Leave Me If You Dare

They arrived in an apartment near the center. Farrah had arranged everything for her and waited for her arrival.

Arabella pressed the doorbell and the door opened quickly.

“Bestie!” A loud voice greeted them that made them surprised for a while.

“Farrah! You gave me a fright.” Arabella’s tiredness quickly faded hearing her best friend’s shouting.

“No, you can’t blame me. It’s been so long.” Farrah hugged her tight while crying.

“It’s so nice to see you too my friend.” Arabella couldn’t help to cry too while hugging her long-time best friend.

“OMG! Wait! I…. I thought you are alone. Is this my godson already?” Farrah quickly abandoned Arabella when she saw a cute little boy who was hiding behind his mom. He hated loud strangers the most.

Farrah was very stunned seeing Adam clearly. She seemed to see a mini version of Bill Sky.

“OMG! Your look… You look like exactly your fath… “Farrah couldn’t help her excitement that she almost spilled out the deep secret of Arabella. Fortunately, Arabella was quick to cut her.

“Yes, Farrah. Meet Adam. Adam, don’t be scared. Come!” Arabella knelt to present Adam to Farrah sending her a meaningful message by her stare. “She is Aunt Farrah. She is mom’s best friend.” Arabella gently explained as she knew Adam was aloof to strangers.

“Nice to meet you. Aunt Farrah?” Adam gave his hand to Farrah in a gentlemanly manner.

Farrah wanted to chuckle but she controlled it. “Nice to meet you to my godson.” Farrah replied and shook his little hand.

“Just call me Adam, please.” Adam was backed to his normal vigor. He didn’t easily trust strangers.

Arabella blinked at Farrah.

“Oh. Okay, sir. Nice to meet you, Adam.” Farrah quickly corrected her statement with a snappy military salute that made Adam chuckled softly. She is like her mom. No wonder they are best friends.

Before the sunset, Arabella went out to see her mom. She left Adam in the apartment with Farrah. She had to see her mom first before she would take Adam to her as the last time, she saw her was also tragic.

Her mother saw her as the murderer of her dad. All this time, it made her feel guilty that she lost that chance to save her dad. If only she was so strong to fight against the gravity that pulling forcefully her father’s stretcher down from the cliff, then her father would still be alive now.

She asked Farrah to secretly conduct an investigation about her father or at least to just recover his body but they didn’t find anything. It was such a pity that they never had a chance to mourn over his loss.

“Mom, I am here. Your daughter.” Arabella was gently holding her mom’s hand while weeping. Jaimie was sleeping when she came. Looking at her mom, her heart was clenched hard. After six years, Jaime changed a lot. Her face was pale and thin with dry skin and wrinkles everywhere. She had turned older over the years. One could easily say, she had been through a lot of roughness in life.

“Why are you crying?”

“Who are you?”

Jaime weakly asked looking at the girl sitting beside her bed.

“Mom, it’s me. Arabella. Your daughter.” Arabella was rattled as she was expecting her mom would recognize her now. More tears were flowing down her eyes upon hearing her mom’s voice once again and seeing her mom with opened eyes.

“My daughter?... I don’t have a daughter. Are you lost?” Jaime replied with confusion in her eyes.

Hearing her mom, that pain she felt 6 years ago came back to her but the difference was her mom was calm. Only, she still didn’t recognize her.

She remembered her mom’s doctor said that Jaime’s memory and mood were on and off. Sometimes, she remembered and sometimes she totally forgets everything. The worst part was when she had nightmares, the next morning she became brutal, angry, and tend to imagine things that didn’t exist.

“Yes. I… I am lost. Can I stay here for a while?” Her mom had endured too much. Arabella had no plan to give up on her.

“Sure. Are you being chased by someone? Hide in the bathroom so you’ll not be seen. Don’t worry, I will protect you.” With a worried voice, Jaime said while pointing the way to the bathroom.

Arabella’s tears were flowing down uncontrollably. If only she could switch places with her mom, without any hesitation, she would definitely do it. It’s very painful for a daughter to see her mom’s miseries and yet she couldn’t do anything to appease her mom’s situation.

“Don’t worry. We are safe. I already locked the door. No one can enter here in our room.” Arabella pacified Jaime. Obviously, her mom felt unsafe.

“Can you give me water please?” Jaime sat up and leaned at her headboard.

“Right away mom….” Arabella was very excited to serve her mom again.

“Mom?” Jaime felt confused and her expression was scrutinizing Arabella as if she was scheming her.

“Oh. Sorry… I just miss my mom.” Arabella quickly made her alibi and held Jaime a glass of water.

Jaime drank the water then put the glass beside her table.

“What happened to your mom?” Jaime asked with motherly concerned eyes.

Arabella sat beside Jaime again. For a moment, she couldn’t find her words to answer her mom.

“Hmmm… I lost my mom.” She answered lowering her head while tears rolling down. How she missed being with her mom and having their usual conversation. She didn’t want to lie but she didn’t want her mom to change her mood and avoid her. Though she didn’t recognize her at least she was calm and she was talking to her properly.

“Come here. I think you need a hug.” Jaime held Arabella’s hand and open her shoulder for her.

More warm tears rolled down her cheeks hearing her mom. She quickly hugged her mom. Even though she didn’t recognize her, her warmth is enough for her to calm her heart.

“Don’t worry. Moms don’t leave their daughters. She will come back to you in time.” Jaime gently stroked Arabella’s back.

After her mom’s statement, tears liked rain dripped down from Arabella’s eyes. She tried her best not to sob as she didn’t want her mom to feel uneasy and end her hug. She wanted to prolong and take advantage of the situation that she was in her mom’s embrace.

She missed her mom so much!

Meanwhile, Farrah was with an aloof boy. She was trying to get close to Adam but the boy was a bit distant to her. Even though, she was excited to have a chit-chat with her handsome godson.

“Are you okay? Missing already country Y?” Farrah wanted to start a conversation with him while they were eating their dinner.

“I worried about my mom.” Adam replied without lifting his head. Farrah cooked him pasta for dinner and he wanted to finish it quickly.

“Adam, don’t worry about your mom. Your mom is with your grandma and nothing would happen to her there.” Farrah didn’t know how to explain it to him. The boy was obviously had something in his mind but nevertheless, she was happy that Adam grew up to be a loving son.

“What about if she’s going to be hurt?” Adam finally looked at his godmother with a worried expression. The pasta seemed tasteless without his mother. Earlier, his mom called informing him that she would be late and that she would not join them for dinner but he still felt worried.

“OH, my godson, don’t overthink. Okay? Later we can call your mom again to check.” Farrah was speechless of Adam’s concern to her mom. She felt proud and amazed at her godson. Her best friend is so lucky to have Adam.

Adam nodded as his reply to Farrah but his worries lessened just a little bit. He couldn’t forget what his Uncle Damien said about her mom’s ex-husband, his father. His father is a bad guy who hurt his mom. He should protect her mom from his father that’s why he made up his decision to follow his mother in Capital Z.

If everything would get messy and dangerous in Capital Z, he knew whom to get help.

That guy!

His friend, Bill.

Adam knew he was rich and powerful in Capital Z judging from his charisma. One day he would see him before they go back to Country Y.

“Aunt Farrah?” Adam had something bothering him in his little mind.

“Yes. What is it?” Farrah was surprised that Adam had started talking.

“Do you know my father?” Adam asked directly with eyes full of curiosity.

Farrah instantly dropped her jaw. She didn’t expect Adam to ask such a question.

How could she answer him that he would not hate her?

Undoubtedly, Adam is a genius and she could not just use such lame stories to him.

“Ahhh…” She was speechless and even she tried to find her words, they seemed to run off.

“Ahhh… about that Adam…”

“I….” How could she tell him that she doesn’t know if she’s his mom’s best friend? That’s ridiculous!

“Adam…. I…” Cold sweats instantly came out of Farrah’s forehead. She had met many people in business, this is the only time she felt speechless and felt her wits had run out. Her first meeting with her godson was tough, unlike the usual greeting and bonding. He made her froze in her seat at his question.

“Sorry, I’m late. How are you guys here?” Arabella sounded in front of them with swollen eyes and a drained face but still to smile at them.

“Mommy!” Adam put down his utensils and ran towards Arabella with open arms.

‘Thank God!’ Farrah was saved by Arabella. She couldn’t help to heaved a sigh of relief.

“Adam? Did you give your godmother a headache?” Arabella saw Farrah’s sigh.

“No. Bestie, Adam is a good boy.” Farrah saved Adam quickly.

“Have you eaten mom?” Adam dragged Arabella to the table and prepared her seat.

“Yes. But I want to taste Aunt Farrah’s pasta. Let’s eat now.” Arabella blinked at Farrah. She had sensed something had happened before she came.

The night in Capital Z seemed so long and cold that Arabella could not find her sleep. Adam was very tired with his journey to Capital Z that he easily dozed off.

Arabella stayed late on the balcony with Farrah as her best friend decided to sleep over to catch up with each other. She was also willing to be Adam’s nanny for as long as she could be a help to them.

“Bestie, Adam asked me about his father. Does he know his name? I mean thank God you came or I am doomed.” Farrah didn’t intend to complain but she couldn’t help it. She almost lost her senses a while ago with Adam’s question.

Arabella was right. Her heart skipped a beat hearing Farrah’s concern.

“He doesn’t know anything.” Arabella’s fear seemed to come quickly.

“But Adam is a genius. Eventually, he will find it out.” Farrah’s tone was worried.

Farrah is right.

“I don’t know my friend. I don’t know how to tell him. I am not ready yet. I can’t just say that we are hiding from his father because he wanted him dead when he was in my belly. His father tortured me to death when I was pregnant with him… How?... I don’t know. I can’t… I don’t want Adam to build up hate in his heart. I don’t want to hurt my son.” Arabella felt the deep anger in her heart for Bill again.

“That’s really tough my friend.” This time, Farrah heaved a sigh of frustration.

“He should not see us here. He should not see Adam.” Arabella’s voice had a wave of controlled anger.

“Don’t worry, I will help you with that.” Farrah knew Arabella’s rough past because of Bill Sky.

“Thank you, Farrah. You are really an angel.” Arabella hugged Farrah.

“Oh common! You still owe me so many explanations.” Farrah said smiling to lighten the vibe.

"Oh, Farrah! What do I do without you!” Arabella muttered behind Farrah and hugged her tighter.

Behind them, in a dark corner, a little boy was standing and clearly heard what they were talking about.. His face darkened in the night while his little fists were clenched hard.