Lost

Chapter 59: Wrong Perception?

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Salma's P.O.V 

"What?!" Salma cried, shell shocked. "How can she do this? How can mum decide something like that without even telling me?!"

Anne bit her lip, refilling Salma's glass with more juice. The two were seated around the kitchen table while William was out with Asim. Earlier, before she answered her questions, Anne insisted that Salma drinks a full glass of O.J. Salma now understood why.

"She was going to tell you," Anne defended Alley.

"When? Before or after the wedding ceremony?" Salma raised her voice.

"Honey, there are complications, it's not as simple as you think."

"Like what?" Salma spat angrily, "What is so complicated about telling me I've already been traded like cattle."

Anne gasped.

"Don't talk like that!" she scolded.

"What else am I to think, Anne," Salma cried. "This is how I feel right now. How can she not tell me?"

"Oh honey!" Anne hugged her.

Salma welcomed the the embrace. She was feeling exposed and insecure. She wanted someone to hold her together. It was just hard to wrap her head around the fact that her mother was making one of the most important decisions of her life without even consulting her.

"Does she think I'm that stupid?" Salma asked, feeling hurt and betrayed. "I'm not a kid. "

"I know." Anne consoled her, rubbing her back. "I know, love."

"Then why?"

Anne heaved a sigh.

"I'm sorry I can't tell you," she whispered, "but your mum really doesn't have a choice."

Salma snorted.

"Salma, don't think wrong of your mother," Anne said firmly. "She has really been through a lot, and the only reason she didn't tell you is that she's been trying her best to stop this marriage from happening."

Salma turned to Anne in surprise. Was she making this up to defend her mother?

"She has," Anne insisted, seeing the distrust in her eyes. "That is why she didn't tell you. She did not want you to get upset and fret over it while she thought it could be avoided."

"Thought?"

Anne looked away. Salma understood what that meant. Alley thought she could deflect the proposal but Anne's silence made it clear that she has failed to do so. Salma bit her lip feeling guilty. She felt ashamed of judging her mother so quickly when she was only trying to protect her. No wonder her mother was acting so uncharacteristically edgy these days.

"Did she tell Will?" Salma frowned. finding it upsetting that her mother would tell William about the proposal and not her daughter.

"She didn't," Anne replied. "I'm the only one she confided in. Your brother found out somehow. Will got suspicious after Ghamey taunted him the other day. When I refused to answer his questions, he drilled Asim till he caved in, but I don't think Asim told him the full account. Otherwise, he'd know you were still clueless and that your mum was not to blame."

Salma rested her head in her hands. She felt frustrated. She could not comprehend the reason behind Alley's attempt to deal with the proposal alone, or her helplessness to reject it downright. Why was she giving in to them if she knew Salma would never accept it? Why did she attempt to hide it from all of them, even her father? And why in the world did Anne think she had no choice? What was going on with her mother?