The Gosling family was almost shattered, as they had nothing left in except for sorrows. Kennedy’s death took away Allison’s purpose of living a life. Now she was only alive for the sake of her upcoming child, who was a sort of indirect precious gift to her by Kennedy. And secondly, she was also alive for her parents. She didn’t care about what Kennedy said to her about being strong.

Few months later, Allison who had given birth to her child Eric returns back to her home with her parents as they have decided to continue living in San Diego at Claude’s home.

The day she returned home, she kept Kennedy’s all the precious souvenirs with herself. The souvenirs included all the cards, the skirt, the handbag and also Kennedy’s items, which were the photograph and a bouquet of blue flowers. She had everything except for the heart shaped necklace, which Kennedy had taken away with him while he was arrested.

Ten Years

Two years after Kennedy’s death, Allison is now physically much better, but mentally and spiritually she has grown quiet weak. Every month she goes to the cemetery and puts blue flowers on Kennedy’s grave. Her love for him is still as strong as it was earlier for him, only because of the memorable souvenirs that reminded him of her love.

Within the next few years, she gains a little sense of responsibility and takes charge on her duties. She joins a hospital as a nurse’s job. But still her family income is not much to fulfill her and Eric’s luxurious requirements.

When Eric gets almost seven years old, Mr. Gosling dies, due to which her sorrows move a little from Kennedy to her father, but still no reduction occurs in her love for Kennedy. She begins to realise that slowly everyone was moving out from her life and she was about to be all-alone with her son.

One day when Eric is having a vacation from school, she decides to tell her a secret that she had been hiding from him since his childhood. So while Eric is watching television, she enters the room and switches off the television by picking up the remote. She says:

‘Eric, give me one moment please!’

‘But Mom, I’m missing my favourite television show.’

‘There’s something more that you have missed.’

‘What are you talking about?’

‘Son, tell me what do you know about your father?’

‘My father was Kennedy Ipkiss, who died when I was very young. This is all you have been telling me since childhood, right?’

‘Wrong!’ she claims, ‘Today, I’ll tell you the truth about your father. Claude Ricci was your real father.’

She takes out a photograph of her marriage with Claude and shows it to him. Seeing the picture, Eric says:

‘Then where is he? And if he’s my father then who is Kennedy Ipkiss?’

‘The fact is that when I was expecting you to be born, Mr. Claude tried to kill you.’

‘Kill me? You mean my own father tried to…’

‘…Yes,’ she interrupts as she couldn’t hear such words from her son, ‘But Mr. Ipkiss who loved me with all his heart and whom I still love now saved your life. And today, if you’re alive then it’s just because of Kennedy, which is why I claim him to be your deserving father.’

‘Oh no, I should have known about this earlier…’

Their conversation continues on the subject. And afterwards they leave their home and go to visit Kennedy’s grave.

Almost ten years passed away since Kennedy died. Allison spent every day and night thinking about him. She kept all the souvenirs with her, especially the art gallery’s photograph. She also knew that Kennedy had a desire of having an artistic portrait of both of them entitled, ‘Allie and Kenny’.

The Doubt 2013

At the cemetery, Allison was sitting next to Kennedy’s grave weeping silently,

‘It's been ten years, I've lost you since’.

Moments later, she is driving her car with Eric sitting next to her. Within few minutes as they reach their home, Allison parks her car outside, and goes towards the door of her bungalow. As she takes out the keys, she finds something wrapped in a cloth outside her gate. Eric picks it up and gives it to her. She unwraps it and sees the heart shaped necklace that belonged to her, which was Kennedy’s gift to her. She gets quiet shocked as she wasn’t expecting this since years.

Inspector Lon who had grown quiet old comes from behind, she turns around and gets more confused,

‘Sir what’s going on? Who sent this?’

‘Let me explain…’

‘I don’t want any explanation, just tell me who gave you this neck lace.’

‘Kennedy…’

‘And you’re giving it to me after ten years?’

‘No, actually he gave these to me right now.’

‘Now? What the hell do you mean?’

‘Okay now please remain silent,’ he says angrily, ‘Kennedy Ipkiss is still alive. He never died at the hospital. He had actually recovered and on court’s order he was just given an imprisonment of ten years for Claude’s murder. So, we then safely took him to central jail and kept him for complete ten years.’

‘Kennedy’s alive?’ she sighs holding her hair in an extreme shock, ‘I swear to God, I’m not lying, to be very honest I always had a doubt in my heart that he’s still alive. But I kept on overcoming that doubt… and I can guarantee that you are not telling any lies or making jokes.’

‘Anyways, I was sent here to inform you about this…’

‘…But sir, I just don’t get one thing that why did you hide this, and made that fictional story, and a fake grave.’

‘We all did that on Kennedy’s order or more probably a request. He wanted to spread this rumour of his death.’

‘When will he be released?’

‘Two days later, anyways I have to leave. Thank you Ma’am!’

Inspector leaves in his bike. Allison keeps on standing and tears come in her eyes and she keeps on rubbing her eyes but the tears keep on flowing. She begins to cry out soundly unaware of the reason, but at the moment she was very much upset with Kennedy who kept her distressed since ten years.

The Most Memorable Confrontation

Two days later, Kennedy who seemed quiet old as he had grown a little beard and had quite a long hair out of which twenty percent hair was white. He was walking at the corridor of the central jail and after reaching the main gate. He leaves the place and walks forward. As he looks straight, he sees Allison standing in the long skirt, which he had presented her as a gift. A strange sort of fear comes in his heart, but he keeps on walking towards her. As he looks more closely, he sees her holding the heart shaped necklace.

He stands next to her and says feeling shy:

‘Hi Allison… how are you?’

‘Talk about yourself, are you okay?’

‘Well, I’m right here in front of you,’ he says nervously.

‘Kenny, do you know how much you have disappointed me?’

‘Sorry,’ he says lightly trying to talk of something else, ‘Allison you have grown so beautiful, I want to praise your beauty.’

‘Kenny why did you made me hear all the lies?’ she says being straightforward.

‘Well, I, anyways let’s move out of this place first, shall we?’

‘We’re not moving anywhere until I get my answers!’ She exclaims angrily.

‘Look Allison, I don’t want to talk about it right now…’

‘But I do, so first tell me why did you spread this rumour of your death.’

Kennedy gets irritated and looks aside and then making up his mind, he answers:

‘I won’t tell any lies, so just listen to me carefully. I knew if you would come to know about my ten years imprisonment, then you would definitely wait for me all these years and that stressed up life would never let you live happily.’

‘Oh and does this life which you gave me made me happy? You mean that your death’s news would reduce my stresses.’

‘I know you’ve suffered a lot because of me, but I always wanted you to have my blissful memories and remain strong. Honestly speaking, I wanted you to get married, so that you could forget me by time.’

‘Kenny, if you considered me to be an unfaithful lover, then you were wrong, because I’m not married yet to anyone.’

‘You’re not?’ He asks getting surprised, ‘You didn’t marry anyone in these ten years.’

‘Why am I here for you? Don’t you see that?’

‘Oh, my God!’

‘Kenny, I love you very much and I’m sure that you do as well. But I won’t forgive you for what you did to me.’

‘Allison, if you can then try to understand that I did such a thing not to make you suffer, but to give a new and perhaps a better turn to your miserable life. I just wanted you to get married, so that someone could take care of your child as well…’

Allison remains silent and realises that he had only been sincere and he was not to be blamed for what happened with her.

‘And Allison, don’t forget that just like you I also passed painful years in this cell.’

Saying this Kennedy leaves her alone and walks towards the road and leaves the town in a bus.

The Gift

Next morning, Kennedy comes to Allison’s home, and rings her doorbell. After a minute, Eric comes and opens the door. Looking at him, Eric says:

‘Father you’re back, Mom used to say you died a long time ago and yesterday she was saying that you have come back. What’s going on father?’

‘Kid, what did your Mom tell you about your father?’

‘She said that my real father was Claude but I should consider you as your father.’

Kennedy remains silent and realises how much Allison loved him as she claimed him to be her husband. He looks behind Eric and sees Allison coming towards the gate. He stands straight and looks at her in the eyes, she comes and says:

‘Kenny, I knew you would come to my place…’

‘Well, Allison…’

‘…Oh please, Kenny call me Allie, I don’t like Allison from you. Anyways, I just want to say that I’m really sorry for being rude yesterday. I should have known that you were always trying to sacrifice yourself for my happiness and my better. I know my words disappointed you yesterday but…’

‘…Excuse me Allie,’ he interrupted acting strange, ‘are you talking to me?’

Allison remains silent for a while looking at him, she realises that he was not upset with her and was never before. So seeing him smiling at her she delightfully hugs him. Kennedy also hugs and they keep on expressing their love this way, for quite a long time.

As they let go, Kennedy looks at her in romance and says:

‘Allie, will you marry me please?’

‘Of course,’ she smiles, ‘but first I want to give you something.’

She goes inside and Kennedy waits for her outside.

‘So kid what’s your name?’ he asks Eric.

‘Eric Ipkiss,’ Eric replies.

‘Oh very nice, I like it with the Ipkiss…’

Allison comes outside running with a gift wrapped in a wrapping paper.

‘Here Kennedy… this is for you.’

‘Wow Allie! What is it?’ he smiles taking the gift.

He gently unwraps the gift and sees that the gift was actually something that he had desired since a long time ago. It was an artistic portrait, which had his and Allison’s painted drawing in which he was holding a bouquet of blue flowers, with Allison wearing the heart shaped necklace. With blue colour it was painted, ‘Allie and Kenny’.

He gets quiet sentimental and says:

‘Oh Allie, how can I thank you?’

‘We should actually thank these souvenirs, due to which our love still remained alive.’

to be continued...