Dear Kulsum✅

21.

KULSUM'S POV.

That's what this is all about.

Three years ago, I had my son taken away from me and I've never seen him ever since then. They all claimed that he's dead but I don't believe them. And by 'they' I mean my family, my husband and his family.

You're probably wondering where my husband is and what's the situation between us right?

We got divorced a few days after the day they all stood me up which was a day after my son was kidnapped.

I will be lying if I say back then I didn't wish that he'd actually care.

But who am I kidding? Up till date none of them even tried to bring up the topic again after they claimed that he died. I wondered how they could say something that casual as if they were talking about the weather.

It's my son we're talking about.

I can't just 'get over it'. No one can ever get over the loss of a child just like that, we just never do.

You know why it hurts? It hurts because I had my one-year-old boy taken away from me and none of my family members, my husband, and his family seem to care that much about it because they were busy. I've never needed support in my life as I did back then, but I never got it.

So how do you expect me to turn out? How do you expect me to love and care about them? Just how?

That was why when Salma gave me that drug on that day, I took it. I took the drug to forget everything that's going on in my life at the moment. I thought since I had drugs, everything will be alright but I was mistaken. Something else hit me unexpectedly. And that was what made me who I am.

Why should I care about anyone again? What's there for me to live for when I've lost everything that matters to me?

I sighed and sniffed wiping my tears with my palms. I reached my hand out and opened the cabinet that I kept both letters that I got. I ignored the second one and picked up the first one. I didn't bother to close the cabinet as I slipped on the floor and placed the envelope in front of me. Pushing the tip open, I slid my hands into it and brought out the content.

My lips stretched into a smile as I gazed at it. This is the only I have now that keeps me going because it is a proof that I might not have lost everything yet.

It's a picture of my boy. He's alive.

~*~

I darted my tongue out to moisturize my chapped lips as I rubbed my hands together. I raised my head and looked around to see the people that are so alike me in so many ways yet so different. Even if I die now, at least I got to understand that I'm not alone in this world. There are a lot like me.

I spotted Laura under one of the trees with her back on the bark of the tree. Her knees were pulled up to her chest while she stares into space whilst playing with a stone in her hand. She didn't see me yet so I made my way towards her.

"Hey" I said as I sat in front of her Indian style. I pushed the hood of my hoodie back as I settled my gaze on her.

She moved her gaze to me and when she realized it was me, her lips stretched into a small smile. She didn't say anything but rather just kept staring at me and as if something clicked in her, she shook her head, "I guess your therapy was bad" When she saw my eyes narrowed at her, she must've understood the question I wanted to ask even before I voiced it out, "It's written all over your face"

I shook my head massaging my temples with my fingers, "You really need to learn how to shut it when it comes to some things" I muttered but I knew she heard me.