Tainted Souls

Chapter 1

  Alia

I was buying groceries at Mrs. Nancy's store when I noticed the same man who I came across near the river while walking daily. He was in the dairy section, going through the different types of cheese.

Our eyes met and recognition flashed in his eyes. We had never spoken directly even though it had been a month that we crossed each other while walking. He must be a tourist, most probably an Italian. His olive skin and obsidian eyes along with his jet black hair confirmed that.

I mostly knew everyone in this town, because I had been living here for the past four years. With its remote location and fairly less population, it was no surprise that the residents were acquainted with each other in this small town. 

"Morning Ms. Alia."

I turned at the excited voice of one of my students, Callie. She studied in the second grade of the elementary school I was teaching.

"Good morning," I replied to her with a broad smile and inquired, "How are you?"

"I am good," she beamed at me, "I am here with Uncle Leonardo. He is my Dad's former boss and friend. We met him at a restaurant a week ago," Callie answered me in an excited tone.

"That's wonderful," I replied to her cheerfully then asked, "where are your parents?" 

"They are home. Mom is preparing Pizza today. Uncle Leonardo and I are helping with buying the groceries," she informed.

I knew Callie's parents personally. They were one of the families that I had grown close to while living here. Callie's father was an engineer and he had been working in an Italian conglomerate before he left his job and returned to his hometown to help his Mom with their dairy farm after his father's death.

"Callie," someone called out and we both turned at the person at the same time.

It was the Italian, who I had come across while walking who had called Callie.

"Uncle Leonardo," Callie called out excitedly, "meet Ms. Alia, she is a teacher at my school."

The Italian walked towards us with strong powerful strides. He had the same kind of aura around him, which I was familiar with, being the wife of Taimur Al Jahaan. The man had a face of an aristocrat, with a sharp nose and chiseled jaw. His mesmerizing obsidian eyes that were always engulfed in sadness, reflected his inner grief.

From what Callie had just told me and what I had observed about the man, it was clear that he was someone influential and most probably her father's former boss.

"Hello," the man spoke in a deep voice giving me a terse nod.

"Hello," I replied and then diverted my attention to Callie who was now telling the Italian about me.

He was listening to her silently trying to fake interest in the information Callie was giving him about our school and teachers. I wanted to excuse myself from there but stopped myself because I didn't want to act rude to one of my students.

"Ms. Alia, do you know, Uncle Leonardo has promised that he will take me on a trip to his island," Callie turned towards me and informed me with glinting eyes.

"That would be amazing," I said to her and then looked at Leonardo, who was looking as uncomfortable as me.

"Uncle Leonardo, can you take Ms. Alia too?" She then asked Leonardo, surprising us both, "Ms. Alia once said that she loves the beach and sun," Callie added in excitement.

Leonardo looked puzzled at her weird demand and was surely struggling to refuse her innocent request.

"Please, Uncle Leonardo," she was looking at him with puppy eyes, and I understood how difficult this would prove for the Italian.

"I don't think she would like to go with us," he answered after thinking for a few moments.

I was trying to come up with something to excuse myself from there, but Callie was holding my hand and was almost hanging from it.

"I am sure, she would love to go, won't you, Ms. Alia?" She asked me with hope-filled eyes.

I was short of an answer when she was looking at me like that. I had grown close to Callie in the past years, while I visited their home.

"I think it's getting late, your Mom would be waiting for the groceries" I tried diverting her from the topic by reminding her about her mother, and thankfully it worked.

"Ohh no, would Mom get mad if we are late?" she asked Leonardo with widened eyes.

"I think so," he nodded at her, "we should better hurry," he cautioned her.

Callie and Leonardo left and I returned to grocery shopping. After filling my trolley with everything I needed for the week I headed to the counter. Mrs. Nancy passed me a broad smile, as I neared the counter.

"How are you?" She inquired.

"I am good. What about you?" I asked after answering her.

Mrs. Nancy started telling me about her day and the Italian man, Leonardo. It seemed like he was the hot topic in our small town. I was not interested in knowing about him, but Mrs. Nancy was quite excited about the arrival of the Italian.

She was a close friend of Callie's grandmother Mrs. Schmid and must have surely found all the details from her.

"He is a very influential man, earns businesses all around the world," she said in a hushed voice.

I wasn't surprised because I had already sensed what kind of man Leonardo was, from his personality. Still, I couldn't understand the reason why he had come to such a small town like ours?

"He wanted some space from his hectic life, and hence he has come here to get away from the limelight," Mrs. Nancy enlightened me about the reason for his arrival.

I chatted with her for a few more minutes and then left the store after paying my bills.  I reached home and arranged the groceries into the refrigerator and kitchen cabinets. After making a coffee for myself, I came to the living room, there were a  few messages on the answering machine when I checked it. One of which was from Claudia Schmid, Callie's mom, asking me to have dinner with them tonight.

Claudia used to invite me over for dinner whenever she would be making something special. I texted her informing them that I won't be able to join them tonight and she called me after a few minutes and insisted to come over.

I couldn't refuse to her after her insistence. She was a good friend and I adored Callie. She always reminded me of Ahmed, they both had the same type of nature being stubborn and strong-willed.

I felt a pang in my heart remembering Ahmed. Both Ahmed and Mohammed would be eight years old by now. I couldn't stop wondering if they might have forgotten me? Will, they ever forgive me for abandoning them?

Sometimes I felt that I should have stayed for the sake of my son's but when I remembered what Taimur had done, I felt that I had done the right thing by leaving.

It had been four years since I had seen my boys, but there was nothing that I could do. I had made a choice and I had to live with it for the rest of my life. It didn't matter if it was right or wrong.

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