As Ouahib arrives in town , carrying the weight of a family that has weathered hardships, including parental separation, and the lingering echoes of a once vibrant home, he embarks on a new beginning, yearning for a different chapter.
In contrast...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Alhamdolilah! At least our apartment is now done and we can move around without stumbling over a box or the same.
As usual I did my morning routine: wake up, make wudhu, pray farj, change my clothes, pack my bag with the books and stuff I need for the day, help if needed - Help is always needed by my sisters - and then walk to school or first drop my sisters then the latter.
But today Yemma dropped us.
"Weldi, how have the first weeks of school been?" She asks after I get into the car after dropping the twins in their kindergarten. (Son)
Now we were heading to my school.
"Alhamdolilah everything is good for now" I reply looking at her while she focuses on the rode.
"Ouahib you sure you don't need extra classes?" She asks in a worried tone.
I sigh. I know what she wants to say.
"Yemma I know this is my last chance." I start. "I know I can't repeat this year if I fail. I know that if I fail this time I'll be standing there witout my A-Levels." I speak very well aware of what situation I'm in.
Yes I failed the last year of A-Levels. This is my second and last chance and I can't fail this time.
"Okay but please tell me if you feel it's getting too much, wakha?" She asks briefly looking me and then again at the road. (Okay?)
"I will" I respond.
After a short pause she again starts "Ouahib there is something else I want you to consider"
This time I don't have any clue what she's talking about.
"What is it Yemma?" I ask turning to look at her tensed face.
"Weldi we've been through a lot in the past years. Especially you were affected much and the result we've already seen. Your studies suffered." She states a fact of matter.
I sigh "I know Yemma. What else?" I ask.
"Your health. Not only physically you've lost weight but also your mental health was affected." She replies with unshed tears glistening in her eyes.
"Yemma, I'm fine" I state.
"Ouahib" she says in a firm voice and pulls over a little further away from school.
"Weldi I know you. I've raised you. You were this happy child who loved football and his family. But as life is, Allah takes away things from us to test us." She says holding my hand in hers and turning so that she's facing me. I also turn a little.
"Yemma, please I'm growing so I changed how many other change too. You grow and change just like I'm not the bubbly Ouahib anymore." I say in a low voice.
"But this isn't just growing and changing, please Ouahib believe me when I say it" she pleased.
"I've my whole medical career behind me, that I'm not a doctor doesn't mean that I don't know what my patients need and you are my son after all." She says trying to convince me.
