Twice His Age

10: Her Punishment

She heard some commotion outside and slowly began to open her eyes. She couldn't say she had been fully healed, but at least she was physically getting better. Much better than she was doing yesterday and it was all thanks to the medications and injections she had gotten. But her mental state? It was even worse than it was yesterday. Something had recoiled itself in her mind, something so powerful and bitter that she could taste its bitterness in her tongue.

She slowly sat upright and stared at the room faintly illuminated by the light. Thanks to whoever drew the curtains for her. She couldn't remember the last time she had slept until this kind of time of the day. And even though she didn't know what said the time, Sabeeha knew that it at least wasn't 4 in the morning.

She pulled her legs to her chest and rested her head on her knees as she forced her mind not to think of the situation she was in. What had nearly happened to her yesterday and how she had been rescued. Because the state of mind she was in, if she dared thought about any of those things, nothing could stop her from going crazy.

The commotion finally dead down and it was a few minutes when their was a knock and she fixed her eyes on the door when it opened to Waleed walking inside with a calm smile on his lips. Something warmed up in Sabeeha's heart as she felt the urge to give him the warmest hugs she had ever given him in her life.

She smiled up at him and nodded her head when he waved. He walked up to her and sat down by her side, taking her hand in his, Waleed smiled at her. "Good morning, Ammi. Uncle Anas told me that you were sick yesterday and you had slept at the hospital."

"Morning to you too, Waleed. Is that why you didn't go to school?" She slightly squeezed his hand and felt the urge to cry but pushed it back. "I'm fine, as you can see, right? Nothing bothers me now."

"We're having a midterm break, so I'm free. Uncle Zaid sent me to ask you what you'd like to eat so he can go and get it for you." She didn't know how her son had changed, but she was sure he had. She could sense it from his behavior, from the kind of words he uttered and the way his voice sounded, he had certainly changed.

"Did you have your breakfast?" She asked instead, and he softly shook his head at her.

"Then I'd take whatever it is you want to eat. It's been forever we ate together, right?" She said with a weak smile as she fondled his hair. "Go on and tell him what you want to eat, we shouldn't keep Uncle Zaid waiting for long, should we?" He shook his head and got down the bed.

He walked to the door before he turned to her with one of his heart warming smiles. "I'll be back in a minute, Ammi. And I'd tell you stories about my school, do you want to hear?"

"Of course, I do, love. Quickly tell him and come back." And immediately he closed the door behind her, Sabeeha felt the lone tear rolled down her cheeks. This was the calm before the storm, she knew. And with each breath she took, she was dreading what would happen to her when Hajia got to know about what had happened. And whether or not if she could even peacefully live in that house now, because she knew the intention of Idi towards her.

Waleed came back to the room some minutes later and he couldn't shut up about how the school was and the few friends she had made. And it was now she had recognized where the change came from. It was from his school. He was calmer and more collected. Just like what school did to her. She was glad it was transforming her son well and deeply prayed that unlike her, Waleed would be able to further his education beyond secondary school.

He had taken all her worries at bay with his childish chuckles and giggles, and she did all she could to reciprocate the same energy. They were sitting side by side on the bed when they heard a soft knock and looked up at the door for the intruder. Shortly later, Zaid turned the doorknob and got inside, holding the nylons in both his hands.