Pov Azra
Flash-back
I didn't know where my parents were, I was crying my eyes out, I should have listened to them and not let go of my mother's hand.
I was scared, it was all dark in here, I was trapped with two men
"You're taking me... to... see... my parents," I said, crying.
"Yes, little one, you got lost in the crowd", the man driving the van reassured me.
And I repeated my question, and suddenly the other man who was holding me sat on his lap suddenly pushed me forward and I banged violently against the window.
"She won't shut up, the Bhai girl, I've had enough, let's put her in the back" I heard him shout.
I held my breath, why had I just asked my question? He pulled me off his lap and into the back of the van.
"No no, I WANT MY MOTHER AND MY DAD".
"Shut the hell up," he said, pushing me away hatefully.
I fell back on my little legs, and watched the metal door close before my eyes, my breath coming in quick gasps, and I ran forward tapping towards my exit door.
"GET ME OUT OF HERE, GET ME OUT OF HERE, GET ME OUT OF HERE".
But no-one answered, I just felt the speed of the vehicle accelerate, throwing me hard backwards, a huge pain hit my back, and I couldn't move.
"There was no light"
"There was no mummy and daddy"
"I was lost"
"I was in pain"
I was beginning to suffocate, the darkness was beginning to scare me, I could feel my vision blurring.
"I DON'T WANT TO DIE"
Flashback end
I woke up with a start, covered in sweat, my panting calmed by the sight of my bedroom reminding me where I was. So it was today, 15 years to the day, I'd been kidnapped, that evening we went to a party in the town park, I was 8 and it all seemed so much fun, I still remember the inflatable slide I climbed.
My mum forbade me to let go of her hand for fear I'd get lost in the crowd, but I was so excited at the time, especially as it was one of the few outings where both my parents were with me.
I just did what I wanted to do and ended up getting lost near a stande, I started looking for my parents for a long time until two nice men offered to take me home to my parents.
I was just a kid, and of course the idea that strangers might know my address without me telling them anything hadn't crossed my mind, so I followed them until I realised I'd been kidnapped.
They'd taken me to a place where dozens of children in the same condition as me stood in fear, made us work day and night without feeding us properly and if any of us slowed down even a little, they'd hit us.
"Ya Rabb", I said, calming my sudden anxiety, remembering each of their moves.
That wasn't the worst of it, but that cell, where they locked us up individually every night, it was closed with no light and nothing in it, I'd spent my worst moments there, I thought it was just a matter of time before one day they opened the cell door and saw my lifeless body, but no, every time I was alive and well, I went back there again, every night having nightmares between those four walls.
I didn't know how long I'd last, but for three months I lived every second of this hellish routine. Then one morning, it wasn't one of those thugs who opened the door to my cell, but a policeman. He let me out and the first thing I recognised was my parents.
They then explained to me that it was child traffickers who were using them and selling them abroad for money, and I had narrowly escaped that with the other children, for the first time in my life, I saw my father shedding tears, and I followed them, I wanted to unburden my heart too.
Some people said that I was a child and that I would forget, but no, I still have the after-effects of that period, even if the one that reflects this the most is my inability to stay in complete darkness.
But I won't let this trauma destroy my life and I manage to stay strong and I was able to get through the night, and even joke about it sometimes like the evening when Riaz surprised me for our wedding anniversaire, but today, at that moment, I was weak.
I felt a hand on my shoulder and the mattress moved slightly. Are you all right, mosquito?" asked Riaz in a worried voice.
I turned back to him and nodded, unable to hold back any tears at the sight of his protective presence.
He opened his arms to me without saying a word and I threw myself into them, trying to get as close as possible.
"Today is the day....." I said with a broken voice.
It took him a moment to understand, and his arms tightened around my waist as he gently leaned us against the headboard of our bed.
"Did you have that nightmare again ?" he asked me cautiously.
I simply nodded against his chest, and he placed a light kiss on my head, which felt good. He knew about it, and shortly after we got married I explained to him why I was so afraid of the dark, and I was even happier to be in love with a man like him.
He had installed emergency lights all over our house, and in our house he always managed to come and get me if it got too dark, and above all, every year when I had that nightmare again, he was there, taking me in his arms, rocking me with love despite his tiredness.
"I had a nightmare too.... ." he said simply
I just listened to him, he knew I didn't want to talk about mine, the sooner I forgot, the better off I'd be.
"I dreamt that our child was born," he continued dreamily.
I stood up slightly and glared at him. How could the fact that he was dreaming about the birth of our future child be a nightmare for the grumpy one ?
"He was growing up in my dream, but he was barely a month older than you in mosquito size, you're so small," he exclaimed, bursting out at the end of his sentence.
Hiding my amusement, I slapped him on the chest before pinching him.
"Hey, slowly mosquitoe.. , it's not my fault you're so short, you should have drunk more soup, little one" he added joking
I was just about to lie down again when he pulled me close to him, his breath spilling over the hollow of my neck, even if I wanted to ignore him for his mockery, his mere proximity made my own decision weak.
"Even after almost 5 years of marriage, he still has an effect on you," my mind teased.
I'm glad, otherwise where would my proof of love for him be ?
"I'm sorry Azra" he apologised, playing with my fingers.
I made him wait for a good minute before answering him.
"Excuse me, but tomorrow you should buy me some cheesecakes with fromboise, strawberry, blueberry and also chocolate ! " I told him in a scolding tone
I knew in reality that he hadn't had that dream about our child but that he'd just been trying to divert attention from my nightmare and make me laugh, which he did succesly.
"Very good, very good, sometimes I wonder how you manage to swallow so much without getting tired," he exclaimed
"You know that's my main speciality, eating" I said proudly
"That's true ! " he nodded quietly
We remained silent until I felt my son moving in my stomach. I took Riaz's hand so that he could feel his son's kicks.
"He's just as energetic as you are, Azra, I just hope I can manage you both," he said, stroking my swollen belly.
I was really smiling, everyone said that as he was a boy, he was bound to have Riaz's character, but seeing the taste cravings my son was giving me and his kicks in my belly, the Grumpy one was convinced he was going to be like me.
"I can't wait to meet him Azra, I want to know what a mixture of the two of us looks like, I still can't believe you've given me this gift" he whispered sincerely to me.
"Me too, but that the true, he's right there in my tummy, wriggling around, tell me what we'll call him ?? " I ask him suddenly in a panic.
I was almost 8 months pregnant and we still hadn't decided on a name.
"I know it's a bit of a cliché, mosquito, don't make fun of me, but I've always wanted that if I have a son, he should have a name that looks like me "he says, a little embarrassed.
I turned round to face him and his slightly embarrassed face was just adorable.
"Said" I urged him gently
"Miyaz, I'd love to call him that," he said enviously.
I looked down at my belly and felt my son kick me lightly, it seemed he liked the name just as much as I did.
"Miyaz Siddiqui, Mmhh, I like it, very good, that's what our son will be called," I said happily.
Riaz's eyes softened instantly. "You're the best mosquito," he said lovingly.
I started to yawn, and the grumpy one talked about everything and anything, and at the sound of his reassuring, familiar voice, I fell back asleep.
N/A :
Surprise chapter ! 😋
I hope you like it
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