The flight attendant's voice sounded crisp on the loudspeaker when Layla's plane took off from the Abu Dhabi International Airport. First-class flight to New York after the holidays with friends. However, because the friend had other matters and had to stay longer, Layla finally went home first.
On the way, thirty minutes after take-off, there was turbulence in the air, causing serious panic. For some reason, Layla reflexively grabbed the hands of other passengers sitting next to her to reduce tension. Indeed, turbulence did not last long, but it was enough to make the hand of the man who was sitting next to Layla's bench injured because it was stuck on Layla's long nails.
"Sorry…" Layla looked sorry. She immediately took out a wound plaster and put it on. A wound plaster with a small red love-love image, it is really strange to stick to the hand of a man with a masculine appearance in a neat blazer with sleek hairdos.
"It's ok." The man said, but he didn't seem like he wanted to remove the plaster either. Even though it looks in contrast to his appearance, the man lets the wound plaster stick there until their flight ends.
"Paul Jhonson." The man introduced himself because they had stopped at the lounge to chat before finally separating because one of Layla's relatives came to pick her up.
Layla answered. "Layla Stone."
They chat happily, tell about themselves until finally exchanging phone numbers.
"I'll call you." Said Paul and it made Layla excited even though she tried to hide behind a graceful smile. At that time Layla was twenty-two years old and had just finished her bachelor's degree and got a job in a promising company. Getting to know a handsome, well-established man, of course, made Layla fall in love at first sight, especially the maturity that Paul showed at that time, really made Layla feel treated like a queen for a day.
Paul, who has spoken a lot about his business, also looks promising for a further relationship with a brighter future. Moreover, Layla's family will of course agree if he has a relationship with a successful businessman.
The meeting for the day continued to the next meetings. Every time Paul comes to pick up Layla after work and invites her to dinner or asks Layla to come to his apartment and they spend the night together. Like lovers who are in love, sex is a seasoning that must be added to every meeting, especially Paul's busy schedule, so they have to arrange schedules to be able to meet each other and spend time together.
The two-year journey of the love story went so smoothly even though the intensity of the meeting could be said that it did not happen very often. Until one day Layla felt something was wrong with her. Every time she smelled a sharp aroma or ate certain foods she would immediately vomit it back up. Layla's mother who knew about it immediately asked Layla to check it with a pregnancy test. And it turned out positive.
It should be a piece of good news for Layla because she will surprise her boyfriend Paul. Layla was almost sure that with her pregnancy, Paul would propose and marry her.
But the surprise was forced to postpone because that night there was a birthday party for the director which was held in a hall room of a five-star hotel in the city center. Several employees received invitations, especially those who had worked for more than five years at the company. Layla did not get an invitation but his boss Eric asked her to come to accompany him.
Long story short, Layla came and was amazed by all the decorations and food provided even though she did not dare to touch any of the food at the event without Eric beside her.
The director, Anne Marry gave her birthday speech in front of the audience, there was even a special podium where she spoke. It turned out that apart from her birthday, that night also held the launch of one of her latest fashion products.
Anne Marry, this forty-year-old woman does look very dominant especially with her success. You could say she is one of the most influential women in her field with a series of businesses and lots of classy assets.
After her speech, a man came on stage and gave Anne Marry a congratulatory kiss. A man who looked five years younger than Anne Marry. Layla, who realized the man's face, suddenly lost her ability to stand up straight. She staggered and almost fell, fortunately, Eric was at her side and immediately led her to find a seat.
"Can you please tell me, who was the man who got on the podium earlier? Is that the boss's younger brother?" Layla asked naively, while Eric actually looked laughing at her.
"Are you kidding? He's her husband." The answer.
It was like lightning striking Layla in broad daylight. How could that man with a wife be able to date her for the past two years and she didn't know anything about it? What about the apartment where they have sex in every corner? How can Paul come to Layla's family and say that their relationship is serious, how dare he said that he really loves Layla while he is a married man?
For a few moments, Layla frozen, the contents of her head messy and out of control.
"I have to go." Said Layla.
"Are you ok?" Asked Eric.
"Yes, I'm." Nodded Layla. She left the ballroom tied to get the fresh air because she felt as if she couldn't breathe normally. She felt that it was so hard to breathe after heard the truth. All she did was leave the place without saying anything even to Eric. Layla dragged her steps for miles until she arrived home.
"What happened to you, did the party go well?" Asked her mother when she came home early.
"Yap." Lied Layla.
"Then why aren't you with your boss, are you back home on foot?" Asked the mother after seeing her daughter's sweat pouring out.
Layla nodded softly, she stared at her mother's face teary. "I'm sorry mom. "She said whispered.
"Just tell me, what happened to you?" Mary asked her daughter because Layla act weird, "Sorry for what?"
"Upsetting you every time." Layla tried to smile even her eyes couldn't lie.
"Don't act weirdly, what happened to you?" She rolled her eyes.
As a single parent, Mary really hopes that her only daughter can have a good life so that in her old age Mary will not be miserable anymore. Her tough life without a husband makes her a tough woman. So far she feels quite successful because Layla can work at a fashion company in the city. He is only one step away from perfecting his success when his daughter marries a young entrepreneur like Paul Jonshon.
"Are you okay?" Mary began to look panicked and approached her daughter. "Are you okay?"
Layla tries to hide her broken heart from the mother, but the blood bond between mother and child cannot be deceived. Maryam smells a lie behind Layla's smile.
"Did you fight with Paul?" Mary urged. Suddenly Layla's tears spilled in her mother's arms. "He's a married man," Layla said amidst sobs.
Mary immediately let go of her daughter's embrace and took a distance in a state of shock. Her face was white as white, like a demon circle, she faced the bad luck that he did not endure. After she had to struggle alone to raise Layla because her father was also a married man, now she had to face her daughter who was stricken with the same misfortune. Mary, who at that time loved Layla so much, did not want her daughter to experience life-long suffering like what she had.
"Abort the baby." Said Mary in a trembling voice holding back tears, she didn't even want to see her daughter's face. On the one hand, she loved Layla very much but on the other hand, because she loved her daughter so much, Mary could not bear the great disappointment of what happened to her daughter.
Mary came out of Layla's room after made sure that Layla was in her room. She pretended to sleep but not really felt a slept. She just avoided her mother after the long conversation that drained her emotions. Especially after the mother said about "abortion" One thing that Layla would never do to her own baby. After all, she loved the baby as much as she loved the baby's father.
Even though that night Layla was really at the lowest point of her life but in Layla's heart, whatever happened she still wanted to keep the baby. Going away from her mother was the only option, considering that her mother could turn out to be so cruel when what she wanted for her daughter didn't go her way.
That night Layla packed up, in confusion she brought a bag and left the house armed with the savings she had. The young girl left the house with no apparent purpose. She went to Staten Island and hid there. At the place of an acquaintance named Irene for the first two weeks of her escape. Hitched a ride from one house to another, an acquaintance still hid her pregnancy for up to two months. Imagine how hard it is for a twenty-two-year-old woman to have to endure the life of herself who is pregnant without the support of her family and the father of the baby.
After three months hidden at Staten Island, she couldn't find a job, so she come back to Brooklyn to find a job. Because she needs that money to stay alive and taking care of the baby in her womb.
"I love you more than anything, so I will fight for you to the last drop of my blood," Layla said as she rubbed her stomach which was starting to bulge.
At that time she was working as a domestic helper in a family in Brooklyn. The Austin, a pair of expatriate grandparents who live alone. They love Layla as they love their own children. Even when they found out that Layla was pregnant, Austin Family accepted the condition. That's when Layla has the strength to continue her pregnancy and struggle to be able to provide a good life for her future baby.
***
Layla wipes her tears. "I chose to keep you. "He closed with a bitter smile.
"I did not raise you. And you deserve to hate me for that, but knowing your current state. I don't regret keeping you alive. "Layla got up and walked out of the house.
While Christabell sat there helplessly with tears in her eyes. Don't know what to do, whether to chase the woman named Layla who claims to be her mother and hug her or let her go. just like that, even though this might be the last chance to meet the woman who took her away.