EXPLICIT BLOOM

16• Napalm skies

Nahla wasted no time in looking up to her mother to see if she meant what she said. "How?" Nahla asked knowing clearly she wouldn't escape to tell her mother the truth. "You never knew how to lie Nahla, you get caught easily. And also, your father activated a tracking app on my phone that if anything was to happen to him, I could use it to find him. I never used the app once but the day I figured you were lying, I opened the app"

All the while, Farah's eyes became glossy, looking like she would cry any moment. Nahla though couldn't understand why she wanted to cry at first, not until Farah continued speaking.

"It showed me that he was at the hospital Nahla. And when I wanted to check after he said he'll leave for Kleinmachnow, I didn't find the app on my phone which meant he deleted it. Please tell me, Is Anwar dying? Is he sick?" Farah completed with a question directed to Nahla. Even though she was afraid of the answer, she had to ask because it was eating her up.

"Why would you think that Ummie?"

"Because you both have been acting weird since that day especially you Nahla. You don't eat anymore, you go out early everyday and come back late and you also don't sit to chat with me anymore, why? I even asked Aalim and he told me he takes you to the hospital everyday. To add to you that you pack double the food you normally pack for school, I am not blind!" Farah cried.

What's pain?

Seeing tears in your mother's eyes and the reason is you!

Nahla couldn't believe she made her mother shed tears because of what she hid from her. But she never meant for it to hurt her, if anything she was trying to protect her frail heart.

"I'm sorry Ummie" Nahla cried and dragged her mother into a hug to console her. "I'm sorry, bilhaq I didn't mean to hurt you" Nahla sobbed. "Then tell me the truth please, it is all I ask for" Farah begged. "Abbina is not the one in a hospital, it is someone else" Nahla started after releasing her mother from the hug.

"On the day I went to Khala Noor's house to get the fabrics,..." She narrated every single detail to her. "The house keys are for him too, just until he gets back his memory. But Ummie bilhaq it wasn't to hurt you, please forgive me" Nahla sobbed.

"Shhh, it's okay" Farah voiced. No doubt, she was very angry at Nahla for keeping such important thing from her but she hated the sight of her in pain. She knew Nahla regretted hiding it so she chose her daughter's happiness over her anger. "For my sake, stop the tears" Farah added. That worked because Nahla nodded and smiled.

"I'm still sorry though" Nahla apologized yet again, she knew she had to do all it takes to get her mother to forgive her.

"Let's bring him here, he can stay in the guest room" Farah said choosing to ignore Nahla's apology, she didn't need another apology to forgive her. "Really Ummie?" Nahla asked surprised about what her mother said. "Yes, let's be in this together. Besides, the vacation house is too far from here for you to visit and I know you want to help till the end of it" Farah smiled.

"Thank you so much Ummie, you're the best" Nahla appreciated. Really, she was already imagining the nightmare of going back and forth to that far distance so her mother did her a huge favour.

"Wait until your father hears that" Farah chuckled. "Abbina is also the best, you two are the best and I love you" Nahla chuckled too.