After the truth

~32~

The drugs on the table, that made him think his mother was sick, was actually for him. A continuous medication, meticulously placed in his meals and even water when he asked for one to get him to forget what was supposed to be the most traumatic moments of his life. Moments that he couldn't even remember. Crucial moments that involved Marwa being hurt, with him being the potential person that may have hurt her.

When his father had told him what had transpired seven years ago, the night he ran into the house having a panic attack. They thought he was going to die that night.

His father narrated that he had come in sweating, with damp clothes. His body temperature was on the high side and he was unable to breathe. He kept on chanting about how he had raped a girl and he couldn't believe himself.

Aaron broke down crying. He couldn't believe Lisa was his daughter. All he ever wanted was to love and care for Marwa and all along he was the one who had caused her the most pain and hardship. He painfully rugged at his hair, tears pouring down his eyes.

He wanted to remember what really happened. How could he apologize when he couldn't remember? Marwa wasn't some random lady that a fickle sorry should be told to. Would she even accept his apologies? How would she feel if she found at that he was the one who had raped her? Why couldn't he remember?

Oh. His mum basically wiped his memory.

At the very least, she was able to practice some of the things she had learned in nursing school. He was also angry at his father for letting it go on for that long. Did he not care for him as well? His father loved his mother so much that he allowed her to hurt him. He was the one responsible for them and he couldn't control his own household.

Aaron winced when his leg came in contact with the shards from the tray his mother had brought in earlier. He couldn't believe he had spoken to her that way. What was more unbelievable was what she had done.

Mardiyah walked into the room, tears in her eyes. She watched her brother heavily fall to the floor with tears pouring from his eyes. She moved towards him, wanting to take care of him just as he had when she was little. Aaron had always been there for her and it hurt to see him this way. She wondered what her aunt had done so badly that broke him this way.

She placed the first aid kit on the floor and gently gathered the sharp pieces of glass from the floor into the garbage nylon she brought with her. She placed that aside and paused by Aaron's feet, silently seeking permission to touch him so she could help him. He didn't say a word, he only continued to sob.

"Why would she do that to me?" Aaron cried.

Mardiyah religiously wiped the blood that refused to stop. Her brother never hid his emotions. There were days where he would try to act tough but he was always in tune with his emotions and was never scared to cry, be sad, show anger, happiness, anxiety. He was an open book but he was also the bravest person she knew. The one who taught her to do it scared! Whatever it was, she should just do it. He was inspiring and she wanted the best for the person who had saved her in her desperate time. When her own immediate family couldn't help her.

"I could have told you why, but I have no idea what mama has done now." She spoke softly, afraid that for the first time, he wouldn't open up.

"She drugged me! And even today, she dared tried! Haven't I forgotten enough?" Aaron asked, totally oblivious to the sting of the antiseptic that was being used to wipe his wound.

"Mama would never do that!" Mardiyah sucked in a sharp breath, almost forgetting to keep her cool.

"I have a daughter, Maddy. A daughter that I acquired by raping someone I genuinely love."

Mardiyah's eyes widened by the realization. "What?!"

"I raped Marwa." Aaron cried. "And I don't even remember. What do I do? She will never forgive me!"

"That can't be true. You were really stubborn and you took good care of me! You could never! Even if you had a gun to your head." Mardiyah said firmly. "And isn't Marwa the girl you said you've had a crush on since you were in high school? Your best friend's cousin. And the lady you brought to the house the other day?"

"That Marwa." Aaron confirmed. "Marwa Hussein." He whispered, breaking down into tears again.

"Harun?" Mardiyah called out, keeping aside the first aid kit. "If you don't remember much, I'd let you know this - you were pretty much a sickly child growing up. Even if you had tried to do such to a girl, which I doubt, you'd probably have been the one assaulted. Sorry if it hurts your ego, you were weak growing up. Absolutely weak. If you hadn't been my hero, I sometimes feared that Missouri's wind would blow you away." She chuckled at the sentence she had made at the end.

Aaron paused.

Aaron thought.

It all started to click. And he didn't even need to remember but it all began to come together.

"Thank you Mardiyah. May Allah bless you fi dunya wal akhirah." Aaron stood hurriedly. He had to confirm something.

**********
"I love it when you scream. Do it again baby."

The voice was clear as day. Even though she could hardly see in the darkness of the room, his voice could never be missed. The same voice that had whispered calming songs on days she was scared. The deep baritone of his laughter. The voice that spoke stories of people she admired just so she laughed. The one that had confessed his love for her and promised to pray for her hands in marriage.

She didn't know how many more days she had been there but she felt weaker each passing hour. Somehow, she was able to super slam the bastard that had tried to touch her in the head. He was back today.

Marwa was getting scared. She didn't know if she was going to survive another trauma. She couldn't. Her mind began running miles with memories that appeared foggy before.

"It thrills me when you thrash around."

How could she have missed it? How could she have missed the voice of her own cousin?!

"Imran?" She called out, his name almost sounding like a question. His hands froze on her collar bone. Almost immediately, the door opened up again and bright light filled the room.

Her eyes widened in shock at the person before her. In many lifetimes, she would never have thought that the man before her was her assaulter.