The Broken Tale

Lies

Layla set the dishes and pancakes down on the table. Ali only watched silently with crossed legs and his chin resting on his fist.
"Do you want coffee or tea?" Layla asked.
"Coffee."
"Sugar?"
"When have I ever had sugar with coffee?"
Layla sighed. She poured the coffee into two mugs, indulging herself in the elegant smell she had always loved. She set the two mugs down before she pulled out a chair for herself and sat next to Ali. She waited for him so start eating. She remembered all the beatings she had received throughout her life for trying to eat before the males in her family, it just was not acceptable in middle eastern culture. And anyway, she had lost all appetite in the mornings for every scent could make her nauseous. But Ali didn't start eating, he only stared at her with the same expressionless stare.
"Did I forget to bring you something?" Layla asked, "Is there something wrong with the pancakes?"
"Tell me. Where did you go two days ago?"
Layla had seen that question coming.
"I went to Talya's." Layla answered sheepishly.
"Talya's?" He asked in slight disbelief.
Layla nodded, "I missed her."
"So you didn't meet up with Brian?"
She shook her head immediately.
He snorted doubtfully, "That's funny because he wasn't at work that day."
"He must've just had something to do, don't blame it on me."
Ali looked at her with a raised eyebrow, his piercing eyes scanning her for any sign of deceive. But Layla looked away and pushed the salad towards him.
"I learned this new sauce recipe online. See if you like it." She said.
He sighed, "New semester just started. I'll have to pay your tuition fees soon."
"Don't bother, I'm not going back."
Ali put his fork down, curiosity filled his eyes almost as much as the relief did.
"Why?"
Layla shrugged her shoulders, "What's the point? I'm a wife after all, what do I need a degree for?"
She bit her tounge at those words. She hated herself for having to always say things she was against. She felt like she was trapping her real self a mirror and handing her body over to the polar oppisate of who she was. Ali did not believe it anyway.
"Are you feeling okay, Babe?" He asked with a snigger.
"I won't be allowed to work so what's the point? I'm tired anyway. I can't handle taking care of this huge ass house all by myself and going to college."
Layla could see that Ali still did not believe her. But she could also see that he did not care either. He was already being bashed by their entire society back in the Middle East for allowing his wife to go to college but it had been part of their deal before they got married so he had no choice but to allow her or lock her in her room. Now that she herself was going to willingly stay home, it was a blessing he would rather not poke holes in.
"Could you get the syrup?" He asked as he started in his food.
Layla nodded. She pushed her chair back and walked over to the refrigerator. She fetched the bottle of syrup from the refrigerator door and opened it, smelling it to make sure it had not expired. The sweet smell of the syrup had turned into a stinking, rotten like smell. She set the bottle down and covered her mouth, a knot of naseoua stirred up in her stomach.
"Are you okay?" Ali asked.
She nodded, "I'm fine."
He pushed his chair back and picked up the bottle of syrup.
"Smells fine to me." He said, sniffing the syrup.
"Yeah. It smells fine." She said deceivingly, still trying to cover her nose from the smell to prevent herself from vomiting,
"I'm just a little sick."
"Sick?"
"Just a cold."
Ali nodded suspiciously. Layla knew she had to act fast. The last thing she needed now was for Ali to get suspicious and maybe find out she was pregnant. She panicked, knowing Ali's suspicion was growing with every second, only one thought came to her head. She took in a deepbreath and laid her hand on Ali's chest. She felt him flinch under her hand, he did not expect her to do such a thing. She took the syrup from his hand and set it down on the counter, holding her breath so she would not smell it.
"You've been really stressed lately." She said, playfully wrapping her arms around his neck.
"What's up with you?" He asked skeptically, "You're not yourself today."
"Really?"
He sighed and pulled away from her.
"I have to go." He said, picking up his phone and jacket.
"You didn't even eat anything."
"I have a meeting."
Layla shrugged, "Good luck then."
"Thanks."
Without another word or even a second glance back at her, he left with his eyes glued to his phone. Layla was left standing in confusion. Why did he pull away from her? Could he be suspecting something? Or had he gotten tired of her and was planning to hurt her? Thoughts pushed one another in her head while time ticked by.
Ring ring.
The ringing of her phone awoke her from her thoughts. She quickly rushed to the table and picked up her phone without even checking the caller ID.
"Hello?"
"Are you okay?" Brian's voice asked, "Why are you so breathless?"
"I'm fine." She answered.
"Is Ali there?"
"No, he just left. Why?"
He heard Brian let out a sigh of relief on the other end.
"Get ready. I'm coming to pick you up in twenty minutes." He said.
"Why?"
"I got you a doctor's appointment to check on the baby."
"Now?"
"Yes, now."
"Brian, if the security guards see you and tell Ali, we'll both be over with." Layla protested.
"They won't see. Just get ready, Layla baby, please don't argue."
Layla let out a sigh, "How are you gonna get inside without the security guards seeing you?"
"Don't worry about it. Just get ready or I'll-."
"Okay fine! Sheesh!"
Brian chuckled a little, "Good."
"Go away."
"I'll see you in twenty minutes, beautiful."
Layla ran through her closet in a rush. She looked through perfectly folded shirts that still smelled like scented flowers. She glanced over at the clock, it had already been fifteen minutes since Brian called her and she still had not done anything. As she chose a simple red camisole, her eyes caught her reflection in the mirror. Her legs subconsciously walked over to the mirror. She almost did not recognize her own reflection in the mirror. She looked so... different. Not her body but her...
Spirit.
She did not look so broken. For once in her life, she did not see herself as a tragic, victimized weakling of life but merely as another person with problems that she had to overcome. She broke away from her own reflection. She quickly changed out of her nightgown and slipped the camisole on. As she reached for a pair of black denim shorts, she felt an arm wrap around her waist. She jumped out of the grasp, ready to fight back instinctively but only until she saw who was in the closet with her.
"Brian, you fucking idiot!" She shouted, slapping him with the shorts, "You scared the living shit out of me!"
He chuckled, "You jumped like chicken without its head."
Layla took in rapid breaths.
"I hate you so much!"
"I love you too, babe." He replied lightly.
"How the hell...did you...get in?" She asked breathlessly.
"I copied the keys."
"What?"
"I copied the house keys from yours the last time you were over." He answered, "Just in case I need it for emergencies."
"You're such an idiot."
Brian's smile faded. His eyes rolled down between her neck and legs, his face becoming ever more uncomfortable. It took Layla a few moments to relieze what he was looking at. She tried to put her shorts on the bruises on her legs and cover the violet love bites on her neck with her hair.
"Ali was really aggressive last night." She mumbled, lowering her eyes in shame.
He nodded slowly, biting his lower lip.
"Did he hurt you?"
Layla shrugged indifferently.
"I'm s-sorry. B...y-you know it's useless to try to run from him when he wants me." She stuttered.
He sighed and pulled her into his arms.
"Don't worry about it, babe. I get it." He said, running his fingers through her hair, "It just hurts a little to know another man regularly sleeps with the woman you love, you know? How would you feel if you knew I was sleeping with another woman?"
"I'm sorry. But h-"
"Shhh, Laili, you don't need to explain. It may hurt but I understand. It's necessary for you to do this to survive. I don't blame you, babe, I support you."
But his heart though did not agree. She could hear his heart thumping and raging beneath her ear.
"Brian, are you mad at me?" She asked, looking up at him.
He shook his head slowly, "No, Layla, I'm mad at Ali. I'm mad at life for putting us both in this situation, I'm mad at that son of a bitch who hurts you everyday, I'm mad at myself for not being able to protect you."
She laid her hand on his cheek, surprised to find him warm and almost feverish under her touch.
"You're doing everything you can." She said with a smile, "Nobody could've ever taken care of me the way you do. I'm lucky to have someone like you."
He smiled sadly. He knelt down and laid his head on her flat belly.
"How is our little girl doing today?" He asked, "Is she giving Mommy trouble?"
Layla chuckled, "How are you so sure it'll be a girl? It could be a boy too, you know. Don't let your hopes up too high if you want a girl."
"Let me enjoy the moment, would you?"
"What Doctor are we going to by the way?" She asked.
Brian stood up.
"A high school friend of mine."
"Does Ali know him too?"
He shook his head, "No, don't worry. Now get dressed, I want to see our baby."
Layla fidgeted with her hands nervously. The cool air flowing through the spotless white room felt almost freezing to her. Brian was stamping his foot in a steady rhythm that still radiated of anxiety next to her.
"Wait, you know what?" He said suddenly.
"What?"
He turned to face her.
"What if it's twins?" He said excitedly.
Layla giggled a little, "Twins?"
"Yes, why not? Just imagine! Twice the fun!"
"Yeah and twice the worry."
"God, can you stop being so pessimistic? Imagine how amazing that would be!"
"Don't mind him, Layla." A voice interrupted them, "Brian's always been a little...extra."
A young man, just a little older than Brian, entered the room. He sat down at the desk with a bright smile, his green eyes twinkled in the sun light. His cheerful expression helped lift a little bit of the stress they were both under.
"So." He said, "You must be Layla, right?"
"Yep."
"Nice to meet you."
He shot out his hand across the desk. Layla shook his hand with a smile.
"Don't listen to Brian too much. He always likes to dream."
Brian rolled his eyes, "How is wanting a daughter dreaming, James?"
"Anyway, Layla, how have you been?" The young doctor asked, changing the subject.
"How could I be with morning sickness and fatigue exactly? Awful."
He chuckled, "There's a lot more to come, Layla, I'd suggest you try be more positive or else the next nine months will not be pleasant."
"I'm already sure that the next few months will be nothing short of hell so I'm not expecting much."
Brian sighed, "Please tell me being pessimistic as hell a side effect of pregnancy?"
The doctor laughed quietly, he scribbled down something on a piece of paper on the desk.
"Are you experiencing any spotting?" He asked.
"Barely."
"How bad is your morning sickness?"
"How bad is too bad?"
"Alright, I'll take that as really bad."
The doctor continued to ask her a wide range of questions. It was the first time she had ever been to any kind of fertility or pregnancy related appointment. After a torturous blood test, they were back in the office. The doctor's kind demeanor and calm, cheerful attitude helped her loosen a little and for a moment forget how trapped she was.
"Alright then, Layla. Are you ready to see your baby?" The doctor asked.
It should have been a question with a subconscious answer but for some reason, Layla could not comprehend the question. As if it were a math equation rather than a simple question. She glanced over at Brian.
Brian nodded, "Yeah, wouldn't we, babe?"
"Y-Yes."
The doctor stood to his feet. He gestured to the bed and ultrasound screen.
"If you please."
Layla's legs were frozen. She wanted to get up but she felt unable to move. Brian, sensing her trouble, got to his feet and took her hand. He helped her to her feet and kept her hand locked firmly in his warm palms. He helped her follow the doctor to the other end of the room.
"Lie down please." The doctor instructed.
Yet again, Brian had to help Layla lie down for her own body was overtaken with anxiety. He helped her lift her shirt up a little to reveal her stomach. The doctor rubbed a cream Layla had never seen before on her belly, sending ticklish ripples down her body.
"Will you be able to tell how many there are?" Brian asked.
Layla rolled her eyes, "I doubt it'll be twins."
"No, Brian it's too early." The doctor answered lightly, "Be patient."
He put the cold device on her belly and with it a grey image appeared on the screen. Layla looked away from the screen at first. Though she knew she would not see anything bigger than a fingernail, she could not bring herself to face the reality of what her life had come to. But Brian's face lit up as bright as a lightbulb in the pitch black darkness, he smiled so broadly that Layla thought his cheeks would tear. His blue pupils dilated at the screen, his hands squeezed hers. His smile was contagious, his own happiness was tempting. Layla finally gathered enough strengh to slowly turn her head. A small blob surrounded by grey and dark oceans on the screen. There was no shape, no color and nothing to that little blob but almost instantaneously, Layla felt her heart skip a beat. She was suddenly filled with only one emotion, an emotion that she remembered vividly.
Her heart wrenched with a desire to put herself to the sword just to protect that little collection of cells in her body. She remembered how desperately she had clutched onto her belly to fight back Ali's kicks the last time. How desperately she had cried and begged for the life inside her that she had inevitably seen die and run down her leg in a river of blood. She would never let anyone take this little baby away from her. She would die and kill to protect this baby. So lost in her thoughts and emotions, she did not notice the tears running down her cheeks and the two men staring at her.
"Are you okay?" The doctor asked.
She nodded tearfully, "I'm fine."
Brian sighed and rubbed her hands between his.
"We've made a baby." She whispered to herself, "I have a baby inside me."
"I can tell." Brian replied with a chuckle.
She turned her head to him, "We're getting away from Ali this time if it's the last thing we do. I won't lose another baby, Brian, I'd rather lose my life along with it."
He sighed, "We won't. Don't worry, Laili."
He looked up at the screen, "We won't lose our baby. I'm not losing anyone else to abuse, I've lost enough."