A Beautiful Masquerade

6

The last few days had been relatively easygoing. Everything had seemed to have slowly been going back to normal or as close as it could be to normal. There were still some moments where everyone became depressed but it seems to get better every time and soon I'm sure everyone can remember Uncle Ali and Faris without breaking down.

I just hope I don't have to ever hear my Aunt's voice with such sadness ever again.

**********(Flashback)

"Yesna!" My Aunt Aisha yells as soon as she see me enter the living room. She still looks the same, hazel eyes, her black hair under her hijab and still short and chubby, which makes her absolutely adorable. Her eyes were red and puffy, she was obviously crying before I came in but the tears begin again seeing me.

She gives me a bone crushing hug and I really hope I don't end up with a cracked rib or something. I return her hug and release her.

"Hey beautiful" I give her a small genuine smile, while wiping her tears and hoping she stops crying. I can't watch people crying, especially those I really care about.

She just grabbed my wrist and pulled me back into the hug.

"I miss them." She whispers to me, her voice laced with such sadness and longing and it breaks my heart.

This is why I didn't want to come in this house, I knew it would be horrible, I tried to ignore everything around me when I walked in because I knew anything that I saw would remind me of them and I didn't want to feel their absence. I didn't want to admit, they were gone. A small, irrational part of me was hoping that Faris would suddenly pop up in front of me when I enter the house yelling it was a joke and Uncle Ali would give me his bear hugs.

But after hearing my Aunt's voice I knew they were gone and finally accept that this whole thing isn't a dream, it's real, very very real. I can't even begin to image how Aunt Aisha is feeling after losing half her family. She had always treated my like her daughter. She doesn't have any daughters and for some reason she always claimed that I was her favorite.

Hearing my Aunt so sad and vulnerable made me go into over protective mode. I hugged her back tighter this time not caring about whether I end up with a few broken ribs and held her. She continues to quietly cry on my shoulder.

I don't say anything to her, I mean what can I say to someone who lost her husband and son. I'm not good when it comes to comforting people verbally or any kind of comfort so I just continue to hold her tight.

She knows my lack of comforting ability and understood my silent message. She squeezes me one more time and releases me. I silently wipe her tears one more time and realize everyone is staring.

I see my dad looking at me and I know he's upset with me leaving earlier but he doesn't get a chance to scold because Omar interrupts anything he's about to say.

"Sorry Uncle, I took Yesna with me earlier, I wanted to have a chance to talk to her because I knew my mom would hog her as soon as she saw her." He said smiling. I was happy he managed to get me out of trouble because I saw my dad relax and shot him a grateful look. He also managed to relax the tense atmosphere that was there earlier.

"Let's face it Omar, your just jealous that Aunty loves me more." I say playing along, putting my left arm around her shoulder and Aunty gives a small chuckle.

"Oh my God, did my beautiful Panda just laugh." I dramatically gasp and continue "Are you ok? Your not sick, are you?"

My aunt moves away from me, puts her hands on her hips and glared at me. "Did you just call me a panda." She tries to sounds upset but I hear her unsuccessfully trying to hide her smile.