ZARA (ON HOLD)

Chapter 17

Zara's P.O.V

A dried cough woke me up the next morning. I yawned fluttering my eyes open. I turned to the hospital bed my brother was laying on and saw our dad sleeping by his side and was surprised to see my brother awake. I quickly got up, poured a glass of water and walked towards him, I fed him some water as father kept snoring softly. I guess he was really tired, he usually wakes up earlier than this. After my brother had enough of the water, I set the empty glass aside and smiled at him.

"How are you feeling sweetheart?" I asked sitting beside him since there was still some space left.

"I'm fine and thanks for finding me on time," he said with a smile.

"You're welcome but you don't need to thank me, you know," I replied with a sigh while he chuckled and turned to look at the person laying beside him in confusion and then a slight recognition passed through his eyes, for a brief second but as if remembering something he quickly shook his head to clear off his thoughts.

"Who's this sis?" He asked looking at the hands that held his protectively. I suddenly felt nervous about everything I found out last night. I hope and pray Steve understands our father because nothing was his fault, nothing at all. It has been painful for him just as it has for us.

"It's complicated, actually," I said not mentioning his name yet, I mean our father's name.

"Explain and maybe I may understand. I promise I won't do anything stupid," he said with pleading eyes as he looked at father with something like a hopeful look? I don't know because all his expressions are flitting. One moment it was there and the next moment it isn't.

"This is..... he's.... eerrrmmm our father,"I said stuttering a bit, darn it Zara. Be confident in your damn brother. I watched Steven nervously as he kept his gaze on our dad's sleeping form and I decided to explain everything then and there.

"Father was betrayed when I was four and you were just one back then. It was your birthday actually and dad was excited. He cancelled his appointments and gave the workers a day off, he wouldn't miss his only son's birthday for anything in the world so the whole day he planned everything for your special day and I was excited as well.  We had everything back them, dad made sure of it. Even though rich, he always makes time for us. He never misses PTA meeting and was always there to pick us up from school and drop us off as well. You were enrolled in daycare earlier" I said with a smile.

He went shopping for our outfits personally after all the decorations were done. Mom said she was busy that day, she claimed she has a surgery to conduct which made father a bit dissatisfied with her, he pleaded with her to let another person conduct it but she said she wouldn't and that the patient was hers. She left earlier, dad thought she would be back before we start the party but as time neared she didn't.

Well we started the celebration, it was between the family and close family friends, dad didn't want to suffocate his little prince with too much crowd. After the cake was cut you were tired and fell asleep on dad's shoulder even though grandma tried to take you to your room dad refused saying he had a bad feeling that something would happen that night but grandma didn't take it seriously but after the family friends departed, there was a gunshot outside.

The next thing I knew was us being surrounded by strange men with black masks and outfit, they pointed their guns at us but dad never panicked which puzzled the men. The men were about ten and father recognized them all even though they had their faces concealed with a mask and a cap.

Grandfather who just entered was petrified, he asked why they were here but just got shot in the head straight,  grandmother who witnessed her husband be shot in front of her tried getting to him but she was beheaded mercilessly. Father never said a word. It was as if he was waiting for someone to appear and the person actually did, his other twin , his younger sister and mom and other family members who he thought he could rely on if he has any difficulty in life.