Chapter Thirteen

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"We are limited, not by our abilities, but by our vision."
-Khalil Gibran

AHMAD
<Tours and babies>

The tour did not take more than thirty minutes. It would have taken more time had she not been awfully quiet. I led us to the main living room and gestured for her to seat.

"How did you locate the kitchen?"
It had taken me sometime before I got used to the house. I had been curious since morning and frankly I needed a distraction.

"I took a few wrong turns before I found it," She replied her head bowed. She was sitting on the couch opposite mine.

"Ah, sorry about that!"

She smiled shyly.

"Is there anything you'd like to change?"

She shook her head. I didn't know if she was always that quiet but it wasn't helping my predicament.

"Are you always this quiet?"

"No."

A thought suddenly struck me. "Did Nusaiba say something?"

"No!" She said raising her head to look at me.

I was glad Nusaiba hadn't said anything silly. She was the only one who didn't buy the idea.

"You're home sick then. Is that it?"

She smiled returning her head to its bowed position, fiddling with her fingers.

"Talk about it then, don't keep it inside. Tell me, what is it you miss most?"

"My mom," Rukkayya started staring in to space. "She has this funny habit of checking up on me every now and then. She would just lift the curtain, peep at me then move away. At first I thought it was annoying, then funny. Eventually it became cute and I looked forward to it."

What had they made me do? I separated the poor child from her Mother. I felt sorry for her. Albeit, it was easier for me to feel that than to think of what lurked within me like a ghost in the darkness.

"Do you know what I miss?"

Some lines creased her forehead giving her features a puzzled look. "What?"

"I have this really nice chandelier in my old room. I am so obsessed with it.
Whenever I'm feeling blue, I just look at it and I feel my problems vanish!"

"A chandelier?" She asked amusement written all over her face.

"Yes! I know it sounds weird but I really miss it!"

"Why didn't you get something similar for your new room?"

"Nooo, that'll ruin it. I like missing it!"

"Ha'an! I don't understand you."

I laughed. "I don't either! We should eat, launch has been served."

Atika had informed me the moment we got back but I got carried away.

Atika had informed me the moment we got back but I got carried away

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