LOST IDENTITY

Chapter Forty

It is 6k words long,  Enjoy!!!

MUKARRAM

Three weeks, it took us three weeks to realize that Tasneem is not really okay.  She talks non stop and laughs like a maniac. At first we thought it has to do with trying to forget the past and to cheer us up but it keeps getting out of hand. Maryam's hyper attitude is pale in comparison to that of Tasneem.  She talks non stop about things that doesn't make sense at all. Even late at night she will wake up and start talking to herself or call me.

"Am so worried about her Mukky!  I think she has gone mad!  The doctor said that it's her own way of blocking out things that bother her" Ummi said after serving me some edibles.

"I don't think it is just that Ummi.  Why don't we take her to a psychiatrist??maybe the Dr there will be able to diagnose her and tell us what is really wrong with her " I offered,  feeling the sadness weight  on me. 

"You're right!  I'll talk to Abbi and Abba. May Allah grant her shifaa.  She's been sleeping Since morning and I don't want to wake her in case it might trigger something "  she added sitting on a couch opposite mine.  Dark circles visible around her eyes. It's hard on all of us.

"Allah knows best,  He is testing all of us through her and In shaa Allah we will pass this test as we passed the others. I know that she doesn't have a lot of people to share her pains with, no one actually knows the extent of the abuse she suffered. She's so selfless that she rather tuck away her pains in the recess of her mind than make us worry. I wish she had opened up to us maybe she will not be in the condition that she is right now.  I'm really scared Ummi" I gulped down the remaining water in the glass.

"Tasneem was never loud you know, even when she is in a good mood she always speaks in a cool manner.  She hardly ever sings out loud when she has company and definitely never dance. But nowadays she does nothing but sing on top of her voice and dance around the house laughing so hard tears spilling from her eyes. When she is exhausted she will lie down flat on the carpet taking deep breaths then fall asleep"

"Heyyyyyy Mukky!!!  When did you arrive? " her voice cuts me off from saying anything further. She is getting thinner by the day and her skin is losing it's glow.

"Assalamu Alaikum Tasneem how are we? "  I managed to smile.

"Awwwn we are fine thank you" she laughs while replying as if I'd just uttered the funniest words in the universe. Tasneem never say hello or heyy until after saying the salam. This is not my love,  she really isn't fine.

"Ummi I'm famished. What did you cook? " she asked flopping down on the carpet bobbing her head to nothing in particular.

Ummi left to bring her food " sweetness " I called out softly.

"Yes? " she bared her teeth out.

"Can you please teach me how to recite some surahs in the Quran? I  am having hard time reciting them and sheikh is getting impatient" I said with all seriousness.

"Why not? " you're my husband ai. Anything for you.

I opened the Quran application in my phone handing the device to her outstretched hands. It was Surah Al-Imran and she recited it expertly with a melodious tone I can die listening to.

She was silent for a while before finally collecting her now cold plate of indomie and diving in. The old Tasneem will never eat in my presence with no sign of shyness.

Yah Rabbi!  Grant this servant of yours health.

"Come and join me Uncle Mukarram!  It is cooked by Ummi" she invited me wholeheartedly,  no sign of playfulness in her tone.