Finding Muna: A Palestinian Novel

Chapter Thirty

Muna let out a huge breath as she stepped down from the hill she was standing on to upload the video she had managed to record earlier that day to update her followers on what was going on with her. She had gotten way too much messages to confirm she was okay and she felt it would be selfish of her to keep to herself.

She sighed as she watched the video get uploaded and people started to pour in comments and prayers immediately, her heart slightly fluttered and she felt a bit happy. But she was very concerned, if outsiders and people who didn't know her were that worried, she wondered what her own parents were up to.

She couldn't help but feel a bit betrayed and hurt, they claim they love her yet they don't put in the effort to reach her? Especially knowing she was their only child.

But she knew better than to get angry, she just wished she would be chanced to speak to them one more time. She knew something had gone wrong, probably terribly wrong and she tried to ignore it by not putting much effort into reaching them.

But how much longer could she go without speaking to her parents? Even if something did go wrong, it would be better to face it than to regret not facing it for the rest of her existence. She pressed her lips in a straight line as a frown took over her face, her fingers lightly trembled as she tried to phone her father, she struggled with herself for a moment but she took in the courage and clicked on his contact name.

As the phone rang, she noticed Lamees approaching her from her peripheral vision, probably because she was taking too long and making them worried.

"Muna, is everything okay?" Lamees asked slowly and she nodded with a tired look, unable to bring herself to speak. Lamees frowned at her unusual response and dropped her gaze to the phone in Muna's hand, her eyebrows rose in realization and she decided to keep quiet.

"I'm scared," Muna said after the call dropped and she dialled the number again.

"It's been a minute you spoke to them, huh?" Lamees asked softly and she nodded as tears started to form in her eyes.

"I feel like something has gone wrong Lamees, I feel it in my gut," Muna said with a shake of her head and Lamees could only let out a huff.

"Are you sure it's not because you can't reach them? I don't think you should worry too much eh?" Lamees said in attempt to soothe Muna's worries but they only intensified.

"How about you try calling him on my other number, the one he's not familiar with, if he doesn't pick up then we know it's probably some network issue," Lamees offered as she brought out her phone from her pocket.

"But what if he picks up Lamees? What do I do then?" Muna asked with teary eyes as she sniffled.

"Don't let your mind trick you into believing that your parents would forsake you at this time, I don't think that's the case," Lamees replied and dialled Mahmud's number on her phone.

The phone rang and rang, and it almost seemed like it wouldn't stop ringing, Muna's heart was thundering rapidly against her chest as she locked her gaze on the phone, waiting for the call to either drop or for her father to pick up the call.

"You see, I told –" Lamees's words were cut short as the phone vibrated in her hand and they both heard Mahmud's voice through the phone. Both of them were quick to glance at each other's face in confusion and perplexity. Muna's pitiful face quickly changed to anger and she snatched the phone from Lamees's hand and began to scream in her local language to her father over the phone.

"Really abba? Really?"

"La a'arif ma huwa 3'druk aljayyid litarikni."
(I don't know what will be your good excuse for forsaking me.)