Chapter 96

At the Weigand residence, Mrs. Patricia, ran back and forth, telling Karol where t o put the balloons, while Berta, their housekeeper took the duck out of the oven, and asked Adolf, the butler, t o set the table.

“Come on! They'll b e here any minute now” said Dominik's mother, a s the finished arranging the snacks o n  the table.

“What do you think she i s  like?” Asked Karol, excited.

“I imagine she looks just like Dominik, you know what a good job h e did with Abraham” answered Patricia, proudly.

The sound of a horn made the ladies and the only man present t o scatter i n  every direction.

“They're here!” Said the Weigand widow, almost screaming.

***

Aháva took a deep breath. She was very nervous.

«Help me, mommy» she said t o herself and they got out of the car.

The proud father offered his hand t o his daughter.

“Welcome. This i s  grandma's house” h e made a gesture with his hand a s t o show her the place. The first thing Aháva could see was a woman standing at the door.

“Aunt Karol” shouted Abraham and darted towards his aunt with his arms wide open.

“My handsome prince. Come here, I'm gonna eat you with kisses” the young boy jumped into his aunt's arms, who lifted him i n  a tight hug a s she kissed him all over his face.

Dominik took Aháva's hand and conducted her toward the door.

“Karol” said Dominik hugging his sister.

“Hello, little brother. I'm s o glad t o see you.”

“This is…” Dominik tried introducing his little girl.

“Oh my god!” His sister screamed, startling Aháva. “She's gorgeous. She looks just like you.”

“My! You finally admit I am good-looking” joked Dominik.

“Come here, honey. Let me have a good look at you” Karol bent over t o level down with Aháva and gave her a close look. “Hi, gorgeous. I am your aunt. You're s o beautiful.”

“Hello” shyly answered the girl. “You are very pretty yourself, too” without a second thought, she kissed and hugged her aunt, surprising the woman.

Dihanna observed it all i n  silence. Dominik turned t o her, extending out his hand t o her and they both went i n  the house holding hands.

When they entered the house, Aháva's eyes were filled with awe, seeing her name win large letters i n  the middle of the living room, surrounded by colorful balloons. Patricia Neumann, widow of Weigand, was looking at her little granddaughter from her couch. Age did not allow her t o remain o n  her feet very long.

Welcome home! Read the banner, high above the living room.

“Grandma!” Abraham ran and gave his grandmother a big hug.

Grandma laughed i n  enjoyment.

Aháva watched her grandmother laugh with her brother and, she liked that. Realizing they were a s nice a s her father was comforting.

“Let me see her. I want t o see my granddaughter” Patricia's voice demanded her young descendant.

“Aháva. Honey, come, say hi t o grandma” said Dominik.

Aháva shyly walked up and realized the lady, although a n adult, had the smile of a child, just like her father.

“Hello, doll. I'm your grandmother. Come. Get closer” her voice was soft. She sat down next t o her and she held her i n  her arms. “God! You look s o much like your father” said Patricia with tears i n  her eyes.

“Abraham. What are you doing? Why are you taking your toys out of the suitcase?” Asked Dihanna watching Abraham drag a huge basket filled with all sorts of toys.

“I want t o pway wif my sisteg and auntie Kawol” said the boy.

“Okay, but after we eat” sentenced Patricia and everybody obeyed.

Days went by and Aháva, little by little, adapted t o her new life i n  Munich.

Dihanna was very kind and loving, every now and then she let her have her way, even i n  spite of Dominik, who said pleasing children always, o n  the long run, only harmed them. However, she didn't listen t o her husband. She young girl bewitched her.

Abraham was ecstatic, h e played with his sister day and night.

As days went by, Aháva started t o attend The Franconian International School.

Dominik, after paying 250.000 Euros from a lawsuit, rejoined the national team. h e was training hardly and constantly for his last days a s a soccer player. After which, h e would begin t o work a s assistant coach, or i n  the worst case, directing. h e wanted t o follow the steps of Ewald Metzler.

Dihanna dedicated herself t o her family. Sometimes, they would summon her for a local concert or, maybe even go t o the studio t o make sure things were going well. She was the majority shareholder of a prestigious record label i n  Germany.

Little Abraham improved his speech notably. Specialists concluded it was Aháva's influence i n  him.

One afternoon while Dominik headed for practice, h e received a phone call.

“Mr. Weigand?” Asked a female voice.

“Speaking” h e answered immediately.

“This i s  Veronica Georges, deputy headmistress i n  your daughter's school.”

“What can I do for you?”

“We need you t o come here immediately.”  

“Why? Did something happen t o my daughter?” Dominik was concerned.

“Your daughter won't go t o class. She isolated herself i n  the library and she won't talk t o no one else.”

“Alright. I will come get her.”

Dominik called Ewald t o let him know h e would b e late, and, wasting no more time, h e headed for the girl's school.

As h e arrived t o the office where the girl was, h e found her sitting o n  a couch, crying.

“I am here, princess. What happened? Why are your crying? Did somebody hurt you?” Aháva couldn't talk from crying. “My love, what i s  it? Talk t o me, please” h e insisted, getting closer t o hug her. Seeing her like that made his heart break i n  a thousand pieces.

Aháva dried her tears and looked into her father's eyes.

At that moment, thousands of memories hit the girl's mind.

It had been 2 months since the death of her mother and Amir, but she carried a huge pain. Maybe holding it back all this time caused this suffering. She could not stop crying.

“I was very happy with mommy and daddy Amir, I want them back. You came into our lives and everything changed” the poor girl cried nonstop. “I'm scared.”

“Oh! Honey. Everything will b e alright. I miss your mommy very much, too. I loved her with all my heart” his voice broke.

“Why did you abandon her?” the young girl reproached him.

“I never abandoned her. She decided t o walk away from me.”

“I don't understand” the girl took a deep breath through her nose and wiped her tears with the sleeve of her sweater.

Dominik took some air and cleared his throat.

“I'll tell you everything, but someplace else. Shall we?”

The girl nodded.

They both left the school.  Dominik figured it would b e a good idea t o bring Aháva t o the Hofgarten t o take a long walk while they talked. When they arrived t o the park, they sat o n  a wooden bench right by a beautiful fountain. The place was stunning, surrounded by green and lots of red flowers. A sublime, magical place. The perfect place t o tell Aháva about the beautiful love story h e lived with her mother.

He started by telling her how they met and how things started happening, little by little, his repeated visits t o the airport, the escapades t o see her, and all the trouble h e went through because of that. h e admitted h e still loved her and that h e never forgot her. h e told her how Samanta left, leaving his heart i n  shards. h e told her about Friedrich's deceit.

Dominik's phone rang, but h e did not recognize the number.

“Hello?”

“Dominik?”

He recognized the voice speaking t o him, right away.

“Charlotte?”

“Auntie Charlie!” the girl became s o excited.

“Dominik, something just came up” Charlie's voice was a mixture of emotions. Excitement, concern and… fear?

“What i s  it, Charlotte?”

Dominik could hear mumbles from the other end of the line and the voice of a woman demanding t o b e put o n  the phone.

»Charlotte? What i s  going on?” h e insisted.

“Dominik?”

He became frozen.

That voice…

Impossible.

That voice must have been a product of his imagination.

His heart was racing.

»Dominik? Can you hear me?” The voice again. “Dominik? Are you there? Please, say something.”

“Samanta?”