1.1 | The Yakuza Bride

Chapter 53

Where am I?

She looked around the room. A large fire place with a golden grate sat to her left. The hearth was clean but a basket beside it was pilled high with chopped wood and bricks in preparation for the colder months. On its white marble top were little knick knacks; a blue Farberge egg studded with rubies was the centrepiece, surrounded by an assortment of porcelain plates sitting in silver holders.

Hung on the wall above it was an oil portrait of a woman with sunlight in her hair, stars in her eyes, and a secretive smile in her lips. Yes she had been here before, but she just couldn't place it.

Two sets of chairs and tables decorated the rest of the room. One set consisted of high back chairs and a large oak table for formal purposes, while the other consisted of low, comfortable armchairs and low tables.

Golden sunlight spilled in from the open bay windows and caused the glass chandelier above to cast diamond-shaped reflections on the carpets. A fresh breeze wafted in, cooling her flushed cheeks. What was she doing here again? Why was she breathless?

And what was that sweet scent she was smelling? The breeze? No. The flowers? Pots of fresh geraniums were placed in intervals around the room, but no, their scent wasn't what she had detected.

A soft cry broke the silence.

Ah.

She looked down. Her fingers met the smooth wood of the white crib.

Tiny arms flapped at her and tiny legs kicked out from under the blanket. A baby. The baby had a tuft of black hair and a pair of bright, grey blue eyes that stared wonderingly up at her. Its cheeks were pink from the wind, and its mouth formed babbles of baby words that she tried to understand. She smiled.

She bent over with arms outstretched, hands open, but nothing. What was that? She tried again. But again, nothing. Her fingers grabbed at thin air and the baby's skin seemed to be paling. Its eyes were getting lighter and lighter, its hair almost gone. What is happening? Where are you going? She was getting frantic.

She tried to cry out, but she couldn't speak. Something was pulling her further and further away and she kicked and thrashed, but her limbs were heavy, her movements slow. No! Don't go!

She blinked.

~

Hana woke up with a gasp. She bolted up instantly, pushing her blanket away from her, and looked around the dark room. Yes, she was still in Juan's safe house. Sabine was in the other bed, sound asleep, her sheets obscuring even her face. What time is it?

She looked down at her hands that were blue in the moonlight; hands that grabbed at air in her dream. Slowly, she placed her hands on her stomach, and took a deep breath. Her flesh was firm, and her skin was taut. What was that dream for?

She lowered herself back down on her bed and shut her eyes. It's just a dream. It's nothing wrong. But she remembered the baby's grey blue eyes.

The Federov boys always had grey blue eyes, she remembered Leon telling her, it's like some kind of hereditary gene.

A boy? She tried to comfort herself, but she still couldn't shake off that queasy feeling.

~

She was woken again by an urgent knocking at the door. This time, she was more annoyed than scared, and glanced over at Sabine. The other girl was stirring, her hair in a mess around her face as she kicked the blanket away and staggered to the door.