When We Were Us (#1 Romance)

11: Unveiled

In the car, the atmosphere was surprisingly calm. My mom hadn't asked many questions about Nashid before, but today seemed different. As i drove, she turned down the radio slightly, and then came the question I had both dreaded and anticipated.

"So... that guy who gave you all those gifts—what's his name?" she asked, keeping her eyes on the road but clearly interested.

I felt a rush of nerves but tried to keep it together. I'd known that one day I'd have to tell her about Nashid, but somehow, saying it out loud made everything feel more real. "His name is Nashid. We met at an Islamic event," I replied, trying to sound casual.

Mom nodded, her expression unreadable. "Oh, that sounds nice. Is he a student?"

"No, he's working," I replied.

"Working as what?" she asked, her curiosity piqued.

"He's an assistant engineer," I answered, hoping that sounded stable and responsible enough. My mom seemed to approve, nodding as if she was mentally checking off qualities.

"How old is he?" she asked next, glancing over at me.

"He's older than me," I said with a little smile. Her approving nod told me that was a good answer.

Then, unexpectedly, she asked, "Is he handsome?"

I laughed nervously, a bit shy to talk about Nashid that way, especially with my mom. 

"He... looks normal," I replied, feeling my cheeks warm up. Of course, in my heart, I thought he was far more than "normal" with his tall frame and piercing gaze, but I couldn't say that.

I took a breath and decided it was time to tell her more about him, hoping it would help her understand why Nashid was so special to me.

"He's also very active at the mosque. He helps coordinate events and is always trying to find ways to benefit the community. He's... really intelligent too." I looked at her, feeling the weight of her judgment, but she only smiled.

"Well, that sounds like a good man," she said. "It's not easy to find someone committed to both their faith and their work."

Hearing that, a wave of relief washed over me. Knowing she had such positive things to say about Nashid lifted some of the worry I'd been carrying. There was still more to talk about, but for now, it felt good to have her approval—or at least her interest. It was a start.

"I want to meet him eventually. Just to see who this Nashid really is."

As we sat down in the restaurant, I could tell my mom was barely paying attention to the menu.

She kept glancing at me, hinting with a subtle smile, "So, you'll show me his picture now, right?" I'd never seen her so interested; it was almost as if I couldn't escape her curiosity.

With a sigh and a mix of excitement and nerves, I finally pulled out my phone. I decided to show her one of the best pictures of Nashid, one where he stood with his parents. 

I watched her closely as she took my phone, studying the image intently.

After a moment, she looked up. "Is he... Malay?"

I shook my head, explaining, "He's actually mixed. His dad is Pakistani, and his mom is Malay from here. They used to live in Australia but moved here because his mom wants to be with her family here. But he basically grew up here and live here."

She went silent for a beat, her eyes still on the picture. 

"He does look very handsome," she finally said, giving me a small smile. "Are you sure he likes you?"