Adira and Levi were taken home with Alice. Things went perfectly smooth afterwards. Jack too seemed to have softened up a little bit. At least he no longer beats Alice anymore. He doesn’t scold her at every little thing. For that, Alice was grateful.
Alice’s mother had moved into her place to help her around with the babies and the housework during the first month after her delivery. Once the month was over, her mother returned home and Alice had to get back to her busy life once again. But this time, she will have to do it in addition to looking after twin babies.
Alice soon got used to it, and soon it became normal for her to take care of everything. Her babies truly have made her life happier. Their arrival has lightened up her life. She no longer was depressed. Though life was tiring and she had no time for herself, she found joy in taking care of her children.
One such day, she was trying to make breakfast before Jack left for work when she heard one of her little ones cry. She rushed to the room, where the babies were. She ran towards the room when suddenly the cries stopped. She halted in the doorway, as she was taken by surprise but what she saw.
Jack was holding their baby in his arms and swaying from side to side, his eyes fixed on Levi’s little face. He grinned at his son and Levi’s little voice filled the room. Alice stared at the man, whom she had known to be cold and heartless. Who would have thought that the same person would have a soft side to him too? Perhaps, the children, or more specifically his son managed to soften his stone heart.
Jack noticed that Alice was standing in the doorway. He looked at Levi and started to coo at him.
“Look. Mama is here. Now go and feed well. I can’t wait for you to grow up.” Jack spoke to him lovingly. Alice managed to shake herself out of her state of shock and take her son from her husband. Just then their daughter grunted in her crib. She too was waking up. Jack walked away quickly.
“Is the breakfast ready?” he asked. Alice nodded. Jack nodded and walked away. She sighed and looked at Adira. Levi gets attention from him. She wished he would look at their daughter the same way. What would it take for him to realise that girls too are worth being proud of?
She swung the crib from one hand while she fed Levi first. At least Jack seemed to have softened up a little. Perhaps with time, he will learn to love girls too. She carefully placed Levi in his crib and took Adira in her arms affectionately. She smiled at her beautiful baby girl. How can anyone not love her? She thought. She looked so perfect.
“Adira, you are mommy’s little Adira. Live up to your name.” She whispered.
Months passed by and the babies grew up, crossing milestones one after the other. But time a year has passed, Adira and Levi have started to take little steps. The house was not filled with happy giggles of little kids. Their home was now a happy one. Not a gloomy house filled with the cries of an unhappy girl who was married off without her consent.
Alice has noticed how jack has changed over the days. He has turned from the stone-hearted cold man to a somewhat loving father, who took good care of the kids and who wouldn’t hurt their children’s mother, especially in front of their children. Though he never showed any affection towards Alice, she was happy and thankful that at least now, he doesn’t beat the crap out of her.
A few more years passed by and it was time for the children to go on their first day of school. Levi and Adira were admitted to the Hemsville school.
“Hurry up! It’s almost time for school now.” Jack bellowed. He hated being late. Alice struggled to dress and prepare the mischievous toddlers who wouldn’t stay in one place for more than twenty seconds, on time For school. Adira and Levi both ran towards their father as soon as they were ready. Jack lovingly kissed Levi’s forehead. “Now go to school and make me proud.” He said as he crouched to their level. Both kids jumped in their excitement. Alice watched as Adira wrapped her arms around her father’s neck and kissed his cheek.
“Race you.” She exclaimed and ran towards the car with Levi following closely.
Jack sighed and looked at Alice. “Why can’t you teach her to stay in her place? We don’t need to send her to school. She will be wed off as soon as she turns seventeen anyway.” He told Alice.
“But all the girls in the village go to the village school. If we don’t send Adira, everyone will talk ill about us.” Alice pointed out. She had learnt to speak with wisdom over the years. She only spoke when needed to. Too much of her speech would only irritate Jack.
Jack huffed in response and made his way outside. Alice watched as they drove off and made a silent prayer that her little Adira leads a life that would be better than hers.
Days passed by. Adira and Levi grew up to be smart and good in their studies. Little by little, Adira started to notice her father’s indifference towards her. She started to notice how he would simply ignore her efforts and achievements while he would overly praise her brother for the same thing.
She starts to wonder why. And soon realised that it is the norm in the society she lives in. Girls from their village often are married off soon, most of the time without their consent and their education would be discontinued since then. She notices that whoever female nurse or a female teacher they had in their village was someone who had migrated from another village or city.
Her heart broke. She had lots of dreams for her future. She didn’t want to just stay at home. She certainly didn’t want to be married off to someone she barely knew. Yes of course she will marry. She wanted to marry someone who she likes. And why can’t a woman have a carrier as well?
On the day they turned thirteen, their father took Levi on a fishing trip. Adira stayed back with her mother and helped her to prepare for their return. They will have to prepare everything for a BBQ that day. Time passed, there was still no news of Levi and Jack. Adira and Alice waited patiently near the river bank. Alice looked around. They were taking too long. What happened?
Alice started to pace anxiously. They had never been this late in the evening. Something had happened. What could it be? Then, they caught a glimpse of the boat they took on the horizon. Alice sighed in relief. They coming back finally. But something was not right. Why was Levi lying down motionless on the deck of the boat? Alice and Adira watched with frowns on their faces.
The boat anchored and Jack jumped into the shallow water. He quickly picked Levi’s motionless body and carried him to the shore. Alice’s eyes widened. What happened? What happened to her little boy? Adira rushed after her mother to wear her brother’s body was kept.
“What happened?” Alice gasped as tears streamed down her cheeks. She was freaking out. Anxious, angry and sad at the same time. She loved both her children the same. For her, both of them were the apples of her eyes.
“He....he fell into the water a.... and ...and he doesn’t know how to swim... H... He drowned.” Jack gasped for breath as he answered. “I. I tried....” jack stuttered.
“Quick! Call the village doctor.” He urged as Alice ran into the house to make the call. Jack clenched his hair as he watched his son’s lifeless body. He can’t lose Levi. He just can’t.
Adira too was in shock. There, her twin was lying on the ground with absolutely no sign of life. How would she live without him? Yes, he could be a nuisance but what would she do without him? He was the one who would cheer her up each time her father scolded her. Or the one who would sneak in treats for her. He was the one who played with her and of course teased her like crazy. She enjoyed her time with him. How was she going to survive without him?
She dropped to her knees and placed her hands right below his chest. She tried her best to remember what she had learnt in school during science class – how to properly give a CPR.
She pumped with her hands and gave her brother mouth to mouth resuscitation. Jack furrowed his eyebrows as he watched his daughter work skilfully. He would have normally told her to back off, but right now he was too nervous.
Soon enough, Levi started to cough. Adira turned him aside and allowed him to spit out the water from his mouth. She took deep breaths, as she tried to calm her racing heart. Levi coughed and vomited out the contents before relaxing.
Jack watched his children in awe and shock. He did not expect that. He did not expect that from a girl. Yet, his daughter has managed to surprise him. He looked at his son, thankful that he was finally awake and breathing fine. His gaze travelled to his daughter, who was still trying to catch her breath. Her eyes still locked on Levi’s tired face, filled with worry and concern for her brother.
It was at that moment that it hit Jack. She had saved his life. She had saved Levi’s life. If she didn’t do what she just did, perhaps he would lose his only son. He will forever be grateful for that.
“Hey..” Adira spoke softly to her brother.
“You scared me. Don’t you ever do that?” She said, tears rolling down her cheeks.
Levi gave a weak smile. “You are not getting rid of me that soon.” He managed to whisper weakly.
Adira chuckled. Her brother would know how to make her smile even in the worst possible time.
Jack felt a tug in his chest. He was wrong. All those years he was wrong. Girls are not something to be ashamed of. Girls are a blessing. Girls can bring happiness to your life.
By this time Alice was running back to the shore with the medics.
“Wh..what? He is ok now. H.. how?” she gasped.
Jack managed a small smile and pointed to his daughter. “She saved his life.” He said in a small voice. Alice looked at her husband. She knew something has changed. She could read him like an open book. He has changed. But right now what mattered the most was that Levi was awake.
She didn’t try to hold back her tears, tears of happiness and relief. She didn’t lose Levi. She looked at Adira and Levi as she knelt beside them.
“I was so scared, Levi.” She cried. Levi sighed and mouthed a thank you to his sister. He knew he owed her his whole life. After all, she had saved his.
The medics attended to the boy and check his heartbeat before declaring that he should rest for a while. When they left, the shaken-up family slowly made their way home.
The BBQ they were supposed to have was forgotten. Not that it mattered anymore. What mattered was everyone was safe and fine. Alice quickly made something simple to eat for dinner and the family had their dinner silently before going back to bed. No one made much of an effort to speak. Levi and Jack had their dinner at the table while Adira and Alice had theirs in the kitchen like they always do. It was their tradition. They didn’t have dinner together. Men and women are separate.
Jack was silent for the rest of the night. He sat in front of the TV just like any other night, but tonight, he just stared at it. What the news reporter said didn’t make any sense to him. All he could think of was Adira. And how she had saved Levi’s life.
His heart was hammering in his chest. What would have happened if he didn’t send her to school? Or worse, what would have happened if he had kicked his daughter out of the house, just like he had planned in the first place?
He felt something he had never felt before. Fear. Fear of losing someone dear to him. A huge lump formed in his throat and he found it was hard to swallow.
The news reporter kept blabbering nonsense. Finally, he switched the TV off. And relaxing on the sofa with his eyes closed. He kept thinking about the day she was born along with the son he treasured. She sure was a special child. He sighed and stood up from his seat to go to his room.
He checked on Levi like he always does. He saw that Levi was peacefully sleeping. He closed the door and looked at the other room, where his daughter would be sleeping by now. He swallowed the accumulating saliva in his mouth and opened her door cautiously. He knew she was sleeping from her soft snores.
He found himself walking slowly towards his sleeping daughter. She was indeed in a peaceful sleep. Her jet black hair was matted with sweat on her forehead and her blanket was crumpled on one side. He chuckled. She was sleeping just like Levi. There was not much difference between them
A sad smile formed on his lips. She h just like him. He had been ignoring it the whole time. And it took for her to save Levi’s life for him to finally realise that.
Just then, Alice rushed into Adira’s room.
“Oh, it’s just you.” She said softly. She had hurried to see who had entered her daughter’s room late at night. After all, Adira was an attractive girl. And there have been girls gone missing from the village who has never been found.
She sighed in relief. Jack can be stone-hearted and cold, but one thing was certain. He would never hurt Adira like that.
She expected him to walk away as soon as he saw her. But she did not expect him to walk straight up to her and take her hands in his.
Alice watched in shock as Jack kept his eyes on her hand and sighed. He looked into her eyes and their eyes locked. No words were exchanged between them, however, Alice understood exactly how he was feeling. They felt as if their hearts were connected and they didn’t need words to understand what had to be said.
Alice felt her throat get blocked. Her eyes filled with happy tears. She smiled and let out a small sniffle. Her prayers have been answered. Jack has finally accepted their daughter.
Aksara