The Unbreakables (BWHM)

Chapter 34

I struggled and fought with a pair of hands that weren't my own; oh God please let me get to Kayla in time before.... Oh God I couldn't even think it. I fought harder until I recognized the soft whisper by my ear.

"Shush, keep it down, mija. The servants will report back to Amir and he will be here in a flash," My sister wife, Dorri, whispered as she gently shook me to awareness. I lay still for a moment my limbs sore.

A moment later Dorri was pushing a glass into my hand.

"Here, have some water," she said helping me into a sitting position.

I gulped the water down grateful for it because my throat felt as if it was embedded with hundreds of razor blades. "Thank you Dorri," I said after finished drinking all the water in the glass. She took the cup from my hands and helped me to lie back on the comfortable pillows that decorated my bed.

"You had another nightmare. This one seemed worse than the others, though." Dorri smoothed the covers down around me.

She was right. This one was different from the others. This one seemed more...real. It had twisted my reality with an image that shook me to the gristle.

"My sister died in this one. All that blood...her blood." I could still see the hole in her chest.

"It was just a dream," Dorri said, sitting down on the side of the bed.

"No, Dorri. It was real. If my sister comes for me, Amir will kill her," I whispered closing my eyes and taking in a deep breath.

"Then you have nothing to worry over. She'll not find you here. For we are the lost and forgotten. All we have now is each other." Motherly concern manipulated her lined features. And she was more of a mother to me than a sister wife.

When I first arrived in Amir's household I was shunned by all the other wives and servants. They treated me no better than a slave. If I was being real though, that's all I was anyway. Everyone except for Dorri. She showed me nothing but respect and kindness, she even spoke English to me when everyone else took immense pleasure insulting me in Arabic. She explained what was expected of me and how to navigate the other wives.

"As long as my faith in God is strong, then I'll never be lost or forgotten. I'll never lose hope in someone coming to find us. My sister will find me. My only fear is to what end." I buried my face in my hands.

"You still have a little girl's faith, thinking your older sister can slay dragons. You remind me of my daughter. She was just like you in her beliefs. In her eyes, her older brother commanded the sun, moon, and stars," Dorri looked away, but not before I saw the tears brimming her lower lid.

"You have children?" I questioned, shocked. How could she accept the loss of her freedom so easily, knowing she had kids out there waiting for her?

"In another life. All was lost when I was taken and brought here." She turned back to me and gave me a struggle smile.

"No, Dorri. All is not lost. When my sister finally comes for me, I'm taking you with me." I stated fiercely, moved by the amount of loss that reflected in Dorri's eyes.

"For a moment their when your eyes flashed like that you almost remind-, oh never mind that's silly, but what's not is you getting some rest. It displeases Amir when he has to look upon you with luggage under your eyes," Dorri stood and dropped a kiss on my forehead. She then reached over to turn the lamp off on my night stand. Fear clawed at me.

"Dorri, could you stay with me, at least until I fall asleep?" She stared down at me for a second with a strange expression and then smiled.

"Of course, but you have to promise to close your eyes and not try to fight the sandman," Dorri said sitting back down on the edge of my bed.

I closed my eyes and Dorri began to hum the lullaby she often did when I had difficulty sleeping. And this time sleep brought peace.

****

I settled into the comfortable leather seat of the jet we boarded earlier that morning. Kayla was being silent and distant. It had been so since I awoke that morning. She pretended to for my benefit to have slept well, but I knew she'd lain awake all night.

I waited for the flight attendant to pass us by before I spoke to Kayla. "Angel, why're you so quiet?" I asked letting my hand rest on top of hers. She jumped at my touch, her mind was no longer on the plane with us it was lost in the dream she'd had the night before.

"Hmm? I'm sorry, Antonio, did you say something?" She asked letting her eyes focus on me.

"Yeah, what's wrong with you? Why you so quiet, what's on your mind? Is this about the nightmare?" I pressed letting my eyes bore into hers.

"I don't want to talk about it," she said, with a chest full of attitude.

"Well I do, the dream's bothering you and I think you should talk about it. So run your damn mouth." I demanded.

She attempted to commit visual homicide on me. "You were right, Antonio. The dream was just a dream. I overreacted last night. Now I see things more clearly the light of day. The nightmare was no more than my self-conscious mind and fears resurfacing during my periodic suspension of consciousness."

"Kayla, don't play me with that psychobabble bullshit. Save your million dollar medical excuses for someone who understands them. I met you in my dreams, remember? The more you try to tell me it was just a dream the more it convinces me it wasn't, now tell me what you saw." I yelled, causing Ruby and Big John to look over at us. Kayla gave Ruby a nod and a smile before turning back to me.

"Antonio please, I don't want to do this here."

"Well then don't. I'm listening." I replied wearing my best nonchalant expression.

"Alright since you want to know so badly, here it is." She cast her gaze around, and then lowered her voice. "I'm going to die while saving Miah. That's what the dream was about. It was preparing me."

Kayla's laid me low. Stunned, I stared at her for a moment as I allowed what she said to process.

"What do you mean you're gonna die? Just because you dream of dying doesn't make it a prophecy. I dream of dying all the time and yet here I sit." I said feeling like a condemned man making excuses.

"Antonio, you just said it yourself. You met me in your dreams before we ever met me in person. So you of all people should understand the power of premonition." Kayla argued.

"Well in that case, you can forget about being part of your sister's rescue. You can stay behind with your mother. Leave it to me to get Jamiah out." I insisted, becoming more and more comfortable with that idea.

"Wrong damn answer, Antonio. I'm not going to leave my sister hanging because you're afraid of me dying. If saving her kills me in the process then so be it." Kayla declared with a finality in her voice that I strongly resented. I stared at her unable to believe her resolve or reasoning. She'd lost her damn brain if she thought I was okay with her diving ass first into a suicide mission. If I had to save her from herself then run me my cape.

I looked around the plane an observed Kayla's parents talking quietly among themselves. Big John was taking a nap and Ruby was reading what looked to be a bible. I let my head fall back on the head rest of the seat and settled in to what looked would to be a long ass flight.