Cenezer

Six.

Cali gets into my sheets and hugs me tight. Tight enough to break my ribs. With a breathless voice I say, "Baby girl, your hurting me. Come on now loosen up sweetie, I can't breathe." She looked up at me with her big emerald eyes showing that they were sorry. She quickly loosed her grip, but snuggled closer to me and digging her face into my neck. While I slept on a pillow, Cali slept on my neck.

I hugged her and kissed her forehead. Colin sat down at the corner of my bed, looking around with depressed eyes. I couldn't see Colin this way. I loved him too much. I got up and placed Cali on my lap and asked Colin, "Honey, what's wrong?" He turned to me with watery eyes and said,"Mom. Today was the day." His words put me to tears. The day  and yet he calls me mom. Every time I think about it, I'm put to tears because of the memories that keep playing in my head. Of how happy everyone was. It was definitely THE LIFE, anyone would have wanted. And I could see that behind those limpid pools, he missed it.

"What was today Mommie?" Cali asked me with utmost curiosity visible in her eyes. I looked at her and said smiling, "Honey, today is the day I'm going to buy you your doll house!!" Colin looked at me and I gave him a look, he understood to play along. "Yep. Once we are back from school!" Cali went over to him. "But Col-Col why were you so sad?" Colin hugged Cali and wiggled her around saying, "Cause, I never got a doll house. Now that you are getting one, will you let me play with you?" "Col-Col, you can play how much ever you want. But....every time you play you'll have to get me a cookie. Fine?" Colin gave her an ear to ear smile and replied, "Fine Cali." And kissed her forehead.

My phone started buzzing and the caller ID read Finn. Finn worked in the IT sector for the Bureau and he was kinda my best friend. He is also my assistant at some points. I pick up the call and on the other side his rough voice says, "Hey. You planning to come for work today? 'Cause it's like 10 am and Klien will be furious if you don't show up." Oh god. Work. "I'll be there Finn. By the way...Finn could you do me a favour?" Finn sighed on the other end, "Let me guess. Coffee, black, two sugars and a doughnut?" I laughed at the fact that he knew me so well. "Yep. See you at work" and I hung up.

I swung my legs out of bed walking into my lavish bath. I took a quick bath and dried myself. Like obviously.

I walk into my closet and wear my suit. I fix my dark brown hair into a bun. I usually don't apply any make up but I could use some mascara today. Oh my god....where did I keep it? Cali is always in my room. She might have it. "Cali! Sweetie....do you have my mascara?" She ran into my wardrobe and said, "No Mommie" I turn my entire wardrobe upside down trying to search for it and as I am doing that, I find a grey box with a bow on top. Okay. So now have a gift in my wardrobe I never knew about. Is it my birthday? No it isn't. Then who could have given me this?

I open the box and find a gun, with the picture of the person who is responsible for what happened 3 years back. I turn the picture and there was something written, but in Arabic. I take the gun and the picture. "PRESENT!" I jumped. Cali startled me. "Who is it for? Is it for me? Is it a doll for my doll house? What is it Mommie? Tell me!" I didn't know how to respond. I find the bow on the floor and picked it up, handing it over to Cali. And I said to her, "This is for you honey. Stick this bow on your doll house when we get it. Can you do that for me?" She took it with gleaming eyes and said, "Thank you Mommie. It's a nice bow. I'll stick it on my dollhouse." Saying that, she ran calling Colin to show him her bow.

I wear my pumps and carry all the necessary stuff. I head downstairs where I find a sulking Colin. Colin looks up at me, with the bow in his hand. "Colin, what's wrong?" He just stares at me and hands over the bow to me. With a confused expression, I ask "Colin I gave this to Cali. Why are you returning it?" He then says, "Mom. It has a message embroidered on it. I think it's important."

I looked at the bow and read what was embroidered on the inside near the knot.

I'm coming for you. To get you and your family. Like how you got mine.

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