SEBASTIAN AND HIS ZAZI

chapter 42: baby in the river

Zazi's leg had healed but not completely, even her wounds were not just little marks that would disappear.

Finally Arnold had a whole free day and zazi asked if they could go swim somewhere.

Like a river.
There was a river nearby. A river that lead to the lake.  The river was formed from small rivers and streams one of which zazi and her friends played from childhood.
This river led to the lake. This was the same river who's drain had crocodiles.

Zazi did speculate,  questioned herself if this was the same river from the village but didn't think much of it, it could be, then it couldn't.

They went with no maids. Arnold  carried their food since they planned on staying there the whole day. And they made a tent for them to escape the sun when it was too hot.

Zazi was okay swimming with a dress.
Arnold however took off his shirt and zazi found herself mouth open.

He had a beautiful upper body. It was like warrior's. It was perfect. It was bewitching. It was like a spell, you just get drawn to it.

"You like what you see?"

This made her snap back and seeing her smirk on his face she turned around quickly .

She left for the water and found a spot she can teach her baby how to swim. She held lily carefully on water and supported her. After a few seconds she started kicking which was making her move.

"You taught Lily to swim!" Arnold joined them.

"She's a fast learner!" Not giving herself all she credit.

"Do you want hold her?"

"Sure." Zazi handed him the baby. And then she dived and started swimming around and around.

"Come on Lily, you can do it girl."
And lily started kicking and moving her hands up and down..

"There you go!"
The baby cooed and he felt his heart melt.

He felt so happy and at peace holding Lily as zazi swam nearby. Like he was in a family picnic.

Zazi kept swimming past them and coming back.

She swam at a distance when she heard crying. Like a baby.

She looked at lily and she was quietly staring at Arnold as she kicked her little legs.

She kept hearing baby crying and she had herself looking around and around and  then she saw some weeds.

She felt the crying came from there and swam closer. And she was right. There a basket stuck to the weeds and there was a baby crying inside.

"Zazi? Is something wrong?"

" I'm okay Arnold! I think I've found something!"

She removed the basket and held it to the shores. She got out of the water and walked to the shade. Arnold followed carrying lily.

"Is the basket where the crying is coming from?" Arnold asked but it was obvious.

"Seems like it!"

Zazi opened the  basket and found a baby inside. Pale and with dry lips. Looking dehydrate.

Zazi felt her heart skip a beat.

"Oh my!" She exclaimed.

"Indeed!" Arnold responded.

"Its dehydrated."

She went to a basket that carried their food and took out lily's milk.
She took the baby out of the basket, sat down and started feeding it milk. The baby drank and drank and soon started opening her eyes and it met with zazi's.

"The baby will be okay!"

She smiled at her and massaged her sculp in a soothing way.

"How does a baby end up in the river?"

This was the same river from the village. Meaning it lead to the crocodiles.

Zazi starts telling Arnold the story of what night have led the baby to the river.

This crazy rule shocked him so hard he ended up holding lily tighter without even realizing.

"Can we take care of her?" Zazi asked hoping he won't say no.
"Of course zazi, of course!" This man was a miracle.

"But on two conditions. "

"Name them!"

"One, if I get to called father and you be called mother. By both of them!"
Meaning this baby and lily.

He wanted to be lily's fathers too? Zazi didn't even want to think she was dreaming.

"Two, I name her. And I would like to name her after my late mother Jane."

Zazi chuckled. "Make it Jennie and we have a deal. It would sound like  Lily. Make them sound like twins since they come from the same father and mother!"
They shook on it.

Zazi hoped this was real. He wasn't pretending. This wasn't a mask. Maybe this was real. Maybe her daughter had a father after all.

But she still didn't understand why this man was so quick to adopt two children just like that.

Zazi cleaned the baby and changed her into lily's clothes that could fit her since she was a little bigger. She noticed a little birthmark on her neck. She thought it was pretty, it was shaped like a butterfly.