Predestined

| Love of a Parent |

© All copyrights belong to StarsAndMoon1447 on Wattpad

*

Bia

I stared at my mother, stunned, but she was unable to meet my gaze. She immediately tightened her dupatta around her, covering her stomach. Without another word, she gently took me by the arm and led me inside to the living room, where I greeted the ladies with a Salaam. Everyone replied, solemnly, and began to express their condolences. Samira and Samir had left, with my friend saying that she would come back later.

"Oh, Sobia." Wardah Aunty, the mother of one of my best friends Annie, walked over to me and ran a hand over my head. "I'm so sorry for your loss, my dear. May Allah grant your Dado a place in Jannat-ul-Firdous. Ameen." She gave me a tight, comforting hug.

"Ameen." I whispered. I looked around the room. "Excuse me, everyone. I'm just going to go freshen up and change. I'll be back in a few minutes." I turned and hurried out of the room. 

I almost expected to see Dado coming towards me from down the hall where her bedroom used to be, with a bright smile on her face. Her room was the first room that I used to go to whenever I got back home, but now my heart was torn between wanting to go in there and never wanting to enter that room again. I wanted to feel her presence, yet I didn't want to see her absence, if that made any sense.

"Bia..." Mama came up after me.

And then there was this...situation. I had no idea how to deal with this. I know that my mother was in her early forties, almost considered mid-forties, and that even I was married now. However, she has no idea but I have heard her cry throughout my childhood, eager to have another child. She didn't think I knew, but I've heard her unintentionally while she was talking to Papa in the living room at night, and I had gone down to get a glass of water.

"I'm sorry, Bia. Don't be mad at me." My mother grabbed my arm and stopped me just outside my bedroom.

I turned to look at her. Her eyes were filled up, and even though there was grief etched all over her face, I didn't miss the glow and her pink cheeks. As I watched, a tear slid down her cheek and I suddenly felt like an awful person. "I'm not mad at you, Mama. I know how much you wanted this." 

"I know that this will make things awkward for you, with Shehzad..." She looked down at the ground.

And suddenly, I felt extremely overprotective of her. I placed my hands on her shoulders. "Mama, as long as the doctors think it's safe for you, and as long as you and Papa are happy, I'm happy too. Yes, it's a little weird, but not in a negative way. I'm no one to criticise the blessings of Allah."

She pulled me into a hug again and started sobbing against my shoulder. The way she tightly held onto me, it was like she was seeking comfort in me, and it made me want to shield her from the rest of the world and protect her with my life.

"I love you, Mama." I whispered. "We'll talk about this later. Where's Papa?" 

"He's just gone to the mosque to speak to them about the funeral arrangements." She replied. "Go freshen up and change. I've placed out a fresh shalwar kameez suit for you." She kissed my cheek. "And I love you too, Bia." 

"I wish I could help him in some way." I muttered. "I feel terrible that he has to do all the work." 

"Actually," She gave me a soft smile. "Your jethani's family had also come over earlier. And her sister's husbands have been helping Rizwan out."

*Jethani: husband's elder brother's wife.

"Mishal's family?" I was surprised.

Mama nodded. "They asked us to let them know if we needed anything."