My Dunya (NEEDS EDITING)

Chapter 18- Make Me Strong

The course of love never did run smooth. -William Shakespeare

CHAPTER 18

UNEDITED

"Dunya, do it again please!" Teta insisted sitting on our couch with a glimmering look in her eyes. It was the fourth time she asked me to sing, surprised from my once hidden ability. I was hoping to cheer her up, considering her and the bathroom haven't been the best of friends lately. She was getting frustrated, and so was I, because we went through two huge bottles of fiber laxatives, hoping to help her out but no such luck. It's been about a week since her bowel problems, and I was thinking of taking her to the doctors to get it checked up and see what we could do about it, but I figured we might as well do everything we can naturally and see how far it gets. I looked over to the stove in our kitchen to see the pot full of beets boiling. Beets are miracle foods that are complete lifesavers, and they don't taste half bad either. More than anything, I just hope they work with Teta, InshaAllah (God willing). Mama was at work, and the house was empty except for Teta and I. Because of Teta's circumstance, I had asked Cameron to take some extra shifts at the shoppe so that Teta can relax and focus on her battle with the bathroom. He complied right away, and offered his complete help with anything that we needed. 

I breathed out a sigh of defeat as Teta's smile brightened, and I turned the instrumental on my iPod speakers. Grabbing a carrot in one hand, I brought it up to my chin and got into position.

            "Save your advice 'cause I won't hear

You might be right but I don't care

There's a million reasons why I should give you up

But the heart wants what it wants

You got me scattered in pieces

Shining like stars and screaming

Lightening me up like Venus

But then you disappear and make me wait

And every second's like torture

Hell over trip, no more so

Finding a way to let go

Baby baby no I can't escape"

I was out of breath and ready to continue Selena Gomez's "Heart Wants What it Wants" when the phone rang. I ran to turn the iPod off and grab the phone, placing it on my ear.

"Dunya, who is it?" Teta leaned in trying to hear, and I poked her side causing her to jump a little and laugh a lot. 

"It's Adam, Teta!" we both squealed, happy to hear from him. It's been a while. I listened in for another minute before jumping up and down. "Teta! He's coming over with Sumaya in the afternoon," I gleamed, and her wide smile stretched out even more. "Yallah Adam, salam, min shoofak min areeb," (Okay Adam, peace, we'll see you in a little while) I said into the receiver before hanging up. 

I fell back onto the couch and Teta pulled me into a side hug. "So about that song," Teta started. Oh, boy. "Dunya?"

"Teta..."

 "Those words were deep," she whistled lowly. "Shattered in pieces, shining like the sun," she recalled even though she got have the words wrong. "But even though you have a billion reasons to object it, in the end, love is love," she stated proudly patting her heart. Hey, at least she tried. 

"Teta, it's just a song, there's more important things in life anyway, I think the beets are done," I remembered them happily and headed off to the kitchen as a distraction. As I was straining the beets, my mind began wandering off and I completely lost focus. "OWWW!" I yelled dropping the pan on the floor, shaking my hand. I accidentally poured boiling water over my hand and it instantly reddened. "Ya Allah (Oh Lord)," I begged as I went to go run my hand through cold water from the faucet.