Last part
I stop the car in front of Nancy’s house, and before getting out she points me to the seat behind. “Please Nica remember to put those gifts for Anika under the Christmas tree.”
"Certainly Nancy! See you tomorrow."
She waves at me and turns and heads down the driveway.
I start the car again and after turning right at the end of the road I drive a few meters and park in front of the garage, being careful not to pass the wheels over the abandoned tricycle on one side and the pedal car on the other.
As I hang my coat and bag next to the entrance door, I rotate my gaze across the entire dim living room and then look beyond the kitchen peninsula, marveling at the unexpected silence.
"Is anybody there?" I ask, taking a few steps, passing the Christmas tree and heading towards the bedrooms, continuing to look around as I go around toy cars, Barbies, soft toys, a Super Mario puzzle with two pieces placed in the wrong place and forced together and others mountains of games scattered on the floor. Before I enter the hallway, out of the corner of my eye I catch the glow of the TV, so I turn around. On the screen I see a still image of Cruella De Vil making her dramatic entrance into Rudy and Anita's house. I pick up the remote control from the carpet and, after putting it on the table, I sit on one of the two armchairs, being careful not to make any noise, and watch my husband and our daughter sleeping on the sofa. Sam lying with the back of his head resting on her armrest holds her tightly in his arms and she, with a fist closed around his t-shirt, sleeps peacefully on his chest with her little red face turned towards me. I remain motionless looking at them with my heart bursting with gratitude for what life has given me and which until a few years ago I didn't even dare try to hope for.
I observe them for a while longer in silence until I yawn and, overwhelmed by tiredness, I lean my head against the back of the armchair and close my eyes.
Sam sold his share of stocks of Basu Finance, donated all the money to NGOs that deals with abused women and abandoned kids and we moved together to New Zealand for a new chapter in our life. The Panther aka Vikrant Chaddha was caught in joint operation by RAW and FBI in Dubai a year after we moved here.
This last week, together with Nancy, we spent most of the days getting everything to be ready for tomorrow. I smile with my eyes closed, thinking of the many gifts that I and Nancy have wrapped for the kids of the orphanage where I volunteer and that we have purchased with the very generous offer of money from Mrs. Basu. One of the many that she has made in recent years and which she still hopes will help to buy our forgiveness, especially that of Sam, who still doesn't allow her to have any contact with our daughter and who is also always rather reluctant to accept the constant gifts she gives to our daughter.
I reopen my eyes, stretching my sore arms above my head and sighing, I slide lower in the armchair, thinking that maybe I could take a nap too, but Sam takes a deep breath, opening his eyes and turning his face towards me. When he finally focuses on me, he gives me a tired smile, and after checking the little girl who is still sleeping, he reaches out to me to bring me closer.
“ How long have you been back? “ He whispers.
I walk over to the couch and kneel on the floor, taking his hand.
“For about ten minutes.” I kiss him on the lips then smile looking at the expanse of toys. "How did it go?" I ask him.
He lets go of my hand to rub it over his face and yawns. “My idea was to tire her out so she could take a nap, but I'm afraid she tired me.” He tilts his face to kiss our daughter's head. “You little pest” he whispers to her, smiling with his lips resting on her dark curls.
“How long have you been sleeping?” I ask.
"What time is it?"
“Four o'clock.”
“For an hour and a half.”
“We have to wake her up, or she won't want to go to bed tonight.”
I move her hair out of her face, revealing her full cheeks, and I'm about to call out to her, but Sam puts his hand on her neck. "Wait a moment." He pulls me towards him, kissing me urgently as if we hadn't seen each other for days and not just shortly after having breakfast together this morning. I reciprocate by circling the back of his neck while his hand has come down from my neck and is creeping under my sweater. I smile and try to tear my lips away from his but he holds me back by wrapping his arm around my waist.
“Even if we don't wake her, she won't sleep for much longer. So we don't have time for what you have in mind."
Not at all discouraged by my words, he moves his mouth down to my neck, leaving wet kisses while his hand caresses my back, making me shiver and sigh with pleasure. «I bet you have it on your mind now too» he whispers in my ear, before nibbling it. I close my eyes, tangling my hands in his hair.
"Mommy..."
I pull away from him so quickly that I lose my balance and fall back to the ground. Sam bites his lip, squeezing his eyelids shut and sighing, then chuckles and strokes our daughter's back with both hands. He look at her, then smiles at her as she nuzzles her face into his chest, yawning.
"Hello my princess." He caresses her head and she looks at me, dark brown eyes identical to those of her father. I pick her up along with her blanket and immediately she attaches herself to my neck, resting her head against my shoulder. "Are you still tired?" I ask her, and she nods. Sam yawns as he sits up, then straightens his wrinkled t-shirt. I sit next to him kissing Anika’s forehead.
I look out the window, happy because after days of rain the sky is finally clear and tomorrow the children will be able to play outside for a bit.
I tilt my head to look at my still half-asleep daughter. "Are you hungry? Do you want to have a snack?"
“Yes,” she answers immediately, hopping on my lap, and I smile at her, pushing two curls behind her ear and opening her eyes wide. “Daddy didn't feed you today?”
"No!" Leaning against my chest, she presses her lips together to keep from smiling as she looks at her father, then fidgeting in my arms and bursting out laughing when he starts tickling her side.
"Little pest. It's not true that I didn't feed you. You ate a huge hamburger and fries too, and if I hadn't kept you away you would have emptied my plate too!'
«Dad… stop… dad… dad, stop!» she shouts between giggles. He stops, looking at her seriously. “Okay, I'll stop, but if you don't give me a kiss I'll start again.” She immediately bends sideways across my legs and presses a kiss to his cheek. He pretends to think about it for a moment.
“Okay, I forgive you.”
He then ruffles her hair smiling at her. “What do you want for a snack, milk and biscuits or fruit juice and sandwich?”
“Milk and biscuits,” she replies, settling closer against me. I put my arms around her and Sam kisses both her and me on the cheek before getting up to go to the kitchen. "I'll prepare them for you right away."
While our daughter has a snack sitting in front of the TV and watches cartoons, with a wave of her my I attract the attention of Sam who is sitting on the sofa behind her. I go to the kitchen and he joins me.
“In the car there are Nancy’s gifts for her. Hide them in the garage with the others before she sees them.”
As soon as she sees her father placing her hand on the doorknob of the house, Anika immediately jumps up, dropping the biscuit she was holding in her hand onto the table. "Daddy, where are you going?"
Sam lets go of the handle and turns around for my help.
“Baby girl, have you finished your snack?” I ask her, and even though I see that she hasn't finished her milk or even her biscuits, she nods her head so she can run after her father.
“So how about you help me prepare dinner?” I ask her. “Tonight Santa Claus will pass through here and you're grown up now. You are already four and a half years old and you can prepare the snack for him. Do you want help me?"
Immediately forgetting about his father who, after winking at me, is already leaving, she immediately runs into the kitchen.
***
Before going to bed, I check that Anika is sleeping, I close the door of her bedroom and go into the living room to turn off all the lights, leaving only those of the Christmas tree surrounded by a disproportionate number of gifts on.
As soon as Sam sees me come in he immediately slaps a hand on the bed next to him, lifting his shoulders off the pillow. "Where were we?" he asks impatiently as I take off my robe leaving it at the end of the bed. I get under the covers and lie down next to him. “If I remember correctly… you were kissing me here.” A breath away from his lips I tilt my head to the side pointing to my neck, then I take one of his hands and place it on my breast covered by the nightgown. “And your hand was here.”
“No,” he breathes on my lips, then kisses my neck. “My mouth was on your ear and my hand was stroking your back.” I move away just enough for him to see my slanted eyes watching his, daring him to contradict me, and he smiles, starting to kiss my neck again. «Oh… forgive me. You're right “ he hastens to say.
I close my eyes, moving one hand up his bare chest and then kissing him deeply on the lips.
“What a rush to give our daughter a little brother…” he scoffs at me. We've actually been trying for a few months, but right now that's not what I'm thinking about. His attempt to tease me falls miserably on deaf ears as soon as my hand stroke him. He immediately starts to pull my nightgown over my head
“And now who's in a hurry?”
«I… want you… now…» he replies with a grin on his face!
“Wait… wait a minute,” I tell him, pressing my hands on his chest. He immediately stops his hands and looks towards the door, tilting his head to see if Anika is awake. Not hearing any noise he looks at me.
"What's up?" he asks.
"What time is it?"
He looks at me confused.
"What time is it?" I insist.
He sighs in annoyance, but then looks to the side at my nightstand. “Twenty past midnight,” he says quickly and move to undress me again.
“No. Wait a minute.” I stop him again, cupping his face in my hands. His eyes widen, his beautiful dark eyes that I love more every day.
«Nica… love, what's happening?» he asks, darkening and starting to worry.
I lift my head from the pillow to kiss him on the lips. «It happens that I love you. And since it's already Christmas Day, I want to give you my gift right away. Our gift.»
His suspicious gaze scrutinizes mine, then drops to my smiling lips, and now I know he understands, because he smiles too.
"Are we expecting a baby?" he asks in a low voice as if he's afraid he's risking too much. I nod, rubbing my thumb over his cheek, and he turns his head to kiss the palm of my hand, blinking quickly. "I love you my Nica." He leans down to kiss every corner of my face. «I love you» he repeats, drying my tears of joy with his lips.
Looking into each other's eyes, I whisper him back “I love you too”
The eyes are the mirror of our love and we just need to look at them to understand and love each other forever.
The end!
but it's all good. Sam and Nica have their HEA and the rest of them can go take a hike 
! Plus you sent them to New Zealand far far away from all these toxic people! 
Sam being papa made me go all awww and warmed my heart! 🫠🫠 Also happy that Nica and Sam are getting some 😉! Thanks for finishing this one, Parm! 
you depicted the emotions so well
I loved the last line where she couldn't trust anyone again!
comment:
p_commentcount