What is stronger than the human heart which shatters over and over and still lives...
-rupi Kaur
ALI'S POV
The moment I woke up and laid eyes on Ciara sleeping soundless beside me on the bed, the scenarios of yesterday night replayed in my head.
We ate dinner with Aaron's family,
Scolding Aaron for giving Manha too much sweets and chocolates,
Contemplating on how to spend the night in the same room,
Us coming to the conclusion that we'll share the bed like adults,
Isabel insisting on taking Manha,
Us letting her,
Having an awkward moment on the bed, before Ciara finally fell asleep and me following suit.
Now here we are, with me staring at her sleeping form like a creep. Few strands of hair fell on her face and my hand itched to move it out of her face. She stirred from the tickling so my heart got the better of me and I pushed the hair and tucked it behind her ear.
I sighed and got out of bed, going to the bathroom. I showered, brushed my teeth and changed into a black joggers and plain black T-shirt. I took a towel and went out of the bathroom to towel-dry my hair.
"Good morning, A." Ci greeted from her sitting position on the bed as she rubbed her eyes with both hands.
"Morning, Ci. Sleep well?" I asked, moving to the bedside table to check my phone for any calls or messages.
3 missed calls from Mom.
"What's up?" Ci asked, looking worriedly at me and I blew heavy breath from my mouth.
"I don't know. Mom called me three times." I informed, dialing my mom's contact for a facetime.
She answered almost immediately and her smiling face popped up.
"Salam alaikum mom, how are you doing? How's dad?" I greeted while Ciara snuck to the bathroom to wash her face.
"We're good, we're good. How are Ciara and Manha doing? God! I miss my baby girls." My mom sighed and I raised an eyebrow at her.
"Seriously, mom? And me?"
"Yeah, yeah. And you too." She waved me off, setting the phone down on.... something.
"Wonderful." I said, with as much sarcasm as I could muster that morning.
"A little birdie told me that you left for your honeymoon in Buenos Aires. And you didn't care to inform your mother?" She feigned hurt, clutching her chest.
"Oh, lord." I muttered, rubbing my face with my free hand.
"Explain yourself, boy." Mom commanded, sitting on a barstool. Seems like she's in a kitchen.
"Yes, mom. We flew to Buenos Aires to spend some time together so yeah.... you could say we're on a honeymoon." I said the last part quietly, not wanting Ciara to take it the wrong way.
I told mom that because I didn't want her to worry about my relationship with Ciara. Yes, she knows we're not really in love nor do we have feelings for each other. But my mom is very hopeful. She definitely wants us to get together with each other and she'll do anything to see that happen.
She was ecstatic when I first brought up the marriage arrangement. Even convinced dad to go along with it.
"I knew it!" She clapped her hands enthusiastically, and I sighed.
"Where's my daughter in law? Don't tell me you guys sleep in different rooms now? You know I wo-"
"Mom, have some shame, please. And no, she's in the bathroom right now." I sighed again, already feeling completely drained.
"That's much better. For a minute, I thought-"
"Well your thoughts were wrong." I cut her off, not wanting her to say anything embarrassing in case Ci came out of the bathroom.
"It's been less than a week since you left new york, why are you suddenly back?" The question slipped out of my mouth and my mom gasped.
"What? So you mean you don't miss me? Am I not allowed to come visit my children when I miss them? Oh, I get it, I'm not welcomed now since you're married right? You don't miss my food and... and-"
"Mom, enough. You know, that’s not what I meant. You're trying to put words in my mouth now."
Lord, this woman's trying to give me a headache. Help me!
"Oh, wow. That's what you're going to say? Not, 'mom, you know I miss you a lot'. Just... wow." My mom exaggerated, waving her hands in the air dramatically.
"God, mom. Ofcourse, I miss you. You know that." I said, exhaling deeply.
"Look, mom. I have a lot to do. We'll talk later, okay? Bye." I didn't wait for her to talk and I disconnected the call.
I'm surely getting an earful later.
____
"Ali, can I go to the boutique with my baby and Isabel?" Ciara asked standing right in front of me, rocking back and forth on her heels. I looked up and her from my sitting position and nodded in approval.
"What's the occasion?" I asked and she looked at me incredulously.
"Christina told us yesterday that we'd be attending an event with her tonight. Don't tell me you've forgotten?" I just stared blankly at her and she sighed.
"Come on, let's go." She ordered, taking my hand in hers, trying to pull me up.
"You know you can't lift me up, right?" I told her with a chuckle but she seemed determined and for the life of me, I just had to let her win.
So when she dragged one more time, I followed and got up, stumbling into her. She held me, thinking I'd fall.
"See? I totally lifted you up." She boasted, our face just inches apart and I shook my head at her.
"You were just lucky." I retorted, standing to my full length.
"Get Isabel and Manha. I'll be waiting by the door." I told her and she nodded, clearing her throat before heading upstairs.
I called Aaron requesting for a driver and in less than 5 minutes, a car pulled over at t the front porch.
Once they all descended, we entered the car and Isabel gave the driver the boutiques address.
We reached in no time and Isabel and Ci went to the fitting room to try on the dresses selected by the owner of the boutique, leaving Manha and I to wander about, looking at different clothes because Manha wasn't attending.
We were in a secluded part of the store as I waited for Manha to choose what she likes so I could get it for her
"Mommy, daddy, I want this dress." I watched from a distance as a little girl-not more than 5- dragged who I'm assuming to be her parents towards a particular dress.
"Does my girl like this dress a lot?" The girl's dad asked her and she bobbed her head up and down, enthusiastically.
"Well then, what my girl wants is what she'll get." He told her and she jumped up and down, hugging them both.
I looked away and turned to Manha, only to find my baby girl in tears.
"Manha?" I called her name and she snapped out of her trance, wiping her face quickly. She looked up at me and gave me a big fake smile.
She's trying to hide what she's feeling, from me.
"I know something is up, darling. Talk to me." I urged her, getting down on my knees to be on the same level as her, but I was still a lot taller.
"How did you know?" She asked, giving me a small smile. Atleast, it was genuine.
"Because it's me. Now tell me what's on your mind." I said softly, stroking her cheeks with my big hand.
"It's silly." She said, shaking her head and I smiled.
"I'm sure, it's not. Tell me."
"When am I going to meet my parents?" She asked with tears threatening to fall from her eyes, and my heart shattered into a million pieces.
"You've already met them, darling." I told her with the best smile I could muster.
"Really? Who are they?" She asked.
"Hi, I'm your daddy. Nice to meet you." I extended my hand towards her but she still frowned, few tears falling from her eyes.
"But.. but grandma said that I-I shouldn't call you that. A-and I thought..." She didn't complete her sentence but I knew what she was about to say.
She thought we weren't her real parents.
And she's right. But I can't tell her that, I won't.
Still, Ciara and I are trying our best to be atleat be the father and mother she could never get to meet.
"Grandma was just trying to make you comfortable with Cia and I, that's why she said that." I assured her.
"Really?" She asked and I nodded in confirmation.
She looked down. "Then.. then, c-can I call you daddy?"
It was as if those shattered pieces of my heart were put back together and it's beating fast and loud against my chest.
Tears welled up in my eyes and I looked up, blinking rapidly to stop them from spilling.
God, I'm an emotional mess when it comes to this girl
"I'd be the happiest man alive." I told her truthfully.
"Soo... is that a yes?" She asked warily.
I laughed. "It is a Yes." I answered her and there it is....
My daughter's million dollar smile.
My daughter. Sounds good to my ears.
"Come give your daddy a big hug." I motioned her over, widening my arms and she jumped on me, wrapping her tiny hands around my neck. I placed my hand on her back and pulled her even closer, kissing the top of her head.
"I love you." She whispered and my heart literally skipped a beat.
"I love you more, my darling."