Inked Sapphire (Dear Dahlia Season 3)

23

It was spring. Saida had her hair in a bun, and was helping Wadi cook tuna kebabs.

“I’m back!” a voice called. Saida looked up as Dahlia slammed open the door, then jumped when it made a loud noise. Saida shook her head.

“Letter,” Dahlia said without any context, and practically whacked the envelope into the table.
“Do you mind?” Wadi snapped incredulously. “Saints. Be careful!”
“It’s for Saida,” Dahlia replied. Just then, Rahim stepped in through the back door.
“How is our orchard?” Wadi asked.
“Lovely, just like you.” The durast pressed a kiss to her cheek, and the inferni couldn’t help smiling.

Saida sat down and opened the letter. Dahlia leaned her elbows on the table, watching intently.

It was spring. Saida had her hair in a bun, and was helping Wadi cook tuna kebabs. 

“I’m back!” a voice called. Saida looked up as Dahlia slammed open the door, then jumped when it made a loud noise. Saida shook her head. 

“Letter,” Dahlia said without any context, and practically whacked the envelope into the table. 

“Do you mind?” Wadi snapped incredulously. “Saints. Be careful!” 

“It’s for Saida,” Dahlia replied. Just then, Rahim stepped in through the back door. 

“How is our orchard?” Wadi asked. 

“Lovely, just like you.” The durast pressed a kiss to her cheek, and the inferni couldn’t help smiling. 

Saida sat down and opened the letter. Dahlia leaned her elbows on the table, watching intently. 

Dear Saida, 

I hope you are well. 

Genya and David are doing splendidly. In fact, he is making her a ring from a ruby! 

Don’t tell Genya I said that. 

This week has been good. We’re preparing to go over to the Keramzin orphanage. Lots of gifts! I dragged Nadia and Tamar with me to pick them out. As usual, Nadia has better fashion taste than Tamar, but I have the best, naturally. You could come along. I know you may be busy with all that delivering your family does. Just save some flower bread for me.

What I mean to say is…we miss you. I miss you. 

You are always welcome at the Little Palace. I hope you know that. 

Best, 

Zoya 

Saida smiled softly. Dahlia was practically bouncing up and down. “Can I see?” 

Saida snatched it away before Dahlia could grab it. “Not unless you teach me how to ride that tricycle.” 

“Are you kidding?” Dahlia groaned. 

“You can teach me,” Rahim piped up.

“And me!” Wadi cut in. 

“...Fine,” the otkazat’sya grumbled. 

“We can ride it all the way to the Little Palace,” Saida grinned. 

Dahlia gasped. “We can crash through Zoya’s window!” 

“No,” Saida asserted, and stood up. Dahlia snickered. 

“Come on, you. Let’s go.” 

The two sisters walked to the field near the library. They were rebuilding it, bit by bit. Rahim had been helping out at the weekends.

“Can’t believe I’m looking at a future doctor,” Dahlia grinned as they stepped onto the soft grass.

“Oh please,” Saida laughed. 

The two sisters lapsed into comfortable silence. When they got to the middle of the field, Saida laced her hands with Dahlia’s and pressed her forehead against hers, both sisters’ eyes slipping closed. 

“I love you.” 

Dahlia smiled, and finally said the words Saida had longed to hear for a decade. 

“I love you too.” 

The two pulled away, though they still held hands. Dahlia smiled, and so did Saida.  Then, the sisters began to spin around, hands intertwined, laughing and smiling. A refreshing breeze blew, the flowers swayed, and the sound of their happiness carried on the wind as the field was bathed in beautiful, bright, golden light. 

END

Saida smiled softly. Dahlia was practically bouncing up and down. “Can I see?”
Saida snatched it away before Dahlia could grab it. “Not unless you teach me how to ride that tricycle.”
“Are you kidding?” Dahlia groaned.
“You can teach me,” Rahim piped up.
“And me!” Wadi cut in.
“...Fine,” the otkazat’sya grumbled.
“We can ride it all the way to the Little Palace,” Saida grinned.
Dahlia gasped. “We can crash through Zoya’s window!”
“No,” Saida asserted, and stood up. Dahlia snickered.
“Come on, you. Let’s go.”

The two sisters walked to the field near the library. They were rebuilding it, bit by bit. Rahim had been helping out at the weekends.

“Can’t believe I’m looking at a future doctor,” Dahlia grinned as they stepped onto the soft grass.
“Oh please,” Saida laughed.

The two sisters lapsed into comfortable silence. When they got to the middle of the field, Saida laced her hands with Dahlia’s and pressed her forehead against hers, both sisters’ eyes slipping closed.
“I love you.”
Dahlia smiled, and finally said the words Saida had longed to hear for a decade.
“I love you too.”

The two pulled away, though they still held hands. Dahlia smiled, and so did Saida.  Then, the sisters began to spin around, hands intertwined, laughing and smiling. A refreshing breeze blew, the flowers swayed, and the sound of their happiness carried on the wind as the field was bathed in beautiful, bright, golden light.

END