Jake. It had been over nine months since Kalia dissappeared with no trace at all. It was like she had never even existed. But I never gave up, I still had people out looking for her. I stood by my bedroom window, or atleast what used to be our bedroom window, overlooking out, looking at the sky. It was a beautiful morning, and I could not stop thinking about her today..She must have already had the baby by now. My baby. Now looking back, none of this things mattered anymore, I had fought for my company which was not hard given Kalia left me half the company she shares that she owned before she disappeared. I had everything I ever wanted except her, I was in love with her and she was all I could think about. Wondering if she was okay, if my child was okay. "Hey," my mom said rubbing my shoulders gently from behind me. I had been so absent minded that I never even heard her get into my room. She stood next to me and we stood there together in silence, we understood each other a
Kalia. I sat in the sterile hospital room, the scent of antiseptic lingering in the air, mingling with my growing sense of dread. My son, Jake junior lay asleep on the bed, his small frame dwarfed by the oversized hospital sheets. At just eight months old, he had been the light of my life, a joyful, curious child who filled my days with laughter. But today, his pallor and the lines of worry etched on his face revealed the reality we were facing.I had been here all night, worried sick to my stomach as the doctors performed tests trying to see what was wrong. The doctor had delivered the news just an hour earlier. Jake's blood tests had shown a severe deficiency in his bone marrow's ability to produce red blood cells. He would need a bone marrow transplant to save him. My heart sank. The procedure was complicated, and finding a match was critical.He was only eight months old and he needed one of the most hardest surgery, tears rolled down my face freely, no parent ever wants to see
Kalia. It had been a few hours since the transplant. Of course Jake was okay, he was outside sitted by the bench. But junior was still not awake. The doctor had said he would not wake up for a few hours and it was killing me. I was about to go to the doctor again, when my phone started ringing. I looked at my phone, it was Jake's mother Maria who was calling me. I looked at the buzzing phone for a few seconds before I decided to actually take it. "Kalia," she said as soon as I picked up, her voice a little raspy, "How is the baby doing?" she asked and my whole body melted and I wanted to ball my eyes out"We are still waiting, the transplant was successful though." i said trying to be strong. "I am so sorry Kalia, I really am. I had no idea..." i immediately stopped her. "It's okay, it's all in the past Maria, it was a long time ago too." i wasn't trying to end the conversation because I didn't want to talk to her, I just did not want to start crying. "I will come see him soon,
Jake. I knew having that conversation was not going to end well, I didn't want to have the conversation but Kalia always knew how to push my limits. I was about to follow her when my phone beeped, it was from Paul. He knew I was at the hospital and he was not supposed to call unless it was an emergency, so I knew it must have been an emergency. I sat back down and dialled his number, he picked on the first ring. "Hey, Paul." I said, "What's going on?" "It's your father Jake, he is gone." my whole body froze at the mention of my dad. I had not seen that man for almost over a year, he always tried to reach out to me, wanted to talk, but I had no interest. I sat there my whole body suddenly cold. "Jake, are you there?" Paul said bringing me back to reality. "Yes," I said, trying to control my voice, "How did he die?" I finally asked through my crooked voice. I never had imagined over the years, what would happen if my father died especially the early years, but nothing really e
Kalia. I had been looking everywhere for Jake. It was like he had disappeared all of a sudden. But he seemed to have been distracted when he approached me and he really wanted to talk to me.. Something was definitely wrong. I was about to go back into the hospital when I saw Maria and Maya walking towards the entrance. I had already talked to Maria and she had told me she would come but I never expected her to show up today. "Hey, what are you guys doing here?" I said confused, faking a smile as I looked around them trying to see if Jake was with them."I came to see you and that baby, I told you I was coming." Maria said smiling arkwadly."Yeah, but I did not think you were coming all the way out here today, not that I am really complaining." i said walking them towards the children department."How is he?" Maya finally spoke up for the fist time and it hit me I had not even said hello to her."He woke up a few minutes ago, but for like five minutes. He I still under really heavy
Eric. I sat in the hospital parking lot for what felt like eternity, part of me wanted to drive back and act like I had never gotten this information. I wished I had not pushed Naima to be honest with me. But Kalia was my best friend, she was like family, like my own sister. I had to warn her. I slowly got out of the car, suddenly feeling a slight headache. I walked to the reception, but before I could talk to anyone, I spotted her and she ran towards me excited, all smiles. "Hey, you didn't have to come." she said, as she hugged me as she led me to a bench and we sat down. "I know, but what kind of friend would I be if I was not there for you when you needed me most?" she said, taking my hands in hers. "Thank you for coming, it really means alot that you are here." she said in tears. "But no crying please, I don't want to see any tears on your beautiful face." She just looked up at me with her big brown eyes, and smiled. "I love you." she whispered"I actually wanted to tal
45.Jake.Waking up from the coma. I blinked against the overhead lights, my eyes struggling to adjust as I tried to open them despite how uncomfortable it felt. For a moment, I felt lost, floating in a hazy void where time had no meaning. The sounds of beeping machines and muffled voices swirled around me like distant echoes. Panic gripped me momentarily. Where was I?“Jake?” A soft, familiar voice cut through the haze. It was Kalia, my wife, her face a mix of relief and anguish. I tried to speak, but my throat felt raw and unresponsive. Instead, I focused on her, the warm familiarity of her presence, she seemed like she had been crying, her eyes were bloodshot and her face puffy. .“Jake, can you hear me?” Her voice quivered, and I nodded slightly, feeling the weight of the movement. “You have been in a coma for a month now,” she continued, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. “I thought I was going to lose you, we all thought you were never going to wake up.”"a month?!" I atte
28.Jake."Not now Maria, please." i said a soon as I saw her walk in. "We have to talk Jake, and we need to talk now." she said taking a seat at the couch. "You know, I hate your guts, I hate how you walk around here like you are the boss. You have no right to talk to me the way you just did Maria." I said angrily, getting off the bed. "I am not here to cause trouble, I just want to talk to you Jake, just calm down.""Talk? Talk to me about what Maria? What exactly do you want to talk about?" "Jake." "Do you want to talk to me about how you abandoned me? How you left me with an abusive man? Do you want to talk about that? Because I do have some questions, i need answers.""Please Jake, don't do this." I walked up and down the room looking at her in tears, I had so much resentment for this woman. "We have never talked about this, and I think it's time for us to." "You don't understand Jake," she said in tears. "Then help me understand, okay?" "I could not stay there anymore,
Jake. I stood at the end of the cracked asphalt driveway, staring up at the old, two-story house that had loomed large in my childhood. The faded blue paint peeled in the corners, and the once vibrant garden lay choked with weeds. It felt both alien and achingly familiar. I had driven here straight from the hospital, I needed the drive, it was therapeutic and helped my mind no to focus on Kalia kissing that man. I stepped onto the porch, the wood creaking beneath me like the groan of old bones. The door, a relic of better days, swung open with a reluctant push, revealing a dim interior that smelled faintly of mildew. Dust motes danced in the shafts of light that filtered through the grimy windows. I hesitated on the threshold, recalling a thousand small moments the laughter, the fights, the palpable fear.I was a rich man who lived lavish, but so was my father. He used to be among the richest self made men, but after my mother left, he started getting reckless, gambling, drinking an
Kalia.I turned around and it was Maya, she slowly sat on the cold pavement next to me. She seemed to be in so much pain. "You should be in bed." i said helping her sit comfortably. "No, I should be on a bed next to Jake in the ICU," she said looking away. "Everyone keeps saying I am lucky, but i don't feel lucky at all, not when it was my fault""Maya, accidents happen. It's not your fault, it's not your fault he is in there and you are out here." "But it is, I could have taken a cab, but instead I let him come pick me up." "I know Jake, there is no way he would have let you take a cab and you know that too. He will be fine, he will wake up from there, he is a fighter.""You really believe that?" "I have to believe that, I have to have hope that he will fight, that this is not how our story ends. He has to fight.""You know he talked about you, he told me alot about you." Maya said, catching me off guard. A part of me got excited, with little butterflies in my stomach. "Let me
Kalia. After dinner, I went out by the pool. It was a beautiful night, the full moon out along with a sky full of stars. It was so beautiful and calming out here tonight and generally in the country. I had always wanted to raise my family in the country, away from the buzz of the city.I dipped my bare feet into the cold water, getting a certain satisfaction. I was still reeling from dinner, from that made up how we met. I had watched Jake all night, he seemed happy, he was so committed to the fake story that I wondered if he really did remember how we met. He could be a good actor because even I bought it. Which is why it was going to be difficult to read him, to trust him. My phone buzzed, and I looked at the watch on my wrist, it was past eleven almost midnight. Who would be texting me at this hour? Maybe something was wrong with my dad, that was the only reason I could think of why someone would be texting me this late. I quickly got out of the water, rushing to the table
Kalia. After dinner, I went out by the pool. It was a beautiful night, the full moon out along with a sky full of stars. It was so beautiful and calming out here tonight and generally in the country. I had always wanted to raise my family in the country, away from the buzz of the city.I dipped my bare feet into the cold water, getting a certain satisfaction. I was still reeling from dinner, from that made up how we met. I had watched Jake all night, he seemed happy, he was so committed to the fake story that I wondered if he really did remember how we met. He could be a good actor because even I bought it. Which is why it was going to be difficult to read him, to trust him. My phone buzzed, and I looked at the watch on my wrist, it was past eleven almost midnight. Who would be texting me at this hour? Maybe something was wrong with my dad, that was the only reason I could think of why someone would be texting me this late. I quickly got out of the water, rushing to the table
Kalia. I had been working overtime for the money and the hours were starting to get to me. I was exhausted, but I needed the money. I turned away from the cashier’s counter closing it and slammed into a hardwall.. well, it felt like it was a hard wall, but in fact, it was a man’s solid chest. Large,powerful hands came around and gripped my upper arms to steady me.For a second it was all right. I had the apologetic, slightly flirtatious smile and appropriate words that passed for polite regret ready, I’m so sorry. But when my eyes flew past the broad shoulders up to his face my whole world tilted crazily. I felt the blooddrain away from my head and my face whiten. A part of my brain screamed, No. No. No.No fucking way. Not halfway across the world. Not after all this time.I had done a pretty good job of starting afresh, far away from my previous life, far from anyone that knew me. And for a while it had worked, or atleast I had thought so. I opened my mouth and… Closed it like som
Jake. I stood at the end of the cracked asphalt driveway, staring up at the old, two-story house that had loomed large in my childhood. The faded blue paint peeled in the corners, and the once vibrant garden lay choked with weeds. It felt both alien and achingly familiar. I had driven here straight from the hospital, I needed the drive, it was therapeutic and helped my mind no to focus on Kalia kissing that man. I stepped onto the porch, the wood creaking beneath me like the groan of old bones. The door, a relic of better days, swung open with a reluctant push, revealing a dim interior that smelled faintly of mildew. Dust motes danced in the shafts of light that filtered through the grimy windows. I hesitated on the threshold, recalling a thousand small moments the laughter, the fights, the palpable fear.I was a rich man who lived lavish, but so was my father. He used to be among the richest self made men, but after my mother left, he started getting reckless, gambling, drinking an
Pregnancy. "Oh my God, I don't feel so good." i said standing up, my hand on my lower abdomen. A few minutes I was kneeling by the bathroom vomiting my guts out. Maybe it was something I ate, it had to be something I ate. I said to myself going in for another round of vomiting. Now that I was thinking about it, I had been feeling nauseated and tired for almost a week now. I just thought I was coming down with something, but this was getting too serious. Maybe I needed to take a test. I slowly got up from the ground, washing my hands and mouth, before I looked at myself in the mirror touching my stomach. I tried to portrude my stomach a little bit, to get a glimpse of what I would look like pregnant. ' I can't be pregnant, not right now atleast.'I fished my phone out from my pocket and went straight to my period tracker. I was definitely a few days late. All I had to do now, was get a few pregnancy tests from the hospital. I slowly picked up my phone and walked out of my ro
The small town ice cream parlour buzzed with the sweet chatter of families enjoying their afternoon treats. Lively music played softly in the background, mixing with the hum of the old-fashioned soda fountain and the occasional scrape of spoons against cold, creamy bowls. Emma sat across from her son, Ryan, both savoring their chocolate and vanilla ice cream cones. She smiled at her six-year-old, his face covered in a delicious mess of chocolate smears. The sun streamed in through the big front windows, casting a warm glow on the tiled floor and the colorful, vintage décor of the shop.Ryan, as always, was full of energy. He hopped out of his seat to peer at the ice cream flavors on display, his eyes wide with excitement. He was a curious child, often getting distracted by the smallest of details. Emma watched him, content, her own cone forgotten for a moment as she admired her son’s wonder at the world.Then, a loud clink interrupted the peaceful moment. A man, tall and slightly dish
Jake.. No matter what happens, we will always be infinite. I looked up from my phone, and for a moment the whole world came to a standstill. I knew her. She was a brunette with all her hair held up in a bun, she was wearing a yellow sundress, and some sunglasses. She looked beautiful, but that was not what caught my attention, it was whose hand she was holding. A boy that seemed to be around two years was tugging on her dress. I didn't even realize I was staring until our eyes met, she almost gasped, one hand on her mouth, she looked horrified to see me, scared even. She quickly took the child's hand and seemed like she was about to run away when a man approached them with candy. He handed it over to the enthusiastic little boy who beamed with excitement. "Excuse me, do I know you from somewhere." I said touching the lady's arm and they all turned to look at me, including the little boy. "Are you my daddy?" the little boy said, looking up at me, with ice cream smeared all ov