Adam's Eye : Chapter Twelve

Zaharah wakes up and only to find herself sleeping by Aden's side. Zaharah look closer towards Aden and suddenly she felt disgusted towards Adam. But she makes up her mind not to cry anymore cause what is done can't be undone. Mistakes has been made and now she's part of these. The clock shows it was only six in morning but she felt she had slept long enough and decides to get ready to get back to their shop. Staying at home looking at all these will just makes things worst. She could not accept whatever explanation which Adam had try to clarify. Not at this moment. Then she saw Adam was still asleep on the floor near their bed. She stare at him for a while and then she stood up and head towards the bathroom to have a quick shower. As she walks out from the room she saw the luggage which Sarah must have left for Adam to bring back. She bend over it and decides to take a look inside. As she sat on the floor, she began unzipping the luggage bag. There were some of Aden's clothes, milk formula and few baby bottles.

"Oh! God that woman must have plan all this very well." utter Zaharah too herself.

Then something caught her attention. It was an A4 size envelope. Zaharah opens the envelope and find some documents inside it. These documents must be very important or else why was it seal neatly inside the envelope. What she saw next was the thing which she knew her future with Adam depends on it. Aden birth certificate was well kept and was nicely laminated. She was looking for Aden's surname but nothing was written about the father's particular and these seems strange and makes Zaharah wonder, what if Adam was telling the truth.

After taking her shower, she gets herself busy in the kitchen preparing breakfast and lunch. Then she boils some water and pour it in the flask so that she can use it to prepare Aden's milk. As she was sterilising the feeding bottle, she saw Adam had walk into the kitchen with Aden in his arms.

"He just woke up. I think he had wet himself." said Adam looking lost as he was not used handling kids especially three years old babies. Without looking at Adam, Zaharah took Aden from his arms. It seems that Aden feel more at ease with Zaharah and he begins to stare hard towards her.

"At least the mother got some sense to leave some of her son's belongings before she left." said Zaharah and Adam knew from the tone of her voice she's still upset about the whole incident the night before. Zaharah brings Aden to the bathroom and begin cleaning and showering him up. Aden give some baby talk and began playing with her hair. "You seems to have your daddy's charm aren't you." exclaimed Zaharah and then she continues." If you are truly his son." Aden wonders again of the words which Zaharah had spoken to him and giggle showing some of his two baby teeth on his lower gums. Zaharah was amuse by Aden's reaction and smile. Then she dress him up with the clothes which Sarah had pack. Aden must be famised as he drinks his milk until his bottle dries up. Soon Zaharah pat him until he falls asleep again.

"I ve make breakfast and prepare some lunch for you. If Aden wakes up just heat up the milk which I've prepared and feeds him with that. Change his diapers when neccesary because I will be back home late today. There's so many unfinish task which was left yesterday." said Zaharah not even looking at Adam as she speaks. Adam felt hurt by Zaharah's coldness towards him but he only got himself to blame. Before Zaharah steps out from the house Adam makes another attempt to hold her back by helding on to her hands. Zaharah still feel so sore about everything and she tug her hand away from his roughly and left.

Zaharah enter's the shop and put up the close signage up again because she felt she was not ready for any customers on that day. After turning on the dim light, Zaharah sat on the stool by the counter. Her mind was full of unanswered questions and she was unsure who can she speaks too right now. With Adam what can he explain. "Aden is not my son."High! Zaharah gave a huge sigh just the thought of it. If she were to mention these things to Ana, it would be an additional burden to her. Zaki. He seems to know alot about Adam's past. A lot more it seems. Zaharah looks at the clock and saw it was still early for Zaki to leave the office. Zaharah looks through Adam's pocket book and began dialing. But Zaharah had prepared herself as she knew some things which Zaki will say to her might not be all the truth. All she needs is some details about Adam's past life. Zaharah waited with full of anticipation for someone to answer the phone.


"Hello." it was the maid which answered the call to Zaharah's dismay.

"Hello, can I speak with Zaki please. This is kind of important," said Zaharah hoping that Zaki will still be around.



"Yeh." it was Zaki as his usual monotone cold voice. Suddenly Zaharah felt petrified as she was unsure where to begins.

"What do you know about Sarah?" Zaharah sucks in her fears and begins her quests.


"Zaharah! What a surprised? And why the sudden interest of calling me? Oh! Don't tell me you both had already met?" exclaimed Zaki with sacarsm in his tone.
"So you had it all planned don't you. Or how the hell did you know that we have both met?" Zaharah was furious after hearing those word from Zaki.

"That is so clever of you to figure that out." replied Zaki ."By the way, have you met Aden? Adam's unwed child."

"Zaki for your reminder, I'm not that swallow head like what you think. I have plans too. You want to play games with me. By all means. I shall bring Aden to a private clinic and do some DNA test to find out the truth." said Zaharah. "If Aden turns out to be Adam's son, well I shall love him and nurture him like my true blood. He will definately going to get the best in everything. But if Aden's turns out to be someone elses or even if he belongs to you well not to worry Zaki. Because I will still love him and nurtured him and give him all the best things in this world that you can ever imagined. But once he becomes a man, I will set him to destroy you. What fun can it be? Seeing his own son killing his daddy." continued Zaharah with a smirk on her face. She was not going to let Zaki penalised her and Adam anymore because what Zaki did had almost jeorpadised their marrige.


"You are took cocky Zaharah. I will make sure one day you shall come to me begging for mercy" exclaimed Zaki as he could not accept that Zaharah still stood by Adam's side despite what had happen.

"Oh! No Zaki. I won't be coming to you begging for mercy, but I shall be offering yours." replied Zaharah coyly. Then she heard the receiver was slam down. Zaharah smile to herself cause she knew she had hit Zaki's note pretty hard. "Serve him right for whatever he did." thought Zaharah to herself.

Aden was still asleep after Zaharah left much to Adam's relieve as he would'nt know how to handle the child once he wakes up. Adam pray hard for the kid to sleep through until Zaharah came back. He had his breakfast all by himself for the first time. As he was sipping his coffee which Zaharah had prepared for him in his mug he begins to think hard about the whole matter.

"Why does all these matters only happen now ? Even if Aden was my son but why only now Sarah brings him over to me? And how does she know the location of my shop? Was it Zaki or was it just pure co-incidence? Nothing I'm going to say will be able to appeased Zaharah's anger. I can't blame her for that but I must sort this out fast."

Adam walks back into the bedroom and saw Aden was sitting on the bed staring back towards him. He put up his arm asking Adam to carry him. Adam had no other choice but to comply incase he starts to wail again. Adam picks him up and put him on the living room floor as he was wondering what to do next. Then he saw Aden stood up and try to balance himself. Something had caught Aden's eye and he begins walking cautiosly towards the plastic lavender plant which Zaharah had arrange nicely in a vase. Adam just look at the child's behaviour and still wondering what is he going to do next. Being the youngest in the family therefore Adam was not doing well handling children. He felt nervous actually. Adam almost freak out when Aden had place a mouthful of the plastic lavender plant in his mouth.

"Aden. No.!" cried Adam and carries him back in his arms pulling out the plastic plant from his mouth. Aden begins to whimper and to Adam's dismay he starts his wailing siren.

"You will get choke by eating that you little monkey. Are you hungry or what? Zaharah please come back! We both need you." cried Adam rocking Aden to and fro hoping he might calm down and stop crying. Still holding Aden in his arms Adam walks towards the kitchen and see what can he gave him to eat. Then he saw a small pot which contain some porridge which Zaharah had prepared earlier that morning. He touch the pot and it is still warm. Adam place a small bowl and a plastic spoon and begin scopping the porridge into it. It smells good. Zaharah had add in some patatoes and mince carrot with some mince chicken meat. Adam took a bite and it taste good too. Aden stops wailing as he stares with full of interest on every Adam's movement. Adam place him on the kitchen stool and begin feeding him and it seems that he must be very hungry as he managed to finish the whole bowl in just few minutes. Then Adam place him back in the living room as he walks back towards the kitchen to have his lunch now. He look into some of the pots but there were all empty. All was left was the porridge which Zaharah had cook earlier for Aden.

"She's still punishing me." exclaimed Adam to himself. In the end it seems Adam was left with no other choice but to eat the porridge. After lunch Adam begins cleaning up the kitchen and he does it with extra effort including sweeping and moping hoping to please Zaharah when she comes back. He grab his clean t-shirt which he had place earlier on the stool and went into the bathroom to have his shower.

As he walks towards the living area, Aden was not in his sight. A sense of panic came upon Adam and he begins calling out his name while searching under the table and behind the chair.

"Aden. Don't do this to me. Come out here you little chimp." cried Adam scratching his head and fear ran through his mind on how he's going to explain to Zaharah about Aden's missing. "No he can't go far as the house door was close anyway." thought Adam to himself with relief.

Then he heard a chuckle and it came from his working room. Adam dash and what he saw was what he's never going to expect.

"What have you done?" cried Adam as he saw most of his oil paints has spill on the wooden floor covering almost part of it and Aden was enjoying himself palm printing on one of his paintings. He shows he's full painted palm towards Adam with a grin on his face. Adam was unsure about what he's got to do next. He can't get angry and punish Aden as he was still a two years old kid.

"God is punishing me now. And thanks to you." exclaimed Adam and he carries Aden bringing in some of his tint to clean him up. Adam soon figure out that cleaning a two years old child was not easy. For one thing Aden can never keep still and he thought Adam was playing games with him. It took him almost an hour until Aden was spick and span again. Next Adam fills in the milk bottle which Zaharah had sterilised and begins feeding Aden until he was fast asleep again. Next Adam begin cleaning up the mess in his working room which Aden had cause.He took the painting which Aden had partial destroy. Nice mixture of colors actually. Thought Adam smiling to himself. There were bright yellow,some lime green and a tinge of orange palm printed pattern covering his daisy potrait. Adam decides not to throw away that painting but to improvised it. Then he place the rest of his other paintings outside the room and he was glad Zaharah's potraits which he had painted earlier was untouched. He knew that he must be extra careful now with Aden around this stuff can be quite hazardous to that child. Adam took off his shirt and threw it on the stool nearby and then he get himself busy. Pouring out the tint on the floor and scrubbing the paint blotches here and there. It took him almost half a day to clear the mess cause the paint had really absorb and seep through the wooden floor. Although it has been clean but the stained can still be seeing. Then Adam re-arrange back his paintings and decides to lock the door to prevent these from happening again. He took the room key from the rattan cabinet and locks the door from outside. As Aden was still asleep , Adam decides to clean himself and prepare dinner incase Zaharah came back home later that night.
Adam was definately not a handyman in the kitchen. Preparing tuna sandwiches is a tedious job for him. After pouring out the tuna into the mixing bowl, he gets the mayonase from the new fridge which they had recently bought and add it into the tuna. Next he put in some salt and pepper praying that it was the right portion. Next he mix in some olive oil and then he begins slicing the bread. After the sandwiches was done he place them in the fridge as cold sandwiches taste better and more refreshing. Then he heats up the porridge to feed Aden who had already awakes. Adam discover that feeding Aden needs alot of technique and patience too. Since there are no toys available in their home Adam let Aden plays the big plastic red bowl and a wooden ladle so that Aden will stay focus on them and this is easier as Adam can easily feeds him. Adam looks at the clock on the wall and it was almost half past eight. This is rare because Zaharah usual came home before eight. He begins to feel worry. What if Zaharah had truly decides to leave him and never came back? However he knew Zaharah is not a reasonable person cause all she needs is time to take all this happenings. Adam cleansed Aden after his dinner and decides to place him at Ameenah's home their neighbour whom they had become close too. Ameenah was surprised to see Aden as she knew that Adam and Zaharah has no children of their own. Adam smile and told her recently they had decides to adopt Aden as their own child from some local ophanage. "Oh dear another lie. I hate myself." thought Adam to himself after handing Aden over to Ameenah.
The night sky has sets in without Zaharah noticing as she was too engrossed balancing the previous account. The paintings which their clients ordered earlier has been arrange neatly agaisnt the wall for the despatch man to come over to collect the next morning. Zaharah place her pen on the table and began to stretch her back. As she look at her watch she was surprised as she did not realised that it was almost half past nine. She close her log book and place it in the drawer and lock it. Just as she was about to grab her coat suddenly two mask men came into her shop with parang in their arms. Zaharah was alarmed and she dashed towards the back to escape from the back door however she was not quick enough as one of the man violently grab her and place the parang across her neck. Panic and chill run through her spine. And to her horror the other man begans pouring kerosene on to Adam's paintings and also around the shop. Zaharah struggle as hard as she could pleading them to stop and offer them money if that what they wanted. But to her dismay it was not about the money but they were sent to destroy the shop and who knows to kill her too. Her mind begins to run while as she begins to think about Adam. Is this how it's going to end?
"You smell nice lady." exclaimed the man who was holding her and Zaharah knew she had to defend herself even if she was to be killed. With all her might she kick his shin and then his groin area and dash out towards the front door. As she was about to run out Adam came in. And what a shocked he had as what ever he sees right now is not what he could ever imagined. He grab Zaharah and told her to run and get help. Zaharah was relunctant but Adam insists.
"Go! Run!" Even before she could make it to the door, one of the villian charged towards Adam with his parang. To Zaharah relieve Adam simply knew some basic defensive skill and he managed to avoid the attack. Zaharah quickly ran towards the door however she was grab by the other thug and was violent push against the wall. She felt her head was slammed hard against the concrete wall and her head begin to feel dizzy. She heard Adam was calling her name and then she blacks out. Adam panics and rushed towards Zaharah then he felt a heavy knock on his head and he fell on the floor. Fears sets in as one of the man had lighted his lighter and threw it onto his painting which has been soaked with the kerosene liquid. Adam was feeling faint by now and the fire begans to engulf towards the store room spreading fast towards them. Adam knew he had to act fast or else they will be dead and his main concern is Zaharah. He struggle to stand but the heavy smoke begans to choke and suffocate his lungs. He crawls and drag himself towards Zaharah who was still unconcious. Adam looks around and the fire has definately begins to reach almost towards the ceiling by now. His head felt heavy and he seems to be drowning in the smoke as he begins to cough frantically. He held Zaharah close to his chest and then his vision turns blurrish and he fell unconcious.