Tricks of Fate

Chapter 17

[Barry]

The emotion in her voice as she whispered my name was perplexing. She sounded heartbroken and yet simultaneously ecstatic. I was left reactionless.
"I'm so glad you're awake." she sobbed out, her voice shaking. I felt my heart tighten at the sound of her crying. Don't ask me why cause I don't have an answer. It seemed like a reflex.
"Please don't cry. I'm alright I can assure you of that." I blurted out, a little panicked.
"It's alright Barr. These are happy tears." she tried to calm me down and indeed her voice seemed to lighten. I wished that I could remember her face cause I was pretty sure that she was smiling then.
"I just wish that I could come see you," she added.
"Do you live far?" I asked, growing used to the sound of her voice and wanting to find out more about her.
"Well I live about an hour away from you but I'm currently in a neighbouring city," she said, her voice slowly going back to normal and gradually a twinge of recognition started to tickle my brain.
"Where are you and what are you doing there?" I pushed, my interest in her growing the more I heard her speak.
"I'm in Star City. It's a work-related trip." she sighed.
"Oh, I'm sorry."
"No, don't be. I love this job I just... Well, I really missed you." she said, her voice coloured with affection. My stomach came alive with butterflies and an inviting warmth spread across my chest. I was so confused. I had no idea what was happening to me. No idea what on earth this girl was doing to me. Before I could answer the door to my room, that my mother had left a jar, swung wide open and the cutest little ball of energy rushed in with her arms stretched wide while she screamed "Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!"
I laughed and reached down to pick her up. She hugged me so tightly that I thought she was going to permanently glue herself to me. Not that I would mind, I needed to hug her just as much. You know that 'at home' feeling you get when you hug someone you love and it just makes all your problems a hundred times better? Well, that's what I felt at that moment. I felt at home and at peace. I didn't, however, feel entirely complete. Something was missing... Or someone.
"Where's your mommy sweetheart," I asked her, I might have amnesia but I still know that it takes two to tango... If you know what mean.
Her eyes began to well up and soon after she started crying.
"Oh, no, no, no. Shh" I said as I bounced her up and down on my lap. I heard a distant humming coming from somewhere and realised that I was still on a call. I put the young lady (Cause she sounded like a young lady) on speaker phone and realised that she was singing.

"Wise men say, only fools give in, but I can't help, falling in love with you." she sang and slowly the little girl began to calm down. Her voice was melodious and sweet and it lit a spark deep within me. She sounded beautiful. She started humming at a certain point and I felt like she'd forgotten the lyrics so I carried on singing for her.
"Like a river flows, gently to the sea, darling so it goes, you and I are meant to be."
She remembered the rest of the lyrics and I carried on singing along with her.
"Take, my hand. Take my whole life too. But I, can't help, falling in love with you."
Our voices fit perfectly together and my heart did a little dance in my chest as it realised just how good we sounded together.
"Well, would you look at that. Not only do you complete me, you complete my heart song too." She said and I felt my face flush, not knowing how to respond. Truth be told, I felt a little less broken when we sang together. Maybe she was the piece that was missing.
Answering my question, the little girl grabbed my phone and yelled,
"Mommy!"
"Hey baby." the (well she wasn't a girl now was she) woman responded.
"Miss mommy." the little girl said, her face falling.
"Aww, I miss you too sweetheart. Mommy will be back soon, for now, you just take care of daddy OK?"
The little girl responded by nodding and I laughed.
"She nodded didn't she?" her mother asked knowingly as she laughed along with me.
"Yes, she did," I answered, thinking it was the cutest thing ever.
"There you are Nora." my mother said as she smiled at us from the doorway.
"I've been looking for you. Come on. It's time for bed."
Nora pouted then kissed the cell phone and gave me another super hug before jumping off the bed.
"Love mommy. Love daddy," she said as she walked away.
"I love you too baby." the two of us said in unison. It was like we were completely in sync with each other.
"Well, I should be going too. Long day ahead of me." the woman sighed. I looked down at the screen and her name flashed back.
"Iris?"
"Ye,s Barr?"
"When are you coming back?" I asked, cause at that moment I felt an invisible rope pulling me towards her. A little voice in my head kept telling me to run to her and I just couldn't shake the feeling that my place was at her side with our daughter.
"The last event I have to attend is this Friday. I should be back by next week," she answered.
"That seems like forever." I sighed before I could stop myself.
"I know, but I'll be there before you know it. Take care of our little girl while I'm gone. She missed you too... And Barr?" she said her voice sounding shaky and uncertain.
"Yeah?"
"I love you."

My heart stopped, and my mouth dried up. I felt like I couldn't breathe for a moment and just as quickly as those symptoms came, they vanished. Replaced by an emotion so powerful and overwhelming that I couldn't deny it no matter how crazy it seemed. I had no idea what she looked like, nor who she was and all though most of my life was a gigantic blur in my head there was one thing that I was sure of...
"I love you too Iris."