Lost and Found

Chapter 3

It was after Maghrib (sunset prayer) when I returned back home to find it completely drowned in silence which was unusual because when my parents are around because either some of mom friends along with their husbands are here the hour they enter this place or dad likes to watch TV pretty much so you can hear some news, bollywood movies or anything. After spending the entire day in the park or mosque, I was finally feeling my head in place; I usually like to call Abdullah Bhai when I'm just unstable but as he was in Pakistan so I was not able to have contact with him.

"You are home?" I heard mom coming downstairs, while I was sitting in living area, my head laid back on the couch.

"Yeah mom, in living room." I called for her; she just knows when I'm back, the second I stepped inside the home, even when I was used to live in Virginia and she would be busy or sleeping she would welcome me with a warm smile and the same phrase 'You are home?'

"How was your day?" she asked sitting beside me running her soft fingers through my hairs.

"Usual," I quietly lied without looking at her.

"Well I called you few times but you usually pick up..." I could feel her gaze on me; she does not believe me, who would?

"Well I had some meetings and then some other errands and on the top of that Yahya was continuously calling asking me about arrangements and all so I turned my phone off." I calmly replied filling her up with lies and then the silence fell between us, the type which itself demand for some words.

"Where is dad?" I broke the silence after few minutes when I was sure that she won't speak again.

"Sleeping," she was looking at our hands "You have grown so much." She whispered in a low broken voice.

"Yeah mom! thirty-one years young!" I chuckled lightening the tension which was forming in the room; she smiled and nodded "thirty-one years young!" She repeated and then there was silence again.

"Wali, is there anything bothering you? I don't know but I have a strong feeling that something is going on with you, we have been away but I'm your mother, Wali," She took hold of my hands intertwining our fingers "We have been through hardest situation together, honey. You were the only one who kept me alive all those time ago and now if you are going through something, I want you to tell me, maybe I haven't been much of a good mother in past years, but I love you Wali and I want to know what is going on with you?" Her words were more than painful and her eyes were glassy.

"Maa, you are the best mom! Yes we have been through a lot and in every situation you have proved yourself as my anchor and I couldn't be more thankful! There is nothing, I promise you! Believe me and relax your mind." I smiled at her as brightest as I can and leaned forward to kiss her forehead.

"Then why Khadija's name turned your face as white as paper and don't lie to me Wali you weren't at your office today," Her eyes were demanding "I know you know Khadija from university but I never knew there was something going on, is that why you don't want to get married? Do you like her? We can talk to Tasneem, Yahya can ask his wife as Khadija is Rafia's cousin. I know that after Layla you wouldn't want to get married but, honey not every girl is a gold-digger like her!" She was looking at me with hope, her statement were half true and half shaking me up.

"I promise there is nothing," I gulped in harder and replied as calmly as I could, composing myself because I can't tell her that how even her name can stop me right on my track, and marrying her? Oh mother! You don't know your son doesn't deserve a woman like her. "Well I guess you should wake up dad and we'll go for dinner outside, there is a very good Halal restaurant I know of and we have couple of busy days ahead so I don't want you two to miss that place out." I told her getting off the couch and collecting my stuff I went for my room before she could ask me anything else.