BROKEN PIECES OF HIM.

CHAPTER 1 | Not Without Kwame

AMARA.

I keep looking at the rear view mirror to see if anyone is following me but nothing seems out of the ordinary. I glance at my mother and she's playing with her fingers. Her thumbs especially, I don't know if it's her coping mechanism or she's feeling anxious and scared. I put her hand on mine to try to calm her down but she's shaking, I am too. God what did I just do. I put her life in danger forgetting that it was just last night she was set free from where she was held against her will and now I'm doing the same thing again. 

My phone rings in my handbag and I panic. 

It's bab Rocco and I know he's very angry at me right now. A tear drops. 

" Please answer your phone Amara." 

" I can't mom, it's too late" 

" No, it's not, baby. We can still fix this…" 

She stops talking as we see Metro Cops. We look at each other and I try to come down but I can feel my panic attack coming. The cops signal that I pull to the side of the road. 

" I'm sorry mom. I didn't mean to get you into trouble" 

I say pulling to the side and parking the car. My body is shaking and I'm struggling to breathe. I hear a knock on the window, I shift and look at the cop but see spots of darkness in my eyes. I try to talk but I can't. I hear my mom saying something as she touches my shoulder and I scream then feel myself being pulled out of the car by someone. 

" I…I…" I try to explain but I'm failing to form words. 

Someone forces my head to get between my legs then gives me a paper bag to put on my mouth so I can breathe and I do that. I take labored deep breaths until my vision starts to get clear and I can see and hear well. 

" Is she going to be okay?" I hear my mom's worried voice. I heave a deep sigh then remove the paper bag and lift up my head. 

Four people are kneeling in front of me. My mother, the cop, then Majid and Bab Rocco. I look at him and I can't see if he's angry with me or not. 

" I'm fine mom. I haven't had a panic attack in a while" not since I met Kwame. I sniff.

I get up and the cop is not happy with me at all. How did they find us so quickly?.

" Miss, do you know how fast you were driving? You were speeding" 

" I'm sorry officer. My daughter was worried about her mother who's not feeling well, so she called me panicking and we got here as fast as we could." Bab' Rocco lies on my behalf and I feel so bad. The cop looks at all of us. 

" I'm sorry" I apologize to them but to him especially. He's looking at me with worry. 

" Majid, take them to the car. I'll deal with this here" Bab Rocco stays behind with the cop.

We walked to the car we left home with. I get in and sit at the back. I notice another suv behind us and the window pulls down. It's Khensani in the car with Kiki. Majid gives me my handbag, glances at me like he wants to say something then decides against it instead he examines my hand. 

" You must have punched them really hard. It's already swelling up but it'll be fine in a couple of days” he opens the first-aid kit and rubs my hand with the ointment then puts the bandage on. 

" How are they?" 

" They will be fine. They agreed not to press charges against you" 

" I'm really sorry" 

" You got us really worried Amara but I'm glad you two are okay" 

Bab' Rocco talks to the cop for a while then he walks back to the car.