Nine

"Bing?" Natzin said in disbelief as she rubbed her eyes to be sure that the person she was seeing was actually there and not just a mirage.

Bing turned around cradling the baby and smiled at Nitzan so casually like they were friends who had not even stopped communicating.

"I have to give kudos to you, you have made such a beautiful child my friend. Anyway what could I expect from the baby of you and Jie, such a perfect child." Bing said with a smile that turned Bing's heart tight with fear.

"What are you doing here, have you not wrecked my life enough?" Nitzan asked, her voice trembling with fury. "And why are you holding my baby? Give her back to me or else I will scream and the nurses will come in here."

"Don't be like that Nitzan, despite our past differences I am your baby's godmother aren't I? I have come to visit my beautiful goddaughter and give her my best wishes." She said with a vicious smile that sent fear tumbling through Natzin's system.

"Fine, you have seen her. Now, return my baby to me." She said and reached out for the baby but Bing took a step back.

"Not so fast my friend, have you forgotten that I told you that I would take everything from you? I haven't done that yet, this is the final thing I want."

"Please don't do this I beg you." Nitzan said as a fist of pain clutched her head and tears ran down her cheeks.

"You don't need to worry, I will take care of this sweet little child and you won't have to worry about her. Moreover you will be with your parents soon and you need someone to take care of this baby." She said ominously.

"What do you mean?" Nitzan stared at her fearfully, refusing to believe what Bing was implying.

"I want a new start for Jie and i and you being alive will be too much of a complication so you have to go."

"Say bye bye to your mama little one." Bing said and Nitzan watched in horror as she turned to leave and she groggily climbed out of bed but the door opened and the two men who had thrown Natzing out of the company came in and they grabbed her and pushed her back to the bed while she weakly tried to fight them.

When Bing went out of the door with the child Natzin turned hysterical and started to scream.

"Bring my baby back! Bing please don't take my baby away from me."

The men pressed her hands and legs against the bed and she could only jerk and try but fail to pull them off her. When she saw a nurse come in, she felt hopeful that she would be saved and she looked at her pleadingly.

"Please don't let them take away my baby, these men are trying to take my baby away." She said as tears streamed down the sides of her face.

"Don't worry miss, you will be okay." The nurse said and came closer with an injection.

"…wha.. what is that for? Let me go!" She screamed and felt the sharp prick of the needle as it pierced her skin and she felt numb instantly.

"Whaaatt havvveee youuuu ddddooon to mmm mmmee?" Nitzan slurred as her limbs felt laden and she could no longer move them.

Then bodyguards took a step away from her and when she no longer struggled, they left the room. Leaving Natzin alone with the nurse who looked at her in pity as she struggled to keep her eyes opened and eventually bowed to pressure and closed her eyes.

*

Mrs Shen came back to the room about an hour after she had left with containers of food and she opened Natzin's room and stopped at the threshold at the empty bed and absence of the baby crib.

She frowned as she took a step back and checked the door number to be sure that she had not stumbled into the wrong room but she saw that she was in the correct room but there was no Natzin and no baby.

"Hello, I need help please." She said to a passing nurse who stopped and looked at her inquiringly. "There was a patient in this room that just had a baby and i don't see her or the baby, have they been moved?"

"Oh, come with me." The nurse said and led Mrs Shen down the hallway.

The anxiety which had clutched Mrs Shen's heart disappeared and she sighed and followed the nurse. They had probably changed Natzin's room for some reason.

However, the nurse led Mrs Shen away from the wards and towards the doctors offices and the anxiety slowly returned. Just as she was about to ask the nurse about where she was taking her she stopped at a door.

"Go in this door ma'am." The nurse said and walked away before Mrs Shen could question her.

She opened the door as she had a foreboding feeling. The doctor raised his head and looked at her and frowned.

"How may I help you?" He asked and Mrs Shen took a step further in.

"I am here about Zhi Natzin and her baby, a nurse asked me to come here after I didn't see them in their room." She said as she fiddled nervously with the straps of her bag.

The doctor nodded. "Please come in and take a seat."

Mrs Shen shut the door behind her and sat opposite the doctor.

"I am afraid that I have bad news to share." He said as he took off his glasses and looked at Mrs Shen whose face crumbled at the words.

"How do you mean bad news?" She asked skeptically, she refused to comprehend the direction that his words were taking.

"I am sorry but Zhu Natzin passed about thirty minutes ago." He said somberly and Mrs Shen shook her head in disbelief.

She had just seen Natzin and hour ago and she had looked fine, just a little tired. How could this doctor say that she was dead.

"That is not true." Mrs Shen disagreed and the doctor shook his head.

"Unfortunately it is true." The doctor insisted and Mrs Shen sat numbly as she tried to process the news.

"Let me see her body then." She said at last and the man glanced down at his table.

"Unfortunately that cannot be done." He said and Mrs Shen snapped.

"What do you mean it cannot be done? If she is dead then I will like to see her body." She said, her tone sharp.

"I am guessing that you are not her blood relatives so are you her next of kin?" The doctor asked simply and Mrs Shen's face fell.

They had never really thought about that.

"No." She said softly.

"Her next of kin was informed of her death and they asked that she be cremated immediately." The doctor explained and tears filled Mrs Shen's eyes.

She felt so heartbroken for the little girl she had grown attached to just these six months. She still found it hard to believe that she died so abruptly, she had looked so alive when she left. Mrs Shen regretted leaving Nitzan alone at all.

She wiped her tears away and sniffled.

"What of her little baby?" She asked.

"Zhi Natzin's next of kin has taken the baby away." The doctor said and Mrs Shen's heart crumbled to hear this.

If Nitzan truly had a next of kin why had they abandoned her in her time of need? The entire time she had spent living with them she had never spoken about anyone and now suddenly a next of kin comes out of the woodwork.

Mrs Shen felt suspicious about the entire thing but there was probably nothing she could do about it than mourn for the sweet girl whose life had been snuffed out so young.

As she walked out of the hospital she called her husband and wailed on the phone.

"Mr Shen, they told me that Natzin is dead and someone has carried her baby away." She said In between sobs

She would have to return home to the house they had prepared for the little baby, what was she going to do with all of those little clothes and the tiny crib Mr Shen had made so lovingly with his own hands.