Awaited Redemption

Tuesday Morning

Tuesday

Aarifah

The next morning was the same as it had been for the past few months.

Wake up, clean up, pray Fajr, grab breakfast, and off to my first class.

After all that when I went to the cafeteria to have lunch. I felt my phone ring.

Mom's calling.

A whisper of a smile crept across my lips. I picked up.

"Asalam O Alikum, Ammi!" I said.

"Walikum Asalam Aarifah. How are you?" My mom said, the smile in her voice was palpable.

"I am good Alhamdulilah! How are you? How is dad? Fahad?" I asked.

"Yeah I am good too, they all are, MashAllah. Aarifah, I wanted to talk to you about something." My mom said.

The effort she was putting in hiding her hesitation was useless, or maybe she just wasn't trying hard enough.

"Yeah mom, go ahead. What do you want to talk about?" I said, trying to reassure her.

"Okay, so the thing is that I was missing you, and due to that I decided to come and meet you myself. Fahad is home, and I thought it would be a good way to get caught up before you all get busy again. So what do you think?" Ammi asked.

What do I think? When did my mother started asking me that?

A mother shouldn't ask these questions. Not from her own child.

"What would I think Ammi? You can come and meet me whenever you like. It shouldn't even be in question!" I said.

I do realize that she thinks we have grown up, and she couldn't control us like she used to, but little things like these. They are her right.

Always will be.

"I mean there is no problem right? We can avoid it all together, and can meet over the winter vacations." She still sounded worried.

When did this happen? When did I became this ignorant of my blood relations, and so bent on my brain relations?

"Ammi, it is okay! Don't sweat it please. Just tell me the time, and place. I will be there." I tried again to reason with her, and this time; she gave in.

"Okay, if you are okay. Then I am okay. You know that mosque near your Uni? Just meet us there 15 minutes before Isha prayer. We will offer the prayer there, and then will go to a cafe or something for a little chat. Sounds like a plan?" She asked with excitement radiating from her voice.

"Sounds like a great plan actually. I will be there, InshAllah!" I said with same radiation.

"MashAllah! Take care darling. See you tonight. Asalam O Alikum." She said.

"Take Care Ammi, Walikum Asalam." I said and ended the call.

The mosque near the Uni. I knew that mosque, but I never went there.

Tonight I will.

That thought left me in a frenzy of emotions.

I felt nervous, happy, excited, but most of all I felt ashamed. Ashamed at the fact that the mosque that was only a walking distance away from where I reside was not graced by even my eyes.

That fact left a weight on me that I don't know how to remove or even if I could.

Walid

I waited and waited. The library was starting to get empty now.