When the morning comes

48 | her truth

Silence and suspense were floating through the room. Waiting for the hammer to slam and the positive flow of words to leave the judge's mouth. The world stood still at this point- I was grateful to have something else on my mind.

I glanced at Gloria, seated upon a chair which was too tall for her, her small legs hanging completely still by her own suspense, though a bit of confusion as those English words were hard to understand for her. My heart ached, I wanted to hold her in my embrace.

Separated from her father, who sat near the judges, head low.

I glanced at Benjamin and pupils from his school. I glanced at my own pupils, who had yet to find out I was back. I glanced at Salomé, who fiddled with the papers in her hands, her golden hair falling over her face, whereafter her shaky hands would tuck it back behind her ear.

We'd not have the chance to speak after we had made eye contact, Daniel gave further instructions and took me to the courtroom. But sooner or later, conversations would come.

And then, an explosion of emotions. Hustle and bustle of joy. I blinked my eyes faster, getting out of my trance, finding out that we had won the case. I stood up, felt the core of my heart warming up more and more as I saw the tears streaming down Davu's face, his arms wrapped around his young daughter, who couldn't stop screaming daddy.

Long story short; the papers had, in fact, been deprecated. All thanks to Salomé's father, who had been in Nigeria around that time, searching for contact with his family and finding the papers. The fact that Davu had left them behind purposefully required a 150 hours community service, which he practically embraced- but as the papers had no meaning anymore, no jail sentence could and would be given.

Even a legal integration process could start from now on, giving Davu and Gloria an official citizenship in England.

"Gloria! Gloria!" I heard the pupils of my class chanting her name. An overwhelmed feeling came over me- I had missed those children. I had missed my job. I had missed Salomé.

We went outside- got some fresh air. I felt bigger arms wrapped around me, and when I turned around, my eyes met Davu's. Once so desperate, full of misery and guilt, they were now full of joy, hope, warmth. "Thank you. Merci beaucoup!" He kissed my cheeks, turned around, not giving me the chance to say something to him.

"Mr. Malin?" A soft voice, a little girl's hand reaching for mine. I swallowed, Eden flashing through my mind. "Thank you.. save daddy, and I."

Looking down into Gloria's eyes, I saw how they watered, forming into drops that slid their way down softly. I picked her up, embraced her tightly, feeling stupid for leaving her behind like this, too. "I'm sorry for not being there, Gloria."

"You here.. now." Gloria buried her face in my shoulder, squeezing me tightly. I felt content.

"I'm so happy for you, sweet girl."

"Merci." She kissed my cheek, pointing at my class. "School now."

I put her back down, saw how she ran over to my pupils, who started walking off with someone else. I observed, my eyes falling on her floral dress, wondering if she had taken it over ever since the day I left. It pained me- I knew I was the one who left so suddenly, but the thought of someone else taking over the class I'd had loved to teach stung. And it being Salomé didn't necessarily make it easier.

"You alright, son?"

"Isn't it tiring for Gloria to go back to school right after?" I swallowed, avoiding eye contact with Teddy.

"They need to finish business with Davu- she has no other place to go to, other than the house she has lived in for the past few weeks- yet Gloria chose to be at school. She wants to celebrate." Teddy explained, observing my face. "She will be gone the moment you put your foot in that classroom. She knows that. She wants that. Covered the place so the moment you would come back, she could leave."