Shawn POV
"I don't know how you'll take it, let's just forget about it." I said.
"I have every right to know what happened to my daughter, don't I?" She asked and I sighed.
"The doctor discovered something while performing the operation on Ciara's twin.
"What did he discover?" She asked impatiently.
"Your daughter was raped severally. It happened recently." I said and she was shocked. Tears started running down her cheek. I stood up and went over to her side.
"Come on, don't cry." I said, patting her back.
"I'm sorry, and I promise to make them pay for all the atrocities committed.
**************
The children; Steve and Ciara were back from school.
"Uncle Shawn," Ciara called, ran towards me and hugged me.
"How was school today?"
"It was fine."
"Go freshen up, okay?"
"Okay" She replied and ran up the stairs.
Julia came into the sitting room. Hey eyes were swollen from to much crying. She requested for the key to my room.
"It isn't locked, whereas, why do you want it?"
"I want to see my daughter."
"Let's go together."I said and we left for my room.
Ciara's twin was wide awake, sitting down, just starting into space. Julia went to sit beside her while I stood, watching them.
"I'm so sorry about what happened, please forgive your mom, please."
"Mom?" Ciara's twin asked and scoffed.
Tears started running down Julia's cheeks.
"I know I have no right to call you my daughter, but please forgive me. It wasn't my fault, you were stolen from me when I gave birth to you. I swear, I did everything humanly possible to find you, but everything I did was in vain. I had given up hope and assumed you were dead, I'm so sorry baby."
Ciara's twin was just staring into space, as though she didn't hear anything Julia was saying.
"Don't call me a baby, my name is Poojah." Ciara's twin said and Julia looked shocked.
Poojah? What kind of name was that and why was Julia shocked? I thought to myself.
"You don't have to call me a baby. You can't pass through what I passed through,yet you call me a baby."
"Is it the fact that you were raped?" Julia asked whispering and Ciara's twin whose name I got to know was Poojah kept mute.
"Who named you Poojah?" Julia asked and she kept mute.
Why was she now quiet? Is it because Julia asked her if she was raped?
"As I said earlier on," Julia said softly, "I have no right to call you my daughter, but I want you to know that I was also raped; my parents and siblings were killed by that man who raised you up, everything that's happening to me was because of him. I didn't get to further my education because of him."
By now, the tears were pouring in currents.
" I want you to know this, I loved you and I still do. I don't want you to end up a bitter person. Together, we will revenge on that man make him pay." She concluded and made to peck Poojah who jerked away. Julia stood up and left quietly, not sparing me a glance.
I sat beside Poojah on the bed, scrutinizing her. She didn't even spare me a glance, she was just staring into space.
She didn't even act like a six year old child. She really needed therapy.
"You should try and forgive your mom, please. I know it's not easy, but please do. Julia is very loving and friendly, she tried everything humanly possible to find you, but everything was in vain. Maybe that's your fate. Please don't forget to forgive her." I said and left.
I went to Julia's room and knocked, but she refused to open it. She locked herself inside.
She needs to be alone. I said to myself and left.
Julia POV
I needed to be alone. Thankfully, Ciara was with Steve, playing and didn't have to see me in this condition.
Why did Anas name Ciara's twin Poojah? I asked myself.
Poojah was my late sister's name, my elder sister. We were very close; birds of a feather. I really missed her. I didn't even get to bury any of my relatives' body; my dad, mom, brother and Poojah's.
While I was thinking, I slept off.
************************
Later in the evening, I went to the sitting room to watch movies on the television. I was so worn out from crying, and I promised myself that I wouldn't cry over the matter again.
The house was quiet, meaning Shawn and the kids were fast asleep.
I went to the kitchen to take fruit juice. On returning to the sitting room, I found Shawn sitting exactly were I was sitting earlier. Since it was my favorite seat, I sat at the far end of the couch.
I dipped my juice, my eyes on the screen as I watched the movie. I felt Shawn's eyes on me all the time, I glanced at him and he faced the other way. His eyes were red.
Does it mean he had been crying or what?
"What happened to you?" I asked. "Your eyes are red."
"That's how they usually are anytime I wake up from sleep." He said and I didn't know whether to believe him or not but all the same, I remained quiet.
For over one hour, my eyes were glued to the screen, but my mind wasn't there. I kept wondering why Shawn was stealing glances at me. Was it because of what happened earlier?
I was tired of sitting down and wanted to lie down, but I couldn't bring myself to placing my head on Shawn's lap, so I rested my head on the couch's arm and curved my legs.
"You can rest your head on my lap." Shawn said.
"What!" I exclaimed.
"I said you're free to rest your head on my lap." He repeated and i wondered how he could read my mind.
Hesitantly, I did as he said and my heart was racing quickly within my rib cage.
Shawn picked up the TV remote and turned down the volume.
"I was watching that." I protested.
"We need to talk." He said and I froze.
What exactly does he want to talk about?