FATED BOND

Daisy’s POV

I couldn’t believe Damien went looking for me like Stanley claimed. When I got to the house that night, my baby was already asleep but Nadia was still up, waiting for Nina and me.

“Mother and daughter gone missing? This is so unlike you two. It’s past midnight already and I was just about to call the cops.”

“It’s ok Nadia. I don’t think Nina will be home tonight.”

“What happened? Is everything alright?” She asked with concern.

“Yeah. Everything is fine. Nina went on a date. My date turned out bad”, I said and went to my room.

“Sidney?” I nodded.

“I’m sorry”, she said as I took the staircase to my room, without going to check on Ellah.

My mind was in turmoil. I couldn’t process all that happened in one night. First, it was Sidney then I met Stanley of all people who told me Damien went looking for me.

“Shit.” I sat heavily on the bed.

I was mad at him all along for nothing. He truly cared. He truly valued the night we spent together. He wasn’t fake. He was real.

Before I knew it, I burst into tears. Tears of agony, tears of wanting and pain. Tears of the bottled-up feelings in me. It was all for nothing after all. I cried my eyes out and slept off without getting out of my dress.

The next morning I was in a good mood. I didn’t want the opportunity of finally meeting Ellah’s father to slip away. I was planning to get his contact from Stanley.

I was hoping to see Stanley again. He was useful for once in his life. I realized that no one… absolutely no one is entirely useless.

Danny brought Nina back home the next day around noon and I watched them exchange kisses from the window before Nina came out and waved him goodbye.

I heard giggles from behind me and I turned to see Nadia. We laughed together so hard. We were happy that Nina had finally let a man into her life. I was extremely happy and proud that my plan worked perfectly well.

Well, I was a genius.

Nina burst into the house to meet us, still laughing.

“Good afternoon to you too”, she greeted and made me go to her room, to avoid the numerous questions we had prepared for her.

“Not so fast mom. Can you explain what we just saw?” Nadia and I rushed to her side, still giggling.

“Explain what?” She was with a serious look on her face.

“Mom, we are under 18. Can you please explain the porn…”

“I’m out of here”, she cut me short and ran into her room. We followed her but got disappointed as she slammed the door shut in our faces.

***

Sidney showed up three days after and that really spoiled my optimistic mood.

“I am sorry”. He apologized.

“Sorry, you say?”

“I have waited so long Daisy”.

“Oh! So I’m not worth the wait? I told you I am not ready for sex yet you were ready to defy that?”

“I see nothing wrong in having sex with you. You are my girlfriend”, he stated.

“Really? It seems you are ready to father a child then.”

“Father a child? What do you mean by that?”

“What if I become pregnant?”

“We can use protection, babe,” he smiled.

I stared at him for a while. “Sidney, I’m really not ready for this.” Then I sat down on the sofa.

“Mommy”, Ellah called as she came in with Nadia in her school uniform. Her school wasn’t far from the house. My arms were already wide open to welcome her back from school, as she rushed to hug me.

“My baby.”

“Mommy?” Sidney was with a gobsmacked look on his face. The reality dawned on me that Sidney was still around and he was not aware that I have a child.

“I don’t understand what’s going on here? Can you please explain?”He dangled his car keys in front of me.

I couldn’t find my voice. That was part of my fear of not telling him beforehand. Fear that it won’t go down well with him.

“I’m sorry, Sidney”, I tried to get close to him. “Don’t come near me “, he yelled.

“Mommy, is he daddy?” Ellah asked me innocently.

“No baby, he’s not your daddy,” I answered. I cradled her in my arms and pecked her forehead.

“You know what? I’m out of here” Sidney stormed out before I could raise my head,

“Sidney” I called but he was already gone.

****

Amar’s POV

Sometimes, our family members make the wrong decision for us. They think they are doing us a favor but they do not know what could result from that single wrong decision, they took that they want you to go along with. For family obligations…. fucking obligations!

That was the same thing my family did. A decision that appeared to me that I would have to live with for the rest of my life. If only I could turn back the hand of the clock but that was impossible, I thought. If only I had gone ahead with my heart desires, things would have been better.

I was betrothed to Lakshmi the moment she was born. I was just 5 then and a prince.

I met Nina in America when I was 22. It was love at first sight. I couldn’t get my eyes off her. I was in love with everything about her. The clumsiness, the fear in her eyes, the confidence, her speech, her naivety, and the way she carried herself. I knew she was going to make history. I knew she was going to be a great person.

We had one nightstand and it was the best night ever. The moment I saw the reddish drop of her purity on the bedspread the next day, my love for her increased but I needed to go back home. Home was calling. My father was on his death’s bed.

I dropped my business card so she could call me and I left America. While on air, I couldn’t get the image of her body out of my head and how soft her body felt against mine.

Father died two days after I got to India and I was supposed to be the next king. My step-uncle brainwashed our clan and they claimed I was too young. I needed to be married to be the next king.

My uncles made preparations for me to marry Lakshmi and even after our marriage, they took the title away and said I needed to have children. Having kids would signify that I was man enough for the title. I lost the title to my step-uncle but I was left to live with their wrong decision, Lakshmi.

When Nina informed me of her pregnancy, I told Lakshmi I can’t go on with the marriage two days after the wedding. It was obvious we were both in love with someone else. I wanted to go back to America and start a new life over there with Nina. But my uncles wouldn’t allow me. Lakshmi also cried for days. She refused to admit to me that she was in love with someone else and I never knew

My first fruit grew up without me because of family obligations that weren’t worth it. I couldn’t bring myself to have sex with Lakshmi for 10 good years of our marriage.

Those years were terrible years for me. All I think of is Nina. She was still in my life but I couldn’t have her. She was always sending me pictures of my boy every birthday and I crave to touch him, talk to him and know what it feels like to be a father.

The day Lakshmi and I finally consummated our marriage, I was a bit drunk. We had sex and a week after, Lakshmi told me she was pregnant. That was when it dawned on me that I needed to be responsible for my family and let go of the past. I tried to take care of Lakshmi as much as I could and shower her with the love and affection I had deprived her.

When she gave birth to Yashmi, I was supposed to go to America for Damien’s 10th birthday but I couldn’t. Then I stopped calling Nina after having informed her of Lakshmi’s delivery and she stopped calling too.

I thought that would burn my feelings for her but I was wrong. My past kept haunting me but I had to endure.

I was in a way mad at Nina for making the marriage between Lakshmi and me possible. If she had done something, if she had told me about her pregnancy before the wedding day; that would have been enough to put a stop to the whole thing.

My anger dissolved when she suggested that Damien come to China for his Higher Education since I was working in China. We had started communicating again but it was unlike the previous years. I realized how selfless she was. She was a great woman indeed. A woman of virtue and I’d have been the luckiest and happiest man on earth if we had gotten married, I thought to myself.

When Damien got to China, I was happy and excited but he wasn’t… probably because he wasn’t used to having me around or wasn’t used to the environment. It wasn’t until a week ago that we began to bond really well.

He was really a funny guy and we chat a lot, tease each other and do things together. We even go partying together during weekends, whenever he is home with me.Property of Nô)(velDr(a)ma.Org.

He reminded me of my youthful age and I was hoping he wouldn’t make the same mistake I made by not getting hooked up with his mother. She was my first and last love. I knew I would never love any other woman the way I loved Nina. Infact her absence was increasing my love for her.

I was at home one Friday morning, hoping to go on vacation with my son when I got a call from home. Lakshmi was cheating on me. I knew it already. So I asked my friend to tail her while I was in China. I was a bit shaken but what got me mad was when it was revealed to me that Yashmi isn’t mine but her lover’s.

I had to leave China for India with Damien since their school was on holiday. Lakshmi denied it when I confronted her and we took the matter to our head. That was where she confirmed that the story was true and she asked me to forgive her. I was angry with everyone and I wanted to be alone so I left her there for home.

I didn’t want the kids to notice there was friction between their mum and me, including Damien who kept asking me what the problem was. I was having doubts if the second child was also mine but she swore that she was mine.

I made plans to leave India a day after Yashmi’s birthday. I was still trying to process all that was happening when Damien gave me the phone to talk to his mom.

The anger I felt for years came rushing back and I couldn’t help but voice it out. I accused her. Nina seems to be ready for my outburst as she responded to my accusation sharply.

I guess we’ve both been hurting, holding grudges against each other for being apart. I guess I opened her wound by my accusations. I thought I was the only one who was suffering for it all but I was wrong.

What Nina was facing was more than mine. I was married but she wasn’t.

I think it is high time I made things right. It is high time I rectify my mistakes, and our decisions….. my decision of not going back to America, and Nina’s decision of not informing me about our baby before my wedding. As well as my family’s decision of engaging me without my consent by choosing a future partner for me, I said inwardly.

I was done. Done with the deceit. Done pretending to love who I don’t. Done with the hurt. It is becoming unbearable. I have just one more thing to do and I will be a free man again, I said inwardly.

I need to go back to India and issue Lakshmi a divorce. Then after that, I’d turn back the hand of the clock as I have always anticipated. I will go back to America, to the love of my life. The woman of my dreams. And the mother of my first fruit.

Nina Gomez.