LOST IDENTITY

Chapter Thirteen

For you D! I can't stop thanking God for bringing you into my life😘

TRIGGER WARNING⚠ you might shade a tear or two because I did.

TASNEEM

I was wide awake before subh, because after giving up crying around 2am, I decided to pray tahajjud to ease my pain but it downed on me that I can't because of my leg, so I opted for Qur'anic recitation. At the first call for prayer I had my hopes high, wishing she will come to wake me for salaah, but she never did. I heard when Abba left for masjid and when he came back. Maybe he had a second thought which is maybe no one wakes me up to pray, before coming to my room.

"Mamana kin tashi kenan? How's your leg ?" He asked still standing by the door.

"Yes Abba Alhamdulillah, the pain is bearable. Good morning "

" Mashaa Allah! Morning dear. Start packing your things, there's something very important I want to discuss with you later. Get some sleep " he left the room not waiting to hear the question on the tip of my tongue.

Pack my things? Why? Are you giving me up to an orphanage??.

Too exhausted and sleep deprived, I dozed up on the praying carpet. I woke up at noon with a gnawing hunger.

The day being Friday, Zaheera came back early from school and just as I was about to limp to the kitchen to appease the soldiers raging a war in my tummy, she came in with a plate of macaroni and tear filled eyes.

"Ha'an what's wrong with you habibty?" I asked taking the plate from her hands and inspecting her at arms length.

"Why did Umma hate you so much Adda? Why is Abba letting her take you away from us ?" She sobbed out.

Tasneem pack your things, we will talk later. And now Abba letting umma to take me away from my family. Just great. If my life is a mess before, now it's more than a mess. My life is ruined beyond repair.

"Shh who told you am going away ? I just came home remember? I have three more weeks before I go back, so wipe away your tears and smile. We are gonna have so much fun before I leave" I don't know whether I'm consoling Zaheera and deceiving myself, or the other way round.

"Adda you don't get it do you ? Abba just told us that you'll be taken away from here to somewhere safe because Umma doesn't want you" she protested flailing her arms in the air.

"He told you that?" I asked incredulously trying to wrap my head around Abba telling my younger siblings something like this.

"No, he didn't but I over heard him on phone telling someone"

Yah Rabbi!

"It is a bad habit to eavesdrop on a conversation that does not concern you Zaheera. You should never do something like that again okay ?" I advised taking the plate to dive in even though food Is the last thing I need at the moment. I just want to pretend to be unfazed so that my sister will not be worried. Few months back if anyone told me that Zaheera loves me this much, I'd have laughed at that person's face but now I know that we all love each other unconditionally but aren't allowed to show it.

.
"Come and join me" I motioned for her to sit beside me and she gladly did cheering up a bit.

"Adda let me feed you since you're sick" she requested and I let her, because it seems like I am spending my final moments in my father's house with my sister.

"By the way, how is that your talkative friend Adda Maryam and the other one Adda Nabeela?"

"They are all fine and send their warmest regards. Maybe Maryam will come here in three days " I replied chewing the spoonful offered to me by her, and doing the same to her.