“I just thought that maybe –” Sephora begins before Miles walks away.
He does not get two feet before he stops.
He does not get two feet before he stops.
Zawadi doesn’t hear another word. She turns and runs, afraid to hear any more about her father disliking children. I’m a child! She screams silently in her mind.
Not knowing where to run, Zawadi decides that going back into the house would be the best thing to do. She doesn’t want her parents to know that she overheard them.
Zawadi finally stops running when she gets to her room; the same thoughts running through her mind over and over.
She walks slowly to her bed. Right now sleep is the only escape for the pain she’s feeling.
My daddy works so much, because he doesn’t love me, she repeats silently one last time; afraid of the way those words would taste on her tongue if she were to say them out loud.
One last tear escapes before she lays her head down on her pillow and falls asleep.
Outside, Sephora and Miles continue their conversation.
Miles turns back to Sephora, “I love you and Zawadi more than anything. I would do anything for either one of you, but I just don’t know if having another child, given our financial situation, is the answer.”
“Yeah, I know Miles. And you’re right, it probably wouldn’t be the best thing right now.”
“What I can do is cut down on some of my playing at the park for a while, on the weekends anyway. I’ll try to be at home as much as possible.”
“I’m sure that Zawadi would love that,” Sephora responds.
Sephora sits down on the grass and Miles follows suit. “You are even more beautiful in the moonlight,” Miles says glancing over at Sephora.
Sephora responds by placing her hand closer to Miles’ and he grabs it. “Before we had Zawadi, I never thought I could love a child so much. You and Zawadi are my world. That’s why I work so hard. I want you two to have the best…see the world.”
Sephora leans back and looks up at the stars, before responding, “I have my world right here with you and Zawadi in the cozy home we’ve made. If I never get to see any other place in the world, I’d be content.”
“Yeah, but you have to admit that seeing Egypt would be incredible.”
Sephora smiles. “That’s true,” she admits.
Miles and Sephora finally enter the house. They sit at the table, Miles eating leftovers and Sephora eating ice cream, both giggling and chatting like teenagers.
Afterward, they head toward the bedroom, but Miles makes a detour to Zawadi’s room. He stares down at sleeping Zawadi with love and pride. “I love you so much little girl,” he whispers before turning out her light and leaving the room. Zawadi sleeps on.
No comments:
Post a Comment