Nyara Pov
"Why didn't you tell us?" Halle asked, her voice laced with hurt. "That you had a child? Or even that you were pregnant?"
Sarai nodded, her expression mirroring Halle's. "Yeah, Nyara, that really hurt us. We thought you trusted us with everything, but now I see you're the only one keeping secrets in this friendship."
I sighed, running a hand through my curly afro pushing the front to the side. "It's complicated," I said, my voice low. "It's… difficult to explain. But you guys are the first to know about her. My family doesn't even know."
Halle and Sarai's eyes widened. "What?" they exclaimed in unison. Then, their expressions softened. "Aww, you had a daughter!" they both said, their voices filled with warmth. I smiled, knowing how much they both loved children.
"So, who was the guy?" Halle asked, her tone curious. "Because, Nyara, we know you never dated. Let alone talked to dudes."
Sarai nodded in agreement. "Yeah, Nyara, who's the lucky guy who opened up your heart?"
I hesitated, searching for a plausible answer. "Umm… he's not in the picture at the moment," I stammered.
Halle and Sarai exchanged a look, their expressions shifting from pity to sadness, then to a flicker of anger. "So what does this jerk who left you alone with a kid look like?" Halle asked, her voice sharp.
I looked down at my hands, my cheeks flushing. "I'm not telling," I said, my voice firm. "I'm going to keep that private, okay?"
They both nodded, understanding dawning in their eyes. They changed the subject, the tension in the room easing slightly.
"So, why haven't you told your family?" Halle asked.
"You know how they can be," I said, my voice laced with exasperation. "Overprotective, treating me like a fragile doll. If they find out I have a kid, all hell will break loose. They'll try to make me come back to the mansion, keep me locked up forever. It's… overbearing. They still treat me like I'm a kid, and I'm 24 years old."
Sarai nodded, trying to understand. "So, what's your daughter like?" she asked, her voice softening. "Yeah, what's she like?" Halle echoed.
"Her name is Iyla," I said, a smile spreading across my face. "She loves art, just like me. She's very clingy and shy, and she just turned five years old."
"She sounds like a sweetheart," Halle said, her eyes twinkling.
"Aww, she's going to be my new little best friend when I meet her," Sarai added, her voice filled with excitement. I almost told them about her birthmark but decided against it.
"Can we meet her?" they asked in unison.
"Sure," I said, getting up from the couch. "Let me go see if she's done eating."
I walked into the kitchen. "Hey, baby, are you done eating?" I asked.
"Yes, Mommy, all done," Iyla said, her eyes wide. "Can I have cookies, pwease?"
I smiled. "Yes, but Iyla, Mommy has friends here who want to meet you. I promise they're not mean."
Iyla looked at me, her expression a mix of shyness and apprehension. "You pwomise, Mommy?"
"I promise," I said, picking her up and grabbing her cookies. We walked back into the living room, where Halle and Sarai sat, their faces beaming. Iyla buried her face in my neck, her small body tense.
"Hi, Iyla," Halle said, her voice soft and gentle.
Sarai waved, her smile wide. "Hi, sweetie. You're so cute!"
Iyla peeked out from behind my neck, her eyes wide and curious. She clutched her teddy bear tightly.
"Hi," she whispered, her voice barely audible.
"We're Mommy's friends," Halle said, reaching out to gently touch Iyla's hand. "My name's Halle, and this is Sarai."
"You have a really pretty teddy bear," Sarai said, pointing to Iyla's stuffed toy.
Iyla nodded, her eyes still fixed on them. She took a small bite of her cookie, her gaze shifting between Halle and Sarai.
"She's so shy," Halle whispered to me, her eyes filled with affection.
"She's a little nervous," I said, smiling at Iyla. "But she'll warm up to you."
Iyla, still perched on my hip, slowly began to relax, her small fingers loosening their grip on my neck. She nibbled on her cookie, her eyes darting between Halle and Sarai, taking in their friendly smiles and gentle demeanor.
"Do you like cookies?" Sarai asked, her voice soft and inviting.
Iyla nodded, her cheeks flushed. "Yes," she whispered, taking another small bite.
"We like cookies too," Halle said, winking at Iyla. "Maybe we can bake some together sometime."
Iyla's eyes widened, a flicker of excitement replacing her shyness. She looked up at me, her expression questioning.
"Would you like that, baby?" I asked, smiling.
She nodded eagerly, her voice barely a whisper. "Yes, Mommy."
"See? She likes us already," Sarai whispered to Halle, a triumphant grin spreading across her face.
"She's so precious," Halle murmured, her eyes filled with affection. "And so well-behaved."
Iyla, emboldened by their kindness, began to peek out from behind my shoulder more frequently, her gaze lingering on Halle and Sarai's faces. She even offered them a shy smile, her cheeks dimpling.
"What's your teddy bear's name?" Halle asked, pointing to the tan bear clutched in Iyla's arms.
"Teddy," Iyla replied, her voice a little stronger this time.
"Teddy is very handsome," Sarai said, making Iyla giggle.
"He keeps me safe," Iyla said, hugging the bear closer.
"That's a very important job," Halle said, nodding seriously. "He must be very good at it."
Iyla nodded in agreement, her eyes shining. "He is."
The conversation flowed easily, Halle and Sarai asking Iyla about her favorite colors, her favorite cartoons, her favorite games. Iyla, initially hesitant, began to open up, her voice growing louder, her answers more elaborate.
"I wike to draw stars," she said, her eyes sparkling. "Mommy taught me."
"Stars are very pretty," Sarai said. "Maybe you can draw us some stars later."
"Otay," Iyla said, nodding enthusiastically.
I watched them interact, a sense of relief washing over me. Iyla was warming up to them, and Halle and Sarai were clearly smitten with her. The tension that had filled the room earlier had dissipated, replaced by a warm, comfortable atmosphere.
"She's just like you, Nyara," Halle said, her eyes twinkling. "Shy at first, but sweet as can be."
"Yeah," Sarai agreed, smiling at Iyla. "She's a little star herself."
Iyla giggled, her cheeks flushing. She snuggled closer to me, her small hand reaching out to grasp my finger. I felt a surge of love and protectiveness wash over me, a fierce desire to shield her from any harm.
"Thank you," I said to Halle and Sarai, my voice filled with gratitude. "For being so understanding."
"Of course," Halle said, her eyes warm. "We're your friends, Nyara. We'll always be here for you."
"Yeah," Sarai added, nodding. "And for Iyla, too."
The easy conversation flowed, the tension from earlier melting away. Iyla, now more comfortable, shifted slightly in my arms, reaching for another cookie. As she moved, the sleeve of her yellow shirt slid up, revealing the constellation of star-shaped birthmarks on her forearm.
Halle's breath hitched, and Sarai's eyes widened. A stunned silence fell over the room. They exchanged glances, their expressions a mix of shock and confusion.
"Nyara..." Halle began, her voice barely a whisper, her eyes fixed on Iyla's arm.
Sarai reached out, her fingers hovering just above Iyla's birthmark. "What... what is that?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly.
Iyla, oblivious to their reactions, continued to nibble on her cookie, her eyes fixed on the television screen.
I hesitated, a wave of apprehension washing over me. I had hoped to keep this hidden, at least for a while longer. But now, there was no denying it.
"It's a birthmark," I said, my voice low, my gaze fixed on my friends' faces.
Halle and Sarai stared at the constellation of stars, their expressions filled with a mixture of awe and disbelief.
"It's... it's beautiful," Sarai whispered, her voice filled with wonder. "I've never seen anything like it."
Halle nodded, her eyes still fixed on Iyla's arm. "It looks like... like a constellation."
"It's... unique," I said, my voice tight. "She was born with it."
They looked up at me, their eyes filled with questions.
"Do... does it mean anything?" Halle asked, her voice hushed.
I hesitated, searching for the right words. "It's… just a birthmark," I said, my voice strained. "Nothing more." I pulled Iyla's sleeve back down.
They exchanged a look, their expressions filled with unspoken questions. I knew they were curious, that they wanted to know more. But I wasn't ready to tell them the truth, not yet.
"It's really pretty," Sarai said, forcing a smile. "She's so lucky."
I nodded, forcing a smile of my own. "Yeah," I said, my voice barely a whisper. I looked at Iyla, her eyes innocent and unaware. But for now, I wanted to protect her, to shield her from the questions and the judgment that would inevitably come.
The atmosphere shifted, a subtle tension replacing the earlier warmth. Halle and Sarai were trying to act normal, but I could see the questions lingering in their eyes. They were trying to be respectful, but I knew they were dying to know more. I needed to change the subject, to distract them from their curiosity.
"So," I said, forcing a cheerful tone. "What do you guys want to do now? We could play a game, or watch another movie."
Before either of them could respond, Iyla, her voice clear and innocent, piped up. "My Mommy has the same birthmark like me!"
Halle and Sarai's eyes snapped back to Iyla, their expressions a mixture of shock and disbelief.
"She does?" Sarai asked, her voice barely a whisper.
Iyla nodded enthusiastically, her eyes sparkling. "Yes! But mommies is biggher!" She looked up at me, her expression a mix of pride and curiosity. "Mommy, can I sho them?"
My heart sank. I had hoped to avoid this, to keep my own birthmark hidden, but Iyla's innocent enthusiasm left me no choice.
"Okay, baby," I said, my voice tight. "But just for a second."
I gently rolled up my sleeves, revealing the constellation of stars that mirrored Iyla's. Halle and Sarai gasped, their eyes widening.
"Oh my god," Halle breathed, her voice filled with awe. "They're exactly the same."
Sarai reached out, her fingers tracing the outline of the stars on my arm. "It's like... like a mirror image," she whispered.
Iyla beamed, her eyes shining. "See? Mommy has stars too!"
"They're beautiful," Halle said, her voice hushed. "Both of them."
"But... how?" Sarai asked, her eyes searching mine. "Is it... is it genetic?"
I hesitated, searching for a plausible explanation. "It's… just a coincidence," I said, my voice strained. "A rare one, but still just a coincidence."
They exchanged a look, their expressions filled with unspoken questions. I knew they didn't believe me, but they didn't press the issue.
"They're really amazing," Halle said, forcing a smile. "You two are very special."
I nodded, forcing a smile of my own. "Thank you," I said, my voice barely a whisper. I pulled my sleeves back down, hiding the constellation once more.
The atmosphere remained tense, the unspoken questions hanging heavy in the air. I knew that Halle and Sarai were curious, that they wanted to know more. I needed to protect Iyla, to shield her from the questions and the judgment that would inevitably . I needed to protect myself.