Samantha Aaron

Zina’s eyes were wide open by the time Mae had finished narrating all what she had missed out on.

“Wow so you are saying that he’s also in the..”

Mae nodded quickly, “he is doing it for me, I don’t know if I am worth the trouble though”.

Zina frowned at her best friend.

“Stop that, don’t do that. I’ll go to any measure to protect you too if you were like mine, you are worth it. Don’t put yourself down M, stop that”.

“I took his money for the first time last night”.

“Whose? Alex?”

Mae nodded,

“He wants to take me to Mexico in two weeks time, we’ll need all the money to run away”.

“How much are we talking about? How much did you collect?”

“About a hundred grand”.

Zina whistled lowly, “that is a lot girl, enough to help you cover up and run away”.

Mae sighed.

“I know, I’m not sure if he will like the idea of it though”.

“A hundred grand? Except if he really wants to protect his pride instead of you, only then will her reject the money and I’m sure he’ll choose you over his pride”.

“You think?”

“I know”. Her best friend said reassuring.

“We’ll be fine baby, you’ve got your little human in you and the best boyfriend anyone could ask for”.

Mae smiled a little bit then she sighed, before something caught her attention and she brought the phone a little bit close to her face and squinted at the phone screen scrutinizing her best friend.

“Is that a see through top you are wearing beneath your jacket?”

“Okay bye, I have a lot of work to do”.

Mae laughed as she finally believed that her friend have a thing for her boss.

“You are totally trying to seduce him right? While he is busy making your life hell. Some high school shit going on here”, Mae laughed.

Zina flipped her off before blowing her a kiss.

“Just tell him how you fe..”

Zina cut the call before Mae could finish and Mae laughed, her best friend is one spontaneous human filled with so many surprises.

She returned to the blanket she was crocheting and continued with it. She had not been working for up to thirty minutes when she noticed some movements around her.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath in, this only happens when Alexander is in town. She was at her favorite spot in the park and she knew that he must have sent his boys to keep an eye on her.

“Don’t you guys get tired of all these?” She screamed out and held her head in her hands.

“Erm, nope. We complain then we probably end up like your last boyfriend”.

Mae looked up at the familiar voice and released a sigh of relief, at least he had sent a familiar face.

“Damian”, she simply said and picked up her work again.

“You don’t sound excited to see me”.

“That is because everything that have to do with association with your boss is to my detriment. So no, I am not excited to see you”.

“Ouch”, Damian said and handed her a takeout plate.

She stared at it, she already knew what was inside. Velvet cake, she knew she should collect it but the thought of the cake already made bile to rise up in her throat.

She felt like throwing up and she did not want to do that in front of him, he will surely tell his boss which will make him want to take me to a hospital for checkups.

“Oh God, I’ve been through this before I don’t want this again”, she muttered as she tried to swallow the bile that kept rising.

“Are you okay?” Damian asked in concern.

She nodded and waved him off.

“Just leave me alone for a while please”, she begged.

Damian continued talking and she closed her eyes and took a deep breath in, this pregnancy will be the death of her literally because she couldn’t keep the bile in any longer.

“You look green..” Damian was saying while she turned to the side and threw up everything she had for breakfast.

She coughed a bit and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and then took out a bottle of water from her tote bag besides her and rinsed her mouth and hand.

She turned back and looked at the sick expression on Damian’s face.

“What? Bad boy to a bad boss can’t handle a little puke?” She asked sarcastically.

“Besides I told you to give me a moment but you kept on rambling”.

She shrugged and picked up her crocheting stuff again.

“Are you sick? Have you been to the doctor?” He asked frantically.

“I am totally fine Damian, just a case of over feeding. I ate excessively this morning, breakfast was that good”.

“Are you sure?”

“I am absolutely sure, there is nothing to worry about or report to your boss”.

Damian laughed a bit and sat down close to her.

“Okay, you are worried about me reporting every single thing about you to my boss”.

Mae gave him a stink eye, “isn’t that what he pays you for?”

Damian laughed.

“God Mae, you are very silly. Just like my little sister”.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, I know that you are seeing that banker and I also know that you both have been going out for a while”.

Mae’s heart dropped immediately those words came out of his mouth and she paled.

“How.. wh…what do you mean?” She stuttered.

Damian gave her a gentle smile.

“I am not telling Alexander anything, if that is what you are worried about. I don’t tell him about most things you do, he appointed me to be your shadow. Most times I come into town without anyone knowing, I see you and your boyfriend by the docks. I am happy for you really”.

The last words made Mae to scrunch her face in disbelief.

“Happy for me?” She asked with every distrust in her seeping into her voice.

Damian smiled and nodded.

“How are you happy for me?” Mae asked him, looking at him suspiciously.

Damian smiled.

“I lost my sister to mafia men”, he started with a sigh.

Mae looked at him with her mouth opened in an “oh” expression.

“Yeah, she was just like you. Young and happy, filled with life”.

"So if you lost your sister to the mafia, why are you in one? Or wait, was Alexander responsible for her death?" Mae asked with horror seeping into her voice

Damian chuckled and shook his head, “no, I joined the mafia because of her, to be able to protect her. Protection is assured for families of the mafia gang”, he continued then trailed off.

“What then happened?” Mae couldn’t resist asking.

He shrugged, “they got to her”.

“They got to her before I was even fully trusted to be accepted in the gang, I made them kill her. By joining the biggest mafia gang and their sworn life enemies”.

“Wow”, Mae breathe and panicked.

‘Is that what will happen with her if she runs away from Alex and he finds her?’ She thought.

“Why did you not just leave?” She asked him.

Damian took a long breath in, “it would have been suspicious for me to do that”.

“You tell them the real reason why you wanted to join them in the first place, I'm sure they would have understood that they were of no use to you again” She retorted.

Damian laughed and shook his head.

“You really know nothing about this for someone who is about to be the wife of a mafia family”, he said quietly and with a smile.

The blood in Mae’s face drained as she looked at him.

“How did you know?” She asked in a small voice.

Damian clicked his tongue and shook his head at her like he was about to reprimand a little child.

“I told you that if I’d wanted to turn you in, I would have a long time ago”.

“You have to find a way to get out of here so you can take care of your baby Mae”.

Mae’s heart was beating fast, she couldn’t tell if it was out of excitement or fear.

If Damian knows everything about her, who else does? Who else that is loyal to their boss?

"I know what is going on in your head, no one else knows anything about you."

Mae breathe out in relief but that was only shortlived as another reason for her to panic came up again.

"Who else does he have tailing me Damian?"

"Just me, for some months now."

Mae frowned, "why?"

"The boss thinks that there is no reason to keep hovering over you, everyone in town knows that you belong to him and so far so good, you have been a good girl and have not attempted to leave this town".

Mae snickered.

"like I could even if I'd wanted to."

"Look Mae, this mafia life is dangerous. I know they assure protection but I want you and the father of your baby to be done with his family as soon as you can get your bearings and hide your identities well".

"what do you mean?"

"Disappear forever, cease being Mae. change your name and total identity, it's something we in the mafia do all the time. You really don't want your child growing up in a hostile and dangerous environment."

Mae sat still and pondered on his words.

What he was saying actually made a lot of sense, she have to do anything to protect her baby and shield her baby from the mafia life.

She smiled to herself and then turned to Damian.

"I want to be called Samantha, that will be my name."

Damian smiled a little and nodded.

"I don't want to come in direct contact with you again for now, till you are out of town safely. I don't want him to link your disappearing with me, it could be dangerous for me and the rest of my family so.." he said and trailed off.

Mae touched his knee lightly and then retract her hand quickly.

"I understand, look for me. I will be Samantha, I'm sure you know his name. that is his alias, I'll be Samantha Aaron."

Damian smiled, "you will be a perfect mother Samantha." He said and leaned in to her, brushing off strands of hair that had fallen to her face.

Mae gasped as his hand brushed over her face, her breath hitched as he leaned in and her eyes met his before they flickered down to her lips.