Transcendence (A Muslim-Christian Story)

Chapter 17 : His story

It was 4 pm, Isa's usual park time. Sebastian decided to join us all as well. We took a basket of snacks along with a picnic mat and camped at our usual spot.

After Isa got bored playing with his ball, he started running around, saying "Catch me!" and all 3 of us ran behind him, faking difficulty in catching him. Isa just kept giggling and running around. 

Mama then brought out Isa's coloring book and he became engrossed with his colors, lying on the mat with mama by his side. He was actually pretty good for his age. 

I was sitting on a bench nearby, observing Isa and mama. Sebastian came and sat on the other side of the bench, keeping a good distance between us.

W sat silently for a while. Sebastian spoke, "I was pretty fascinated with colours at his age as well."

I turned my head towards him. "Do you still paint?" I asked.

"Yes, it's like an escape for me. I find solace in it." He said, not removing his gaze from Isa. 

"What do you like to paint?"

"Everything. It depends on what I'm feeling at that moment. That's what initially drew me to human anatomy."

I smiled. This man is full of wonders. I would never have imagined him to be an artistic kind of person.

"What do you like to do in your spare time?" He asked me.

"I don't have any particular hobbies as such. I think maybe, reading, perhaps?"

"What do you enjoy reading? Fiction or non fiction?"

"I'm not choosy when it comes to books. I can read anything I find interesting. Just the feel of turning pages is enough to calm my senses." I say with a chuckle, shaking my head.

"I can definitely relate to that. " He said with a smile and nodded. "What's your favourite book?"

"Umm... I've got a lot to choose one." I said

"Just tell me the first one which comes to your mind then." He said, smiling.

"Umm... Pride and Prejudice?..." I say lowering my head feeling embarassed.

"I've heard it's a great book." He says.

"It is."

We remained silent for a while, just observing Isa. He was handing mama a crayon, gesturing her to join him.

"You really have an amazing family, Amy." Sebastian said turning his head towards me,

"I know." I said turning my head backwards to look at the heavens, muttering a prayer of thanks to Allah for blessing me with them silently.

"My parents were always engrossed in their business. It was always this meeting, that client... they even discussed it on the dinner table. My brother and I were practically raised by our house help."

"What about your brother?"

"We care for each other. But we think very differently. He always looked out for me. When we were young, everyone who'd come to our house would instantly fall in love with his charms. He has a way with people. Since I kept more to myself, no one really liked me a lot. He was always the one who got all the attention and I was perfectly fine with it. I preferred it that way actually. We both loved football though. So when I joined the school football team, for the first time in my life, I got attention as well. I think my brother did not like it very much, because our relation definitely went downhill from that point. I don't exactly know the reason though. He never talked to me much about himself. He was more involved with his friends."

I remained silent, absorbing all the information. I turned to look at him and saw him looking ahead, lost in his thoughts with a frown on his forehead.

He spoke again. "It all got worse when I decided to go for med school. My parents wanted me to study business and join their company. They tried convincing me in any possible way and when nothing worked, they stopped all my allowances. But little did they know that I had worked throughout school and invested in stocks with my savings. I joined med school and took a student loan, entirely funding myself. I still laugh when the media portrays me as "The Billionaire Surgeon". I don't even know if I'll inherit my half of the company. It doesn't even matter to me anymore. When my parents saw that I no longer depended on them or their money, they tried reaching out to me again, but I could never find it in myself to forgive them entirely. I do talk to them, but there's still that emptiness I cannot explain."

I silently observed him. I was at a loss for words. Here was a man who owned everything anyone could possibly want from life, yet he looked unhappy. And from what my little experience has taught me, there are people who have nothing in life except love, whether it be in the form of a family, a lover or their love for God, yet they are content.

It was him who broke the silence again. "Thank you, Ameerah. For listening to me. I needed to get it out of me for once." And he turned to me and gave a sad smile.

"Thank you for trusting me." That was all I could say.

Isa came running towards us saying, "Mama, Bash-bash, ice cream! ice cream!"

I chuckled recalling our last time when we went to buy ice creams. Sebastian chuckled too, probably our thoughts were aligned at that moment.

"Mama would you like to go? I can take care of the things here." I asked.

"No, Amy, you go with them. I'll stay here."

"Do you want me to get you an ice cream as well mama?"

"No, dear. I'm not in the mood." 

"Not in the mood? How could anyone say no to ice cream!" I gasped.

"Well I'm not you, Amy dear. Now go, shoo, shoo!" Mama said gesturing me to go away, chuckling.

We bought our icecreams, this time Isa placed in Sebastian's arms, not shoulders.

As we were returning, a young couple came up to us and said, "Your son is very cute. You all make a lovely family!"

Awkward....

Sebastian spoke up. "We're both just friends. This here, Isa, is Ameerah's son." He said pointing towards me.

"Oh! We're very sorry. It's just that he looks exactly like you so we assumed you were probably the father. Anyway, have a good day!"
They looked pretty embarrassed.

"Thank you very much for your kind words. We don't mind at all. Good day to you as well! Hope to see you around soon!" I said waving at them.

I turned to see Sebastian and exactly at the same time he did the same and our eyes met. I quickly lowered my gaze and smiled. From the corner of my eye, I saw him mirror my action.