Last Tears

Chapter 19

"To my apartment in the hospital" he replied

"Why..." she asked confused at his straight answers

He shrugged

"If you need more clothes you can just come home and take a few" Afra spoke, "Why are you packing everything?"

"It's not everything" he defended, "I just need more clothes since I'll be staying a while"

"What?" Maama frowned, "Why?"

"I just need to concentrate on work" he shrugged, "Nothing serious"

Maama nodded though not totally convinced. His sister and mother said their goodbyes and I watched in silence as he pulled his bag and walked out the house.

I stood up and left.

XXX

"I knew there was something" My sister declared after Afra spilled the beans. "I sensed it the day you guys came over Afra. He couldn't keep his eyes off Maheen. I just knew it"

"I know you knew okay? Let's just stop talking about this please" I pleaded Afra that was seated with her cross legs tucked under her, facing me on my bed as I stuffed Abu's coloring books into his bag.

"So your brother left the house?" Aisha asked Afra totally ignoring my request. "And it's been a month?! And I'm just hearing about this now?!" Aisha scolded Afra and I.

"Hmm" Afra confirmed, "But he's just being childish. He'll come back" she said staring at me; her own kind way of reducing my guilt.

"That's very nice of you to try to blame him for my fault" I said to her.

She shook her head. "I might be his sister, but I'm your best friend..." she trailed off looking at me pointedly.

I confirmed her sentence "Yes...you are my best friend" I chuckled

She grinned, "Exactly. Yeah and as a best friend I say he pushed you too far"

I nodded though I didn't really agree.

"This is too complicated for my liking" Aisha's sigh came through the speakers, "I should go; I have an assignment to finish up"

"Okay Goodnight" Both Afra and I said to her before she ended the call.

"I'm think I have a sore throat" Afra complained

"You should drink something hot" I advised her

She nodded and got up then stopped. "I think the only Tea I've seen on the dining table is Ya Akram's strawberry tea"

"Then" I said ignoring how my heart picked up at the sentence, "What's wrong with that?"

"Taking tea at midnight isn't exactly my sort of thing plus the fact that it's strawberry..." she scowled

I smiled a little, "But it'll help. Just take it" I instructed

She sighed, "I guess I have to" she slipped on her furry Minnie mouse slippers, "You want some?" she asked

I thought about it.

"No. Thanks"

XXX

I knelt down on the floor and began arranging the washed lettuce in the humidity drawers.

"I really don't know what's up with our son Ibrahim" Maama said into the phone kept away from her in order not to get it wet because of the vegetables she was rinsing.

I looked at her in concern as her tone was giving away her worry.

"One day he tells us he's ready to settle down the next he's telling me he's moving out of the country"