Wounded: Our Journey Home

Wounded- Chapter Nine

Despite everything's that's happened, I do love him. I do want to forgive him. I also want to know where this leads.

-*-

As Jafar said in the text, he came an hour later and picked me up for our 'date.' He even came and opened the door for me. Is my fantasy coming true or what? The car ride there was silent, but a comfortable one. We just sat and listened to Maher Zain's faint voice throughout the car, and the song just so happens to be 'For the rest of my life.'

Okay, I admit the car got a little awkward after that. As we passed by the outskirts of town, we could see a carnival being set up.

Tehreem would love to take the kids there." Jafar spoke, occasionally glancing at me and not at the road. "Maybe we could take them sometime?"

I looked up at him to see a hopeful expression on his face, but it was replaced with a frown at my silence.

"Maybe," I whispered and turned to look out the window. It's not that I don't want to take the kids out with him, it's more of having to know how today goes before I agree to anything. What if today goes horrible? What if I get hurt swinging the bat, or I end up hurting him with the bat? There are so many possibilities and 'what ifs' that we just have to go slow.

-*-

"Have a nice day," The guy at the front desk smiled at us after giving Jafar and I wristbands to go to the cages. Okay, we're actually doing this.

"Are you nervous?" Jafar raised an eyebrow, but you could see the amusement clearly on his face.

"What? No," I lied. I am very nervous. I did play little league when I was younger, but then again I was only about nine. "I'm ready to do this," I smiled confidently, but in the inside I was ready to make a run for it.

Jafar just smiled at me. "If you say so."

-*-

"Ahh, it's going to hit me!" I screamed and glared at the machine that's currently pelting me with baseballs. Jafar's standing on the outside of the cages trying his best to contain his laughter but failing. I take back what I said about being nervous. The balls are coming out every ten seconds, and I so far have hit a total of...

Wait for it...zero. I haven't hit anything after being in here for like fifteen minutes of pain and annoyance. I don't remember it being this hard to hit. I try all the things I used to do before--bending my legs and keeping my eye on the ball. Nothing is working!

"I know you can hit it, Ayah. Just choke up on the bat and get ready?"

I turned to look at him in horro. "You want me to swallow the bat then choke on it?!" I exclaimed in disgust. My outburst must have sent him over the edge, because as soon as he heard me, he bent over in laughter. Is that really what he wants me to do? I barely can hit the ball, and now he wants me to consume the stick I'm using?!

"Can you stop laughing and help me?" I whined.

While still laughing his head off, Jafar nodded and came inside the cages to me. But because he was too busy laughing at me, he forgot the machine was on and got hit in the back. It's a good thing it was on low.

"Ow!"

Now the roles are reversed with me laughing and him groaning in pain. Well, you know what they say. Karma's a—

"That actually hurt," Jafar winced at the no doubt stinging pain on his back.

"Are you okay?" I asked between laughs and he shrugged.