Page 41 of Wild Card (The Trident Trilogy 3)

Sarajevo, Bosnia, 1994

“Are you certain?” Azayiz said as she wiped the tears off Nejra’s face.

Nejra nodded as she looked into her aunt’s concerned eyes. “Yes, Aza. It has to be. I haven’t had my monthly in almost three months. I’ve missed it before, but never this long. And, I’ve been sick in the mornings—”

“You told me the American used condoms—”

“He did—every time. I don’t know how it happened.”

“It doesn’t matter how it happened,” Aza said, rubbing Nejra’s back. “We’re here and we have to decide what to do about it. Does anyone else know?”

“No.” Nejra hesitated. “But, I want to send a letter to Mack to tell him he has a baby on the way.”

“Nejra,” Aza said slowly. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. As you said, I’m sure he had feelings for you, but he used condoms for a reason. He doesn’t want a baby.”

Nejra looked down and sighed. “He said he didn’t want a baby—at least not yet.”

“Child, you need to stop thinking about him. He was a ship that passed in the night. We need to come up with a realistic solution.”

“There is no solution—”

“There is a solution for everything,” Aza said, smiling. “You must get married. And we must act like you’ve been married for months.”

“Married? I don’t want to get married. Not to anyone here.” Nejra started pacing the room. “And besides, who would marry me once they find out? I’m almost three months pregnant at this point.”

“You know who would marry you—”

Nejra whipped around. “Yusef? Never! His family is so conservative. They would kill me if they found out I had relations before marriage. Even if they thought it was his baby.”

“I’m not talking about Yusef. We have to keep this from him and his family. I’m talking about Amar.”

“Amar? But, he’s my best friend—”

“Child,” Aza said, shaking her head. “You cannot be that blind. Amar has been in love with you since you were children. He would set himself on fire for you. But we must tell him that the American forced himself on you—”

“What? No! He did not force himself on me. In fact, it was just the opposite. He gave me every opportunity to turn away. I was the one who pursued him.”

“Nejra, you have told me this and I believe you, but we are dealing with male egos. We must manage them. Amar—not to mention your brother—will be much more comfortable with helping you if they think you are a victim.”

“That’s ridiculous. You know they will think I’m ruined even if I was raped.”

“Maybe, but they will adapt. You are the center of both of their worlds. They will protect you.” Aza held Nejra’s face in her hands. “Amar will marry you. He will be disappointed, but he will do this.”

Nejra took a deep breath. “I don’t want to marry Amar. I don’t think of him like that—at all.”

“It is our only solution to protect you and the baby.” Aza stood up and walked toward the door. “And even then, you might be in danger. We need to hide you in this house until the baby is born. We will tell Sayid of our plan at dinner tonight. It’s the only way. You know that.”

Nejra nodded as Aza left the room, the tears coming back to her eyes.

* * *

“Was it at your job?” Sayid was furious. He had been pacing since Aza told him that Nejra was pregnant. “I told you that job would be no good! Do you know the man? I will kill him.”

“He is an American, and he is long gone now,” Aza said, holding Nejra’s hand firmly under the table. “Nejra doesn’t know his name.”

Sayid whipped around to face Nejra. “You didn’t tell me there would be Americans at your job. And you said, you wouldn’t have exposure to men—”

“Sayid!” Aza slammed her hand on the table. “It does us no good to relive the past. It is done. We are here now. We have to come up with a plan to save your sister and the baby. If certain people find out, you know what they will expect you to do.”

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