Chapter 98

A white light hit Samanta's pupils causing her a n acute headache, she tried t o raise her hands t o cover her eyes, but a murmur i n  a foreign language made her react.

Cables came out of her body and a machine was tracking her heart rate with a n annoying beep. A nasty feeling i n  her mouth let her know a tube was coming out from there. She tried moving, but her body was not responding.

A woman next t o her tried t o appease her.

Sam tried t o articulate, but t o no avail.

She fell unconscious again.

It had been almost two months since the awful day when Amir and their friends, the Alecs died. The memories of such a terrible night haunted Samanta's dreams, a long, imperturbable dream. Samanta remained i n  a coma for 57 days. Days after which she was released due t o a huge confusion.

The moment the last explosion detonated, which killed Adhara Alec, she was carrying Sam's bag, with all her documents, so, the moment they found her burned body, they jumped t o the conclusion that that was Samanta Mobarek, after a name tag with Samanta's name miraculously survived the fire.

With no type of identification, for the hospital staff she was only a number, the patient i n  bed 36.

When she woke up, Samanta was very confused between all these people i n  white coats speaking many different languages.

When she opened her eyes, the medical team i n  charge of her case tried finding out everything about the nameless patient. She identified herself a s Samanta Andrade, a n American citizen, immediately after, the American Embassy took over the matter.

One more week went by, during which, Samanta underwent a series of different medical tests and interrogations from the American Embassy, who, at first, refused t o believe she was a legitimate citizen given the lack of documentation pointed, i n  the eyes of the public servants, at a case of opportunism by a woman trying t o take advantage of the circumstance i n  order t o escape her country, being deported t o a country which, t o many, was the ultimate dream.

Her arms and face had been scarred, a constants reminder of her loss. She found out Amir was dead, which devastated her.

Samanta was released, but due t o her lack of a n official identification, she was taken t o a refugee center where she was kept until her documents were ready.

She attempted communication with someone i n  Cairo, but her attempts were futile. No one was answering the phone i n  the mansion and she never memorized Charlotte's number since she kept changing it s o often. For some strange reason, she couldn't communicate with her sister Teresa. Her final attempt was Amir's number, naively hoping it had been reassigned t o someone else, but it was out of service. Those were all the phone numbers she could remember.

After another week, Samanta obtained a passport and ID. The embassy themselves provided them and helped her get back home i n  Egypt.

Once i n  Egypt, Samanta took a taxi straight t o the Mobarek mansion. She thought it was very strange how the house seemed vacant.

She walked t o the door, feeling her heart pounding out of her chest with every step, she looked through every window o n  the sides of the door and her fears were confirmed. The house was vacant. Panic took over her, not knowing where her daughter could be.

“Can I help you?” a woman's voice behind her startled her. She turned around t o find Adasha, Amir's housekeeper, whom, having recognized her, almost fainted and took a step back. “Mrs. Samanta?” She said a few words i n  Arabic and put her hands together, putting them o n  her mouth t o muffle a scream. “You are... No way!”

“Adasha, I'm alive. It was all a misunderstanding. Calm down, please” Sam tried t o comfort the trembling woman.

“What happened t o you?” She managed t o ask, after doing her best at not fainting.

“I'll tell you everything later. First, I need t o know where are my daughter and Charlotte. I need t o see them.”

“Madame” Adasha got closer t o Samanta with sorrow i n  her face. “Miss Aháva i s  i n  Germany. After your alleged passing, and Master Amir's, the judge determined Mr. Weigand should look after her. They left a few weeks ago.”

Suddenly, Samanta felt her blood pressure drop and a dizziness made her sit o n  the edge of the stairs, by the front door.

»But your friend, Ms. Charlotte i s  living i n  a n apartment downtown, she's working for the University. She and Mr. Carlos are there.”

“Charlie and Carlos?”

“Yes. They are engaged. They will marry before the end of the year. I clean up their place once a week.”

“Take me there immediately, please.”

Wasting no time, Samanta got back i n  the taxi with Adasha and they both headed right away t o her friends' apartment. She had t o remain calm. She had been through s o much t o come here. It would only b e a little longer, and she would not give up.

“It i s  here, madam” said the woman beside her.

Sam paid the driver and they got out of the car.

They both went into a building and got into the elevator, headed for the fourth floor.

Sam's heart started racing when they were at the door of apartment 4-b.

A few seconds later...

“Coming.”

Charlotte's voice caused her s o many feelings, she couldn't help but shed a few tears.

The door opened.

Charlotte was dumbfounded, seeing Samanta.

Right there.

In front of her.

At her door.

“Who's that, honey?” Another familiar voice, made Sam's tears keep pouring. Charlotte cried a s well and, by a n impulse, she hugged her friend. “What's going on?” Carlos approached the scene and his eyes opened like plates, a s though h e was looking at a ghost. “Samanta? How?”

“May I?” Asked Sam, sobbing.

“Sure, of course. Come o n  in” responded Carlos and Charlotte simultaneously.

Samanta sat o n  a couch and she was bombarded with tons of questions. She had t o tell everybody what had happened. Their talk went from laughing t o crying, remembering Amir, while Adasha served some snacks.

Charlotte and Carlos put Samanta up t o date during her forced absence. Amir's father renounced every responsibility toward Aháva, thus, Dominik was granted legal custody of his child. It was his right a s her biological father.

“Dominik will b e s o happy” commented Carlos with certain nostalgia i n  his voice—. You can't imagine how hard it was for him, thinking you were gone.

“You have t o call him” said Charlie. “I have his number right here.”

“What? Now? Don't you think, first, I should...”

“None sense! You're alive, woman. The world must know” said Carlos energetically.

“Dominik?” Said Charlie.

Without asking Sam, her friend had got him o n  the phone.

“Charlotte?” Responded the voice o n  the other end.

“Dominik, something came up” said Charlie, trying t o hold back her excitement.

“What i s  going on, Charlie?”

“Put him on! Let me talk t o him” murmured Samanta.

“Charlotte. What i s  happening?”

Samanta snatched the phone from her friend's hand.

“Dominik?” She asked, but there was no answer. “Dominik, do you hear me?” She insisted. “Dominik? Are you there? Please, say something” she begged.

Anxiety grew with every silent second.

“Samanta?”

Dominik spoke.

Hearing her name, pronounced by the lips of that man, gave her butterflies i n  the stomach.

Suddenly, all the pain and sorrowful memories vanished.