Unedited.
When he mentioned his sister I felt a heavyweight trying to crush me down. I should have known Emma Connors was his sister. I knew he wasn't lying about Emma being his sister from the dangerously serious expression on his face and the edginess of his voice. Gone was the playful Toby that I've been accustomed to acquainted myself with. The Toby in front of me know resembled so much of the Toby I've been warned of. The one that wouldn't hesitate to pull a trigger or make your life miserable if you crossed him.
"Okay, okay calm down." Hanaan voiced first talking to both of us with a worried expression plastered on her face.
"Okay but let's meet up later," I told him as he let go of my arm before I was able to shove him off. He just nodded and left the shop.
"Isn't he..." She started off asking and I nodded
"what does he want from you?" Hanaan demanded
"It's nothing really," I told her vaguely trying to think thinks through.
"Maria don't try with me. I know when you're lying." She commanded giving me her a well-versed look that could get you to spill anything
"It's honestly really nothing he was just asking for some help. And I was debating on if I should help him or not." I told her nervously looking around
"Why? is it something illegal?" She asked with a tone full of concern
"Don't be ridiculous I would never do something illegal." I bluntly lied bursting out a fake laugh. I love Hanaan not because she's my only sister in law so far or that she's going to be the mother of my first blood-related nephew but because before all that she's my friend.
Hanaan and I met in the darkest moments of my life. It was in the school bathrooms. That day I had thought the bathroom was empty considering it was class time and no one really ever used that corner bathroom. She came in on me puking my guts out. Back then even though she wasn't new at school I never really knew anyone except Isabel and Adrian. She and Adrian were the only type of human social interactions I did willingly. So when she left it hit me really hard. I don't know why but I became very self-conscious and constantly being cornered and ridiculed by the people Isabel used to hang out with did help much to stump on my weak self-esteem to one point in my life I was suffering from Bulimia. Hanaan was the first person to ever know. A complete stranger to me at that time. Not that I blame anyone in my family for not knowing. I'm actually really glad they never saw that part of me. I know it's no excuse but that day Hanaan found me like that she didn't criticize. She smiled at me washed her hands and waited for me till I finished in the hallway. 'Hey, I'm Hanaan.' She introduced herself after giving me a cracker. Who would have thought that our friendship would have started with a cracker? If it wasn't for her I don't think I'd be as amazing as I am today. She helped me through a lot of difficult phases in my life so I'd do anything to protect her no matter what. Lucky for me she didn't have time to question me about anything. Because Adrain came with Anisa sitting in his backseat. I got in the front seat as Hanaan got in the back seat
"Hoyo Mia! Hoyo Hana!" Anisa greeted us enthusiastically. Strapped in the car seat.
"Hola Mi Hija, how is my beautiful daughter doing today?"
"Hoyo Mia I'm happy!"
"I'm happy to mi Hija." I love it when Anisa calls me Hooyo it means mom is Somali. And from what Muhammad told me it's a respectful way of referring to your mother's sister. Though Isabel and I aren't blood-related we've known each other since we were in our diapers. We've had our ups and downs but we are more than friends, we're sisters.
Hanaan wanted to eat at a Somali restaurant called Macaan.
"Can I get 2 serving of gyro with fries and 1 serving of chicken legs with rice and Quesadillas with Fries 3 watermelon juices and 1 mango juice," Adrian ordered as Hanaan and Anisa and I went to the bathroom to wash out hands. When we came back out we sat down with Adrian.
"Finally my baby and I are starving," Hanaan exclaimed when the food came. She got her mango juice and the plate of rice and chicken said bismillah and started eating.
"Yay! I want some fries, Hooyo Mia." Anisa said causing the guy to bring our drinks to look between Anisa me and Adrian.
"Are you guys Somali?" The waiter asked
"Yes!" Anisa answered first before me or Adrian answer him
"Wow, MashaAllah..." He something else in Somali I think but I didn't catch.
"No he's not my Abo he's my Anti," Anisa answered him back.
"Oh...Okay!"
"My brother-in-law is Somali not me."
"Oh okay, man. You still have a beautiful family."
"Thank you," Adrian replied before the waiter left.
"Hooyo Hana Hooyo told me your stomach is big because you're having a baby."
"Yes, sweetheart that's true. And when he comes and grows up you'll have a little cousin to play with."
"Yay, I can his big sister!"
"Yes, you can be."
"I want a sister as well because girls are better than boys," Anisa said as she put a fries in her mouth
"Hey! What about me I'm a boy." Adrian protested
"I love you too Anti."
We had a really good night by the time we got Anisa back home Isabel was waiting by her door Anisa had fallen asleep in the car so Adrian helped her inside. Hanaan And I said our goodbyes to Isabel before Adrian drove us back home.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
I got up early the exit morning and left the house after I prayed fajr I called Toby to meet me at the café down a few blocks from where I live.
"Hey, is this our place now." He greeted teasingly looking really sleepy.
"Hello to you too. Let's get this show on the road to find your sister." Completely ignoring his last comment.
"Wait you going to help me find my sister?" He asked for confirmation suddenly looking very alert.
"Yes, so here the thing I'll ask you some basic questions about your sister the easier it is finding her."
"Okay ask me anything."
"How old is she?"
"Nine years her birthday is on April 26th."
"When was the last time you saw her?"
"Eight years ago when I died and my uncle got custody of both of us. I know my uncle Major Sanders has her I just don't know where." As he talked I looked through Major's phone and bank records as well as travel records
"Do you have a picture of your sister?"
"Yeah, I actually do. Reaching for his phone in his back pocket. It was a selfie of a little girl smiling with Rayaan Malik.
"Rayaan knows where your sister is?" I asked raising my eyebrows
"No she met her about four years ago in the apartment building by the auto-shop but she didn't know that she was my sister back then. Here are her baby pictures." He said scrolling and clicking on a picture taken of a worn out picture of a little boy kissing a baby in the cheek. It took all my self-control no to gush at the adorable combo. Looking at the kid I knew right away it was Toby. It was just too adorable.
"Send it to me so I could do facial recognition. What's your sister's middle name." I asked as he sent me the picture
"Claire. Emma Claire Connors."
"Any health issues?"
"No, she's perfectly healthy."
"Blood type? If not hers what's yours?"
"I'm AB so she might be AB but I don't know for sure but Is that question necessary?"
"All questions are necessary."
After searching for a bit I was able to up Adoption records of someone who looked a lot like his sister. She was under the name Emma Johnson she was adopted by a Maryanne and Jonathan Johnson at age two. After finding those files it was easier to find her school records and home address as of now. I also did a background check on MaryAnne and Jonathan. Even though they might not have had a criminal history It seemed like Jonathan's bank records corresponded with amounts Major transferred every month.
"Did you find her?" Looking at me with hope in his eyes.
"Yes but here's the tricky thing how are you going to get your sister back because she is legally adopted and they seem legitimate. If you try and take her out of the blue now you'll be charged with kidnapping." I informed him.
"What do you mean she's adopted. That can't be." He sounded outraged as he got up and got behind me to see my laptop
"Apparently it is." Told him showing him the records
"Where is she?" He demanded there was uncertainty in his eyes. Any thoughts I might have had of holding back the information until he paid me disintegrated. The look on his face was a raw mix of uncertainty and hope. I'd be cold-hearted not to hand him the info I found,
"Just sit down I'll email it to you." I assumed him and so he sat down.
And I emailed him the information. A genuine smile spread upon his face as he looked at his phone as he got up and hugged me. I was mentally unprepared for that physical contact. My reflexes acted him before I knew my hand was in a fist and was stinging. And standing above me was a stunned Toby
I legit froze in place not yet able to wrap my head around a non-mahram guy hugging me or that I might have punched him.
"Damn chica I can't believe you just socked my face." He laughed stroking the side of his chin. "Anyway thank you I owe you my life thank you." He said as he left in a rush. While I was left replaying the scene in my head after what seemed like I while I got my stuff together and went to work.
A week passed since that day and I haven't heard from Toby yet. I ended up doing overtime at work today because an unidentified body was found at a lake. It was pouring like no tomorrow I was lucky that Hanaan insisted I take my umbrella to work today, as walked I saw a figure leaning against my car.
"Help me get my sister back." A familiar voice pleaded. I don't know what came over me why someone I clearly disliked since the day he and Ethan and the group Isabel used to hang out with put Talha in the hospital resulting in him not being able to play soccer anymore and lose his scholarship to his dream school. I would never forgive them for ruining my brother's life but at this moment in time, I couldn't get myself to say no. Not with Toby drenched in the rain looking at me like that.
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