Choosing Him

Chapter 8

"I need you to tell me honestly: what made you come back?" Their mother started without beating around the bush.  

"You got to be kidding me, Ma! I came because I can't live without you two. " Zayan said incredulously 

"Are you sure about that?" She said raising an eyebrow.

"Yes. Of course I am sure. What makes you think otherwise?"

"You know your father has left us quite an amount of property behind-"

"Mama! You think I am here for the property! You think I am so low?! Oh My God! I can't believe this." He said raising his hands in the air helplessly.

"Really? So what were you doing for these past two years? You didn't even bother to show up for his funeral. So what now?"

"There was a reason to that. I can't believe you thought like that about me."

"So what was the reason, may I ask?"

"My wife was fighting with cancer at that time. It was selfish of me to leave you people like that, yes, but I was too broken to deal with anything at that time. How would I have supported you two?" 

"What? You-you got married?" Her jaw dropped in shock.

He told her everything. From falling in love with Leya to marriage, everything.

"I-I don't know what to say. Should I be mad at you that my only son went ahead and got married or should I console you?" She said still in shock.

"Just forgive me Mama." He couldn't help feel a twinge of pride when she said her only son. "Sometimes I feel like our marriage didn't last because I didn't have my parents blessings but I really loved her Mama." He revealed in a small voice.

"I'm so sorry beta for judging you so harshly. It is a test from Allah. She was meant to come and thn leave. She was here to teach you the meaning of love. But I am proud of you that you made everything halal and you didn't take any wrong step even though you were alone there." She said sudden tears brimming her eyes.

"You taught me that Mama," he said to her wiping the tears of her face with the pad of his thumb.

"I am so proud of you, even though you should have told us first but that's besides the point." She said engulfing her son in a hug.

"Ma you know its not wrong to remember baba. I've seen the way you keep pushing away Areesha because she reminds you of him. Don't you think that  we should be thankful to Allah that we have her as a reminder of baba. Baba will never really leave us, he'll always be in our hearts with us." He said to his mother still basking in the warmth of her motherly embrace.

"You are right. I never thought that way. I just miss him so much. But now that you are here everything will be fine," she said smiling through the tears.

"Yeah inshallah! But Areesha needs you so much. She lost her father that day and you distanced yourself from her and then I wasn't with her either. Think of how lonely she must be feeling."

"I know. I will try to make it up to her."

"I love you Mama!" he said looking up to her

"And I you beta! I'm sorry for doubting you."

"No biggie! I want my lively Mama back."

"Ok. You must be so tired now go to bed,"

"Alah Hafiz then." he said placing a gentle kiss on his mother's forehead

"Khuda Hafiz beta. Shut the lights off on your way!"

He left his mothers room after that with a relieved look on his face.

"What was all that about?" his sister asked him when she spotted him.

"it was a mother-son thing. Who are you to come in between?" he asked her teasingly.

"No I just feel really jealous. It's been so long since she talked so freely, I feel like I have failed as a daughter," she said with an edge to her voice.

"Aww, come on. You and I both know that its not like this. And I told her about Leya."

"What?! Was she mad at you?"

"Not really. Just disappointed I guess that I didn't tell her and she consoled me,"

"Oh. Ok, I'm heading for bed now. Good Night!"

"Night! You are forgetting something by the way,"

"What?"

He came forward and kissed my forehead. "Sleep tight!"

Areesha went back to her room and popped a sleeping pill in her mouth and gulped them down with a sip pf water. She had to wake up early tomorrow as she had gotten a message from her office to come at 8:00. They were probably going to fire her anyway she thought dismally. After setting the alarm for 7:00 she went to bed.

She tried not to think of the late night conversation she had with Aamir at this time as she lay in the bed. She was truly trying to have full trust in Allah but it was so hard. Sometimes she felt like Allah was not happy with her but she had to tell her self repeatedly that Allah would forgive her if she had a sincere heart. Her past didn't matter, her present and future did. She hoped that she wouldn't get into such a haram relationship with anyone in the future again and would be more careful about her religion but she was scared. Scared of being sidetracked and falling into the same depressed state. She just prayed that Allah would help her get out of all these insecurities and she would become a better person.

She still condemned herself for getting so close to Aamir but maybe he really wasnt the right person for her. Maybe Allah had indeed saved her from a disasterous marriage. She just kept trying to convince herself that it was all for the best. But it was so hard. She had spent two years engaged with Aamir. She couldn't forget about him in a few days only. She needed time to do that. She hoped she could give herself that time and stop hating herself so much. She hoped she could accept herself with the mistakes she had made. Her brother had really helped her with lots of things. He had really made her realize where she was wrong. She just hoped she could correct herself.

With the strong sleeping aid, soon heavy, irresistible waves of sleep engulfed her taking her away from her worries.

Did you like the chapter? Sorry it was short.

Was their mothers reaction justified?

Plz vote and comment!