She found me and I found Allah

Chapter 9

Two weeks have passed since Ali and I  found out about his Mother. He had decided not to tell his Mom anything; The fact that she was sick and would die soon. I, on the other hand strongly disagreed. Sometimes, I even felt like his Mom knew what was going on. Or maybe  she was trying to figure out things.
           Ali spent most of his free time with his Mother. Since his Mother had been discharged from the hospital, Ali had started working from home to avoid wasting time. It was as if he was making up for the lost time and all those times he avoided her.

         It was a sunny afternoon and we were all at the beach. Ali had gone off for a run when his Mom said, "I know everything."                                                                       "Wh-what are you talking about Auntie?" I asked her as I stuttered.   
                                                                "Alia I know everything. I have known for a very long time. I know that I'm going to die soon and I know when I was diagnosed with this wretched disease."                                                                                                
"What are you saying Auntie? There is no disease." I tried to keep  my facial expressions normal but the look on her face told me she knew everything and that there was no point arguing about how she wasn't going to die.   

"Sweetheart, I know that Ali told you not to tell me anything but you can't lie to me. I knew about my disease long before you both found out. It's been one year. yes that's true. This happened before you two got married."                                                   

I looked at her surprised. "Then why didn't you tell Ali? Auntie, I want you to tell me everything." I said in a very slow voice almost as if I didn't want to know.                                                           
"Well a year ago when I started noticing the symptoms, I went to the doctor for a checkup. The reports showed that I had been diagnosed with leukemia. I started taking medicines and at first there was a lot of improvement but with time the treatment started showing  very little signs of improvement. I had always wanted to tell Ali but I didn't want to see his devastated face. I always gathered courage to tell him but the moment I saw him smiling, I lost all that courage. It was very hard keeping it from him but I didn't want him heartbroken again. I didn't want him to think of all the things he had done in the past and regret all the times. One day I even went to his office to tell him but he wasn't there. And that's the day I saw you. I saw him approaching you through that big window in his office. And that's when I decided that I wouldn't tell him anything. Instead I decided to go and look at the girl  he had approached and taken interest in but never talked to. It was as if he was thinking about what he was going to do and turned around and went to the coffee shop." She took a breath as if she had finally taken a burden off her shoulders. And I on the other hand had a mixture of emotions running through my system. I had no idea what to say. She touched my chin and closed my mouth that had slightly opened. I heard her chuckle. Finally, I took a breath and told her the truth."I don't really know what to say. I mean you are smiling Auntie. And I don't know how to react."                                                           
"I can tell darling. And that's totally fine. I just want you to listen. I wanted someone to know all this before- before you know I would leave this world." I looked at her and smiled and nodded as if to say please continue. "Well, after I looked at you, All I had to do was stalk you a little and follow you home." I looked at her with a stunned expression while she just gave me a sly smile and continued."And when I knocked on the door, my luck! I found your mother who also used to be my best friend. We had lost contact and ofcourse we talked a lot and then I brought up my son and his desperate love for her amazing and beautiful daughter. And we settled everything in a day and the look on your's and Ali's  face was priceless when you two saw each other. I wish I had taken a picture of it but tough luck. And that's where you entered our life and brought colour to our grey and a little bit sad life. You made our house feel like home again." She smiled at  me brightly .                                                     

"But aren't you going to tell Ali all this?" I asked her nervously.                  She sighed and said " I don't want him to drift into the depression he just came out of. I want him to be happy even if it's for a little while. I will tell  him the truth but now isn't the time for that."                                                

"But in the end, there is no difference right? I mean won't he be heartbroken all the same?" I asked her.                                                        

"He will be heartbroken darling. But I won't be here to see that. You won't understand these emotions right now. Once you become a mother yourself, you"ll know how I felt." As she said that, she gave me a slight wink and I just laughed with her.  

              From a distance we could hear Ali run towards us.  "What are you guys talking about?" He asked drinking water. Before I could say nothing his Mom replied to him saying," Oh I was just telling Alia here about how I want to be a grandmother already and would love it if you guys-"                                           " Okay Mom. I think  it's time to go home." Ali said, cutting her off, after he struggled with the water in is mouth while I just looked at both of them shocked. In my shocked state, I just nodded at them and together we started walking.

               As we were walking, he caught my hand and looked at me and winked knowingly. I know what he was thinking about because that was exactly what I was thinking about.