Lello and Ziah Moments (Special Chapter Part 1)

It's already two months since Ziah started to work for Lello as Nally's nanny slash bodyguard. Things are running smoothly. Lello seldom comes home because of his residency so most of the time it's only Nally and Ziah.

"Ziah, do you have any nickname?", Nally curiously ask.

"I don't have one.", she said expressionlessly.

"Why? What do your friends called you?"

"I don't have any friends.", Ziah said. Her face is not bearing any expression but her eyes, shows sadness and longing that she's keeping deep down her heart. If only Nally could see, she will surely know how lonely and hurt Ziah is.

"Can I call you Z?", Nally smiled and gave her a very beautiful smile, a smile that no one can ever resist, even Ziah. Ziah smiled at her. It was one of the days when she allows herself to show emotions. Ziah wanted to smile and be happy at least when she's with Nally but she is restraining herself because she knows that she'll need to leave someday anyway.

"Yeah.", she answered shortly.

"Yes! From now on I'll call you Z. And since I gave you a nickname already, we are now friends and not just acquaintance, right?", Nally said happily.

"Hmmm.", Ziah nodded. She sometimes forgets that Nally is blind and can't see her. Nally is very capable so nobody would feel that she has disability.

"And since I am now your friend, you can call me Lily."

"Lily?"

"Yes, big brother sometimes calls me with that nickname. It's a name that my mother used to call me. But when she died, Lello started to call me by my real name. I really miss my mom calling me with my nickname. I am scared that I'll forget how it feels when she calls me with my nickname.", Nally said with sadness on her face. Ziah felt her sadness. They are the same. They both lost their mother at such a young age so she can empathize with Nally. Her eyes turned soft and is now full of different emotion. Sadness, joy, understanding, hurt, love and hope, she's filled with overwhelming set of emotions.

"Lily.", Ziah called. Nally was perplexed when she heard Ziah called her in her nickname. She can't explain why but she felt peace and happiness, just like when her mom is calling her. Her voice is so soft and melodious, it was soothing and comforting. It felt like home. Her eyes started to water and soon she started to sob. Ziah hugged her and allowed her to cry. Now she know why she liked Ziah from the start. She resembles her mom, well, not physically because she can't see her but they have the same smell, their voices are almost the same, soft and melodious, and they both give a very warm hug that can wipe away all your sorrows.

***

"Are you ok now?", Ziah asked when Nally stopped crying.

"Yes. I am sorry about that.", Nally sighed. "When our mother died, our father almost never went home, it was only me and Lello. It felt like both of our parents died that day. At that time I wasn't able to to speak, the doctor said that it might be because of shock and trauma.", Ziah did not utter a word and just continued listening. "Lello did everything for me. After our mother's funeral, he never cried anymore, at least not in front of me. All he did was to take care of me. He never left my side and tried very hard to help me recover from the trauma so that I would start to talk again. I was devastated, but my brother help me moved on. Since he never cried again, I felt like I must do the same, so I smiled. I smiled even though I am sad, I laughed when I wanted to cry. I turned blind, so Lello needs to do everything for me and I felt guilty. We never had the chance to grieve properly.", Nally smiled at her, but she knew that deep down, Nally was very sad. Ziah held Nally's hand gently and comfortingly then stood up.

"It's cold here, let's go inside. I have to cook for dinner now.", Ziah said and assisted Nally towards the house. Nally smiled at the thought of Ziah holding her hand. She may be called and aloof but she really is very caring and considerate to other people she just don't show it. She wonders what happened to Ziah that made her that way. She can feel that Ziah is not being true to herself. She sometimes lower her guard and shows her other side, just like today.

***

"I'm home!", Lello shouted when he went inside the house. Nobody answered but he figured that Ziah and Nally might be in the kitchen. The house is filled with the savory aroma of different herbs and butter.

"Big brother! You're here.", Nally said happily.

"Yeah, I just finish an operation with the professor and I thought I should come home and check on you.", Lello kissed her forehead then touch her head softly.

"Z, can you also prepare dinner for Lello?", Nally said politely.

"Ok", Ziah answered and acknowledge Lello with a nod.

"Z?", Lello asked.

"Oh, I gave her a nickname since she doesn't have one. Isn't it cute? I think it is unique.", Naly said smiling.

"Nally, you should not do that. It's improper to just give someone a nickname. She's not your pet.", Lello reprimanded.

"I am sorry Lello, I just thought it would be good. And she gave me her permission to call her Z.", Nally said guiltily. Lello sighed and looked at Ziah.

"I am sorry.", he said to her.

"It's fine. Lily can call me Z if she want to, I don't have a nickname yet anyway.", Ziah answered casually. Since Lello and Nally never treated her as servant and talked to her casually, she did the same.

"Lily?", Lello frowned. His face turned dark and anger written in his face, but Ziah is busy looking at the dish that she's preparing so she did not notice the anger in Lello's face.

"Yes. Lily wanted me to call her in her nickname since she considered me as a friend.", Ziah said.

"Stop calling her that! She's Nally! And she's not your friend!", Lello shouted, his fists are tightly closed at the side. "You are just a maid, why would you think that you are allowed to call her in that name! You'll never be good enough to utter that name!", Lello yelled in anger. He's full of anger that he didn't notice the shock that Nally and Ziah have in their faces. Ziah remained silently standing for a while with a shocked face before she concealed her feelings and looked at him blankly.

"Big brother! What are you saying?!", Nally said shocked by Lello's behavior. Her brother is always calm and collected. He never did an outburst. This is the first time that she heard her brother talk to someone like that. Then it hit Lello. He just realized what he did. He looked at Ziah and tried to read her emotions but she's just looking at him with a blank face. She doesn't even show any emotion.

"I understand.", she simply said. "I am done cooking. I'll set the table so you can have you're dinner.", Ziah turned her back and started to set the table like nothing happened. Lello followed her every move with his eyes. He wanted to say sorry to her for what he said but he don't know how to start. When she's done serving the dinner, she helped Nally to her seat and excuse herself.

"I'll go prepare your bath. Call me if you need anything.", Ziah said to Nally. Nally nodded and held Ziah's hand tightly trying to say sorry before she let go of it. Ziah turned her back and walk away. When Ziah's foot steps disappeared Nally heaved a sigh.

"Big brother, what happened to you?", Nally asked. "Why did you do that?"

"I am sorry. I just--", Lello didn't know what to say so he heaved a sigh instead. "Don't worry, I'll talk to her later.", Nally nodded in understanding. Lello might have been startled when he heard Ziah utter her name just like her. The way Ziah say her name really reminds her of their mother.

***

After dinner, Lello helped Nally to the bathroom. The tub is already filled with water in perfect temperature but Ziah is not there. He left Nally inside the bathroom when she ensured him that she can manage by herself. He went to the living room and thought he can find Ziah there but she's not. He looked everywhere in the house but he can't find her. When he went on the balcony he found Ziah sitting in a bench at the garden outside while staring blankly at the flowers. The soft wind blew her straight black hair which she held with her one hand. The moon is shining brightly in the sky that illuminates in her white flawless skin. She looks like an enchanting goddess from the moon. He can't help but to stare and admire the beauty in front of him, but her face is full of loneliness that he never saw before. Lello decided to go outside and approach her.

"Ahm.", Lello cleared his throat to call her attention. "May I sit with you?", he asked.

"Of course, this is your house anyway.", she said coldly and quickly hide her emotions. Lello walked towards her and sat beside her facing the other way. Their backs facing each other.

"I am sorry for what happened earlier.", he said without looking at her, instead he looked up and stared at the stars twinkling at the sky.

"You don't have to be sorry. What you said are true. I am her nanny and bodyguard and not her friend.", Ziah said coldly.

"No. I didn't mean it that way.", he looked at her briefly before he sighed and look up the stars again.

"My mother used to call her Lily", Lello said. Ziah didn't say anything and just allowed him to speak.

"When my mother died, we lost a lot. Nally turned blind and stopped talking. When she was a kid, she cried a lot whenever I called her Lily. I thought that name made her missed our mom terribly so I stopped calling her by that name. I feared that she'll stopped talking again if she will be reminded of our mother and the accident.", Lello explained. "That is why I got anxious to hear you calling her that name.", Lello's eyes where filled of longingness and hurt while talking, but Ziah wasn't able to saw it since they are facing the other way. "And you also sounded like our mom. The way you said her name is the same as our mom.", he added. Ziah remained silent for a while. She leaned her back towards Lello and leaned on him. Lello was startled but he chose not to move away.

"I lost my mom and dad when I was thirteen. We had an accident.", Ziah said and tears started to fall without her knowing. "They both died. I was the only one who survived". She doesn't understand why but she had the urge to share the weight that she's carrying to Lello. She had kept everything to herself for years. This is the first time that she opened herself to others. Maybe because Lello opened up to her that made her decide to unload some of the pain that she felt with the lost of her parents. She felt Lello moved and started to stand up. She turned her head and found him handing her a handkerchief without looking at her. She realized that her faced is already soaked with tears. She smiled at him and accepted the handkerchief. He walked inside the house and left her in the garden without uttering a single word.

It is strange but Ziah felt comforted with Lello's silence. She's thankful that Lello didn't said anything. She was so tired of hearing comforting words from people who doesn't understand the pain of surviving alone. She gazed at Lello's back and a smile that can rarely be seen on her face formed on her lips.