Mistaken Perception

Chapter 6

Chapter 6

A gentle autumn breeze wafted through the open living room window. It caressed and playfully tussled Aisha's short ringlet curls. She was curled up on the couch her knees tucked close to her chest. She absentmindedly pulled and twisted her brown sweaters sleeve as she clicked and scrolled on her laptop. Her siblings were sitting on the floor by her feet. Musa had his head buried in his Quran, trying desperately to memorize his last ayahs before his afternoon class at the mosque. Misky was sprawled on the floor a bowl full of grapes next to her as she flipped through a picture book.

Even though it was the weekend, Aisha could be seen glancing at her work phone every few minutes, her heart dreading the possibility of a phone call from her boss. A grumble escaped Musa's lips as he laid his head by her feet his unruly dark curls falling all over themselves. A trait they both had received from their mother. Misky and the rest of her siblings had been graced with their father's wavy black hair.

"Why did you wait until today to memorize?" asked Aisha a half smile on her face. As she continued to look up and search the different event planners Justine had given her.

"I didn't ...It's just this last ayah," he grumbled closing his eyes.

Aisha glanced at the clock on the wall.

"Well, you better figure something out...you only have an hour before I have to drop you off at the mosque," she replied trying to keep the smile off her face.

Musa looked up at the clock in panic.

"Oh no," he moaned flopping dramatically back.

"I don't think Ustadh Ali will be too pleased," said Aisha running a hand through her short curls.

"Hopefully, he isn't there today....I think Ustadh Hassen is teaching the class today," he replied with a nod as if his words had accurately predicted the future.

"Can I go to class today?" asked Misky her eyes still glued to the picture book.

"Not today honey. Your class is tomorrow," Aisha replied her eyes glancing at her phone out of habit before she resumed looking at her siblings. Their great Aunt was out for the day visiting a friend, she had grumbled about needing a break from them. Aisha had been happy to oblige her request if it meant they would also get a bit of rest from her sarcastic remarks.

"I'll need to make a few phone calls, then I'm taking you to your class while Misky and I go...somewhere fun," said Aisha giving Misky a wide smile.

Misky gave her a small returning smile. Aisha found herself trying hard to appear happy and smiling around her siblings. Musa had been talking more, though more often than not he was content laying on his bed and staring at the ceiling. Misky, on the other hand, was hard to approach. Some days she was a bubbling ball of energy and happiness and the next she was lifeless with unhappiness and shaking from unknown nightmares. 

Aisha didn't know what she dreamed of. Misky had not seen her parents and siblings bodies. She hadn't witnessed the nightmare that sometimes left Aisha paralyzed with the memory. Yet maybe the unknown was just as frightening and unsettling. She made herself as approachable as possible to them. She talked about their parents and mentioned things she missed around Musa, who seemed to enjoy it but never voiced it.

With Misky, she showered her with all the love and comfort she could muster. She didn't want to smother her or cripple her own way of grieving. Yet she found herself hovering and worrying about the small five-year-old. Her uncle said she would move past it that her young age was a blessing. But, her heart was only consumed with worry for them. She barely noticed her own pain. A beast that was dormant in the deep recesses of her heart. It sometimes stretched its claws and wrapped its spiny fingers around her heart and squeezed, so hard, that it sometimes woke her from her dreamless sleep gasping for air.