The Silent Years

Elizabeth Jones the award-Winning actress looking out of the window as she drove from the event to her residence late in the night. She received another major award which is the best female actress of the year award in a night filled with glamour and fame. Elizabeth is happy and tired at the same time, with Frank, Lorenzo and Anthony her bodyguard is in the passenger seat. He congratulated in a calm voice “Congratulation on your new award madam…” She thanked him in a soft voice “Thank you, Lorenzo!” She is very comfortable with her two bodyguards Lorenzo and Anthony, and she is always a kind and caring employer to her staff. Lorenzo was driving while Anthony her other bodyguard was in the passenger seat while Elizabeth and Frank were seated at the back seat. As the drive late in the night to her home from the award show she tells her manager Frank who was seated next to her about the plan on going to San Francisco to meet one of her old childhood friends in just about two hours. Even though it was a long drive she is excited about an unofficial road trip and to meet up with one of her good old friends for some time off from her busy schedule.

They were traveling from early in the morning as planned and Elizabeth was asleep but woke up looking at the beautiful surrounding. An oncoming car was speeding and as a result of losing control, it suddenly turned to the side of Elizabeth’s car. To avoid the oncoming car, Lorenzo steered to the side of the cliff without a second thought. The front tire touched the edge of the cliff and Lorenzo managed to stop the car before falling off the cliff. The car was in a dangerous position, and Lorenzo asked everyone to step out of the car planning to slowly reverse to get the vehicle back onto the road. Right after everyone got out of the car the slight movement of the car cracked the edge which holding the front tire on the side of the passenger seat. Anthony was in the middle of getting out of the car and was almost to slip down but Frank helped him to avoid falling.

Unfortunately, the car lost its balanced and it fell off the cliff with Lorenzo smashing on the rocks as it hits the ground. Elizabeth wanted to get Lorenzo out of the driving seat and as the edge of the cliff was breaking, she slipped as the car was moving forward. Anthony and Frank tried to catch her but they failed helplessly seeing her rolling down the cliff. She knocked her head on a rock while she partially blacked out and felt the sharp pain in her forehead with a dislocated shoulder. She felt a strong vibration when the car fell deep off the cliff and blasted with a bush of fire.

When Elizabeth woke up she was in the hospital surrounded by flowers and balloons with wishes from friends, family and posted items from her fans. The balloon was written in a marker that states “Get well soon” and “We love you Elizabeth”.Frank seated next to her holding a magazine on his chest and fast asleep on the chair. She saw the newspaper next to her on the bed with the big headline that says “Hollywood Superstar Elizabeth Jones Survives the Tragedy Accident” with the subheadings stating “Award-winning actress along with her manager and bodyguard survives and driver killed in a car crash.” She recalled the fateful memory and regained the memory that Lorenzo was inside the car when the car slipped and fell off the cliff. She woke up Frank and asked Frank if they found Lorenzo’s body but Frank remained silent just starring with a lot of sadness on his face and nodded to indicate that his body didn’t have any remaining with the fateful accident.

After about three days she was discharged and out of the hospital entrance to the car through the fans gathered around. The police and security cleared the path by blocking the crowd from getting too close to her. She hears the loud cheer from her fans as they walk to her car and hears the noise through the car door and window as security shuts the door. She saw her new driver replaced for Lorenzo and he calmly greeted her saying “I am truly sorry to hear the unfortunate events you had to encounter madam, and I am sorry for the loss of Lorenzo, I heard he was a very loyal employee to you,” Elizabeth replied in a sorrowful voice “Thank you, yes he was a great employee and a person indeed.” On the way home, she asked when is Lorenzo’s funeral and Anthony replied saying its the day after tomorrow. She recalled Lorenzo as a caring and single father who loved his two daughters. Elizabeth gives gifts for his daughter’s birthdays, and one of the gifts she gave Lorenzo’s eldest daughter was a two-half heart pendant made out of white gold. She recalled Lorenzo was wearing one-half heart of the pendant in his chain. Elizabeth told Frank she wants to go to the funeral and she wants to see his two children.

She covered her face with a lace shawl, black hat, and sunglasses to go in disguise without anyone recognizing her. Lorenzo’s children or the mother was not aware who Lorenzo’s employer was according to the contract signed for security purposes. She sighted the children hugging each other crying looking at their father’s photograph while their grandmother was in a wheelchair surrounded by their friends and family and just staring at the casket being buried to the ground with shock and tears all at the same time. She knew for a fact that Lorenzo was the only one who could make a living with two very young children. She turned towards Anthony and asked “Who will be supporting this family in the absence of Lorenzo?

Anthony whispered to Elizabeth “His mother gets a pension but it is unimaginable to cover the expenses of the children’s education and expenses.”

Elizabeth told Frank with a confident voice “I will take care of it and I want to speak to Lorenzo’s mother in private before we leave, please look into that Frank!” He nodded yes without any questions asked.

 Elizabeth held Franks hand to stop him before he was about to leave to do what he was told and said in a soft calm voice

“I want to remain anonymous since it would just make it difficult for the children to move on from their father’s passing every time they see me on TV, newspapers, or a magazine. Tell her that we are from the company Lorenzo worked for and that they would provide essentials, financial support for the household, and support for the children until they can be employed… Plus I think it’s better to keep it confidential as per the contract anyway.” Frank nodded showing his agreement and positive responses patting her hand as he left to arrange a way to speak to Lorenzo’s mother.

Lorenzo’s mother said in an unsteady sorrowful matured voice

“We have a maid and also a nanny, but I can’t let the nanny go since there is no one around to take care of the children and manage everything around the house…. I am not at an age to manage a lot of things anymore”.

Anthony said with a formal deep voice “The expenses pay will be by the company including the salary of the nanny mam. Please contact this number if you need anything. We are truly sorry for your loss and it’s a great loss of an employee and a friend for all of us as well.” Elizabeth witnessed the relief on the face of Lorenzo’s mother but the sadness of losing her son cannot be taken away. Every month exactly the day the staff salary is paid, all household essentials, children’s educational resources, and all financial support were given to the family and the only person in contact with the family was Anthony to keep Lorenzo’s employer information secured.

15 years after….

Elizabeth was still blooming in her career with fame, wealth, and admiration and she was working on a movie in Texas which was Lorenzo’s hometown, she was giving autographs, waving, and giving kisses to her fans gathered around the set and the location. One day when the shooting was done for the day, she was walking through the fans and paparazzi while she was surrounded by her bodyguards and taken to her car to leave to the hotel she was staying. Among the crowded fans, two girls took Elizabeth’s attention and they seemed a bit familiar and they were looking at her innocently with tears in their eyes. They gave her a letter in a pink envelop and before she could say anything to them the bodyguards rushed her to the car to keep her away from the uncontrollable crowd of people cheering and asking for autographs.

She opened the pink envelop and recalling the faces of the two girls taking out the photographs and a letter inside the envelope. The pictures were important events of the two girls such as their 16th birthdays, graduation, and a picture of the two girls when they were much younger with Lorenzo. There was a letter thanking her for taking care of them and that they lived without any burden without knowing the person behind the support they received. At the bottom of the letter, they wrote the way they found out was the little note they found Elizabeth have sent to Lorenzo wishing him and his family for Christmas when he was alive. Lorenzo’s younger daughter wears perfume of Elizabeth’s perfume line and they came across that the signature in the perfume bottle was similar to the signature on the note that belonged to their father.

In a glittery ink, it was written that this is our little secret and we just wanted to say thank you for everything and she will always be in their hearts in the same place their late mother and father are. Elizabeth was tearing with happiness and a lot of emotions when Frank who was seated next to her closed the curtain that separates the front seats and the back seat. He touched her shoulder and she looked up at Frank and said in a soft voice with emotions “I feel honored to light up these children’s lives and they surely made Lorenzo proud….it is definitely an honor Frank… It’s a great honor!