SAW-THE SIGHT SERIES

CHAPTER 9

_KHALIL_

The taste of those snacks I took still lingers on my tongue and I find myself wanting to have more of it. I had just returned home after going to ya Kamil's house and spending almost four hours together with his family.

I knew my parents will probably be in the dining room now having their dinner so I began making my way to my room.

"Don't you dare step into your room without having your dinner Khalil." My mother voice boomed, I retraced my steps coming to give her a short hug.

"I ate." I said referring to the four samosas I took in Ilham's house and the delicious pounded yam and vegetable soup I took in Ya Kamil's house.

"Why did you eat?" My mother asked still not convinced that my stomach is actually full.

"Pounded yam and vegetable soup." I replied refusing to mention the samosas.

"So. How did it go with Ilham?" She asked trying to get somewhere I have no interest in. I successfully dodged the question and my mother noticed it quite well yet she chose to ignore it.

"I'm so tired Mama. Need sleep." I said tracing my steps back to my room after wishing her a 'Good night.'

I could practically hear her sighed as I walked away, I entered my room and locked the door. My bath came next before I dried up my hair and put on a set of black night wear.

I did not even know when I fell asleep, I only saw myself waking up the morning of the next day. Saying a prayer, I got up and made my way to the bathroom where I performed ablution and prayed my subhi prayer.

Changing into a comfortable set of top and shorts, I went out to the massive compound of the house for my morning jog and went over to the gym shortly after the one hour jog.

By the time I was done and returned back into the house, as expected I saw my mother saying something to the staffs cleaning up the already neat house.

I walked over to her place and greeted her refusing to hug her seeing as I'm all sweaty and stuffs.

"Ilham's house today by four." She said. I sigh and began complaining.

"I went there yesterday." I pointed out, I am pretty sure they will get tired of seeing me if I have to be going to their house every single day.

"That doesn't matter my boy. Now go and get ready, we're going for an outing today with your dad. Only the three of us." She said.

That's when I noticed how beautifully dressed up she is. Normally she dresses beautifully but this one is an extra kind of look. White always looks perfect on my mother, it's like the shade was made for her.

I argued no more as I made my way upstairs to my room. I bath and got all ready in a white kaftan. One I realized is similar to what my father is wearing once I came downstairs.

"Morning." I greeted my father once I was downstairs and together we all went to the dining room to eat our breakfast.

The maids brought the breakfast quite late so we had to wait for some minutes before it was set on the table. And then I had to endure hearing my mother ranting at them because they brought the breakfast late.

The poor maids were looking like they were at the verge of crying and I had to interfere to save them from my mother's wrath.

We ate our breakfast quietly and then left with the camping foods and stuffs shortly after, my father and mother were in one car while I drove in my car to the landscape area.

Apparently, it was a simple looking landscape where some other people could be seen around camping and stuffs.

We parked and set our stuffs on the grasses and when we were finally seated my mother began telling me how she used to come here with my father when she was pregnant with me.

Somewhere around there I zoned out and started thinking about something else.
If only I could get one of those samosas again..

"Khalil! Khalil!" I snapped out of my thoughts when I hear my name being called

"Yes," I responded turning to look at my mother that was saying something I did not quite catch.

"Where were you?" She asked with a hint of suspicion and I already think I know what she will say next.

"Right here." I replied, collecting the couple of snacks Abba was passing to me.

"Right here or right there?" My mother began pestering. 

"Mum. I'm right here." I said stressing the 'here' .

As expected my mother went straight to the point.
"Oh it's normal to be thinking about your further wife Khalil." My mother said. I sigh.

I wasn't even thinking about her.

"I was not—" She did not even allow to finish my sentence before she said hers "Your father used to do the same then." And then Abba laughed.

As if agreeing to go to Ilham's house again was not enough, my mother actually said she'll give me a gift to take with me and insisted that I should say I bought the gift.

"Oh Mum." I sigh looking at her while she continues to excitedly talk about Ilham.
I continued "I love you but"  she began glaring at me "but what?" She asked.

You could say there's nothing on earth that can actually scare a military man but that thing that can actually scare me is my mother's glare
"Nothing." I responded.

"Better. Now remind me to give you the gift once we're back home." She said.

"Right."

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Ya Allah, guys Maiduguri is in flood. May Allah help them. It's so serious that even the zoo animals escaped.  May Allah help them. Ameen.

:Seena.