to listen for a few silent seconds for another noise so I could pin point exactly where it was coming from. I could tell from here that they weren't in her office, her glass door helped prove that, so all that was left was the bathrooms or the back storage room. Assuming they didn't want to fuck somewhere that could potentially be dirty, I looked towards the storage room door and once I heard one, two, three more moans from my beloved, I knew then that I had assumed correctly. There it was, all the proof I needed either laid out on the counter in front of me or the voice I knew behind the door. 

I grabbed the stacks of money and I carried them with me towards a table within the dining area, setting them down nicely stacked and I pulled out a chair from the same table, taking a seat and letting out a heavy sigh. I continued to listen to my wife, my eyes locked on the storage room door and I could tell just by the pitch of her voice and the way she moaned that she was enjoying every second of what she was getting from my brother. I knew every inch of her, heard every tone she used, every cry she let out, whether good or bad.. I knew her down to the very last detail, and I began to wonder if Gareth did now, too. But, I waited for them.. I couldn't bare walking in and seeing it happening..

A crack of thunder roared over the sky outside and a flash of lightning illuminated the dark bakery for a split second, my ears then being filled with both a calm, soothing rain hitting the roof, as well as my wife's sensual, pleasured voice and ultimately I would be happy to hear both, reminding myself of a few times we had made love during storms like this and they were times that were nothing short of blissful. But, those days were long gone now.. The days I actually felt the happiness radiating off of her, the days when she would look into my eyes and tell me she loved me, the days we spent together simply enjoying one another's presence without needing to use any words.. All of that was over now. 

I waited for roughly ten agonizing minutes, my expression, blank.. My mind.. Blank.. When finally, I noticed I hadn't heard anything coming from the storage room for about half a minute and I assumed they were done. Getting dressed, perhaps. For as an intense moment such as this, I was a lot calmer than I thought I'd be. There was a.. A sense of euphoria filling me and the corner of my mouth twitched into a slight smirk. I was.. I was excited.. The build up to this very moment ever since Ezra had called me was killing me inside, and yet, as I sat here, waiting to see the face of my wife, of my brother, I couldn't help but feel eager. 

I heard the doorknob being touched from the inside of the storage room and the door finally opened, my eyes looking up to see Hannah smiling in Gareth's arms and they were looking at one another with a sense of happiness. I was a little jealous of that.

The first to make eye contact with me was Hannah, watching as her happiness drained quickly from her face and she gasped softly, stopping in her tracks and Gareth looked to her with slight confusion, but once he looked and noticed what had startled her, or rather, who, his face quickly drained of any bliss, just as quickly as hers had. They stood there frozen for a few moments, not saying a word as they both stared at me, and I stared at them.

"I'm sorry.." I began blandly, "Did I interrupt something?"

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Original chapter written and posted on June 16, 2014