Healing

17.

Was it normal to feel like an old man at 22?

"Dua let's go to bed," I say as I pick her up.

"I can walk," she complains.

A sad feeling sets into my stomach. Why did they have to grow up so fast?

I set her down and we walk upstairs.

"Wait out here so I can change into my PJs," she tells me as she walks into her room.

She really was growing up.

"You can come in now." I look down to see her head poking out of the side of the door.

"I can tell you why I was out." I enter her room. It was a light pink color that my mom and I had painted while Dua was around 5 months.

Are you proud of me for taking care of her, I wanted to ask. It was the same feeling I got every time I entered here.

"Let's tuck you in first." Without having to tell her twice, she runs into her bed and puts her blanket over her.

"Tell me nowwww," she whines. The suspense was killing her.

"You know Cyra?" I start. She nods from her place under the covers. "Well, I asked her if she wanted to—uh—become your sister-in-law." Why was I acting shy in front of my sister?

Ok the other end, I hear Dua squeal. "Does that mean she's going to live with us?"

"Maybe." I hadn't thought that far into the future. Would we live alone? Would we live with Dua?

Would my father approve?

I push the thought out of my head as I lean down to give  her a kiss on the forehead. "Assalamu Alaikum. I'll see you in the morning."

She gives me her Salam in that cute incomprehensible Arabic of hers as I turn off the light and leave the door open.

She was scared of the dark so I had to keep my door open and the hallway light on.

Going back downstairs, I see my grandma gathering her purse. "Do you need a ride Nenek?"

"The driver is here, but thank you Omar," she smiles at me.

I walk her to the car and watch as it gets smaller and smaller in the distance.

Shivers consume me as the cold January air blows quietly. The quietness of everything seemed eerie for some reason.

It reminded me of the quiet before a storm.

I walk back into the house, locking the door behind me and go upstairs as quietly as I can. Peaking into Dua's room on the way to mine, her slow breathing confirms that she was asleep.

I let out a relieved breath as I sit down on my bed. It had been a nerve racking days and I was tired.

But she had still said yes.

It was worth it.

Everything had gone according to plan and now I was—

Ring, ring.

I feel the buzz of my phone in my pocket. Their was only one person that would call me this late, and looking at the screen confirmed it.

It was my dad.

I clear my throat and answer right away. "Assalamu Alaikum Bapa."

"Walaikum Assalam. I need you to come up north for a few days to do a routine check on our business up there. I'll be there a few days after you go so we can talk. And you'll be staying for a week."

"Of course," I say. Was it really a choice in my part?

"I'll let the driver and the pilot know. They'll pick you up tomorrow night."

With that he ends the call. Tomorrow, he had said. It was like him to drop this on me with little time to get myself ready.

And on top of that where would I leave Dua?

I knew for a fact that I could leave her with my grandma for a whole week. So then where would she stay?

Cyra.

But wouldn't a week be a bit too long? She had school and her parents probably had work.

But who else did I have?

I look at my phone for a minute before going to her contact? Call or text?

Would she be asleep by now?

"Hello?" her voice comes through the phone and fills my ear.

I don't know why but it brought me a sense of comfort.

"Are you free right now?" I didn't want to intrude on anything she was doing.

"Yup, is there a reason you called?"

"Ya—um I'm sorry to drop this on you but would it be okay if you looked over Dua for a while. My dad wants me to go up north to check on some businesses and he wants me to stay for a week."

"Of course I can. I have school off for another 3 weeks so I'm free. Are you okay though?" Her voice sounded concerned.

"Hmm?"

"You sound like you're not doing alright," her voice comes through.

Just keep talking, I wanted to say. Even though her voice brought me an immense sense of comfort, I knew I couldn't.

"My dad and I don't have what you call a normal father son relationship. It's very...strained at best. Very formal," I say, not wanting to get into the specifics at the moment.

"I'm sorry Omar." My name coming out of her mouth sounded beautiful. "I'll do anything I can to help."

Calling was a dangerous task for me, wasn't it?

I thank her and we hang up after that. I had to see her tomorrow at 12 to drop Dua off.

How was this going to end? I don't know.

Suddenly, I remember I had made a promise to Cyra. To somehow proved I liked her.

And I knew just the way to do it.

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A.N how are you guys feeling today?

word count: 1586

Date Posted: 02/20/2022