The Bends : Chapter Sixteen

Zaharah clipped the special past visitation on the right corner of the collar on her pastel lime green blouse as she awaits anticipatingly for Nadia as she was seeing busy filling up the documents regarding their visitation. They waited for another fifteen minutes at the corner of the ward until a nurse came forward towards them and bring them over to Maya's room. To Zaharah, it seems the walk way along the corridor is kind of gloomy and the distance was rather quite far from the entrance of the ward itself. At last they came upon another room which had a metal door with cages right in front of it...different from the other doors which were usually make by laminated wood. The nurse knock on the metal door and then the policewarden who was sitting on the chair beside Maya's bed stood up to unlock the metal door and the cages. She demand for Zaharah and Maya's special visitation pass and without hesitation both of them unclipped their passes from their collars and hand them over towards the police warden. She read through the passes together with the documents which Nadia had fills up earlier and then she allows them into the ward. Maya was seeing resting on her bed as she closed her eyes deep in her own thoughts.

"Maya, some people are here coming to visit you." said the warden politely towards Maya much to Zaharah surprised as she thought that the warden looks rather stern and unfriendly. Maya slowly open her eyes and then as she saw Nadia, she smile faintly.

"How are you dear?" asked Nadia as she came closer towards Maya and gently caress her hair.

"I'm good." replies Maya softly as she nods her head.

Zaharah took a glance at Maya's and her heart felt shudder the moment she set her eyes on her. Maya looks just like her daughters's age...even though she's two years older then Aleeya. Maya was barely nineteen but yet she had been through a lot of trauma ever since she was a child far more worst then her own childhood life back then. Zaharah looks at Maya's soft but sweet innocent features and she can't blame Aden to have fallen for her.

"Maya, I'm sure you know about your current situation now. You will be deported back to your country by this week, however you do not have to worry a thing about that matter, because we decide to place you in one of our homes where you will be safe." explained Nadia as she held on to Maya's hands. Maya nodded without saying anything but there were so much sadness in her eyes. And then Maya had her attention towards Zaharah as she begins to stare at her with her wondering look.

"Oh! I've almost forgotten. This is Zaharah. She's my sister in law...one of our active volunteers running the orphanage centre of this town area and she's Aden's mum. Together we will help you get through this alright..as long as you willing to fight that fear and overcome all this trauma." exclaimed Nadia as Zaharah came closer towards Maya's bedside.

"Hie Maya. Nadia is right. You've got to fight it. Don't let that fear consume you and brings you down." utters Zaharah with a smile. Maya had tears in her beautiful eyes and nodded.

"He has been released isn't he?" asked Maya as she trembles with her words.

"Maya, please don't worry about that. You are safe here..we assure you of that." said Nadia as she looks straight into her eyes. "It is not too late for you to sign the divorce declaration if you have make up your mind on that." continues Nadia again hoping that Maya will not have a second thought of leaving Ilhan for good.

"I can't." replies Maya's as tears begins to well up in her eyes.

"Is there something which he had held against you?" asked Zaharah curiously but with firmness in her tone. Maya looks at Zaharah for a while and then she looks away and turn her face on the other side, as she tries to avoid any eye contact with them. "Maya, you've got to trust us if you want us to help you dealing with this." coaxed Zaharah again gently as she tries not to sound too persistant.

Slowly Maya turns to face Zaharah with her teary eyes but she remains silence and Zaharah realised Aleeya was right, Ilhan had definately treatened her and that had makes her becomes so afraid to get herself away from Ilhan despite being mistreated and terrorize by him.

"Who's Reena?' asked Zaharah.

“Maya you do not have to be afraid anymore. We are all here with you.” exclaimed Nadia as she held on to her hand. Both Nadia and Zaharah stood in silence and they waited anticipating for Maya’s explanation on her relationship with Reena, as they both could sense that Reena must have meant so much to her.

"We both knew each other on the street ever since we both we were still kids. It seems that she was the only friend which I had as long as I could remember. Things gets out of hand when one late evening, we both were round up by some horrible people and they sold us in this horrid place.” utters Maya and then she stops as she begins to wept in silence. Zaharah came closer towards her and held on to her other hand which was still being handcuffed by the side of the rail of her bed. Zaharah reaches out her hand and wipe the tears of Maya’s delicate face. Maya looks at Zaharah with her doe eyes and she felt touch…she could feel the compassion and kind heart which Aden had was from his mother’s gentle and genuine love.

“She fought hard to protect me as I was not strong enough to protect myself, however she had to bear so much suffering due to that circumstances.” continues Maya and then she sat up on her bed as she tries to regain her composure. “We were force to do that kind of explicit trade for almost two years until one day, I found myself to be pregnant again due to those people ruthless act. I was afraid of being through for another horrifying abortion procedure and I beg them to let me keep this child just for once. Reena was by my side too…begging and pleading with them and…” trails Maya as she tries to control her sobbing. “She’s sacrificed her self…letting her self being used and jeopardized by those merciless people. This continues until finally I gave birth to a baby boy, whom I name Marsha. However they took him away from me together with Reena. I begged and cries for their mercy but all those pleading was left unheard. And then I knew I was alone…with no one to hang on too. And yet again I was force to sell myself on the street .” said Maya sorrowfully and then she stops.

“Maya, do you have any idea where could Reena and your son might be right now?” asked Zaharah while Nadia was busy typing in her notes as she gather the latest information from Maya about her previous history.

Maya remains silence for a while and then she nodded. “Ilhan had told me that, they were both are safe somewhere away from the town area. However Ilhan also had told me that Marsha was sold to a rich childless couple right after he was born.” utters Maya. “I did not even got the chance to even feed him with my own milk but yet he was cruelly taken away from me.” said Maya sadly. Zaharah could not contain her own solemness as tears begins to well up in her eyes. “And Reena, she had HIV much to my despair and she’s dying. And this is all my fault. If knowing that I will still loose my son…I just might as well abort it…!” trails Maya as her sadness had change to anger.

“Maya, none of this happening is your fault…not at all. You've got to stop blaming yourself for this." exclaimed Zaharah as she tries to inject some courage into Maya's ailing soul. "About Ilhan, so he does knew you had a child even before you met him?" asked Zaharah as she was curious about this matter which seems to get more complicated then she had ever expected.

Maya nodded her head with so much sorrowfulness in her beautiful doe eyes. "After I had lost Reena and Marsha, all I had is Ilhan. I could still remember like it just had happened only yesterday, right after he had safe me from being merciless tortures by those horrid people, he brings me back to his home village. He was someone whom I really look up too..someone with so much love and compassion and I trust him. And that's where I told him about Reena and Marsha. I felt so touch when he took the trouble to look out for both of them and he even brought me along to see Marsha at his new found family home. He's beautiful...I knew he is my son cause his foster mother had shown me his birth certificate which had indicate my name on it. Ilhan knew how much Marsha had meant to me..and he had eventually promised me that he will fight to get my son back to me. We both had tries so hard to locate Reena, however it was all in vain and all that Ilhan had heard of from one of his friends..Reena is dying due to her tragic illness."

"Maya, it is because of the promised which he had makes to you that seems to prevail you from signing the divorce declaration?' asked Zaharah.

Maya remains silence for a while as she wipe her falling tears off her cheeks. "That promise had change into a threat. For the first two years of our marriage was a bliss however circumstances and the negative surroundings had change him too. " cried Maya as she shut her eyes and then slowly she open them up again. "It's scary..the one whom I could have fallen in love with turns into a monster. He had used Marsha against me..telling me that if I had tries to go against him, he will harm Marsha much to my dismay..and I'm afraid that day might happen cause I knew he had ways and means of doing such horrendous act." exclaimed Maya.

"Could you remember where Marsha's current home now?" asked Zaharah again as the thought of bringing Marsha back into Maya's life run into Zaharah's mind right at that moment.

"I can't really recall his new home..cause it was only Ilhan who knew where he's current home right now." utters Maya with tears in her eyes.

Zaharah remains silence and then she turns towards Nadia as she nods her head indicating that it was time for them to make a move. Nadia turn off her mini notebook while keeping her case sheets into the file. Zaharah stood up and then gently she run her fingers..caressing Maya's hair. Maya could feel so much of motherly love which she had never felt before in her life and this had certainly enlightened her spirit and the hollowness which she had always felt in her heart begins to bloom into something unimaginable hope and courage. "God's Willing ..we shall meet again. I want you to be strong and stay focus for a better future cause I believe there is something special about you..and we will always be here for you..to guide you and to stand by you. I shall remember you in my prayers." utters Zaharah with a smile of hope and encouragement before she leaves with Nadia.

"It seems Ilhan was the only person who knew where Marsha is." exclaimed Zaharah as she sip her cup of latte. The cafeteria which was located at the roof top of the hospital was certainly a cosy place for both Nadia and Zaharah to take a breath and chill out after they had enough of sipping in Maya's distress situation.

"Zaharah, if you are thinking of meeting Ilhan to get that answer, please Zaharah forget about this whole idea." utters Nadia as she sounds alarmed cause she knew at times Zaharah could do the impossible things and that impossibilities at times could endangered her own life.

Zaharah remains silence for awhile as she adjust the pin of her veil on her blouse and Nadia knew Zaharah's silence meant she's determined to check on Ilhan too. "People change due to certain circumstances and from what we had both assess from Maya, Ilhan was not a bad person in the beginning of the point of his life.." trails Zaharah.

"Zaharah, please don't act un-rationally. Ilhan is not someone like Zaki...whom you and Adam had managed to change him back to humanity..Ilhan is a devil..a beast. And I knew Adam will be unpleased with your plan of meeting up with Ilhan and so are your children." pleads Nadia as she tries to remain calm.

Zaharah smile upon hearing those remarks from Nadia much to Nadia's surprised. "I'm not that stupid enough to meet him face to face. I shall figure out a way on how to tame that monster down. He's threatening Maya by using her son, but I'm sure he had his weak points too...let him roll the dice for the time being..cause I knew one day we shall had the ace card back in our hands." utters Zaharah with full of confident and determination in her voice. Nadia sank back on her chair as she ponders what else would Zaharah came out with this time.

Aleeya was framing up her latest art piece on the wall of her room when suddenly there was a knock on her door. "Yah, come on in..I'm not naked." yelled Aleeya as she balance herself on her bed while standing up on her mattress with her hands busy pinning up her art work.

"Aleeya, love your words." utters Aden as he shakes his head in disbelieve. Aleeya grin her darlie smile a trademark which she had gain from their father.

"I need to be out for a while to settle some matters and probably might be home later this evening." said Aden as he stares at his sister being busy balancing herself on her bed as she's pinning most of her magnificent art works onto the wooden laminate wall. "Come let me help you with this before I go." utters Aden at last as he told Aleeya to get down from her bed. Aleeya comply and she sat on the floor as she looks with wonder at her own paintings and sketches in silence.

"There, all done." said Aden with a smile.

"Thanks Aden." exclaimed Aleeya however her bubbly face had change to solemness much to Aden's surprised.

"Hey, what's wrong? It is the way how I had pinned up your paintings?" asked Aden concerned.

Aleeya shakes her head and then she held her mobile phone in her hands..place it back on her dressing table again looking dejected.

"Thaqif isn't it?" asked Aden again. Aleeya remains silence and then she sat on the floor as she took her mini sketch book and flip on to a new fresh page.

"He never picks up my calls any more. I know this sound lame..but I kind of miss him." said Aleeya.

Aden sat on the floor beside Aleeya as he place Aleeya's favourite pencil towards her hands. "Give him time. Just don't get too disappointed if things did not turn out to be like what you had always hope for. Aleeya I don't want you to get hurt..do you understand that..cause I love you." said Aden as he tossed Aleeya's fringe off her face.

"I know." replies Aleeya with a smile as she felt great sense of love towards her brother. Ever since that horrific incident which had almost cost both of their lives had definately change her attitude towards Aden. Suddenly, Aleeya notice Aden's nose was bleeding and she sound alarmed. "Aden, your nose were bleeding." cried Aleeya as she stood up to get few piece of napkins and hand them towards Aden. Aden took the napkins and pinch his nose with it.

"Aden, you never had this before. Maybe you should go for a check up." said Aleeya as she sounds worried.

"I'll be fine. I guess the weather is getting warmer recently." exclaimed Aden as he stood up while still pinching his nose. "Alright, I think I should get going now." said Aden as he held his helmet in his arms and left towards the front door. Aleeya peeped through the window from the living room as she saw Aden threw the bloodied napkin into the rubbish bin outside. And then he put on his helmet and hopped on his bike as he rode off for his journey. Aleeya could not brush off this sick feeling of worridness for Aden and she prays hard that nothing terrible will befall on him again.