Affianced By Force

CHAPTER Fifty-Seven - You Are Not My Mother II

AbdAllah didn't take his seat, unlike Umamah, who was finally able to sit down. The siblings stayed there, AbdAllah standing, while Umamah sitting right on his bed. Both deep in thought, no one said a word until AbdAllah broke the silence.

"It's been so long. How did she get here?" he asked.

Umamah shook her head. "Faisal. He found her, and he brought her here. _ then she pulled him to sit on the bed. "Look, And Allah, you don't have seen her or speak to her if you don't want to."

AbdAllah didn't know exactly how to feel or react, but he certainly didn't feel too much of hatred towards this woman. All he needed was her love, and if she was ready to love him, then he was ready to forgive her. But now that she was back...

"It's okay, AbdAllah. It's okay to hate our mother. It's okay to think anything you want to think of her, but to her surprise, AbdAllah shook his head. "I don't know, but I don't hate seeing her, I didn't have much memories of her to hate her. Seeing her was more like a relief for me. I don't think I'm the one you should be comforting, Umamah, because I am completely fine."

Farid. Umamah thought as she agreed with him. And then she said, "I'll come back to check on you, okay?" She opened the door and went to Farid's room.

Farid had once again, locked his room. This was certainly going to be a long one for him. Who asked Faisal to do this without consulting her first? Even if his intentions were noble, this was her family affairs after all. He really went far this time.

Umamah pushed the lock. Ordinarily, she might have left him alone, but not now. He had just returned from a heartbreak, and leaving him alone wasn't right. So, she knocked on the door.

"Farid," she said softly. "Farid," she called again. "Farid, please open the door. It's just me. I want to see you."

After a while, he opened the door, and she stepped in. "Farid," Umamah called, observing the room. It was quiet, with several paintings that had once been made by Anisa, missing. Those were the paintings her brother had adored so much that had eventually pulled he and his wife together. And now, seeing there were no longer here, its broke Umamah beyond her understanding. Was Farid really going to just give up on Anisa?

"She's in some sort of trouble with her current husband," Umamah said gently, reverting her attention to the situation at hand. "If you don't want to see her, you won't."

Farid shook his head. "I don't even want to hear a thing about her," he said.

Umamah nodded, noting the contrast between the two brothers. "Then that will be done. No one will make you see or even mention her name in this house. No one will make you forgive her if you don't want to. No one. She doesn't even deserve it."

Farid nodded in agreement, tears streaming down his face. Umamah watched him silently, wishing she had all the answers and powers to stop Farid from hurting. But she didn't. She was smart, but she couldn't understand why Faisal had allowed their mother to return especially when Farid was just recuperating from a heartbreak.

After that fateful evening, no one mentioned Surayyah's appearance anymore. It took a lot from them not to do so, especially AbdAllah, who was curious about when they would get the opportunity to see their mother again. But AbdAllah had always been the least sensitive if them all. Plus, he actually didn't know what a though life actually meant.

As the week Umamah was supposed to resume work approached, she grew more curious about speaking to her mother. So, one evening, after dinner, she told Faisal of her decision.

"I'm going to see her tomorrow, in shaa Allah" Umamah said. Faisal nodded, understanding her resolve. He didn't dare go against her wish. It had taken him three nights of sleeping alone to get her to forgive him for doing things on his own accord. Now, he was only going to support her decisions.