'Thanks goodness!' Layla let out a breathe she didn't know she was holding, and then looked at Zane, patiently awaiting his orders.
"let's go buy some necessary things for you." He simply told her. " Tomorrow we will go see a doctor."
"A doctor?" She looked up at him questioningly, " Are you sick?"
"It's for you."
"But I am not sick." Her face creased into a frown.
"It is a routine check up," Zane spoke tiredly, his words slurred with fatigue as he explained to her, "A normal procedure we all follow. We don't need a sick person amongst us, or someone who will develop an illness later."
"Oh!" Was the only word Layla uttered as she was still confused. ' A normal procedure, but why?' And although she remained skeptical, she didn't oppose him.
"Take a rest now." Zane instructed her
"Alright, but let me do the dishes first." She packed the used plates, wanting to take them to the kitchen but Zane stopped her
"Why will you?" He spoke sternly, eyes glaring at her, "I'm capable of doing my own stuff."
Layla felt the warning in his intense glare and swallowed hard, trying to calm her nerves, " But you brought me here ....."
" Did we make a master and servant arrangement?" Zane's question shut her up and she looked up at him with round, huge eyes, " No we didn't do that, we didn't do that at all."
Layla knew she had to say something, but she couldn't think of any word. She felt so helpless and just averted her gaze downwards, staring at the tiled floor.
"If you feel grateful about me bringing you here, then you should follow my orders. Each.and.every. one.of.them." He enunciated his latter words carefully leaving no room for argument.
"Yes, Zane." She said softly, but Zane still wasn't satisfied with her response
"No, you are not going to answer me like this."
Layla glanced up at him curiously.
"Starting from today, you are going to be my younger sister. We will carry this title for the rest of our lives." And her eyes lit up with a bright smile.
"Your younger sister?" She couldn't hide her excitement and jumped up and down, clapping her hands in delight. It wasn't everyday one sees a miracle like this, going from an almost homeless beggar, a pathetic 'play toy' to a handsome man little sister—How Amazing!
Zane scoffed, but smiled inwardly seeing her reaction." Don't just get too excited." He murmured so she wouldn't hear, and Layla's attention turned to him.
"What did you say?"
"Nothing." He gruffly replied going into the kitchen and Layla followed him, hopping and skipping as she went. " Was that why you asked that woman...I mean, your mother for a document?"
Zane nodded. " You need an identity to live in this society. And when she continued to give him a curious look, he added, "Just a few papers and cards. I'll explain later."
Layla didn't ask any more questions. She nodded and leaned against a smaller cabinet, smiling to herself as she watched him do the dishes.
"Don't just stand there and watch me." Zane glanced over his shoulder at her, " Gosh! Seeing that stupid smile made him a bit irritated, or could it be something else? No way! "Go and take some rest."
Opening her mouth, Layla wanted to protest but she changed her mind as she was feeling a bit cranky. So nodding wordlessly, she went to his bedroom and laid down on the floor.
Zane finished washing the dishes in no time. And when he stepped into his room, he was surprised to see Layla laying down on the floor and staring up at the ceiling lost in her thoughts.
" I think my bed is enough for two people."
Startled, Layla almost jumped to her feet. ' Share the same bed with him? Is he being serious right now?' Her mouth dropped open, and disbelief crossed her features.
Her stunned silence made Zane restless, and he cleared his throat before passing his message across, " I'm your big brother from now on, so don't look at me in any other way. And also, keep this in your little mind. If anyone ask about our relationship, you will politely tell them that you are my sister, that you are Aiden McCall's sister. Don't you ever call me Zane in front of them, got it?"
Layla nodded her head vigorously. Her mind was a haze of confusion, and Zane's many words just made it hard for her to think straight.
'His name is Aiden McCall? Who then is Zane?' Oh! How she desperately wanted to ask these questions, but she knew that she had no right. The handsome young man standing infront of her was already doing her enough favour.
"I will do that," She simply said, got up from the floor and climbed into the bed, his soft bed filled with his scent. Satisfied with her response, Zane left her alone and went to his personal room. The room looked like a closet filled with expensive clothes, but only Zane knew of its other function. Opening a smaller door, he pulled out a bigger brief case and checked for his three guns, and his more than a dozen knives to make sure they were all intact. His usual habit, he polished the guns and felt the edges of the sharp knives till he was satisfied. Then he kept the briefcase back in its place, closed the door and walked out making a mental note to restrict Layla from the room.
*********
It was not until late afternoon that Layla woke up from her slumber. And when she opened her eyes, she saw that Zane was sitting on the single couch and drinking coffee.
"Did you get a good sleep, your majesty." He teased and then smiled seeing her red fluffy cheeks.
"Erm..No, I mean...Yes." Layla stuttered when she spoke and Zane found himself laughing at her.
"Go and wash your face, then put on that," He told her, pointing at the sweat pant on the bed, "and meet me in the sitting room."
Layla stared at him, puzzled
"Didn't I tell you that we need to go buy your stuff." He reminded, and only then did she react. She rushed into the bathroom and washed her face. When she returned to the room, Zane was no longer there. Staring at herself in the mirror, she wore the sweat pant over her brief boxers, her sneakers, and fixed her hair before going to the sitting room.
Zane who was already ready, and was wearing a loose shirt half tucked into his jean trouser along with a black boot only picked up a credit card and a bunch of key, then walked ahead of her out of the house and to the elevator.
This time around, the elevator wasn't empty. There was an old woman of about sixty years inside the lift, and she slightly smiled at them as they stepped in. Being a gossip, the woman naturally showed interest in them. Zane was fully aware that she was watching them, but he didn't move nor react.
The nosy woman cleared her throat before asking, " You are from the fourth floor, right?"
Zane nodded
"And is she with you?" She glanced at Layla
He nodded again. "She is my cousin, and she is going to live with me from now on."
"Oh!" The woman regarded them thoughtfully for a brief moment before asking again, "How about her parents?"
" Dead."
And that did the trick. "Oh my goodness!" The woman teared up noticeably, and she reached out to pat Layla's hair. Layla blinked at her rapidly, "Sorry to hear that, dear child. I am so sorry." When Layla nodded, she asked, " What is your name?"
"Layla.' She replied timidly
"That's a very nice name." The woman cooed at her, " And do not be sad, okay? No one stays forever, and I am sure that your parents are in a better place. If you need anything, you can ask me or the others. Everyone here is so nice and helpful. I live on the 3rd floor, and my room number is ...." Blah! Blah! Blah! Nonsense." Zane cringed and scoffed at her comforting words
'Ding!' The elevator reached the ground floor, and he couldn't be more pleased. They stepped out, and the woman kept on talking to them, assuring them of the friendly neighbours.
Zane eyes twinkled with mirth, and his lips were twisted into a sardonic smile knowing that their conversation would reach the ears of all the occupants in the huge building, and that he had succeeded— succeeded in fooling them, succeeded in getting sympathy from them.
'Two innocent souls who are relying on each other to survive!' This is the image Layla would bring for him while he goes about with his real profession. And yes, keeping a little girl with an innocent face by his side is better than having an overly demanding wife.
Hiding a slight smirk, he bowed to the woman before leaving the apartment building with Layla following behind him. And just as he had predicted, the woman met two of her friends in the lobby and he managed to overhear some snatches of their gossip.
" What were you and that handsome boy from the 4th floor talking about?" One of the friends asked curiously
"I'm surprise you managed to hold a conversation with him, as he always wear a poker face making us unable to approach him." The second friend added, impatiently waiting for an answer.
The nosy woman smiled widely, feeling proud of herself, " He is a cool soft kid, and his cousin is way more softer."
" His cousin?" Her two friends chorused becoming more interested. The woman nodded
" Did you see the girl with him?" She asked, and her friends nodded
"That is his cousin," She informed, "and she just recently lost her parents."
"Oh, good lord!" Her friends gasped in shock, putting on sad faces, " Poor girl! Such a beautiful child with a beautiful soul."
"And her cousin is so handsome I can't take my eyes off him." One of her friends chirped in dreamily, " If only I were still young."
The others laughed. " I think his name is Aiden," The nosy woman told her friends, not really sure of herself. And when they stared at her with a 'how do you know look', she smiled sheepishly as she explained, "I was walking behind him some weeks ago, and I overheard him saying 'Hello, this is Aiden speaking.'
At the mention of these words, Zane stopped listening to them and he clenched his fist tightly in anger. "Perverted old women!" He silently cursed them and made his way to the garage.
Layla watched him, observing the deep frown lines on his forehead. And her eyes glowed with delight when he took out a expensive looking motorcycle and drove it to where she was standing. " Here," He threw her an helmet and wore his, buckling the chin strap. Layla mimicked him and put the helmet on her head.
"Buckle the strap," Zane instructed her. And When she just stared at him blankly, he sighed deeply and helped her wear the helmet properly. Then she climbed into the seat behind him and wrapped her hands around his waist so she wouldn't fall.
Stepping on the accelerator, Zane rode at a steady pace on the highway, the cool breeze blowing gently on their faces.
Tbc