5. #Who is Aria?

I never thought that Kiera would be so kind and caring to Aria and watch her concern for Aria. The way she cradles Aria in her arms, singing for her and caressing her with loving warmth in her appearance, is truly heartwarming.

Because, once I thought that Kiera’s kindness made me forget that she’s the same daughter that I hate and that I married, only to see her father suffer.

And Aria, whom I couldn’t soothe or prevent the tears from streaming from her eyes, Kiera did in a few minutes.

Aria is the only family I have left, and my heart bleeds to see Aria in pain. Not because the sight of suffering makes me suffer, but because I couldn’t do anything to make her pain go away.

The same old question continues in my mind: whenever I see Aria like this, thinking how cruel a human can be? For hurting someone so small and charming, someone who couldn’t even describe the pain she feels in words, someone so young as Aria.

And I’m so ashamed that the reason for her suffering is none other than her dad. The man who ruined a child’s innocent heart, not taking good care of her or her needs by ignoring her, by hurting her both physically and mentally.

I still remember the day very clearly, as if only tomorrow when a call as early at 4 o’clock in the morning interrupted my sleep.

Ring Ring Ring, I rolled off groaning in sleep, looking at the time on my phone before receiving the call “WTF!” It’s 4 in the morning, and who is calling me now, disrupting my sleep, which I seldom have.

“Hello,” I answered, rubbing my eyes with the back of my hands.

“Jason Gray?” a female voice said on the phone.

“Yes, why?” I responded.

“Mr. Gray, we are sorry to inform you that your cousin Liam Gray died from a drug overdose,” My sleep is long gone hearing that news. I curse myself in my mind for not being able to protect my one and only blood relative I left in life.

“We would also like to inform you that your cousin has a daughter.”

“Wait..., What? Liam had a daughter,” I questioned, shocked by the news.

“Yes, and she is very traumatized by the incident, and you are her only living relative left. His daughter has no one. And considering she is your niece__ either you or we are forced to send her to foster care. She had a rough life, Mr. Gray. I hope you understand......” The woman stated sadly with a sigh.

“ How old is she,” I asked, traumatized by all the details.

“She is three.”

“I’ll take her,” I responded without wasting a second. I don’t want the little girl to face any difficulty that I have to face because of having an addictive parent.

I gave her all the necessary details she asked for on the phone before I hung up. She is going to be here early, at noon. I also asked Mrs. Clinton and other staff members to clean the room next to mine for the baby girl, my niece, who will be there with me. I want my niece to have every comfort in life, and I will make sure that nothing or no one can hurt my little niece again.

My cousin is or was(as if from now) a bastard. I’ve tried to help him so many times, I’ve even hired the best doctors to get him treated, but to him, his addiction is worth more than his life. And how on earth does he have a girl? And if he does, who the hell is the mother? Darn you, Liam. What other secrets are you hiding?

It was around six o’clock when a minivan stopped in my driveway. I’m both anxious and startled, my hands sweating by the thought that how am I going to raise a 3-year-old alone, and if I could be a suitable guardian to her or not, what if she hates, what if…..., But all my thought got distracted when I felt a comforting hand planted on my left shoulder. I turned my head to see Mrs. Clinton standing next to me with a cheerful smile on her face.

“Just believe in yourself,” I smiled at her reassurance and nodded my head at her words.

Mrs. Clinton is always there to cheer me up; she is like a parent to me, holding by my side every time I am alone, and I am very grateful to her for that.

“Jason, look there she is....,” I glanced up and noticed that next to the minivan was standing a tiny little girl with brown hair and blue eyes with her hands tugging at the hem of her shirt. All her clothes are dirty and torn, her face and body are all smeared, her eyes red and swollen, and there is a sad grimace on her face. I’m so furious to see such a little girl in front of me like this. What kind of man is Liam, harming his daughter?

“Good Morning, Mr. Gray. Sorry for bothering you earlier in the morning, but you know, work is work,” the social worker said playfully. I didn’t pay attention to any of her words because all my attention focused on the little girl walking beside her, holding the social worker’s hand.

“What is her name,” I asked, pointing my finger at my niece.

“Oh my goodness, how could I forget to mention such important information? My bad!” the social worker said, grinning like a loon. “So…… Guys, meet Aria.”

“Aria…,” I muttered the name under my breath. The name means Melody fits her perfectly.

Little toes wrapped in dirty, torn shoes come walking on the sidewalk, standing right in front of me. I lean down, so I can measure up to Aria. “Hey…, baby girl.” I stretched out my hand to touch her shoulder, but she recoils, trembling like she is afraid of me. Aria stares at me, and her face crumbles as she starts crying hard. She is sacred. Not knowing what to do, I pick her up in my arms while she sobbed on my shoulder.

Swaying Aria in my arms lightly, I took her inside the house. Several minutes passed as Aria calmed down a little and moved her head from my shoulder, staring at my face with her thumb in her mouth.

Aria’s face is close to mine. I looked attentively at her face and noticed some new and old bruises on it. I’m furious. What kind of father hits his daughter? I wrapped my arms tightly around Aria, promising her I would let no harms come close till the day I’m alive.

It was that day, which seemed like only tomorrow. When I first met Aria, the day when she became a detectable part of my life, my family. Aria, who is not my niece but a daughter to me. But even after so many attempts and treatment from the world’s renowned doctors, I can’t make her pain go away. The pain is more emotional than physical. And whenever I see her crying because of the emotional pain and distress caused by Liam, it makes me weak and defeated that even with all the money, I couldn’t help my child.

However, things were different today. I’m surprised to say the reason behind this is Kiera. Aria, who never integrates with anyone, and hardly talks, is familiar with Kiera. And today, when all my attempts at calming Aria failed, Kiera came and calmed her like a mother. Why?

I stared at Kiera, who was putting Aria in her bed. Seeing Kiera like things so caring and loving that even Aria likes her. I’m questioning my decision to hurt her because only by hurting her. I can take my revenge on her father. Kiera is Gabriel’s weakness.

Then why am I so indecisive about my choice? Why are my emotions affected by Kiera?

“Sweet dreams,” Kiera’s voice distracted my thoughts as she kissed Aria’s forehead lightly.

My mind was jumbled by my thoughts, “Kiera….,” I was about to ask something from Kiera to clear my confused mind. But before I could finish my words, Kiera put her index on my lips, stopping me from speaking.

With her face so close to mine and her brown eyes staring at me. Kiera’s smell frails my senses like a fresh garden of roses, making me addicted to its fragrance. My heart started jumping in my ribs as my eyes focused on her lips, moving as if she was talking to me. But my mind is too distracted to concentrate on anything else than hers.

“Hey….,” mumbled Kiera, pinching my nose. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” I shook my head, trying to remove the weird thoughts that had occurred in my mind from my Kiera.

“Jason…., What is your daughter’s name?” asked Kiera, looking at Aria sleeping.

“Aria…” I said proudly.

“Lovely like Melody,” Kiera and I said at the same time.

I turned my face toward the person who was smiling, both of us speaking at the same time. Seeing Kiera smile like this made my heart jump with joy. And before the meaningless thought could occur in my mind, I left the room, getting as far away from Kiera as possible. I couldn't bear the thought of being near her again.