As Ares and Ali return from their blissful honeymoon, they are suddenly hit by the harsh realities of life. Secrets from their past threaten to tear them apart, while new revelations threaten to shatter their present.
Ali's memories are lost, and Ar...
"But-I saw that at the end of the day my brother can give you a better life than a fifteen-year-old can. My parents shipped me of to Seattle and-I was put in a boarding school...and I never came back."
"So, you gave up on me, just like that, I meant nothing to you. You did not fight for me because I meant nothing to you...you saw me—you saw how my life was with them—" I paused, feeling a sharp pain induce the bottom of my abdomen.
Her features plummeted, and sorrow took over.
"and I forgive you, i forgive you now that i understand why you left me, and i dont blame you- you were fifteen..." I stand up immediately, the pain banging into my abdomen.
I look down to see water leaking down my legs, I gasp lifting my dress to see that my water has broken. I hold onto my stomach, breathing in heavily. Coraline rushes to my side, "but why did you not once come back for me."
My water broke.
Each contraction brought with it an ache that consumed my entire existence. There was nothing else in those moments, those seconds that seemed to last forever. When the anguish subsided, it was only for a minute or so, and I closed my eyes, afraid to return to existence outside of my own body.
"It hurts...Ahh-Coraline-"
But I am only seven months, "as much as you hate me, as much as you despise me...we need to go to a hospital right now Alex. I am sorry for being a shit mother who gave you away, I am sorry. I love you more than anything in my life, you mean everything. Now, let us get you to a hospital." I nod my head; she takes my hands in her and grabs her keys from the counter of the till.
Aunt Coraline brought the car to me; she helps me inside and all I could think about was Ares. "Ares! Call Are-Ahh!" I screamed, grabbing onto the door.
"I called him; he's going to meet us at the hospital." I turn my head, Aunt Coraline drags her hands into mine. "Squeeze, I am right here for you. I am not going anywhere this time."
"You promise?" I whisper.
"I promise Alexandra Nicolaides, I promise."
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The midwife was telling me it was time to push. I attempted with a guttural groan and was instructed to stop, one was enough. I held my breath as I felt the baby crest, the burning stretching of skin.
"I want Ares-I-I'm not ready to push," I said, tears streaming down my face. Aunt Coraline smooths down my hair and whispers lovely nothing into my ears while I scream. It was five minutes of anguish for a lifetime of enjoyment, they said.
My mind was imprisoned by the agony of labour. Time passed in that detention cell of terror and bewilderment without my being able to keep track. My gut constricted, and I heard me scream without realising it. I lay still as the drug was delivered, waiting for the pain to stop.
"Ma'am, I need you to push now!"
"I am here! I'm her husband." My head lifts as the curtains were pushed, Ares pushes himself between the nurses and takes Aunt Coraline's role. He squeezes my hands tightly.
"Distract me Ares." I whisper out in pain.
"What do you want me to do Angelos?" He pushes my hair back, kissing the top of my head.
"Talk to me...tell me something...do something." I bite my lips in pain, and he stops as a tear fall from my eyes. "I didn't know it would be this painful..." I mumble out, he wipes the fallen tear from my eyes.
"Mrs Nicolaides, please push!" The midwife asks me again.
"I know, but we need to finish this, so you talk about anything you want." He answers. "Now I need you to push Angelos."
"No, no... I can't do this." I scream, trying to hold her in.
A smile lifts the top of his mouth, "yes you can."
"It's going to hurt."
"You can squeeze my arm if you want, and when I notice you're hurting a lot. You can take a break." I know what he's doing, the memories of the first tattoo I have ever gotten was with him.
"You promise Ares?" My brows are furrowed with fear, he pushes a fallen lock of my hair behind my ears.
"I promise Angelos."
I gave it one last strong push.
"It's a girl!" When our child was born, it felt as if the globe had only sunlight, as if the entire planet had been brought into peace.
I peered into those new eyes, into a new awareness that was perfect and reaching out for my affection.
I knew at that moment that I would do everything to defend my child, that my love was as big as the cosmos but as firm as rock. I was and will always be a mother. Ares leans in and strokes her cheeks, "Adeline." He whispers. I look into his eyes, and he kisses my lips.
I want to savour this moment, this moment with my baby child in my arms. Her eyes are more dazzling than I could have imagined, and her hands are more delicate. She is so light, so beautiful, and smells lovely.
I will be her defender as long as I live, and my love for her will remain forever.
Our little girl.
Our little Adeline.
"She definitely looks like me." Aunt Coraline whispers out.
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