-------Los Angeles, California.
----------Olyster Textiles.
"Khalid can we go for lunch later today?, you always decline, why don't you just agree for once" Pamela asked into the phone as I got into my car. " Pamela I'm busy" I answered as I connected my phone to the Bluetooth of my car. " You're always busy Khalid, you don't even have time for me anymore, this isn't how it's supposed to be"
" Pamela, leave me alone, let me be, what are we supposed to be?"
" You can't just get rid of me like that Khalid, you and I are expecting children, twins for that matter Khalid" I sighed as those words tore my heart into pieces over and over. " I'll see you later" I said bluntly and hung up the call.
Pamela seduced me into sleeping with her. Approximately five and a half months ago. She found me drunk in a bar, something that was so unusual of me. She helped me out of there and we ended up having sex.
I honestly felt disgusted and guilty after what happened between me and her. I tried cutting connections with her but I couldn't, she was carrying my children. She had me wrapped around her finger with that. Like a dumb fool that couldn't do anything. I couldn't tell my family about all what was going on with me.
I didn't even know what was wrong with me.
Ever since Faryah left my life, I never had peace. I badly wanted to contact her again, but my ego. My dumb ego. I couldn't even bring myself to contact her about the divorce. Deep down I didn't want to divorce Faryah. Deep down, I loved her, with all of my heart. I honestly kept on wondering and blaming myself for losing her. I wanted her back. I honestly did. I buried myself in work so as not to think much about any of my problems and that was usually very often.
My life was a mess.
Faryah made a mess.
I had no one else to blame but myself. I honestly fucked up. I badly wanted to contact her, tell her how much I missed her, tell her I couldn't live without her, tell her she was my life. She was. She meant everything to me. But my ego. I couldn't get the video out of my head even for a second.
I heard my phone ring and I checked the caller ID as I got back to reality. Sophia.
" Sophia" I called as I answered the phone. " Khalid can you come over to my place, I need to talk to you" Why was everyone seeking my attention so suddenly. " What's happening?" I asked.
" Nothing, I just realized something and I want to talk to you about it, and before you ask it's urgent, be here before 8:00pm" She said and instantly hung up. She wasn't giving me the opportunity to argue. She became more bossy ever since she got married to Ethan. Maybe she was pregnant or something.
I was no longer living with Mother and Brandon. Our family became more quiet after our losses. The company was doing great. The grand launch was what we needed to be the top textile industry in North America and we were. I had a small condo, in the outskirts of LA, Santa Monica.
It was very peaceful and my condo was pretty comfortable. I stayed alone, peacefully, with my rules. No one to ruin my peace, even though Pamela usually tried.
For the past few months, I really sat down on my own to wonder why I fell in love with Pamela. I mean she was beautiful, hot and everything. But to be honest she wasn't what I needed in my life. I felt like I was brainwashed into falling in love with her. Even though she tried getting back into my life after what happened, she supported me. I just couldn't feel anything for her and she had to seduce me into getting in bed with her so as to solely make her mine again but I honestly couldn't.
-------Valentine's Residence
-----------7:45pm
" Ethan's still at work huh?" I asked as I walked into her home. It was a pretty nice duplex I helped Ethan choose. " He is, stop asking me questions you know the answers to" She said calmly as we headed towards the back of her house. There was a pretty nice garden there and a classy pool.
I sat beside her quietly on a chair that was opposite the pool. She was quiet and it was so unusual. " Sophia are you okay?" I asked as I watched her take a grape from the fruit bowl in front of us. " I'm not sure I'm okay, I just need to ask you a few questions and I might be okay, depending on your answers" She said as I felt chills down my spine. " Ask away"
" So today I was at the hospital and I saw Pamela" I didn't want anyone to know. " She had a baby bump" She said as she looked into my eyes intently, looking for answers. " She's carrying my children" I answered and I heard a loud gasp from her as her eyes widened in shock and fear. " you're a married man for Christ's sake and you had the guts to get Pamela pregnant, with twins, what the hell is going on with you Khalid" Sophia snapped. Boy she was angry.
" I know I made a mistake"
" You've been making stupid mistakes right from the time Faryah left you, all you ever did was jump from one mistake to another, you became a workaholic and you drink, Khalid even before Faryah came into our lives you never tasted alcohol. You're making a stupid mess out of your life Khalid and now you are having Twins with Pamela!!" She snapped louder as she got up from the chair she was sitting down on.
"Khalid you're old enough to know what's right and what isn't, I look up to you as an older brother and I can't just sit and watch you make mistakes that'll ruin your life" she said after taking a deep breath. " I'm still very much in contact with Faryah, she asks about you all the time and just because I don't want her to be worried about you, all I tell her is that you're drowning yourself in work, that's all I tell her, she cares about you more than anything, she undeniably loves you after all what you guys made her go through, and here you are, it's either you're alone in your condo, or you're drowning yourself in work or you're out there wasting and drinking your life out of you, I don't have any idea of what you're going through right now, I honestly don't know how bad you feel, but there's one thing that's for sure, you can talk to me, confide in me Khalid, Mother and Brandon, they're worried about you, they just don't know how to approach you, even I didn't know how to until earlier today when I saw Pamela, it has to end there Khalid, you need to open up and say how you feel, confide in someone at least, you need emotional help" I missed Faryah. So so much. That was what was wrong with me.
She made me the fool I am today.
I honestly wasn't ready to face all this. I was a man and everything but I really couldn't, I couldn't bring my heart to.
Even though I knew I was going to face all the results of my decisions someday, either good or bad. I just wasn't ready yet.
The person I felt comfortable confiding was gone for good. All because of me. All because of my reckless and selfish decisions. I really was a son of my father.
" Khalid please talk to me, confide in someone, you're going through serious heartbreak and I fear it'll make you emotionally weak. We fear that you might have psychological issues and then you'll end up doing something horrible to yourself" She added as she pulled her chair closer to me and talked softly. I didn't want to.
" Sophia, thank you for your concern and everything, but I can handle my mistakes without help from anyone"
" Really?, then what do you plan on doing with Pamela and your unborn children and don't forget, Faryah has a baby on the way for you, you got two women pregnant and you aren't supposed to run away from your duties as a father Khalid, you need help"
" I don't need help Sophia, leave me alone" I said as I got up from my seat. My life was none of her business. " You honestly need help Khalid, come on talk to me"
" No!" I snapped. I was done been scolded by a 22 year old. " leave me alone Sophia, my life is none of your business okay?, get that into your head and just let me live my life the way I want it, allow me to make my mistakes okay, leave me alone" I snapped as I walked away from her. "I'm ashamed to call you my brother, I'm sure Neill and Grandpa are so ashamed of you right now even though there're in their graves. When can you just stop being so dumb and stupid?" She snapped as I let her words sink in. " Stop being a coward, stop it, you're breaking the heart of the people around you, stop it Khalid, just stop, I don't like seeing you this way, this is not who you are"
" This is how I want to be, leave me alone" I said slowly as I walked away from her and towards my car.
I knew she was right. I just wanted hide in my shadows now. I wasn't ready yet and the fact that Faryah still loves me so much made me so weak. I didn't know what I was going to do about it. I really needed help, but my family weren't the right people to talk to at all. They weren't. I didn't want them to see me break down like this. It was best I kept things to myself now. That was the safest thing to do for myself right now.
-------Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur
-----------Mustapha Residence.
" Faryah, go check who's at the door, I'm not sure we're expecting anyone" Ummi said as I helped her chop some spring onions for our dinner. We were preparing chicken mee goreng. It was easy and very delicious. " It might be Naim" Firdaus answered as I dropped my knife and walked towards the door.
I looked at the gadget in front of me that showed who was at the door and I found Farouk and Doctor Aleeyah with another man beside. Well this was so unexpected.
I slowly opened the door with a wide smile. "Assalamu..." my voice lowered as Doctor Aleeyah instantly pulled me into a warm hug. It felt so familiar. " Alaykum" I said silently as she hugged me tighter. " Fauziyyah" she whispered as she sobbed lightly. Why was she calling me by my real name?
I was confused.
" Doctor Aleeyah?" I asked as I slowly slipped out of her hug. " Yes, it's me, this is my husband Milton and I'm sure you know Farouk" She answered as she cleaned her eyes. " My baby girl" The one she called Milton as he tried moving closer to hug me, I slowly took a step back away from him and he paused. They were all crying.
" What's going on?, Sorry pardon me, please come in, why are you crying?" I asked as I led them into our home and into our living room.
" Faryah who're they?" Ummi asked as she and Firdaus walked to the living room too. " Doctor Aleeyah is a Doctor in the hospital I have my check ups at and Farouk here is her son and I guess this is her husband, sir Milton" I said as I took a closer look at all three of me.
My heart beat became faster than normal.
I was slowly losing my breath.
I know all three of them.
I staggered back slowly as the headache came again. The images were back. This time everything was clear, I could see everything and everyone clearly.
My real family.
They were right in front of me.
I found them.
No, Allah brought them to me.
My real origin was right in front of me.
This was why I felt a familiar when I was around Farouk and Doctor Aleeyah.
I took a deep breath as I felt myself fall on the floor.
It was all clear to me now.
Flashback
--------18 years ago.
------------Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur.
" Ummah, Farouky wants us to be late for school" I cried as I ran towards the kitchen to pull my Ummahs dress so she could wake Farouk up from his deep slumber. " Sweetheart be careful down those stairs" Abbah yelled as he got out of the room he shared with Ummah.
"Ummah, Farouk is still sleeping" I whined as I slowly pulled her dress as she turned and swiftly picked me up from the ground. " Good Morning Ummah, Salamualaykum" I chirped and she hugged me tightly. " Wa'alaykumussalam my baby girl, let's go wake Farouky up" She said with a wide smile as she tickled me. I admired how beautiful my Ummah was. Her cheeks, so fair and rosy always lit up our home.
"Farouk!, wake up, we're going to be late for school" Ummah snapped as she walked into the room I shared with my twin brother. " But Ummah" Farouk groaned as I pulled the covers off him and I jumped on him giving him the tickle attack.
"Ahahahaha, stop, ahahaahaha" He laughed as he finally sat upright on his bed. " Ayo, pergi, pergi mandi (come on, let's go, go take a shower)" Ummah said as she carried Farouk and gave him a big kiss on his forehead.
" Abbah will take you to school, I have work today sweethearts" Ummah said as I and Farouk followed behind her down the stairs. " There are the loves of my life, I need a hug" We heard Abbah call and I instantly rushed and jumped on him. Farouk and Ummah joined us too as big smiles spread on our faces.
I wasn't willing to trade my family for anything. I loved them so dearly.
End of Flashback
" so you mean to say Faryah was kidnapped from you because you didn't accept bribe?" I heard Firdaus ask as I slowly regained consciousness and opened my eyes. It all made perfect sense now.
My family was right in front of me.
Farouk was my twin brother and Doctor Aleeyah was my biological mother.
Alhamdulillah.
I honestly thought it was going to be hard for me to find my real parents but here they were. They found me and I managed to clear the truth of my past. My happy family.
" Ummah" I whispered as I placed my hand on my head. " she's awake now" I heard Farouk whisper as I opened my eyes and sat up right. I watched as everyone took a closer look at me, with love. The amount of love they held in their eyes made my heart warm. I was never going to forget this day.
" Faryah, I know you never imagined that you were going to find your parents this easily, you never imagined that they were going to come knocking on your door and say they're your family, but Allah brought them to you this way" Ummi said with her eyes all teared up as she handed me a DNA result. She was going to make me cry.
" I missed you sooo much" Doctor Aleeyah cried as she pulled me into a warm tight hug. I couldn't stop the tears from coming out. They deserved to be free. I hugged her back tightly as I smiled with tears rolling down my cheeks. " Alhamdulillah" I whispered as I hugged Doctor Aleeyah tighter.
"You shouldn't be the only one getting a hug from her child Alee" I heard My Father say as I slowly let go of my mother. " I know, I'm just so happy, my dear I know you have a lot of questions for us, so please ask, feel free to ask anything" Mama Aleeyah said as she held my hands and cleaned my eyes. I honestly had lots of questions.
" Why was I kidnapped?" I asked and I heard Milton sigh loudly. " Yeah Ummah, Abbah, you always avoided the subject, why was she kidnapped?" Farouk asked and folded his arms.
" Well you see, I'll start from the beginning" Mr Milton said as he sat closer to My mother on the couch. I was paying full attention.
" You see your father here is a renowned lawyer here in Malaysia, he always supports Justice and always wins his cases" Ummah started.
" oh MashaAllah" I said slowly and watched them smile.
" well you see sixteen years ago, a man found your father, that's Mr David Miles, he was supposed to make your father help him win a divorce case and a child custody case, but he was at fault" Ummah said.
So My Father was the lawyer Khalid's Dad hired to help him get custody of Khalid. Intriguing.
" Your Father declined and he couldn't help him, so Mr David began threatening him, he hired some one time and he snuck in and beat up your father" That was what I remembered. I saw that.
" Eventually he lost both charges, David Miles lost and due to his bipolar disorder, he kidnapped you, for revenge for losing his child"
" He was bipolar?" I never expected that. " Yeah we ran some tests, I almost ran mad when we lost you, we searched everywhere but we didn't find anything, your dad concluded you were dead, but I didn't give up on you, I knew deep down in my gut that you were alive" Doctor Aleeyah said as her eyes teared up again.
" You didn't press charges against him?" Farouk asked. " we did, but the drunkard got into an accident and lost his memory. The same accident that made Fauziyyah lose her memory and voice too" She added.
It all made sense now. I was glad I finally found my parents.
My real identity.
It was no longer a mystery anymore.
I had to accept all what happened to me, I managed to live a normal life even though I was mute, I managed to ignore how I was raped which was very hard to do.
But Allah saw me through.
I believe he's still seeing me through.
I had to move on and wish for the best with my family now.
I was not complete.
But all I could say was Alhamdulillah.