When Love Sprouts

Chapter 16: Where Am I

"Water, wa...ter," she begged with parched lips and a mouth as dry as the Sahara.

He gave her a glass of water with a straw, so that she could suck the water. The glass of water was gone before you could even spell out the word gone.

"Javas," Azania said with a husky voice.
"Where am I," she questioned in an unsettled tone, and scanned the room for the smallest of details. They were in a wooden cabin that had nothing more but the essentials in it: a small foldable table, a bed, a table and some chairs.

"Shhh, relax, we're safe," he said.

"Where's my mom," she asked.

"I sent them home," replied Javas.

"What do you mean sent them home," she repeated.

"I sent them to your Aunt," he said.

"Sent them to my aunt? You mean to Aunt Dekko? So I'm all alone," she asked. Tears began to warm up her dry cheeks.

"No, no, Zee, please don't cry, I'm hear by your side, like I should have bee  from the beginning,"

"You're right like you should have been. Now my family is scattered, maybe even hurt. Have you spoken to them, yet," she asked.

"Listen, Ma Chéri, I love and will always love you. What happened to you shouldn't have happened, and right now might not be the best time to talk, so just rest and we'll talk then," he suggested.

Silence filled the room, and tears raced down her cheeks as she stared quietly at the wooden ceiling. She pondered into her throughts:

"Mama, where are you? Joao, Danika are you guys alive, breathing and kicking? I hope you are because I'd rather be alone six feet below the ground than be lonely in a world where I'm surrounded by nine billion people."

"Gert, is sy nou wokker? Laat ek vir haar sien, sy is jou bruid.  Eintlek, wanneer, trou julle
[Is she awake? Let me see her, she is your bride after all. Actually, when are you getting married]," asked Javas' mother.

"Ma, yes she's awake, but it's too soon to speak about marriage," he said.

"Wat? Ek kry word nie jonger nie, Gert. Ek moes ook kleinkinders hê
[What? I'm not getting any younger, Gert. I also must have grandchildren], she said.

Javas rolled his eyes, and let her mother mumble alone as she sat on the chair knitting what looked like a scarf for Azania.

"Your mom is quite funny," said Azania.

Javas grinned at her comment. "You think she's funny, you should hear my aunt. That right there is Metro FM,"

The pair stared deeply into each other's souls, but Azania broke the staring contest, wondering her eyes into the melancholic sunset.

"Hey, Zee," Javas said, tilting her face towards him. "It's gonna be okay, we're gonna be okay," he whispered, bringing her into his arms.