Intrepid Hearts

35: Shady Business

AARON'S POV

It's been five days since I got reunited with my family and it's fair enough to say that life has been a lot better. I had a reason to keep going. My Zee and Zara are back with me. I still find it hard to believe everything, it was too good to be true.

My sister's have grown to become wonderful people.

Zara is now a soldier. A Captain even. I'm still not completely settled with that because I know the risks her job weighs. Then again, I see the zeal in her eyes for it whenever she speaks about the army. From the military operations, trainings, humanitarian aid, defending the country, and going for wars. She has grown fund of it and has now become a part of who she is. And I respect that. I really do. I just can't afford losing her, not again.

Zee, on the other hand, was a completely case. She has changed in so many ways I can't seem to fathom. When she's with me and Zara, she's the same Zee I know and love, although there are times when she slips off and act like Zira. But with others, she is so cold and brutal, and for a moment, I ask myself whether or not she's my sister. The rage her eyes hold and the sharpness of her tongue is something in never thought I would be able to see.

It's frightening but then again, Can I blame her? Zee might've grown up with some of her family members, good food, good education, good clothing, and not ever bothering on how to get money. I can't quite say that for Zara and I. However, we might've gone through a terrible experience going on, but at least we didn't witness the brutal assassination of our beloved parents. We didn't watch the mansion our Dad worked so hard to build, burn down while we were still in it. We didn't get out clothes soaked up with our parents blood. We didn't hear our parent's last words nor did we watch them shut their eyes for the last time.

But Zee did. She had no other option but to be an adult at such a tender age. Not because she wanted to. But because she had to.

So I don't bla—I can't even blame her for changing! I dare not. The visible wrinkles around her cheeks and upper lip didn't fail to capture my attention to the fact that she hasn't been smiling for a long time. Uncle says the first time he saw her smile and even laugh was when we arrived. And I was saddened but glad, that her smile was back.

I sure do hope I don't ever meet Mahmud nor Medina because I doubt i'd be able to sustain my anger. I'm most likely going to pulling the trigger on their foreheads if I do. For making my family go through the shits we sure as hell didn't deserve. We grieved for so many years and there they are, lavishing and enjoying their lives to the fullest!

I'm still not fully okay with the fact that Zee's working undercover at those criminal's house. Anything could happen and the last thing I want is to put my sister's life in harms way. However, Uncle assured me that she's good at her work, and she was the best choice he had to carry out the scheme. Five months had already gone by and it was remaining five more months for it to all go down.

Zara was going to move into Zee's apartment in four days, while I'll be staying here for the time being. Uncle says anyone could be watching us and it's safer that way. By all observations and what Zee has filled us in on, I've finally started trusting Uncle Arman. He's a good but dangerous person.

I like him.

Aunt Yusrah is the sweetest person ever. She has been nothing but caring and loving since we arrived and I'm grateful for that. Almost like a mother to us and we really appreciate her.

Here I was, in a plain white shirt and grey sweatpants, laying on the couch comfortably watching a movie on Netflix in the living room. Zara was conversing about something with Meenah on the other side of the room. It felt like home.