Chapter 3

• Malia’s POV
• “What is going on?” I asked as they practically dragged me to a waiting area, nothing was said to me, and they only talked outside as I was locked in a room.
• “We apologize for any inconvenience Ma, but this name was reported missing and the documents stolen, aside from that, our systems show that you have already boarded the airplane with your child,” someone finally explained after about an hour.
• I sat there in confusion, fighting back tears, the plane I was supposed to be on, had already taken off.
• Just then, he walked in and it felt like time stopped. The one person I had successfully avoided all these years, Zach my ex, and the man who had helped me so much today.
• “What seems to be the problem?” he demanded, looking angrily at the airport head of security.
• “We apologize Sir, but her identity cannot be verified,” he responded quickly, looking fearful.
• “Let me see the documents,” he demanded again and to my surprise, they were handed to him.
• All through our three-year relationship, I didn’t know much about his status or anything, just that he was doing well for himself but the reaction of these people made me start questioning a lot of things.
• “Daughter?” he asked in surprise, shooting me a puzzled look.
• “Yes Sir, she is …” I stopped the man before he could speak any further.
• “Yes, the person she boarded with is my best friend, Susan Clark, please look her up, you will see,” I said quickly, I was willing to give out any other information but that of my child, and definitely not in front of Zach.
• “I see, the mix-up now but, you would have to describe your daughter, just to be doubly sure,” The airport head of security said after confirming the information I gave.
• “Okay, she is three feet tall, a brunette, with a birthmark on the side of her left cheek,” I responded hesitantly, knowing this was the only way to get out of this mess.
• “How old is she Ma’am,” the man questioned, still trying to straighten his facts.
• No, I couldn’t respond to that, even though I heard him, I pretended like I didn't and kept quiet.
• “Ma’am?” he called, trying to get my attention but I wasn’t responding.
• “Hello, hold on a minute,” Zach said as he picked up a call and walked out of the room.
• “She is six years old, with brown eyes,” I said quickly before Zach could return.
• “Day and month of birth,” he asked further, while Zach was still out.
• “4th of December,” I responded, grateful Zach didn’t hear all this information about my child.
• “She is mine!!!” I repeated, convincing myself I was making the right decision.
• Just then, Zach had returned to the room we were in.
• “So, what is left,” He asked, getting impatient with the many procedures.
• “We need someone who has known her to re-confirm her identity,” the airport head of security said, running his hand through his hair, he was clearly also exhausted by the procedures.
• “What? Why? Isn’t that too much?” Zach asked in anger, puzzled by the unnecessary request.
• “I apologize, Sir, but based on the report we got, we have to go through all these tiring procedures,” he responded apologetically with a hint of fear, just trying to do his job.
• “I can confirm her identity, I have known her for twelve years,” Zach said looking straight into my eyes. A familiar feeling washed over me and my throat was suddenly dry, this was the effect only Zach could have on me.
• “Okay, thank you, Sir, you can go, Ma’am, we apologize for the delay and any other inconvenience,” the airport chief of security said as he led me out of the room but Zach stayed back discussing with the other security personnel.
• Now that this was over, I needed to find the next available flight. Ella was always safe with Susan so my heart was at rest, now I just needed to meet up with them.
• “When is the next available flight?” I asked the lady at the reception who was in charge of bookings.
• “In the next five days Ma’am,” she replied, looking up from her system.
• “Oh come on,” I shouted in frustration as tears rolled down my cheeks.
• It had been one of the worst days of my life and this was the last straw, I couldn't take it anymore and cried uncontrollably as I sat on a nearby chair.
• After about twenty minutes, I felt a tap on my shoulder, it was the lady from the reception.
• “There is a flight leaving now, would you like to go with it Ma'am?” she asked, looking at my tear-stained face and swollen eyes.
• “Yes, yes, please, what do I need to do, I could pay for…” she stopped me mid-sentence as I rambled on excitedly.
• “You don't need to pay any extra charges, Ma’am, we take full responsibility for delaying you and making you miss your flight, please accept this as our apology for the inconvenience.
• “Thank you so much,” I said as my eyes teared up in gratitude, it was a silver lining to this awful chain of events.
• “Please come with me Ma’am,” she said and I rose to follow her.
• We walked to another part of the airport, it was quieter and more beautiful than the rest of the place.
• This flight wasn't a usual one.
• We finally came to a private hangar and on the plane were the initials ZW.
• “Please come this way, Ma’am,” she said as a man took my bag.
• The lady led me into the plane and made me sit.
• “Please enjoy and have a safe trip, Ma’am,” she said with a smile as she stepped down from the plane.
• This plane was one of the most beautiful I had ever seen, it was all black from the furniture to the utensils, and they all had the very peculiar initials ZW.
• “Who is the person that owns this plane and why is he helping me,” I wondered as I buckled in for the takeoff.
• I was served and treated like royalty and I seemed to be the only one on the plane too.
• “Things will only get better from here,” I told myself as I settled into the luxurious seat.
• “Is she my child?” a voice asked, startling me, it was a voice I knew too well, asking the one question I dreaded the most.