Under That Niqab

3.Recurrence

He waited for her as he waited for no one. The only hope that she'll visit was due to her documents being held back with him. He was sure she would come. No one has ever occupied his mind as that woman did.

There was something different in her, from others, different and unique in a way he found himself constantly thinking about her.

There are many strangers we see every day, people whose faces we might see only for once, and those faces will be blurred and forgotten in the hustle of life, Haya was such a person to him, the only difference was that he was sure he might get a second chance to see or meet her.

But everything had already gone at the back of his mind. With so much on his plate to do every day and so many responsibilities, he couldn't possibly remember someone.

When the lady who was in charge of the reception of the block came and informed him about her arrival he was shocked, immensely..but a tiny bit excited too. But as soon as she told him that she wants her files back, his shoulders sagged.

But before handing over her property back to her he wanted to know, what may be the reason to reject such a huge offer. So he called her in and enquired.

What he did notice was that she didn't hold the same charisma as before the enthusiasm was gone replaced with tired eyes, something was wrong.

Maybe her day wasn't going too well because she had to fall down on the floor and sprain her ankle. She was embarrassed but more than her, he felt guilty.

It was odd the way she was so edgy and fidgeting every moment. Something wasn't right.

On his way back home, his head was reeling with all the questions that he wanted to ask but couldn't. There was nothing he knew of her except her name and no that she lives in Tottenham.

He tried to get rid of them, it wasn't like was going to see her again, right?

Knocking the door of his apartment several times in vain he started calling, "Ammi!"

The guard came running to him, "She isn't at home Sir."

"She isn't?" He glanced at the time it was seven o clock and completely dark, "did she inform you where was she directed?"

"No sir"

"Good lord! What even is your duty if you couldn't even do the bare minimum " he sighed scowling hard as he dialed her number which was out of reach making him grow more apprehensive.

°°°°

"Ammi?" He addressed her from behind.

The lady who was clad in a black Abaya and a veil laying over her face turned to look at Shavez and glanced at her wrist watch, "You are here"

He nodded, sitting beside her on the bench, and laid down his head in her lap. Drawing in the incense of blooming flowers, he opened his eyes. "I was worried, you should have notified me" he skimmed away.

"I didn't know you would come early. I thought I'd return by the time you reach home"

"We can come here together if you want to, you don't have to come on your own. Winter's drawing near and you need to take extra care, y'know."

She hummed in response which he knew only meant that she heard him but will do what she want to do anyway. "What brought you here today?" He interrogated.

"Nothing. I just wanted to visit." She answered calmly rubbing loops with her fingers in his hair.

"Don't lie to me, I know that behind everything you do there had always been a reason and there is one now too"

She went quiet after that. Moonlight Park was a frequent hangout for them to come. It wasn't very far from his home and it felt very vitalizing to be in the company of nature and admire the exquisite serenity of it.

"I suddenly miss your father today, more than usual" she spoke in a meager voice, laced with despair and grief.

He glinted his eyes to look at his mother. The intensity of her sentiments was displayed in her eyes, which reflected the light from the lamp post.

"Ammi, I'm sorry"

"What for darling?" She looked at him brushing the strands of his hair away from his forehead.

"I am not spending enough time with you. I hate that I get stuck in work and even if I desperately want to run back to you those commitments keep me squeezed."

"Oh silly! Why did that come from nowhere" she giggled but it wasn't comical for Shavez.

"I think it's because of me you miss dad, I'm not giving you enough time ain't I?"

"You are, you are that ideal son every mother of this world would long to have. Never apologize to me for something so pitiful. It's just that I loved your father as much as I love you and sometimes I miss him too much."

"Okay," he nodded, adjusting himself comfortably.  "The way you talk about him always has me wondering whether it was an arranged marriage or love?" He carefully spun his words, "You never told me,"

She cracked up, "So you're trying to tell me that you are all grown up?"

"I am not a child?" He grumbled.

"Of course, you aren't," this got him humming in satisfaction.

"It was, um you can call it a mutual interest?"

"Mutual interest?" He lifted from her lap curiosity picking on his skin, "What's a mutual interest, another name for a love marriage?" He tried to joke.

"No, it wasn't a love marriage. He didn't even see me before marriage how can you call it love?" She questioned causing Shavez to wonder what was all this about.

"I don't understand" he mumbled.

"I worked for him, he managed his father's hotel business where I was the employee. We met there."

"How come he never saw you then?" He was getting more and more perplexed.

"What do you think, I started wearing a veil after marriage?"

"Ooh!" He exclaimed after his brain processed the entire input. "That is the sweetest thing ever, how come you never told me-"

He abruptly was reminded about the lady from earlier that day, she had a veil on just like her mother did. He unconsciously went downright silent but quickly formulated himself.

"He was such a flirt" she recalled his father, smile tugging at her lips, "he repeatedly use to tell me that I turned out to be more pretty than he imagined me to be. I was so tired of him pestering me... And now I miss it."

He wrapped his hand around his mother, sharing the fervor of his emotions, "If I had known he would be gone too soon, I would have never let him out of my sight"

"Ammi, what's the point in creating hypothetical situations? That will only make you sadder, come on get up the gates will close soon"

She nodded following the hands on her shoulders and getting up brushing her Abaya after, and turned to Shavez.

"He would be so proud of you, for the man you've become. Pray for him yeah?"

"I always do, maa. I miss him too, not as much as you do, but I miss him too" he felt his throat pricking with unwanted tears and he hugged his mother immediately to get rid of the ugly sensation.