You're My Bliss.

Eight: The Past And Future!

This might sound odd and impossible but Dahir and I don't fight anymore.
I know, it surprises me too.

It's not like we're besties or anything but we have meaningful conversations and we don't argue, it seems to be genuine.

I thought he hated me but I'm glad that part is over, I really am. Now things don't get uncomfortable and awkward when he visits.

Bashir, Jaafar, Farouq and I are sitting in the gazebo. I was helping Farouq with his maths assignment when they joined.
"You two are always walking around like twins" I comment.

Jaafar nods "Shockingly you're not the first to say that"
Bashir nods, agreeing "The older you are the less you stay home".
"So the older ones don't like staying home?"

He nods.
"But you two go out a lot more than Ya Mutassim"

Bashir just smiles.
"That's what it looks like but it's not the case"
"How?"
He chuckles uncomfortably "I can see you have such a curious mind".

I laugh.
"I'm done" Farouq celebrates.

"You got him to do his assignment, I'm not sure he has ever done it" Jaafar comments.
"Probably but I told him Dahir would be the one going to his open day, so—"I trail off.

"Makes sense but I really do hope you do well or you'll be stripped off every single privilege. No phone or no Wi-Fi, no watching, no hanging out with friends, early bedtime and other things. Overall it sucks"

Farouq huffs "I'm trying but can you help me with my history assignment?"
I couldn't help but laugh.
"Come on, you're my sister and I'm asking my sister for help"

"Wow Karima, you're playing favorites just because he's your brother? Wow, I wasn't expecting you to be so—biased" Bashir says mockingly.

"Help him with the assignment I gave him? Never going to happen" I turn to him "Abba has books in his study or the internet, it's just research"
He pouts "But he has hundreds of books"
"Then you better start now".

Jaafar was looking at me like I'm crazy "You've read Abba's books already?"
I shake my head "Nah, but I've seen a few that can help him. Eventually he'll just google it anyway, he's a millennial"

He chuckles "We're all millennials".

::

Faridah called.
She's Muhammed's younger sister and when we were married she would come stay with me because her parents argued a lot.

She's actually 18years and she's in her first year.

I knew she depended on me and I made things more stable for her but I couldn't stay, I couldn't stay with Muhammed when I was losing my sanity. After the divorce she stopped reaching out, I think she felt she couldn't confide in me anymore.

Apparently she had an issue in school and wanted my help so I called my friend Kauthar to come along with me. I don't want to involve any of my cousins in it.

I enter the office and see her seated, she had bruises on her face and it was swollen on the right side. She looked like she has been crying for weeks.

"Faridah?"
She raises her head and looks at me, she smiles and walks over "I'm sorry"

I hug her briefly before sitting infront of the head of disciplinary committee.
"As you can see there was a fight between Faridah and a course mate"
I sigh.

"Thankfully the girl had no injuries"
"What? Which girl? The girl I'm currently looking at has external injuries so the fact that you're talking about another girl is quite amusing".

"We're trying to solve this"
"Oh really? Do you know who started the fight?"
"Not yet, we haven't asked"
"But you've already made up your mind"

"No madam, that was why we called so that we can get to the root of the issue"
"So the other girl's guardians are coming as well?"

"No, she even left school" Faridah says.
"So you already made up your mind"

"No ma'am" he denies.
"If not why is she the only one here? Why am I the only guardian that was contacted what about the other girl? She's the one with a battered face and somehow she's the one to blame?"

"She might not be completely but she was in a fight and she has to be disciplined for it"
"Of course, she should get disciplined for it but so does the other girl, if not I can take the issue up with the school directly"

She stares at me.
"Thank you for saving me for the umpteenth time"

I smile "I can't promise I'll be there next time so don't get in trouble. We'll take you home"

She nods giddily.
She hugs Kauthar when we walk out.

I turn around and and bump into no other than her older brother.
He looked tired and miserable.

And I think I saw relief in his eyes when he saw me.
"What's going on here?"

"Yaya" she says frightened. She's really, like seriously scared of him.
"Go wait in the car"

"Thank you" she says before sprinting.
"I'll give you two a moment" Kauthar says and hesitantly walks away.

"Thank you for always being there for her"
"Someone has to"
I hand him the bottle of water I was holding "You look like you need it"

"Thanks" he says gulping it down.
"You look tired, wretched and miserable"

He chuckles "You're always quick to tell me I look like crap"
"Noo the crap is a lot more now" I huff "Why do you have to treat her like that?"

He looks around "It's a nice day" he avoids my question.
"She's your sister"
"And her daughter"
"It's not her fault"

He shakes his head "If her mother hadn't gotten pregnant with her then Baba wouldn't have married her and I wouldn't be living like a forsaken man".
"Doesn't mean you have to treat her that way. You don't have to let the past define your future, you were a boy then but you're a man now, you don't have to let it continue"

He sighs "I miss your speeches, believe it or not they motivated me. When I lost my mind they brought me back, made me realize I had someone by my side but then you gave up. You stopped with the speeches and I felt abandoned again"

"You made me stop, no infact you forced me to stop. I made the speeches because I had hope and stopped when I lost it. I'm sorry I used that to leave, it wasn't fair but it was what I deserved" I huff "Well, I need to go now. Please just let her be, just for today"

He nods.

"Kauthar?" I call her "Let's go"

::

"I heard you told Farouq I'd be the one going to his open day"
I nod "Yeah but you don't have to, I only said it so he'd study"

He nods "I know, I'm glad you did. The boy thinks school is a place to look cool and pick up girls".
"Yeah, I think he's planning on multi tasking".
"Let's go".

I smile "I think I'm skipping today"
"Skipping work?"
"Yeah, I'll call in sick. And I have just two classes today"
He nods "So you've taken your bath?"

I nod.
"Good, get dressed. I'll wait for you in the car"
"But I don't want to go"

"Show good example to your younger ones, we're going. I won't leave this house until you're in the car and I have to go to work also. It's really your choice"
"But—"

"No buts, I'll be waiting".

::