The Youngest Garza

chapter 25

Elizabeth’s point of view

I don’t think I’ve ever felt as irritated by someone as I am by Chris right now. I get that my near death experience was scary but I need her to ease up a little.

“I can feed myself you know?” I say to her as I look at the spoon full of oats that she’s directing towards my mouth with disdain.

Of all the things she could have chosen she chooses oats. What happened to chocolate cake and sweets? Or savoury Pringles with cheese dip? Or even pancakes huh?

“You are not supposed to put any pressure on your shoulder so if I have to feed you to make sure that you don’t, you gon be seeing a whole lot of me so get used to it. Now open wide” she demands.

I open my mouth hesitantly as I eye the spoon.

“Shit, I’m glad I’m not you Elizabeth” Sandra says from the couch to our right.

At this point I have to agree with her. Sure, if she was coddling me for another reason maybe I wouldn’t dislike it so much.

I eat the oats with as much disdain as possible until I finish the entire bowl.

She gets up from the couch and goes to the kitchen to probably wash the bowl as well since Sandra has refused dish duty and unfortunately I can’t do much with my one hand.

“Maybe you shouldn’t be so hard on her, she’s only trying to help” Sandra says in Christian’s defence.

I know that she’s trying to help us but it’s been a week since the incident and three days since I got out of the hospital and she hasn’t left my side for anything except work which she’s working extra hard at. Seeing as she’s been asking so many questions concerning the man who tried to kill me, I take it she’s taking matters into her own hands.

“I know that, but she’s been feeding me oats for three days straight” I complain about the food “And also she’s been sleeping on the couch and not on my bed so that’s another reason why I’m so pissed”

I mean sure she’s trying to take care of me and stuff but besides asking how the wound is and what I need, she hasn’t spoken about us. Nothing about us has left her mouth since the day I woke up. It’s as though she’s avoiding talking about it.

“You thirsty ass bitch. Of course she’s not just going to jump into bed with you” Sandra says

“But why?” I whine.

It’s not that I want to have sex with her... well not entirely.

“Oh I don’t know, maybe it’s because of the fact that you nearly died oh and you have some things you have got to fix ?” she sasses.

Oh she is so lucky that she’s far away or I’d jump her ass in a second.

“Drop the attitude will you. You don’t know how I feel. Right now I feel rejected. I feel as though she’s done with me for good and her silence isn’t helping me out one bit” I confess.

I’m pretty sure that If I didn’t send out that distress signal she wouldn’t have been here. I mean, it’s not like she was on her way here or something. Now she’s not talking to me about anything but my wounds, how am I supposed to feel exactly?

“Okay fine then, why don’t you try to talk to her when I’m not here because I don’t think she wants to have that talk with me adding my two cents” she says, making a point.

“But you’re always Here” I point out the problem.

If there’s one thing that Sandra has been doing the most, it’s lazing around at home. It doesn’t help that she’s been given a two weeks break from work.

“Fine, I’ll lock myself up in my room to give you guys some privacy. Who knows, I might even fall into a deep sleep... hopefully” she says before yawning tiredly.

I swear to God that this bitch is pregnant.

Chris walks back into the living room and takes her respective seat on the couch.

“Would you look at that, it’s time for me to go to sleep” Sandra says as she gets up from the couch “I’ll leave you two oblivious virgins to figure out your shit in peace...oh, and please don’t call me unless someone is dying, in fact don’t call me then too, just call 911” she finishes as she ascends the stairs despite the pleading look I give her.

If there’s an award for the most awkward people on the planet, I believe the Chris and I are the best recipients.

We sit in silence for a few seconds... minutes.

“You know what I’m most afraid of?” she asks, breaking the silence “I’m Most afraid of you realising that I’m not worth it?” she answers.

Not worth what? Not worth my time? Not worth my patience? Not worth my love? Not worth me?

“You’re worth a lot more than you think” I say to her, scoffing at her as she shakes her head at what I say “Yes, you’re worth everything that is me. You’re worth my time, you’re worth my heart. You’re even worth every heartbreak that I’ll face and endure because you are worthy Christian Brooks” I call out her full name so that she knows I’m serious.

I watch as her face contours at every emotion she’s feeling. I see pain, hatred, guilt and even love.

“I was seven when they left me here...in this country” she says and I hear the hatred in her voice .I see as she clenches her fit hard as she speaks “I was fucken seven years old”

I have no idea who she’s talking about but judging from how much hatred she has for them I bet that they were close to her.

“Who’s they?” I ask.

“My parents...my biological parents” she says.

OH...Oh.

This explains a lot.

Wow, and here I thought we couldn’t have any more in common. Shout put to deadbeat parents.

“”What happened?” I ask, already dreading what is to come.

“I was born as Omari Safia Sadiki to Lulu and Zuberi Sadiki at the capital city of Kenya, Nairobi. My birth was the most anticipated to our family as I was the first boy to grace the family. When I finally arrived, my family was nothing short of joyous and celebratory. I was spoilt to the bone by everyone that knew me” she says, surprising me with the Intel.

“ Everything was fine until I turned five and fell gravely ill. Everyone at home was worried about my stomach pains. I’d cry myself awake and eventually everyone in that big mansion would wake up to see what was wrong. A few days after the pain my parents took me to the best hospital to get checked up and that’s where everything changed” her voice cracks at the last sentence which I assume is where her troubled journey starts at.

“The doctor had told them that I was different. At first I didn’t understand what he was saying until the word ‘girl’ left his mouth. I listened carefully to everything he said and I was confused. I mean since I could understand anything I was referred to as a boy and now this doctor was calling me a girl? Impossible. My parents didn’t take it so well, my dad started shouting at the doctor for talking nonsense and promised to sue. We left the hospital in a hurry and that topic was never spoken of again, at least that’s what I thought” her right leg bounces up and down as she retells me the story of her life.

“The atmosphere at home had changed. Everyone started treating me differently. My older cousins started to tease me and my aunt’s and uncles no longer treated me like a person. My parents wouldn’t even attend to me anymore and left me to be cared for by maids. I chose not to pay too much attention to it and just decided to keep to myself. One day though, three weeks after my seventh birthday my parents came into my room and my mom dressed me in a hurry, I tried to ask question but they shushed me up so I didn’t speak after that” tears start falling from her eyes but no sounds of her crying come out, it’s as though she doesn’t even know that she’s crying.

We arrived at the airport and I got so excited to finally board a plane because my grandfather promised me that I’d get into one someday. "Je! Una hakika kwamba tunapaswa kufanya hivyo?" (are you sure that we should do this?) I heard my father ask my mother, "Ni kwa bora. Baba yangu anakulaumu kwa chukizo tulilounda kwa hivyo njia bora za kurudi kwa upande wake mzuri ni kufanya hivi" (it’s for the best. My father blames you for the abomination we created so the best way to get back into his right side is to do this) my mother replied. I didn’t understand the abomination that they were talking about so I didn’t bother asking as I was too busy being excited over crying babies and frustrated men and women on the plane. When we finally landed, a feeling I had never experienced settled in my gut”

I feel tears run down my face as I feel the pain that is radiating from her.

“We walked towards a pair of people, a male and female. They were both white but I didn’t feel alarmed or surprised because my grandfather had many white friends. ‘Is this her?’ the woman asked as she gestures towards me. I was angry that she called me a girl but was quickly heartbroken when my mother replied with ‘Yes, this is our daughter’. I squirmed in her hold as I saw the man take only my luggage and put it into a car. I tried to get out of my mother’s hold but it was no use when I felt the woman cover my mouth with a cloth and all of a sudden sleep took over me”

A sob leaves my mouth unexpectedly but she doesn’t seem to notice as she abruptly gets up from the couch and starts pacing in front of my crying self.

“Can you imagine how scared I felt when I woke up in a strange place filled with strange kids and without my parents? Children of different ages were prancing around in that big place filled with rooms filled with just children. I wasn’t stupid, It didn’t take long for me to put two and two together. They had left me at the place where unwanted children stayed. I was unwanted. My parents didn’t want me. My family didn’t want me. For a whole month I refused to do anything. I refused to eat, to talk, to take a shower or go to school, until the Brooks came in” I see a smile form on her face at the mention of her now parents.

“I ran away from them at first. I had spent nearly a year at this place and now here comes this couple, a big muscular man and a beautiful woman with the best smile. One look at me and Joseph was hooked. ‘We want her’ he said to Mrs Barclay who looked at me with disdain and asked Joseph if he was sure, ‘We want her’ Emily agreed and a week later I’m at a new house with a family consisting of a couple and their two year old son” she laughs at the mention of Emmanuel before she continues “Anyway, it wasn’t easy for me to get used to them. I didn’t throw tantrums but I refused to speak still. Even at the school which they enrolled me in I still didn’t speak. My intelligence made up for it as I was the only eleven year old In the eight grade. It was weird being in a class full of teenagers but it was what it was. As for home, I only started talking when Emmanuel called me his sister. Imagine this, I had refused to speak for five years and all of a sudden this six year old calls me his sister and I’m reading bedtime stories to him” she laughs as she recalls her story.

I smile despite the tears on my face at the smile on hers. I don’t know how she did it but she made it. We both made it.

“Eventually I decided to break my vow of silence, starting with my family and happy does not begin to describe how they felt or how I felt. It felt good to finally use my voice again, to laugh, to cry, to even sing. I finally found a family that loved me despite my abomination and I couldn’t be more happy. Emmanuel thought it was great that we both peed the same way, Emily thought it was okay and better because I wouldn’t fall pregnant and Joseph just thought that I was amazing because I was different. I finally learnt to love myself and it’s all because of the Brooks”

“How did you get the name Christian?” I ask her.

“Omari means God the highest, Safia means friend and pure and Sadiki means faithful and loyal...so I guess they assumed that I was Christian and named me Christian” she replies.

Omari... Omari. I love that name, I think I’m going call her Omari from now on.

“I think I’m going to call you Omari” I voice out as I wipe the tears from my face.

“Call me Safia, Omari is a boy’s name” she says.

Ohhhh, ok.

“Okay Safia, mhm, it has a nice ring to it” I say as I test the name on my tongue.

She laughs lightly before silence befalls upon us again. I now understand her quiet nature, it’s just who she is. I mean, who wouldn’t be guarded after what she’s been through? I’m still not over what I’ve been through so I totally understand.

“You’re a survivor, a warrior, a legend and a message. A message to everyone out there who’s been through something similar or worse. We can get through things with the right people. You’re living proof of that. Never think that you are unworthy of anything because you’re damn well worthy of everything, especially my love” I say as I caress her cheeks.

There is no one who I think deserves to be with me more than Chris. In fact, I’m not even sure that I’m worthy of her love because she’s everything that I need and more. I love her.

Her chocolate pools draw me in as we stare into each others eyes. It’s convenient how her eyes are the same colour as my favourite food although she might argue and say that chocolate isn’t food.

Slowly, we both lean into each other and our lips nearly touch but we’re interrupted by her ringing phone.

“Hello” she says as she answers her phone.

I watch her stand up as she holds the phone to her ear. I watch as she clenches and unclenches her jaw, her long chocolate fingers delicately brush through her untamed curly hair. I didn’t notice how tall she is until now, she probably stands at 5’9” if I’m not mistaken and compared to my 5’6” that’s pretty tall.

“What? When?” I hear her ask the person on the other end of the phone hurriedly “Okay, I’ll be right there” she says before she hangs up the phone and turns to face me, the tears in her eyes scare me a little until I notice the smile on her face.

“What is it? What happened?” I ask, the worry evident in my voice.

“It’s Selena... she’s awake” she says as a tear runs down her face.

Selena is awake. Yes, yes finally.

“Oh my God baby, that’s great news” I say and hug her fiercely, which she returns as well.

Thank you God, hopefully this nightmare can finally end.

“I have to go, she’s asking for me, but I don’t want to leave you guys alone” she says

“It’s okay, I don’t think that he knows your apartment number. Even if he does, I have the gun you left me and if I scream this time your neighbours will call for help” I say, trying to ease her mind.

Yes, for the past three days, Sandra and I have been staying at her place as per her request... demand.

“Okay, okay I’ll be right back. Lock the doors okay” she says whilst taking her keys and leather jacket “I love you” she kisses my forehead before she leaves.

Wait...did she just...

“Oh shit, she actually said it” Sandra says, scaring the shit out of me.

“Damn girl, warn a person next time” I say as I rub my Palm over my chest, trying to calm my heart down.

“Dude, she just said that she loves you, oh I’m so happy for you” she hugs me tightly, screaming in my ear.

Yes she did, she said she loves me.

And I didn’t reply.

Christian’s point of view

She’s awake. She’s finally awake. Now we can finally get to the bottom of this and I can settle the scores with this person.

I drive as fast as I can, breaking almost every law there is against speeding. I park the car, almost haphazardly and run straight for Selena’s Room.

I barge through the door, almost dropping my tall as to the floor.

“Damn detective, where’s the fire?” Selena jokes, throwing me her award winning smile.

I don’t reply and just walk as fast as I can to her bed before I engulf her into the tightest hug I’ve ever given her.

Tears freely fall down my face and I don’t bother with them as I bask in the embrace.

“If I knew you’d hug me like this I definitely would be in coma’s more often” she says, making me laugh.

“I missed you Selena” I say as I let go of her and just look at her.

The bruises on her face have healed significantly. She looks better than she did, so much better.

“oh shit, wait until David hears that you’re awake” I say to her. I don’t miss the way she tenses up at the mention of David.

“No!” she shouts “no, please don’t tell him” she pleads.

Don’t tell David? But he’s my partner. We work at the same division, so why shouldn’t I tell him?

“Selena, why shouldn’t I tell David?” I ask, the feeling in my gut not a good one.

“Tell me that he doesn’t know that I’m awake” she says, her voice stern like never before.

“He doesn’t know that you’re awake. Doctor Pierson said that you only wanted me here and no one else. Why?” I ask, the words playing In my head not helping the scepticism I’m feeling.

She sighs as she pinches the bridge of her nose.

“You’re not going to like what I’m about to tell you neither are you going to believe me” she says, staring straight into my eyes.

I don’t like what I’m feeling and I’m hoping that my gut is just playing games on me since I haven’t eaten yet.

“Selena, what is it you have to tell me?” I ask slowly as a ball forms in my throat.

“David... he’s not who you think he is” she says, beating behind the bush.

Can she just spit it out.

“What do you mean he isn’t who I think he is?” I ask with frustration in my voice.

“David killed Michael” she says.

What?

“What?” I ask dumbly.

I think I’m hearing things.

“David is the one who killed Michael and I have proof. It’s the only reason why his reporter girlfriend came after me”

“What reporter girlfriend?” I ask.

“I think her name is Mia Long. She’s the reporter who leaked the story in the first place” she says.

My head. My head feels so heavy. My legs, they feel like Jello. Ah shit.

“Christian!” I hear Selena shout before everything goes black.

David’s point of view

I’m so screwed.

“You’re sure that she’s awake?” I ask Mia as she paces around in my living room.

“Yes, I’m one hundred percent sure that she’s awake and that your detective best friend is right there with her” she says with a panicked tone.

Shit, shit shit shit. I’m screwed for sure. There’s no way that Chris is going to listen to me right now. Fuck.

“David we need to leave. That woman saw my face and she knows who I am. We’re going to go to jail if we stay here” Mia says as she bites her finger nails nervously.

“I can’t leave yet. You know that if I do not get my sister to safety she going to die” I say, sighing dejectedly at the odds.

“What are we going to do now?” she asks, taking a seat across from me.

Her question boggles me as I have no idea what to do as well.

I should have been much more careful. I should have just told Chris, but there’s no way that she was going to believe a thing I needed to say.

“We have to call reinforcement. It’s time for the truth. No more lies”

No more lies. It’s time for a fucken family reunion.