My Habibi

Chapter 23

As Syed woke up on the couch he felt his back crack when he sat up.  He groaned a little as he heard Abdur Rahman arguing with the little brother. Syed couldn't believe so much noise could be made so early in the morning.  He growled for them to shut up. Calling the little brother.
"What is your name?" Syed asked.
"Tayyib!" He said as he smiled. He was missing a tooth in the front of his mouth. Syed smiled.... or tried to. Tayyib ran away. Syed growled for them to be ready in five minutes as he got up.
"Why didn't our parents come home?" Abdur Rahman asked as he put his coat on.
"They had something important come up." Syed said nonchalantly as he grabbed the van keys.
"What can be more important than being here with us?" Abdur Rahman asked sarcastically.
"You are not important." Syed said as they followed him to the van. The drive to drop off Abdur Rahman was complete silence. Just the way Syed liked it.
"We are more important than my sister. " he mumbled as he left the van. Syed drove away.  Let his pride get to him. I'll finish him then. Syed thought as he took Tayyib to school.  After dropping him off at his elementary school Syed went to the hospital.
"How is she?" He asked as he walked up to the parents. They looked as though they had not slept.
"She is fine. We are taking her home today." Her mother sighed. The father said something in the mother's ear. She nodded as she looked at Syed. They must think I am the cause for it. Syed thought as he sighed. "She wants to talk to you. " The mother said. Syed nodded as he walked down the hall. Pushing the room door he saw her looking out the window.
"Why am I not pretty?" Warda asked as she walked to her bed. "I don't understand what lacks in me." She began running her fingers through her hair. Syed walked over to her and sat beside her.
"Who says you are not beautiful?" Syed asked. Awkwardly trying to force Warda to rest her head on his shoulder.
"Please. No guy will talk to me. Hell they don't even look at me like they notice me." She sighed. "I want a guy to call me pretty. To make me feel that way just once." She said as she looked at the wall. Syed rubbed her head. Lightly whispering in her ear.
"Pretty is for those who only see what's on the outside." She laughed as she looked up into his eyes.
"You know what I mean." She smiled as she shoved him.
"Yes. Do you trust Me?" She looked at him confused as she answered.
"Yes. I guess so. Why?"
"If I tell you something will you believe Me?" Syed asked.
"Syed you're making me nervous."
"Just answer." He shoved her gently.
"Yes." Syed picked her chin up. Looking directly into her eyes he saw his reflection. But he noticed something else. He could see his future in them. He shook his head as he remembered what he wanted to say.
"You are beautiful." He quietly whispered as he got up. Walking back out of the room. Warda was shocked. A man like Syed calling her beautiful. Was it possible? Is it possible? She couldn't believe it.
Syed met the parents in the lobby. The mother and father were both asleep. So Syed walked around the hospital. Visiting the patients and talking with the nurses. Trying to make them smile.
I remember when they took care of me. Now it is my turn to do the same.