Chapter 4

Samantha waits for Zeyd’s reply, but silence stretches on. Past midnight, exhaustion claims her, and she drifts into sleep, only to be plunged into the familiar nightmare. Again, she finds herself witnessing the unfolding story of Esmeralda and the little boy.

This time, the dream begins with Esmeralda, exhausted after a long day of errands, reluctantly heading to the market at Aunt Selma’s behest. Returning home, she bumps into Amila, their former housemaid, a ghost from the past since her grandparents’ plane crash. Amila, back from her hometown, is in Zenica, desperately searching for Alem, her son’s father. Esmeralda learns Amila left Alem because of their different social standings, leaving him after becoming pregnant. Now, consumed by regret, Amila seeks him out.

Seeing Amila’s worry, Esmeralda instinctively offers help. Amila entrusts Esmeralda with photos of her son, his address, and proof of Alem’s paternity. They part, Amila clinging to hope, Esmeralda burdened by a premonition of sorrow.

Time, in the dream, rushes by. Caught up in her own life and forbidden from visiting by Aunt Selma, Esmeralda forgets Amila. Amila dies, leaving her son destitute and alone. Four months later, in the dream, Esmeralda escapes to find Amila, only to discover her death. She finds the boy alone and hungry on a busy street.

Initially, Esmeralda can only offer food, unable to bring him home. Yet, she returns again and again, offering food and clothes, becoming his lifeline. He waits for her near a fast-food restaurant, their meeting place. Their bond deepens; Esmeralda’s presence a beacon of comfort and hope against his hardship. His unwavering faith in her return sustains him.

The dream continues: Esmeralda waits at their meeting place, her usual patience fraying as the hour passes without the boy’s arrival. A restless energy consumes her; she shifts her weight, her fingers drumming against her leg. The usual comfort of their routine is gone, replaced by a chilling uncertainty. This time, he’s late, and a cold dread begins to grip her heart.

Two fears battle within her: the late hour and Aunt Selma’s wrath. But that pales beside the terror of something happening to the boy. She promised Amila; she won’t let him down. Ignoring Aunt Selma’s fury, she begins her search.

She searches frantically, finally reaching the nearby footbridge, his usual shelter from the cold. There, she finds him, almost lifeless, feverish, coughing, gripped by the flu.

She hears his whispered prayer: “Please, God, help Esmeralda find me. I can’t get to our meeting place. I’m too sick, but I need to see Esmeralda before… before anything happens.”

Tears well up, but she clears her throat, her voice thick with emotion. “Hey, I’m here. Don’t worry, I found you.”

He manages a weak smile, his eyes filled with a profound sadness. “I didn’t want to leave you, Esmeralda, but I couldn’t… I couldn’t take it anymore.”

“Shhh,” Esmeralda soothes, kneeling beside him. “It’s just the fever. You’re going to be okay.” Her anger, born of fear of abandonment, melts away at the sight of his distress.

She offers him food and water. He eats slowly, his small hand trembling.

“Where are we going, Esmeralda?” he asks, his voice barely a breath.

“Home with me,” she whispers, a fierce determination hardening her gaze.

The confrontation with Aunt Selma is explosive. The anger, the accusations, the feeling of being overwhelmed wash over Esmeralda. Yet, she stands firm, revealing the boy’s identity and her plan to take him to Sir Haris, Alem’s best friend.

The next day, Esmeralda delivers the boy and the evidence to Haris, who readily accepts him. The boy clutches Esmeralda’s hand, his eyes wide with fear and uncertainty. “Will you visit?” he asks.

Esmeralda’s answer is firm but gentle: “Not here. But… when you’re older, go back to the place where we first met, on the same day and time. Maybe… maybe I’ll be there.” She releases his hand, unable to bear the sight of his tears as she turns to leave. The sound of his choked sobs follows her as she walks away, the image and sound echoing in her head as she rides the bus home.

The jarring meow of a neighbor’s cat jolts Samantha awake. The cat’s meows briefly replace the lingering echo of the boy’s cries, but the weight of the dream remains, a heavy presence in the quiet of her room.

In Bosnia and Herzegovina…

Zeyd and Nea share a pleasant dinner, discussing business and future plans. Completely absorbed by Nea’s charm and intelligence, Zeyd forgets to reply to Samantha. Later, at home, the conversation with his father and grandfather about the successful board meeting further distracts him. His attention is fully claimed by the pride his family shows in his accomplishments, and the pleasantries exchanged with Nea earlier that evening. Only when his father and grandfather are momentarily distracted does he find a chance to secretly reply to Samantha. He types quickly, aware of his family’s proximity, and sends his message.

“How are you? The reason why I didn’t reply to your message is I accidentally met a girl that caught my interest, and she and I had dinner this evening. I’ll drive her home because her car has a problem. I’ll just arrive home,” Zeyd explains to Samantha.

Mateo notices his son’s distraction, his phone slipping from his hand, falling to the floor in front of his grandfather. Haris picks up the phone, sees Samantha’s message, and her photo—her real photo this time. A familiar face stares back at him, a striking resemblance to Esmeralda, his former employee’s missing granddaughter. Goosebumps prickle his skin. A wave of dizziness washes over him; a phantom ache pulses in his chest. Could it be? he thought, his breath catching in his throat. He blinked, adjusted his glasses, but the image remained unchanged.

“Grandpa, can I have my phone now?” Zeyd asks, anxious.

Haris, lost in thought, gives Zeyd back his phone, his gaze distant, a tragic memory clouding his eyes. Zeyd and Mateo exchange uneasy glances, neither daring to question the grandfather’s sudden silence. Zeyd senses his grandfather’s disapproval, interpreting it as disappointment in his communication with a stranger, someone outside their social circle.

“You may go to your room now, Zeyd,” Haris commands. “And stop wasting your time chatting with that lady.”

Zeyd knows this is a warning, not to be disobeyed. “Yes, Grandpa,” he answers, his voice subdued.

In his room, Zeyd sits on the floor, nursing a can of beer, the weight of his grandfather’s words heavy in his mind. “And stop wasting your time chatting with that lady.” The words echo. He’s always obeyed, but this time…

“I will break the rules this time, just this time, for you, Samantha,” he mumbles, taking another drink.

It’s 5:00 a.m. in Asia. Samantha arrives at the factory and grabs a quick breakfast before her 6:00 a.m. shift. While eating, she receives a message from Zeyd. She reads it, hesitant to respond.