"Hey Elia, can I ask you a question?" The seventeen-year-old Teegan asked, she was pushing around the food on her plate, not eating.

She had been acting strange the past few days, it's been two years since the heart transplant surgery and she's turning eighteen soon, "sure, kiddo," I put my fork down, giving her my full attention.

She looks around, opening her mouth and closing it, putting her fork down and picking it up again, then sighing.

I smile at her and she smiles back, she knows that she doesn't have to fear anything when she's with me, giving both of our backgrounds opening up is kind of difficult but we've agreed that when it comes to the both of us, maintaining a healthy and trustful relationship is key to make our relationship work.

"Um, will you ever adopt me?" She nervously asked.

I couldn't help the grin that broke on my face, "I would in a heartbeat," I answered her question honestly.

Sensing there was a but, She asks dejected, "But?"

I sighed, "Remember the cuts and scars you've seen on my torso?" I asked, knowing she has walked in on me changing my shirt.

"Yes," she nods.

"You see my father gave me those scars," her eyes go wide, and her mouth falls open, "my father is a scary man, who works with scary people, he wanted me to follow in his footsteps, but I ran away from him, for years he has sent men after men to bring me back, but I managed to escape from every one of them," I roll up my left sleeve, tracing over a linear scar caused by a pocket knife, "but not without injuries," she eyes my forearm, her fingers twitching to reach out and touch the scar, "if I adopt you," I say getting her attention back, "if I adopt you, you'll have his last name, and if he finds out, he'll come after you, and not just him, his enemies as well," she looked scared and dejected, "maybe you should adopt me into your family instead," I suggest, making her break into a smile.

I woke up from my sleep, feeling restless, that was a random memory to dream about.

It's been more than a month since that night, I had come back home exhausted, took the ring off and put it away, then took a shower and slept through the next day.

I really wanted to call in sick but I knew I can't let these two ruin my life.

I sit up and get off the bed, today Is my day off again and Teegan wanted a few things she needed, so we are going shopping.

I get dressed for the day and leave the house, I'm meeting her at Brookfield Place in downtown Manhattan, there we can have brunch together, It takes a while to get there since I live in the suburbs, so it's better to skip breakfast.

I've been driving in silence, thinking back to the dream I dreamt earlier and the unsettling feeling I've felt right after.

It's probably because I've kept this from Teegan, ... and Farah, and Wayne.

I don't want her or them to get mixed in this.

Maybe I can tell her once the divorce is final.

Once I took care of the car I wait at the ground floor level, shooting Teegan a message and letting her know about my whereabouts while I window shop.

A jewelry store catches my eye, so I decided to go in, it was a high-end store and I feel out of place, a shop assistant approaches me and asks if I needed assistance, which I declined, I'm not really looking to buy anything today, just taking a look, consider it a field trip if you well.

Just getting an idea of what to get Teegan for when she gets accepted for an internship next year.

I look at one of the heart-shaped necklaces in the glass case, sending me down memory lane.

The first time I got her a piece of jewelry was when she graduated high school and got accepted at NYU, Teegan always said that she was not a girly girl, but the day I gave her the necklace, I could see from her reaction and the way she kept touching it and shyly smiling to herself, that there was a girly girl under all of that tough exterior.

There were a lot of tears spilled that day, happy tears for her graduation, sad tears because her brother didn't live up to see her graduate, then happy tears when she realized what the necklace symbolizes, two hearts interlocking, one was adorned with diamonds while the other was a smooth sculptured heart frame, both where engraved with the entails of our names on the back, T for the diamond heart, and E for the smooth one.

It symbolizes our story.

This time I wanted to buy her something that would honor the memory of her brother Tobias.

Teegan and Tobias have faced a lot of hardship in their lives since they were kids, being in the system and throwing them into abusive households one after the other, separating them from each other, I've never met Tobias but from what Teegan says about him, I'd bet he was an angel.

"He worked multiple jobs to prove he can provide for me, as soon as he turned eighteen he fought for me, and took me out of the system, became my legal guardian, he was my guardian angel," I remember Teegan once said about him.

My eyes skip over the necklace and ring designs, maybe I should get her one with angel wings.

With that In mind I smile at the shop assistant, "do you do custom jewelry?" I asked.

"Yes, sir, do you have anything in mind?" She asked.

"Yes, how long does it usually take to make?" I inquired.

"Well, it depends on the complexity of the design and the size of it," she explained.

"Alright, so I have to schedule an appointment?" I ask knowing that some of these luxury high-end places tend to have this policy.

"Yes, sir".

I quickly schedule an appointment and leave the store, not wanting Teegan to catch me there, or she'll beg me not to buy her a gift, she knows I don't wear jewelry, and the only reason I'd be there, is to spoil her.

I shoot her another text, wondering why she was late?

"Sorry, almost there." She texted back.

I flip through my phone for a while before Teegan and surprisingly Farah arrived together.

"Hi, bestie!" Farah greeted.

"Farah, hi!" I greeted her back, delight clear on my face.

"See, I told you he'd be happy to see you," Teegan said as she walked into my arms, going for her "favorite hug" as she calls it, patting the center of my chest twice when she pulls back, it was her way of saying hi to her brother, "and besides, God knows Elia knows anything about women clothing, he's probably relieved to see you here today," Teegan explained.

I put my fist out for Farah to pump her fist into it, that was how we greeted each other, "Why wouldn't I be happy to see you?" I asked frowning, and kind of confused, wondering if I did something to insinuate such thoughts.

She pumps her fist with mine, "I mean, I know it's rare to synchronize your days off with the days Teegan is free, and I know you've been busy lately, so I thought I might be imposing on you two's special time." She explained.

"Not at all," I shook my head, "the more the merrier," I smiled reassuringly, "I'm always Farhan to see you," I joked with my broken Arabic, she giggles at my play with words, and shakes her head fondly, "come on, let's go eat, I'm famished," I groan feeling my stomach rumble.

"Alright, alright," Teegan said as she put an arm around me, leaning her body into me, "how does Italian food sound like?" She suggested.

"Italian is great," Farah agrees.

"Sure, sounds good." I agree too, putting my arm around Teegan's shoulders.

We walk to the restaurant, then waited in line for a while, talking about nothing in particular, until it was our turn to walk inside, "table for three?" I asked the hostess.

"I'm sorry sir, we only have a table for six available right now, would that be alright with you and your company?" She asked.

I look at the girls, making sure they were comfortable first, Teegan shrugs while Farah nods her head.

"A table for six is fine," I said, making her smile and call for her coworker who was approaching us.

"Can you guide these ladies and the gentleman here to their table?" She asked.

A young man dressed in a black button-up and black pants gestures for me to follow him, "right this way sir," he says.

The Three of us walk behind him, arriving at the table he pulls a chair for Farah while I pulled one for Teegan.

Both the girls get comfortably seated before the young man brings us our menus, "here are the menus, your waiter will be here shortly, enjoy" he says before going back to the hostess.

I don't give it too much thought, and just order a grilled chicken salad, since Teegan will have us walking around all day long, I'd rather have something light on my stomach, and something healthy for my dietary needs, as well as being my first meal of the day.

Farah who can't eat anything non-halal, but doesn't want to walk around feeling bloated, orders a grilled salmon salad.

Teegan on the other hand orders a small size pizza and pasta.

We discuss what Teegan needed to shop for, she mentions that she has outgrown most of her high-school clothes and that she would like to buy outfits that she can wear during her internship, a mix of casual and professional.

Yup, totally glad Farah is here.

The girls continue talking about fashion, Teegan asks questions and Farah answers them, Farah is a really well-dressed and well-presented person, islamophobics aside, she really tends to get you mesmerized, not with just the confidence she exudes, but her intelligence and eloquence, a very well-spoken person.

"Excuse me, sir," called the host from earlier, "I'm so sorry to interrupt your conversation and dining," he apologizes, "but would it be alright with you, and the ladies to share your table with two more people?" He asked.

"Uh,..." I glance from Farah to Teegan, Teegan like earlier shrugs while Farah nods her head, "it's alright I guess."

The host clasps his hands together, "Thank you so much," he says before turning around and going back from where he came from.

A short moment later, I see Farah frown, then her eyes travel between whoever she's looking at behind my back, and me, "gentlemen, this is the table you'll be sharing," said the host as he came to stand by our table.

I look over Teegan's head, and my face probably turns deathly pale, "it's good to see your face again Elia," Rosario says as he stood looking over our table with his best man from the wedding behind him, "how's my Cinderella doing?".