Hurt and healed by love

“s**t!” Zara cursed as the flower vase dropped from the table and broke. She ran her hands through her long brown hair, her hands shaking nervously. The cry of the baby was not helping matters, she was so disorganized, physically and mentally. She kicked the pieces of the broken vase to the side, as she counted the money she had left. “This should be enough to take me there” she muttered, her voice shaky. Although her whole life was exhausting, she did her best to hide it with her skimpy dress and makeup. She picked up the crying baby, almost weeping as she saw his tears. “I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry, it’ll be fine soon, just hang on” She muttered as she cradled the baby, trying to make him stop. She looked up at her scattered house, the empty kitchen with nothing but expired butter and some salt. The living room had just a noisy ceiling fan and poor-looking couches. She swallowed her tears, she’d shed enough since the past year anyway. Her determination became stronger, as she turned and stepped out, with just a little cash and a baby that had finally stopped crying. She hurried to her neighbor’s house to drop the baby. Grandma Laura looked worried and concerned as she took the baby, “Where are you going dressed like this, dear?” “I’m going back to who started all this.” Zara’s voice was very hoarse and dreadful. She knew Grandma Laura would try to talk her out of it, so she turned towards the door immediately. “I’ll be back soon, just hold him till I’m back.” She hurried out, stopping the first cab she sighted, “Diamond’s Bar.” It was Friday night, and she was ninety percent sure he would be there. The only reason she dressed up was so she could easily walk past the security, and she was grateful she did. Her eyes briefly scanned the Bar, with loud music and waiters moving around with drinks. She easily located the VIP area, which was quiet. There was only a man, sitting and smoking while two half-naked girls danced before him. Her blood boiled immediately, she glared at him with pure hatred and anger. After destroying her life, by raping her twin sister and sending her to an early grave. Because of poor feeding, her sister died while delivering her baby. Now, the baby is terribly sick due to malnutrition. She had spent every last cent trying to take care of the baby, selling off everything she owned, but it was never enough. The baby’s body is getting weaker each day, and she would rather confront her worst enemy for money, than lose the only person that has kept her sane since her sister’s death. And here he was, enjoying his life after ripping her own apart. “Hey lady, this is the VIP area, get lost." One of the half-naked ladies shot her a glare. Zara didn’t move or blink, she didn’t know what to do or say as she stared at him. She wanted to just stab him countless times, until she was drenched in his blood. “Ava…?” Tristan finally noticed her, he thought it was her twin sister. Zara scoffed, trying to suppress her emotions. “Leave,” he told the half-naked girls, they mumbled and glared at her as they walked out. “I can’t believe you came to me…, hold on, is this really Ava?” Tristan could see Ava’s face, but the posture, the aura, the body…, it didn’t seem like the Ava he remembered. “I’m Zara, her twin.” “Hmmmm, Yes! Ava mentioned having a twin, but she never mentioned you were this sexy and pretty.” Tristan eyed her with lust. Zara’s hands shook as she watched him, “Why did you do that to her?” Her weak voice asked, she was breaking down. She hadn’t summoned courage to confront him since the whole situation, her emotions were intense. “Do what? Oh! That? She came to me, and we both had fun. It’s just a pity. I didn’t know she was a virgin, I would’ve been gentle at least.” Tristan’s eyes lit up like he was remembering something exciting. Zara felt her feet go weak, “Fun!? She returned home soaked in her own blood! Fun!? She spent a week at the hospital! How dare you!” She screamed, falling to her knees as tears rolled down her eyes. “Look, it’s not my fault your sister was dumb and poor.” Tristan was getting irritated by her drama. “What!?” Zara looked up at him. “What did you really come here for anyway, I’m sure you didn’t come to talk to me about an event from over a year ago” Zara was so furious, but she remembered her dying niece. She swallowed hard as she tried to find her voice, “Pl…please, we…we need money.” Was all she managed to say. Tristan burst out laughing like he heard a hilarious joke. “Something told me you were here for that, you poor bitches are the same. Trying to play the pity card by talking about your twin sister, why didn’t she come by herself anyway?” Tears streamed down her face as bitterness enveloped her, “She…, She’s ill, please, we need money.” “How much are we talking about?” Tristan eyed her, blowing smoke from his mouth. She blinked her tears away, trying to remember the total amount the doctor requested. “A million dollars.” It was a little over a million, but she knew getting a million from this bastard was enough. The baby had developed lots of diseases that were slowly eating up his life. Tristan laughed again, “A million dollars? For useless bitches like you and your sister? You aren’t worth that much money, sorry.” “Please, please I’m begging you. It’s a matter of life and death,” she knelt, begging him shamelessly because he was her only hope. He looked her up and down before grinning, “Take off your clothes and dance only in your underwear, and I might consider giving you the money.” “What!?” She widened her eyes at him. “I’m only helping you out here. If you don’t need the money, you can get out of my sight. At least I won’t spend so much to have a night with your sissy.” He giggled, and she folded her fist, her whole body shook as she slowly stood up. “That’s right, take it off slowly. Let me see those sexy curves.” He grinned, adjusting in his seat like he was about to see an epic movie. Zara placed her hand on the edge of her dress, her eyes blazing. His words, his laughs, his smile, the look in his eyes, everything played in her head and she snapped. “f**k you!” She grabbed a bottle of wine and smashed it on his head. Tristan fell off the chair, his head bleeding as he groaned in shock and hurt. “I will make your life miserable by all means, even if it’s the last thing I do!” She spat in bitterness as she ran out. She knew she had just done something dangerous, Tristan would have her killed. She ran as fast as she could out of the Bar, and immediately sighted a cab dropping off someone. She pushed the person and got in a rush, causing the driver to go as fast as possible. She panted as the bar disappeared behind her and her phone rang, almost making her faint from shock; it was Grandma Laura. “Zara! Zara!” She heard panic in the old woman’s voice, “What happened? Is my baby not okay?” She asked with a teary voice, knowing he had never been okay since he came to this world. “He’s barely breathing, he’s so cold, there’s something flowing out of his mouth, I can’t even understand, I’m so scared” Her heart sunk, “I’m coming, I’m coming now.” She screamed as she punched the chair, “f**k! f**k!!! Arghhhhh” The driver was scared for his life. He sped to her location and didn’t even wait for her to pay before zooming off. Zara had no cash on her anyway but still felt more frustrated as she would’ve begged him to take her to the hospital with Ryan. The breeze was very cold and she heard thunderstorms. Raindrops fell as she walked to Grandma Laura’s house. The old woman was already at her doorstep, carrying Ryan with tears in her eyes. She couldn’t do anything to help the baby. Zara grabbed him, talking like an insane person. “Not you too, please don’t leave me, please I’ll go mad, I’ll go mad, please” She screamed bitterly. If she lost Ryan, she’d fail again, like she failed to protect her sister. She ran to the streets, the rain had started pouring down seriously, she just ran towards to the hospital which was several miles away, when she got to a major road, her strength could no longer carry her, it was so late in the night and there were barely any cars. She shivered, her dress was completely soaked and her make-up had washed off, leaving only the dark marks of mascara. She had been running in the rain for minutes. She held Ryan very close to her chest, trying to protect him from the rain, but his shawl was getting soaked too. She saw a car coming after a minute, and she blocked the road screaming with all the strength she had left, trying to be louder than the noise of the rain, “Save my baby please, save my baby please I beg you, my baby is dying, my baby is dying.” She knelt on the road, holding the almost lifeless child. She knew if this car ignored her, Ryan was as good as dead. The car stopped and a very tall masculine man stepped out of it in a hurry, “Come, let’s get you to the hospital now!” Zara blinked the water in her eyes away, to be sure she wasn’t hallucinating…, the car really stopped. She jumped up immediately and ran to his car. The man drove at full speed to the nearest hospital. Zara whispered, “Thank you, Thank you so much.” Her voice was weak, she felt life draining out of herself. “Stay awake! Don’t fall asleep, we’re almost there.” The man tapped her, and she nodded slowly, fighting back. They finally arrived after what seemed like an eternity to her. She felt numb and empty, the baby in her hands was no longer crying. The next thing she saw were people in white gowns, taking the baby from her and helping her get down from the car. She watched them take her baby into the hospital, and as she fell into darkness…, she prayed not to ever wake up if he didn’t make it.