An Echoing Race.

Chapter Five.

#Chapter Five#

“If she gets hungry, there’s a bottle in the fridge, all you have to do is warm it up. Oh, and make sure you change her into her warmer onesie before she sleeps!” Sarah demanded, as her and Ziad walked towards the door and paused to face me. 

“Sarah, relax. I’ve got this. You guys just go and have fun.” 

“Are you sure you’ll be fine?” she asked for the umpteenth time and I resisted groaning out loud. 

“Yes. We’re gonna have fun tonight aren’t we,” I said to Abir. As if in response, she began bouncing on my hip and threw her arms out, her excited baby talk filling the quiet air around us. I laughed and kissed her on the cheek. “See? She’s excited. I’m excited. Everything is fine and dandy,” I persuaded. “Now go.” I gave her a little push in the direction of the door. 

With one last hesitant look, she nodded and stepped out of the open door. It was her first time leaving Abir so I understood why she was a little nervous. However, I had everything under control and seeing how distressed Sarah’s been over the last few days, especially after Abir’s incident in the hospital, I agreed with Ziad that she needed a night off. 

“Thanks Meena.” Ziad gave me and Abir a quick kiss on the forehead, before hurrying out after his wife. A fond smile made its way onto my lips as I watched Ziad open the passenger side door of his merc for Sarah before bending down to kiss her cheek lovingly. 

My brother was sensitive and extremely affectionate, always putting the feelings of others before his own. It was the reason as to why so many girls fell over their feet trying to get his attention before he married. Unfortunately for them, his heart was intent on one woman  and one woman only. 

The story of how he came to find Sarah was heart-touching; he was in the mall, buying me a gift for starting uni when he heard a young girl sobbing to her mother, yelling about a toy that she wanted. She was making a scene; stomping her feet, yelling and throwing a tantrum until her mother had no choice but to scald her. Embarrassed, as she was waiting in line and everyone could hear, the mother whisper-yelled that she couldn’t afford it and that if she didn’t quiet down, she wouldn’t buy her the small packet of lollies that was already in her hand. 

Before Ziad could speak up and buy the toy for the young girl, Sarah, who had been waiting in line behind the woman, stepped up to console her, telling her that she could grab anything she wanted in the store and she would buy it for her. Ziad had been intently listening the whole time and had been immediately intrigued by Sarah and her random act of kindness. 

Her disposition and selflessness was what attracted him and he had acted quickly after that, finding out her name and hunting down her family thereafter. Imagine her father’s shock, when the Prime Minister’s son rocked up to their door and asked for their daughter’s hand. 

Ziad beeped as he reversed out of the lengthy driveway, breaking me from my reverie and I waved enthusiastically in return. Shutting the door, I turned to head back to the living room but just as I took a step froward, I stumbled backwards in fright as someone was standing directly behind me. A very big someone.