When Stars are Hidden

Chapter 29

"Hello, mother." Tawfiq grumbled over the phone.

He tried to make his voice sound normal and avoid lacing it with any anger or contempt, after all she was his mother and he still respected her no matter what.

"Oh my little boy, I haven't talked to you in ages. I have missed you. When will you come back home? Everyone is waiting for you to come home." His mother-Aisha Abdul Rahim-said.

Tawfiq wasn't ready to have this conversation again with his mother.
Aisha on the other hand thought his son was traveling around the world learning different things to use to his benefit when he came back home. Currently, he was supposed to be in Seoul, Korea.

Though she had her doubts since it was Salim who had informed her and Salim always had a different reason why she couldn't speak to Tawfiq.

'Time difference.'

'Busy schedule.'

'Missing phone.'

He always had an excuse prepared.

But today, she had been able to chance upon him speaking with Tawfiq.

Tawfiq huffed in annoyance.
The same thing, every single time.

"Mother, I will come back home when I have to. I'm in Seoul right now and I still have a lot of things to do before I come back." Tawfiq lied flatly.

Just then he sneezed to the hearing of his mother. How he hated catching a cold.

"Tawfiq, do you have a cold? You are going to get a fever soon. You need to keep warm and rest." His mother said with care.

Sometimes, Tawfiq was confused.
She could be the caring, doting mother, like right then and other times she became the woman forcing him to do her bidding.

"I'm fine. I will keep warm. Don't worry. I know myself better than you do. Can I speak to Salim?" Tawfiq went straight ahead to end the conversation.
He didn't feel like talking with his mother anymore.

"That excuse of a man." Aisha snarled. She was getting tired of Salim covering up for her son.
And to think he could be the next. . .She wouldn't let that happen. She would never let it happen. She had waited too long for this.

Good thing she sent him out of the room when she realized it was Tawfiq he was speaking to on the phone.

"Mother, I think you shouldn't speak about Salim that way. If I don't come back, you will be. . ." Tawfiq was cut off by his angry mother.

"What do you mean by if you don't come back!? I'm your mother and I order you to come back before the next Ramadan! Do you hear me!?" Aisha shouted.

Her son had to come back. Whether she had to drag him from whichever country he had landed on, she would, without batting an eye.

And for Tawfiq, this was the mother he didn't want to talk to. The one ordering him around.
She was making him angry.
His veins pulsed in his neck.

"I. WILL. COME. BACK. WHEN. I. WANT. TO. MOTHER." Tawfiq menacingly growled. In a threateningly low tone.

Aisha was happy his son still had his angry side. Her husband had tried to make Tawfiq like him. A dull excuse.
But anger made a man. And without it, he'd have nothing to build up on.

"You don't talk to me that way because you are trying to defend Salim." Aisha spoke back.

"He's my freaking brother. Your son." Tawfiq was tired of his mother treating Salim like an outsider.
It would benefit her to try to be on good terms with Salim.
But she clearly still thought Tawfiq would return home.
He wasn't going back. Ever.