Endurance

CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN

Layla's father called on her when she returned home from paying aunt Salma a visit and the sinking feeling of fear still lingered in her every time her father seeks for her presence, even after the multiple times he'd shown her how different he had become towards treating her the past few days. They weren't as close as she had always wanted, but they were improving. Yet, her hands still shake as feet turned cold with nervousness at the prospect of meeting him. Knocking on his entrance door, she turned the handle and pushed the door open. Her father sat in his recliner, a glasses on the bridge of his nose as held a phone in hand. Layla broke the silence of the room with a Salam then sat on the carpeted floor and greeted her father.

Abbu smiled and sat properly to regard his daughter, but her head was lowered that her face was hidden from his view. A habit she had fostered for long as a form of protection from his harsh words and as a concealment of her emotions from him, so he'll never have to see how his words or actions hurt her.

"A'isha Layla." His deep voice gently called, and she had to lift her head in his direction to make sure it was not just an echo of the sound of how he used to be when she was a child. Abbu had stopped dyeing his hair, and for some reason he looked way more graceful with the multiple grey hairs that were gleaming on his beard and hair than he used to. He looked more his age, and warmer. Khaled sauntered into the room and took a seat on the couch.

"Do you wish to go back to school?." The question took her off guard that her mouth went completely dry at its prospect. Licking her chapped lips, her throat tightened as she tried to form the words that sat at the top of her tongue.

"Take your time. You don't have to answer right away."

"I do Abbu." She called out instead, so he wouldn't change his mind. Her father nodded and turned towards Khaled. They exchanged words but she couldn't hear anything that transpired between them because she was lost in her thoughts. "You can go about your evening Layla." Her father dismissed.

"Thank you Abbu." She nodded and stood up from her crouched position and headed to the door. If she were honest with herself, she had no idea what she felt at that moment. The discrepancy in the way she felt fluctuated between uneasiness and disappointment, and thinking about it was making her more disconcertingly angry at herself for thinking that anybody would want to know what she had been through. And then the dismissal. She should have known nobody cared and nobody would. Of everything she went through, her father was more concerned with studies. Maybe it was a way to show her it really was her problem. Whatever happened to her.

Don't you think you're being a little selfish Layla?. Or even a little greedy with the need for sympathy? It's been years, move on!. Her inner voice scolded.

She closed her eyes that suddenly felt sore and breathed through her lips then walked to the kitchen to grab a chilled bottle of water because she didn't want to think about what had happened or why Khaled, the man who was so sweet to her weeks before was suddenly so distant. Mas'ud raised his head in her direction when she sauntered in.

"Yo! What's up?." He greeted.

"It's good stuff." She smiled and turned to the fridge, trying to hide the morose sound of her voice.

"You sure?. I don't think you have an idea how long that face of yours is looking." He said taking a bite of a burger.

"Who made those?." She asked instead then took a long gulp of water.

"Zahra and Munira did."

"Munira? Come to think of it, where are they?."

"Shopping, I think."

"With Zahra." She stated in what was supposed to be a question but came out as an unconcerned drawl.

"Yeah. They went out to grab some stuff or something ." He replied taking another bite.