Forbiddenly Bound To You
Chapter 120: The Journey Home

Chapter 120: The Journey Home

Little Zami sat eagerly between Mira and Zamian in the back of the car, her small hands bouncing with excitement. That morning, Mira had told her they were finally leaving Grandpa’s apartment and heading to their main home. Zami’s wide eyes sparkled as she imagined what it would be like, barely able to contain herself. She had so many questions, but she knew it wouldn’t be long now before they arrived.

The drive felt endless to Zami, but her parents seemed lost in their own thoughts. Zamian, focused on his iPad, scrolled through something with intent. Mira, on the other hand, kept glancing at her phone, but her mind wasn’t on what was on the screen. She thought of her old friend Lily. It had been five years since they’d last seen each other, and Mira couldn’t help but wonder how things had been with Lily and James. They’d been close when they were younger, but over time, distance had crept in. Would their reunion be awkward, or would they slip right back into their old dynamic? Mira knew one thing for sure—Zamian wasn’t one to keep up with others. He’d probably just shrug if she asked him about it.

Still, despite the busy thoughts, Mira couldn’t help but smile. She was looking forward to introducing Zami to Lily. It would be nice for them to reconnect, to have a little piece of her past close by once again. She turned to Zami, who was still bouncing with energy.

"Are you ready to see our real home, sweetheart?" Mira asked with a smile.

Zami looked up at her, her face lighting up. She nodded eagerly, her excitement practically bursting from her.

"Yes, Mummy!" Zami’s voice was filled with a joy that only a child’s innocence could carry.

Mira chuckled softly, her heart swelling at the sight of her daughter’s enthusiasm. She placed a gentle hand on Zami’s knee, a gesture of comfort and love. She felt lucky to have this moment with her family. Things hadn’t always been easy, but in this small, simple moment, everything felt perfect.

Zami suddenly looked up at Mira, her brow furrowed with curiosity. "Mummy, what about Great Grandpa? When is he coming?"

Mira smiled warmly at her daughter’s thoughtful question. It had been hard on Zami to leave Grandpa’s apartment behind, but she knew her daughter had taken to their new home well. Still, Grandpa was a big part of Zami’s life, and the little girl missed him already.

"Grandpa won’t be coming right away, sweetheart," Mira replied gently, her voice soft with understanding. "But he’ll visit us once in a while. He’ll be here for sure this Christmas."

Zami’s eyes widened at the thought of Grandpa visiting. "Really?"

Mira nodded, her smile reassuring. "Really. He wouldn’t miss it for the world."

Zami’s face lit up at the news, and she returned to her own world, humming softly under her breath. Mira couldn’t help but smile as she watched her daughter, content now that her curiosity had been satisfied.

As the car continued its journey, it eventually slowed to a stop. Zami, still brimming with energy, looked out the window and saw they had arrived at an airport. Her eyes widened in excitement as she bit her lip, barely able to contain herself.

"Are we going on an airplane, Mummy?" she asked, her voice bubbling with anticipation.

Mira smiled, glancing at Zami before nodding. "Yes, sweetheart. We’re going to fly."

Zami’s joy exploded. "Yay!" she squealed. "I’ve never been on an airplane before!"

Mira chuckled. It wasn’t technically Zami’s first time on a plane—she’d been in utero the first time Mira had flown. But this would be Zami’s first time flying where she’d actually remember it. Mira was curious to see how Zami would react.

When the door opened, Zamian stepped out first, towering over them as usual. He helped Zami out of the car, his expression softening as he looked down at her. Mira followed closely behind, her heart warmed by the sight of her family. Zami was already bouncing on her feet, eyes sparkling with wonder, clearly overwhelmed by the grandeur of the airport.

"Look, Mummy!" Zami pointed toward the sky as the wind tousled her hair. "It’s so big!"

Zami’s words caught the attention of both Mira and Zamian, and they couldn’t help but smile at the innocence in her voice. Zami turned to them, looking up with her wide eyes, and for a moment, Mira felt a lump form in her throat. She loved this child more than words could express. Her curiosity, her excitement—everything about her was a constant reminder of how lucky Mira was.

"Come on, Zami," Zamian said, placing a hand on her small back as they headed inside.

They made their way toward the private area, reserved for Zamian’s use. Zami, still wide-eyed, glanced around, watching the other travelers with their luggage. She looked up at her father, her little voice filled with confusion.

"Daddy, why aren’t we going with the other people?" Zami asked, her brows furrowing slightly.

Zamian chuckled, brushing his hand through Zami’s hair. "We’ll be boarding separately, just the three of us."

Zami’s eyes sparkled with newfound excitement. "Really?" she asked in a breathless voice.

Mira smiled, her heart swelling as she watched the interaction between her husband and daughter. It was moments like this that made her feel like everything was right in the world, even if just for a fleeting second.

Soon enough, they were led to the private lounge where they would wait for their flight. Zami, absorbed in her surroundings, hardly noticed the quiet conversation between her parents.

Once they were called to board, Zami’s mouth dropped open at the extravagant interior of the plane. It was like nothing she had ever seen before. She could hardly believe it was real, and her face lit up with pure joy as she settled into her plush seat. Zamian and Mira sat beside her, both of them smiling at their daughter’s reaction.

"Is this really our airplane?" Zami whispered, as though afraid that if she spoke too loudly, the magic would disappear.

"It sure is," Zamian said quietly, turning to Mira with a fond glance.

Zami’s eyes flicked between her parents, a look of wonder crossing her face. She barely noticed when the safety announcement began. She was too absorbed in the plush seats and the wonder of it all. Once the plane started to taxi, Mira fastened her seatbelt, glancing over at Zamian.

"It’ll take about thirty minutes to get there," Zamian said softly, looking at Mira.

Zami barely heard the words, so captivated by her surroundings. As the plane ascended, Mira found herself briefly closing her eyes, enjoying the calm. But Zami, full of energy, immediately looked to her mother with more questions.

"Mummy," she asked with a hint of wonder in her voice, "is our house really that far away?"

Mira smiled at her daughter’s curiosity. "Yes, it’s a little far, but it’s where Aunt Lily lives, too."

Zami’s face lit up at the mention of Aunt Lily. "Yay! I want to meet Aunt Lily!" she exclaimed, her excitement contagious.

Mira chuckled, her heart lifting at the thought. It had been five years since she last saw Lily, and she was eager to reconnect. She wondered how much had changed in those years, both for Lily and for her. There had been so much distance between them, both physically and emotionally. But now, it felt like the right time to close that gap.

Zamian, who had been busy typing on his tablet, glanced up with a smirk. He handed Zami a small pink tablet, its screen lighting up with a simple offline game.

"Here you go, Zami," he said, his voice soft as he watched her eyes light up.

Zami took the tablet, beaming with joy. "Thank you, Daddy!" she said brightly before quickly becoming absorbed in the game.

Mira, watching the interaction between her husband and daughter, couldn’t help but smile. It was moments like these—simple, quiet exchanges—that reminded her of how much she loved her little family. But as she glanced at Zamian, she suddenly realized something. Her smile faltered for a second.

Zamian caught her glance and winked, setting his tablet aside. He patted his leg, signaling for Mira to sit beside him. Mira’s eyes widened. She glanced between him and Zami, as if silently reminding him that their daughter was right there.

"Stop that," she mouthed, feeling her cheeks flush red.

Zamian raised an eyebrow, feigning innocence. "What did I do?" he asked, his voice light and teasing.

Mira gave him an exasperated look, her face still flushed with embarrassment. Before she could respond, Zami looked up from her game, concern in her eyes.

"Mommy, are you okay? Your face is red," she asked, looking between Mira and Zamian as if trying to figure out the cause of her mother’s sudden blush.

"Yes, baby, Mommy is just happy to be going back home," Mira replied quickly, her voice soft and reassuring.

To her surprise, Zamian chuckled—a deep, soothing sound that made Mira’s heart skip a beat. He turned to Zami, ruffling her hair with a smile. "Your mummy is always so funny," he said with a grin.

Zami giggled, completely oblivious to the playful banter between her parents, and returned to her game.

Zamian smiled and looked at Mira, who shot him a look that said, That wasn’t funny. But deep down, she was glad he had laughed—it put her at ease. If he could laugh like that, then maybe things weren’t so serious after all.

After a while, an announcement came through the intercom. "We are preparing to land."

In the quiet calm of the flight, just as Mira was about to close her eyes for a quick rest, the flight attendant’s voice came again: "We are landing." The plane began its descent, and Little Zami instinctively held both Mira’s and Zamian’s hands, her excitement clear as she gripped them tightly. Mira was surprised by how calm and fearless her daughter seemed, especially since this was her first real flight experience. Mira herself had been quite nervous the first time she flew, but it was clear her daughter took after her dad in her fearless nature.

As soon as the plane landed, Mira stepped out, holding Little Zami in her arms. Just as they moved further into the airport, a loud squeal reached her ears, and she felt herself pulled into a warm hug. Mira’s eyes widened as she recognized Lily—and noticed the small but unmistakable bump on Lily’s tummy. Was Lily pregnant?