FATED BOND

Daisy’s POV

I saw mom and then dad. They were smiling at me. Their mouths were moving but I couldn’t hear them.

“Mom?” I called, realizing how much I missed seeing her beautiful face. She doesn’t look at all like aunt Vanessa. Aunt Vanessa looked more like a black American.

“Dad?” I called, relishing the moment we both spent together. The reality of dad’s death was dawning on me more than ever and it was having a toll on me.

“Dad?” I called again, stretching my hand as I howled in pain.

I was in severe pain. I was feeling pain all over the world. Then I began to cry. I facepalmed myself as I cried. When I removed my hand to clean up my tears, they were gone.

“Mom? Dad?” I called again, looking all around, the surroundings were cold, with fogs all over. I shuddered in fear when I realized I was alone.

I was in pain again. But this time, it was the pain of being an orphan. The pain of my fate. The pain of my situation. The pain of everything that comes with pain. The whole of my existence was in pain.

I thought I was reunited with my parents but I was wrong. Because it was evident that I would never be reunited with them again till the end of time.

“No!” I screamed and stumbled to the ground.

****

Nina’s POV

I had to cancel the meeting I was going to before the accident. I couldn’t leave the poor girl. A lone tear rolled down my eyes, remembering the cabman. He was dead within a twinkle of an eye.

That was one of the mysteries of life which no one had been able to comprehend. People who read our books used to think all writers have gotten it all figured out but they are wrong.

We are humans too. Just like them. We have blood running through our veins. We were created the same way. We have problems too just like every living being on the surface of the earth.

Even when we proffer solutions to other people’s problems in our books, we don’t proffer one to our problems.

Despite being widely known by name for my style of writing, despite the riches, the popularity, the awards, the affluence, there were times when I always cry behind closed doors. I had everything except one thing. And that was love.

“No”, the girl screamed, making me jump up in fright and let go of my pen. I was scribbling on one of my notepads. I was trying to formulate a story from my encounter with the girl.

I was always with a pen and enough books whenever I was out. The inspiration comes anytime and anywhere. Going around with a laptop seemed like a big job so I preferred writing in a book whenever I was out of the house.

I didn’t need to hear more from the girl before I could create a story out of my encounter with her. I had seen it all in her eyes and I knew fate and fear were the major themes of her life.

“No”, she screamed again as I tried to touch her. Her lips trembled and I ran out to call the doctor.

The doctor asked me to stay outside while he went in to attend to her. I complied and stood outside. When I remembered I left my book open, I hoped the doctor wouldn’t read through my writings. I had two reasons.

First, he was going to know I was Nina Gomez from the book, and secondly, I hated it when people went through my first draft.

The doctor came out a few minutes later.

“How is she, doctor?”

“She is fine and awake now”, he responded with a cynical smile. “You can go in now.”

I wondered what the smile meant but I waved the thoughts away. I guessed everything about me speaks well of my job. I think like a writer and do everything as a writer should.

I interpret people’s actions and reactions to comment in different ways and then I’d pick the best one that suits my interpretation to judge who he or she is. I knew judging someone was wrong but that was the life of me as a writer.

“Who are you?” The girl asked, looking at me from the bed.

I moved closer and pushed my seat toward her bed. I sat down beside her and held her left hand lovingly. Then I smiled.

“I’m Nina”, I answered.

There was no flash of recognition on her face and she asked again. “Who are you?”

“A friend.”

“My friend?”

“Yes. We were in the same cab before the accident.”

“Oh!” She looked at her baby bump. “I hope my baby is fine.”

“Of course. She is doing great there.”

She smiled. “How do you know it’s going to be a girl?”

“A little girl that looks like her sweet mother wouldn’t be bad, would it?”

“You want a baby girl?” She questioned.

“Yep.”

“Do you have children?” She asked.

“A child.”

“A girl?”

“No. A boy.”

“No wonder. That says it all. I’ve always wanted a boy but if it’s a girl, I’d name her Ellah or my mother’s name, Vera.” She smiled again. Her smile was beautiful.

“Where is she?” I asked her.

“Who?” There was a look of confusion on her face.

“Your mother.”

“Dead”, she blurted out. “Dad, too. He died three months ago.”

“Oh Goodness!” I gasped at the revelation.

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s ok”, she replied nonchalantly.

“Do you remember me now?” I tried to change the topic.

“Yes.”

“Good.” We were silent for a while before I spoke up. “So where were you going?”

She snorted. “Nowhere and everywhere.”

I grimaced and quickly replaced it with a smile when she looked at me. I pulled her cheeks. “You’re speaking in parables, baby girl. Too unclear for an old woman like me.”

She chuckled. “I was thinking of going to a hotel. I came here because of my aunt Vanessa but it looks like I’m in trouble here in Las Vegas.”

“What happened?” My curiosity was at its peak.

“She moved and I was not aware. I know no one here.” She explained. “She should have emailed me about her new residence but she didn’t. She forgot about me.” She sounded sad.

“Don’t say that. You two communicate well?”

“Yes, we do. She used to send me emails regularly.”

“Used to?”

“She stopped sending me the emails.”

“How long ago?”

“Probably 3 or 4, I can’t remember.”

“Something must have happened. I just hope it’s nothing bad.”

“Maybe ”

“So are you going back home?” I inquired.

She laughed at my question. “There is no home.”

“What do you mean there is no home?”

“My stepmother sent me out of the house.” She confessed.

“What? Why would she do that? Who the hell is she?” I asked but she was silent. “What’s her name?”

“What do you want to do with her?”

“I’ll get back the house”, I said.

“No, don’t do that. I’m fine this way. My baby’s life is more important.”

“What the hell! She even threatened to kill your baby?” I couldn’t believe my ears.

She was silent again.

“You are pregnant for Heaven’s sake, you need a home. Where do you want to stay?”

“In a hotel, till I get things sorted out”, she replied.

“Then you will go back home?”

“No. I’ll get a job and then an apartment. Once I’m done giving birth to my baby, I will be going to college.”

“Your mother will be proud of you and the baby too.” I felt emotional.

She smiled. “I can’t fight destiny. This is a fate I just have to accept.”

“Don’t you have any relatives in New York that can take you in?”

“No. All dead, except grandmother Abigail but I don’t know her whereabouts.”

I stared at her squarely. She looked back at me with those pitiful green eyes full of pain she was trying to hide from people.

“What about the father of your baby?” I finally questioned. “He should take responsibility. You can’t suffer this alone.”

There was a moment of hesitation from her before she said, “I don’t know a thing about him, not even his name.”

“What the hell!” I cursed unconsciously.