From Present to Past (Phantom of the Opera)

Chapter 17

(Carly's POV)

I was just cleaning up around my house when I heard a knock at the door. I opened the door and smiled. "Hello, Reza."

He grinned up at me. "Could you come to the house? I want to show you something!" I smiled and nodded. "Of course!" I said as I took his hand. "What is it?"

"A puzzle!" He said as he led me across the yard.

"Really? I love puzzles!" I smiled.

"It's really nice!" He said as he dragged me into the house and towards his room.

"Who got it for you?" I asked as I followed him.

"Papa!" He said as we entered his room and he pulled the puzzle out. I sat down on the floor and smiled. "That's very kind of him." He nodded and set it down between us. "Yes, it was."

"Let's put it together." I said as I dumped the pieces out.

(Reza's POV)

"Sounds wonderful, Mama." I said absentmindedly as I began sorting through the pieces. She gasped slightly. "What did you call me?" She whispered. I looked up at her and realized what I had said. "Mama." I whispered softly. "I'm sorry." I said.

"It's alright." She whispered as she ruffled his hair. "Do you happen to think of me as your mother a lot?"

I nodded slightly. "You're the closest thing I've ever had to a mother. Mine died when I was born so I don't even remember her."

She sighed and looked at me. "Maybe your father will remarry one day."

I sighed and looked down. "He's had the opportunity. The Shah even offered him several other wives to replace my mother but he refused."

"Maybe he likes someone?" She suggested.

"Maybe." I shrugged. "He looks at you a lot." I mumbled as I began fitting pieces together.

"He looks at you a lot too." She said as she put a couple pieces together.

"This is a different look." I said. She sighed and looked at me. "Reza, your father and I are friends and nothing more."

"If you say so." I mumbled. Papa liked her. I could tell. She sighed once more. "Are you disappointed?"

"Yes. Sorta. But, I suppose you can be like my Mama without being married to Papa." I said thoughtfully. She nodded. "Yes, I suppose I could."

"But, if you two were married, you'd never leave." I said, weighing the choices. She sighed. "Reza, I don't belong here. I belong in my time."

"Who said you don't belong here?" I pouted. "I want you to stay."

"I said." She then moved to hug me. "I can't stay." I hugged her back and tried not to cry. "I wish you could!" She looked down at me. "I haven't left yet, Reza." She whispered as she pulled me into his lap. "I made a deal with your father that I would leave once you were healed. You still have two more shots to go."

"But, we both know those can be given by Sarah." I said as I laid my head against her shoulder. "You could leave at any time."

"Yes, I could." She whispered and then kissed my forehead. "But, who would be there to buy me brackets and put puzzles together?"

"No one." I whispered as I looked up at her. "Stay with us? Please?"

She sighed. "Reza, I love you. Just like if you were my own." She whispered. "But, I can't stay. I have to go back home. Back to my life." I looked down sadly but decided that it wasn't any good to keep talking about it. "Let's put the puzzle together."