Because he loved him..

33. Construal

*Paul's point of view*

Before I could process my anxiety, we were at Samar's old home. It was a decent abode, cozy enough for a small family.

There were flower pots with wilting plants and weeds all around the algae strewn courtyard. Cobwebs adorned the windows. The air here was damp and smelled of algae.

Samar stopped in front of the locked gate and stared. Finally, I saw a hint of something his face has been devoid of till now. The faraway look of nostalgia.

He walked round the courtyard. Obviously, there was no point checking inside when it was locked.

"I don't know if you have been told but I grew up with Amay." He touched the rough wall tenderly.

Of course I knew. How could I not. Amay spoke so fondly of his time here. How he spent so much of his time at the Clays'. How they treated him as a part of their small family.

Samar had a faint trace of a smile on his lips. I imagined baby Amay running around the courtyard giggling, trying to chase baby Samar. A pang of envy gripped my heart.

I could never have what they shared. A dull ache gripped my heart again. I comforted myself. I can still be a part of the reason that made Amay happy. I can get them together again. They were made for each other.

"I miss my mum. She decorated every nook and corner of the house. It was she, who made it a home. Everytime Amay used to visit us, she used to smother him with so much love until....." his smile disappeared.

I frowned at that. No matter how many times Amay tried to tell me that Mrs. Clay's anger was justified, I couldn't bring myself to forgive her for getting Amay thrown out of his home.

"Until Amay was forced to marry someone else." I completed. I didn't even bother to hide my anger this time.

"She didn't know that he was forced." He snapped. "None of us did."

"Well, you should have figured it out. You should have known." It came out of my mouth because I could stop myself.

"I wasn't here and..." His voice broke. "And mum sounded so broken. It made me more angry than sad because I had never seen her like that. I think it broke her to see her son going through the same fate she suffered."

"The same fate? What are you talking about?" I asked. What happened to her?

"My mum had me with my father when she was working in the city as a nurse. They weren't married, it was a big deal back then, so he wanted her to abort me. She said she couldn't bring herself to do it."

I stared at Samar."I.. I can't imagine how hard it would have been for her."

"Yeah..back in her time, it was a scandalous thing. After my father left, she came to the church hoping to find some solace. Arthur found her crying and helped her settle down in the village."

Again. A connection to Amay. Amay's dad helped Samar's mother. Was it destiny that brought her to the same church his father preached in? Was it why she took a liking to Amay?

"She was afraid of getting shunned so she told everyone that her husband had passed away in an accident. Only Arthur knew the truth and he never told anyone."