#Chapter Twenty Four#

{Unedited}

I was sitting in the living room mindlessly flicking through a book on our beloved prophet Jesus, when Ziad strode into the room and plopped himself next to me. It was a Saturday night and both Sarah and Abir were napping upstairs. I knew Ziad had probably come down to annoy me and usually I wouldn't mind as I enjoyed spending time with my twin, but tonight I just really preferred to wander in my own thoughts. 

"Hey," he greeted, stretching out his legs on the foot recliner in front of him.

"Hi."

"What're you doing?"

I shrugged my shoulders and continued to shift the pages of the book between my fingers. "Not much, just reading," I mumbled.

He cocked an eyebrow at me. "Doesn't look like there's much reading going on..." I shrugged my shoulders again but this time, I remained silent. "Wanna watch a movie?"

"Nah, I think I'm gonna head up, shower and sleep." I placed my favourite bookmark - the one with Hieroglyphics on it - in between the page I was up to and shut the book, placing it on the coffee table. 

"Oh, come on, don't make me do this," Ziad groaned, removing his feet off the recliner and sitting up straight.

"Do what?" I asked in confusion.

"All this touchy-feely stuff. I already have to do it with Sarah," he remarked. I rolled my eyes. "It's clear you're upset and that it's about baba."

"I'm not upset, I'm annoyed and frustrated. There's a difference."

He stared at me dryly. "You're upset Sameena."

I let out a breath of air. "It's just that...don't you see how Isaac is negatively influencing baba?"

"I can't say that I do, but then again I'm not as involved with baba's work as you are," he observed.

"I just don't feel right about him, there's something off. I feel it in my bones every time I'm near him," I confessed. 

Ziad gave me a look. "Are you sure you're not just overthinking things here?"

"No! Ziad, I'm being serious. I don't like him, not one bit. It makes me suspicious when he can come in and change the ideals that baba has held so dear to his heart for years. I don't trust him." I crossed my arms over my chest and turned to stare ahead, biting my lip in contemplation. 

I was doing the whole ignoring thing with baba again and unfortunately, we were both stubborn; it was the trait I had definitely inherited from him. 

"Calm down Sameena," Ziad said, interrupting my thoughts. "I'm sure baba knows what he's doing. After all, he has been the Prime Minister for over thirty years." 

I exhaled and leant my head back against the couch. "Maybe..."

"Hey, you know what we haven't done in a long time?" 

I closed my eyes. "What?" I heard him get up from the couch and a minute later, heard him sit down again. I turned curious eyes on him, to find an all too familiar ivory satin album in his hands. 

"Remember how often we did this?"

I nodded my head and as he opened to the first page, I couldn't help the involuntary tears that clouded my eyes. There, mama stood in all her glory. It wasn't one of those extremely romantic and ideal photos, like a woman on her wedding day, but a photo that was captured with perfect timing.

She was standing in our backyard, gardening gloves and boots pulled on, bending over a sea of pink, yellow and red tulips. Her navy blue hijab was flowing slightly with the wind and she had both hands drowned in the soil. But the most striking thing about the photo was how her face was facing the camera, the largest and most radiant smile shaping her features. The sun from behind illuminated her body and the greenery in the background only added to the soft look. 

All in all, she looked stunning. So carefree. So alive. 

It was times like these that I wished mama was here. She'd know exactly what to say to make me feel better. But more than anything, she'd handle the situation perfectly. 

I bet she'd knock some sense into baba!

I laughed when Ziad flipped the page to one of me and him wrestling in our playroom. We must've been about five years old, but we were both hyperactive kids. 'You're too much for me' she would mumble to us before swooping in for a kiss. 

Ziad chuckled at another photo of him and I. We were older, maybe twelve or thirteen and were glaring at each other angrily. "I don't remember this," I said, scrunching my eyebrows in confusion. "When was this?"

"Ah, I don't recall it too much either. Back in the days you know," Ziad mumbled a bit hurriedly. 

Before he could turn the page, I grabbed his hand to stop him. "Wait! Who's that?" I asked, pointing in a figure in red. Only his side profile was showing and he was mostly blurred, as he must've been walking or running past. 

"I'm not too sure," Ziad said slowly. 

"Hmm. He looks awfully familiar..." I trailed off. 

The silence was broken by my phone going off. I pulled it out from my back pocket and once I checked the caller I.D. a large smile found its way to my face. 

"Lia!" 

There was a laugh from the other end. "Good God girl, you're going to blow my eardrum off."

"I miss you!" I said loudly and Ziad actually had to 'shh' me.

"I miss you too darling. How have you been?"

"I've been good. Things are a little hectic, but then again, they always are."

"Yes, busy with a new man, I hear," she said with a mischievous tone. "One who I'm still yet to meet!" 

"Oh Lia, you'll love him!" I exclaimed.

"Really then? What's the lad like?"

I glanced down at my lap and smiled a small smile. "He's sweet, understanding, gentle and caring. None of the arrogance and pretentiousness we've seen in so many men." 

"I'm just going to leave now. Tell Lia I said salams and that I hope she comes back soon!" I heard Lia laugh at Ziad's comment. 

"Well tell him that I'll be home sooner than expected." 

I squealed. "Really?! When are you coming home?" 

"In a week actually," came her happy response. 

Another squeal was about to escape my lips but then I halted. "Wait, your mum? How is she?" 

"She's doing much better alhamdulillah. Which is why I think it's time for me to come back."

I bit my lip in thought. "Lia, why don't you get here to come and live here? So that she's always close to you?" 

She sighed. "I've tried to convince her to move but she won't have it. You know old people are, they like to attach themselves to anything old and beloved...and in this case, it's our house." 

I nodded my head in understanding, even though she couldn't see me. "Fair enough. You can visit her whenever you want, you know that." 

"I know habibti, thank you. Anyways, I can't wait to get home and hear all about your dream man! I've got to go now, but be ready to give me all the details OK?"

I laughed. "As always, of course." 

"Asalamu alaikum." 

"Wa alaikum asalam," I replied, ending the call with a click of a button. 

####

"How is that a monkey!" I exclaimed, picking up the scrap piece of paper Mira had drawn on to inspect it. 

"Well does it look like I interact with monkeys on a daily basis?!" she retorted smartly.

"Yeah, with Sameena," Ziad added with a snicker and we both turned to glare at him. 

"Salem, how did you even guess that was a monkey? I mean, it looks like a deformed pretzel," Tariq said from beside me. 

Salem twirled the pencil between his hands. "I can see that it's a monkey." 

I could basically see the love hearts in Mira's eyes as she turned to look at him. 

We were all playing Pictionary in pairs; Tariq and I in one team, Sarah and Ziad in the other and Mira and Salem in the last. Yes, it was a cutely arranged couples game. 

I turned to Tariq and pouted. "You didn't guess my monkey." 

"Aw, I promise I'll guess the next thing you draw." 

"And I have to guess yours. I mean, we're losing!" I exclaimed in outrage, motioning towards the board game before us. 

"I see your still very much competitive," he laughed, watching as Mira rolled the dice again. 

"How do you know I'm competitive? Is it that apparent?" I questioned curiously.

Tariq started. Then he seemed to come again and said, "yeah I guess it is pretty apparent. You're probably going to be dux of your university this year...the dux is always the most competitive person!" 

I smiled at him. 

"OK guys, who's drawing?" Salem asked, holding the paper with the word on it between his hands. Tariq and Sarah raised their arms and he showed them the word quickly, before stuffing the paper back into a box. "Ready, set, go!" 

"Triangle, line, point," I immediately yelled as Tariq started to draw. I could hear Mira and Ziad yelling as well and our voices all flowed to sound like one big riot. 

Ziad shook his head furiously and kept on drawing. "Keep guessing!" 

"Wide...oh oh Eiffel Tower," I yelled, slamming my hands against the table. 

"Bingo!" 

There was groaning from the other two teams whilst Tariq and I grinned at each other victoriously. 

"Suckers!" 

"Don't get cocky Sameena, that's like the first round you guys have won in twenty minutes," Sarah said amusedly. 

"We still won!" 

Just as I bent over the table to pick up the dice, baba and Isaac walked through the dining room door. 

I paused to stare at them cautiously. 

"Asalamu alaikum," they both greeted, coming to sit on the two remaining empty chairs. Everyone replied happily, except for me who mumbled it quietly. "You kiddos having fun?"

"The game's more fun than I thought," Salem replied, astonishing all of us. 

Baba smiled and rubbed his beard. "That's good to hear." His eyes flickered towards me but I quickly looked away. I felt, rather than saw Isaac staring at me and I just knew it was one of those hidden stares, where he was neutral on the outside, but from the inside, he was smirking evilly. "Sorry to interrupt, but I need to steal Salem away."

Salem was on his feet immediately. "Of course." 

Mira sent him a sad look and he glanced down at her. "Hopefully I won't be too long."

"Sorry Mira, but I actually need him for the rest of the night..." We all turned to stare at baba in confusion. 

"That's fine amu," she replied with a small, although I could tell she was upset the night was ruined. Heck, we were all upset. I for one, had been enjoying myself thoroughly and was glad to have a distraction from baba and Isaac.

But of course, they were both the ones to interrupt. 

With another salams, all three of them retreated to baba's office. 

And suddenly, I had an inkling feeling that something was going on. Something that wasn't good. 

"Excuse me," I said, two minutes later. I was fidgeting in my seat and wasn't listening in on the conversation that had continued after they left. 

I stopped just before baba's office and leant my ear softly against his door. I could hear some shuffling around, some movement of feet and clearing of throats before finally, baba spoke. 

"Salem, we need to intensify our security system." 

####