No Looking Back

Chapter 16

Faiz's POV:

"Oh, my beautiful children! You're both finally home!" my mother cries, embracing Layla first.

Ouch. Guess I know who my mother's favorite child is now.

And technically, Layla isn't even her child.

Auntie just stands at my mother's side, smiling softly, much calmer as compared to my mother. Now that I think about it, Auntie and my mother are like the older versions of Layla and Reyna.

"Welcome back you two," Fauzia Auntie says, embracing Layla when my mother finally lets her go, my mother now turning to me.

"Oh, beta! How was the trip? Was it fun? I saw a news article on your hotel's opening, it was a hit! Your father is very proud, Faiz," my mother says as she hugs me, stroking my hair as I crouch down to her height.

As a guy who's 6'2 with a mother who's only 5'3, I was no stranger to slight neck and back pain after emotional hugs like these. But my mother was a champion hugger, so I don't really mind.

I return her embrace and look over to Layla, who's blushing red at something her mother is whispering into her ear.

I raise my brow questioningly when she catches my gaze.

'Later' she mouths, shaking her head and then giggling to something else her mother is saying, whispering something back.

"Did you hear me, beta? I asked how your trip was," my mother said, grinning coyly, her eyes dancing between me and Layla.

I cleared my throat, slightly embarrassed at being caught.

"Oh, sorry, mom. Yeah, the trip was great. All my college buddies were there at my hotel opening, Layla and I went out to some good restaurants and sights. I tried to make our stay enjoyable," I say shrugging.

"Faiz, Layla!" I hear Zayn Uncle exclaim around the corner, and soon he appears, tailed by my father and Yusuf.

"Welcome home, kids," my father says, beaming with happiness. He comes over and puts me into a side hug, clapping my back.

I see Yusuf and Zayn Uncle welcome Layla back. Then, Yusuf runs over to me and gives me a hug, his arms around my torso.

"Hey, buddy. Missed me?" I ask him, patting his back. He nodded and grinned up at me.

Zayn Uncle walks up to us and gives me an amused smile and ruffles my hair.

"No, Uncle, not the hair!" I chuckle, running my hand through my hair to try and fix the damage.

The women in the room groan in obvious annoyance.

"You men and your hair," Fauzia Auntie sighs, looking down at her daughter in front of her and her best friend, shaking her head.

"What about it, darling? You and Layla spend three hours in your bathrooms and bedrooms getting ready, so if any of the genders are obsessed with their hair, it's you women," Zayn Uncle chuckles, walking up to his now glaring wife and giving her a small peck in the cheek.

Layla was rolling her eyes in mock annoyance, "I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about, baba. If I recall correctly, mom and I still get ready before you. We would be waiting for you to get out of the bathroom."

Zayn Uncle has an astonished look on his face, his wife giggling behind her hand.

"Yes, Omar does this also, gets us late to functions and parties. Faiz has never been a problem though, Allahamdulilah," my mother says, squeezing my cheek.