Recovery {wRoNg sequel}

23

I sighed and sat down on my bed after having a lengthy conversation in the car with Ethan just a few moments before. I quickly grabbed my phone and called my sister.

Curiosity was literally killing me at this point. I would actually lose my mind if she had gotten me worried for no reason or for some silly gossip.

"Tell me now!" I yelled through the phone as soon as she picked up.

"Okay bismallah, chill." She responded.

"Is it good or bad?"

"It's... something I guess." She sounded confused herself about the news.

"Well, who is it about?" I questioned.

"It's about....dad." She said slowly.

I was now scared. We didn't know where he'd been for the past 3 years and now we finally had something. We'd been worrying about him
For so long to the point where worrying was a normal thing. We didn't question where he'd been lately because my mom didn't have any answers and we'd never get any replies from him. We'd learnt to live without him.

To begin with we were really close if I was being completely honest. He was the dad who told jokes and make us laugh. He would go away for a few months each year sorting out business. I had never had a real conversation with him at all. So, I guess I never really knew him.

"Is he okay? Did they find out where he i-" I asked but I was quickly cut off.

"We have half siblings!" She blurted out.

I froze.

"Wait what?" I was confused.

Unless it meant what I thought it meant. We all had a suspicion that my dad was cheating on my mom or he married another lady and had another family across the world. In Islam it's permissible for a man to have more than one wife, but it was something we would do. It wasn't the norm.

In our community thought it happened often, but I never expected it to happen to me. Their storied would be filled with scandals and secrets. My family didn't seem like it could ever be like that.

"He married another lady we think, and she had kids."

"We think?"

"Yeah, while you were gone, Zainab and I did some investigation because mama began to do some private conversation in her room and whisper. So like the nosey children we are, we hid my phone in her room and recorded the whole conversation without her knowing. We heard everything."

I didn't know how to feel. I felt nothing in that moment. Not sadness, not anger.

"Where are the kids?" I asked.

"With their mom I'm guessing. Oh and get this." She added. "All of dads side of the family knew."

My mouth hung open. For months they had been the ones asking my mom of his whereabouts, but instead this whole time they knew.

Anger boiled in me. How could they do something like this? I had always had my concerns with the statement blood is thicker than water. Now I knew why. To me I found it hard to trust my family in anyway and this was proof they weren't to be trusted. I guess my subconscious was right.

"Where is he though? What country? Where?" I asked.

"Uh for now I'm not sure where he is, but he's coming." She said.

"What the fuck does that mean? He wants to come back here after that?" I raised my voice in shock.

"That's the thing. No one knows we know so keep your mouth shut." She warned me.

"It's not like I'm gonna see him anyways." I told her hoping I didn't have to go back home when he visits.

"You bet your ass your gonna come back here. You know damn well mama won't let you not come and plus you're not leaving me alone."

I stared blankly at the wall as she kept speaking. Was I emotionless because I didn't know how to feel right now. I guess I felt too much all at once.

I was happy about Ethan being back in my
Life, Angry at my family, disgusted with my dad and upset that I had siblings this whole time which I didn't meet.

"I gotta go, aunty is here." I lied, interrupted Sabrina in the middle of her rant.

"Okay, whatever you do, act like everything is okay." She said.

"We've been doing that our whole lives, were professionals at this point." I remarked and she laughed.

"Take care of yourself, bye."

"Salaam." I said before hanging up.

I continued to stare away blankly. I knew I didn't want to be alone right now so I called Mike. He had the best hugs and I was craving them right now. Also because he has opened up to me so I knew he was someone i could trust with everything. We were there for each other. I remember a time when that was Ethan.

I wasn't yet ready to speak to Ethan like that and I hate myself for it. I guess I depended on Mikes presence more because he was there when I was going through the roughest part of my life.

"What's up Mally!" Mike yelled through the phone. He seemed very enthusiastic today.

"Hey, What are you doing right now?"

"Nothing actually. Why? What's up?" He asked.

"I just don't wanna be alone right now. Is it cool if I come over." I asked. His apartment wasn't a far walk from here.

"Yeah sure. You wanna walk together or?" He questioned.

"No, I'll come to you and plus I wouldn't wanna risk my aunt or uncle seeing us." I told him wanting to clear my head on my way over to him.

"True, is everything okay?" He asked again seeing concerned?

"I don't know." I said slowly, tears forming in my eyes. Why was it that I was fine before, but as soon as someone asked, I was a mess.

I walked at a normal pace to his apartment and texted my aunt just before I knocked on the door and told her I was chilling at Sandra's.

The door flew open quickly like Mike had been waiting by the door.

"Hey, come here." He said straight away, his tail body engulfing me into a tight embrace. I accepted and hugged him tightly.

I didn't know I was sobbing until he was hushing me and telling me everything would be okay. I was never the one to lose my self control, but today was a bad day and I needed a friend, my best friend.