Faith Prevails, Just Believe

Chapter Three

“Uh..Give her some time Mamma..you will change your opinion of her soon enough..She’s a little diva” .I laugh out loud throwing Sarina a pointed look.

“No..Don’t tell me she is like my Sarina. Now this girl was such a handful. Such a little terror.” 

“Mamma..Stop. I wasn't that bad. I was just a ….”

“Pain in Mamma’s ass.” I finish off for her, laughing.

She throws a pillow at me and I hide behind Mamma. Mamma sends her a look to say behave yourself and she pulls her tongue out at her. I roll my eyes humorously at her childish behaviour.

Shalina enters the room and makes her way confidently to the plate of cookies. Picking one she bites into it and closes her eyes in appreciation. My baby loves her junk food just like her father and Auntie Sarina. I have to keep an eye on her or else she will scoff the whole lot.

She then surprises me by walking up to Mamma and sits in her lap. Mamma instantly wraps her arms around her and kisses her on  top of her head. My heart flutters at the sight. Shit..I don't know whether to be happy or weary. Shalina is acting as if she senses that this is her family. She has never accepted other people in her life, like the way she accepting these people right here. 

Damn! What am I gonna do? 

“So Tasha..How was life back in spain? And please tell me you're back for good.” Sarina lays back comfortably with a cup of tea in hand and munching on a cookie in the other, when she closes her eyes in appreciation she looked so much like Shalina that I nearly had a heart attack as I thought that Mamma will catch on.

 I quickly throw them a glance and to my relief Mamma is  busy talking to shalina quietly and my baby girl was responding just as quite with a small smile on her pouty lips. Shit...another fluttery sensation goes through me.

“Sorry Sar..the moment you pop ..I’ll be heading back after a few days.” I see the look of disappointment on her face.

“I miss you Tasha..we all do..Why can't  you just move back here..We’ll love to have you back home especially with Shalina now in the picture..let her grow up with our children.” She pouts.

Damn she’s good. Bet she has Adam wrapped around her little finger. Darn, persuasive woman.

“Sar ..you make it sound that I’ve just gone on a holiday to spain instead of making a new life for myself.  Come on now baby girl...you know that it's not that simple.” I sigh wearily.

I quickly take a sip of tea to recover from her words. Damn is so tempting . My shalina here with her own family...growing up together with her cousins..family is what I have been wanting all my life..especially being part of this family, but how can I? My daughter will never be accepted by the community. She will be an outcast..called names..a bastard. It’s laughable really as nobody  cares about these kind of things anymore but the community that the Jahans belong to are very old school and very set in their ways. Unless I can keep her father's identity hidden from them indefinitely then I think I can get away with it.

“Tashaa...you’re doing what Medina loves doing ..going off in la la land”. Sarina shouts at breaking me away from my thoughts.

“sorry..Sar ..you were saying”. 

 I take a sip of tea and take a look at Shalina who to my shock has fallen asleep in Mama's lap. I smile at my daughter in awe. She has never in her four years of life slept in  any one else’s arms but mine and that rarerly as she’s always been an independent little child, this is a first for her...the irony being that the arms in question happens to belong to her Grandmother.