Golden Bird

“Yes I’m sure you would, but the thing is: you don’t have to. It’s so ironic, it really is. When I saw you standing here in my house, after so many months of wishing you would come and there you were. Today, of all days, the day I learned the truth. Oh, yes I’ve learned many truths today. The truth about me, about you, and... the truth about the baby.”

“What about my child?”

Sara laughed bitterly. “That’s what’s so ironic. It’s not your baby.”

“You cannot be serious. I understood from David Wilson that you and he had not been lovers since your return.”

“Yes, that’s true. I was pregnant before Jack Hogan abducted me.”

Rashid was stunned silent as she went on.

“There was a miscalculation during my first examination and it turns out I was more pregnant than the doctor originally thought. You see, the fetus was very small for it’s age, probably due to the drugs your uncle gave me.”

Rashid winced at that. “But Wilson believes I am the father.”

“He doesn’t know. We all thought it was yours. The baby, though small, is more developed than it should have been, so the doctor did some tests and the results showed the truth. I only found out today. You can’t imagine the turmoil I’ve gone through. I haven’t told anyone. Not even Mom. I had to discover how I felt about this before telling anyone.” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “Then you arrived and I felt panic,...for you had come for me and I was carrying another man’s child,...” her voice broke and a tear rolled down her cheek.

Rashid took her in his arms and held her close as the sobs subsided. “It doesn’t matter little bird, I’m sure Wilson would raise the child. If not, there are many couples searching for children to adopt. We will find it a good home.”

To Rashid’s surprise, Sara pushed away from him and stood up with such force that she nearly toppled over.

“You still don’t get it, do you? You and I are a fantasy. It would never work. We’re just too different. I can’t live in your world,... and you can’t live in mine. What we have could never survive that.” She watched his face as he struggled to understand. “You know it’s true, Rashid. You would never have come after me if you hadn’t thought I was carrying your child. No, don’t deny it. Listen to me. If the child had been yours, I would have gone with you and our lives would have been miserable. I see that now.”