Loving You

chapter sixteen

***

2 months later

"Hello?" Durdanah picked up the ringing phone throwing an irritated glance at Yusuf's way who had been ignoring it as he sat in front of the TV watching Netflix with no awareness regarding his surroundings.

"Oh! Maha, what a wonderful surprise. How are you?" She asked, surprised. Her sisters in law rarely ever called.

"I'm good, thanks for asking. Just, Willy's been stressing me out. Faisal and I have a really important dinner to attend to at work and he doesn't want to stay at home with Auntie Toussie," Maha sighed, "If it isn't too much trouble, is it okay if he spends the day with you and Yusuf. Just until midnight."

Durdanah's eyes lit up as she spoke excitedly, "Yes, of course! Wildan's a sweetheart."

"Oh thank you, Durdanah! God, you're a blessing in disguise. I'll drop him off in an hour or so, if that's alright."

After exchanging a few more pleasantries, the two hung up.

"Yo, who was on the phone, Duri?" Yusuf asked while munching on chips.

"It was Maha asking if we could babysit Wildan tonight. He seems like a good kid, right?" Durdanah smiled.

Yusuf on the other hand, sunk into the armchair and threw his head onto his hands as he groaned, "Oh no."

Durdanah frowned at his behaviour. "Yusuf, what's wrong? Oh my God, should I have asked you before?"

He looked up and shook his head, "Nah, it's just that Willy's anything but a good kid and he's always bothering Hamsa which pisses me off and then I just get frustrated." 

Durdanah furrowed her eyebrows in concentration, "Hm, I'm sorry. I didn't know you didn't like Wildan."

"I love the kid, but every time I look at him, I see Rania." He spoke softly, voicing for the first time why he had been avoiding Wildan for months now and couldn't look him in the eye.

Durdanah stilled and put her hand on the table next to her for support as she thought about how to respond.

When the words he had voiced finally sunk in, Yusuf looked at Durdanah in a mixture of both guilt and shock. How could he bring Rania up now, of all times?

But the guilt soon diminished when he realized that the two were just friends. Their relationship as husband and wife was anything but.  

Durdanah took a deep breath and got herself back on her feet, and smiled,

"It's okay, I miss Rania too," she breathed.

His warm eyes met hers as he smiled painfully, "She's imprinted herself into my heart and refuses to leave. She's unforgettable, isn't she?"

As Durdanah opened her mouth to answer, Hamsa started crying from the room next door and with an apologetic look she hurried over to attend to the little girl.

***

After she had calmed Hamsa down and placed her back in her cot, Durdanah walked over slowly to the living room, her each step weighing down like stone. She couldn't for the life of her fathom as to why she felt so heavy all of a sudden.

She shuffled into the room to see Yusuf's back to her as he bent down to pick up Hamsa's toys and put them back in the bin.

She stood still and watched him from a distance as his grumbles about how messy Hamsa was brought a smile to her face.

"She's so sloppy." He paused smiling to himself while shaking his head, "Just like her mother." His voice was quiet, but just enough for Durdanah to hear.

Durdanah sat down on the couch and watched him smile ruefully at the toys.

As the doorbell played the Star Wars theme, Durdanah smiled, nostalgic. 

Typical Rania. 

"Are you both watching Star Wars again?" Durdanah asked as she rolled her eyes as her little brother Wali and Rania refused to reply.

Feeling irritated, Durdanah poked Rania, "You said you'd help me with our project!" Rania shrugged Durdanah's arm off of her, "Stop! I said I would, I'll do it later. Shut up now, Obi Wan is talking."

"You are beyond irresponsible, Rania. This is why I hate being partners with you." Durdanah complained as she put her hands on her hips.

"I swear to God, Duri, you are beyond petty." Rania whined.

"You both are so loud, just shut up. This is a super important scene about Anakin, okay? Now both of you hoes just shut up and let me watch." Wali shouted in annoyance as he got up and left the room, with Rania trailing behind him, leaving Durdanah to finish the assignment by herself.

She stood up and brushed imaginary crumbs off her clothes and smoothed her hair with her hands before answering the doorbell.

Before she even had a chance to say hi, Wildan ran inside leaving his mother to smile apologetically at Durdanah.

"I'm so sorry, Durdanah. If Willy misbehaves, please feel free to call me at any time." She sighed at her son's immature behaviour.

***

"So, Wildan, do you like reading?" Durdanah asked awkwardly, avoiding Yusuf's piercing stare.

"No! I hate reading! It's gross!" Wildan shouted as he went back to jumping on the sofas.

Durdanah closed the picture book and let out an exasperated sigh.

"I now see what you meant by he reminds you of Rania. I bet you these two got along well, didn't they?"

Yusuf nodded, laughing. "Of course. These two could be mother and son with how alike they are."

Durdanah grinned, "I know right?!"

"Uncle Yusi, I have question." Wildan stopped jumping and looked right into Durdanah's eyes.

"Ya, buddy?"

"Did Auntie Rania always look like that picture?" 

Yusuf furrowed his eyebrows, "What picture, Willy?"

Wildan pulled out Yusuf's wallet and showed the couple the family picture from just a little after Hamsa was born.

Durdanah was speechless as she eyed the picture, not believing her eyes. The woman in the picture certainly looked familiar, but that wasn't Rania. It couldn't be.

It couldn't be.

****

Also I know this is shameless self-advertising on my own book, but please please please give my poetry/prose book a chance. I have poured my heart and soul into my poetry and prose. Thank you!