Our Space

Chapter 40

It was the weekend and Sami was with his father-in-law and Harris as they spoke of the house Uncle Irfan wanted to rent. After many calculations and advice from Harris, Sami was preparing for a nice surprise for Radia. They'd agreed that Sami and Radia could move into the house Radia grew up in, the one her family were going to leave. Sami knew how happy it would make Radia and he was so excited.

Sami got home a little while before Radia. He waited anxiously for her arrival but when she came, he immediately sensed something was off. At first she was really quiet. Sami kept asking what was wrong and finally, Radia gave in and told him.

"I had a fight with your dad," Radia said, avoiding eye contact as she sat at the edge of the sofa, hugging a cushion.

"My dad?" Sami asked, his eyes widening in shock. He sat close to her, trying to figure out what was going on.

"Yeah. He's very angry."

"How?" Though Manahil used to get rude to him often, their father never got angry at her.

"People get defensive when you open their eyes to their errors and then their egos make them lash out. When I pointed out your mum's errors to her, she was full of remorse. But your dad... I think he hates me now."

"What exactly happened? I didn't even know you went to see him!"

"I said I needed to talk to him so I met up with him. I asked him if he's close to you or Manahil and he said he isn't. When I asked if he wished he was closer, he shrugged. His indifference was annoying my so much that I snapped and I asked him if he knew the pain he was causing his kids. Then I told him what the counsellor said about your disorder and I told him I blame him for it and he snapped at me and said I should butt out from your family issues. Then I told him I've become closer to you within months than he has in his lifetime and anything that affects you affects me. Then I stupidly brought up his second wife and he said she's his escape from this burden of a family. I stomped out after that."

Sami put his head in his hands, trying to make sense of what was going on. He'd always imagined his father as a stranger who was reluctantly related to him by blood. Someone indifferent to whatever he did. But never had he imagined that he would shout at Radia.

"That sounds very out of character."

"It was totally my fault he lost it," Radia admitted. "I'm so sorry. I provoked his anger."

"Why would you do that?" Sami asked, feeling anger begin to bubble up inside of him. Things were rocky with his father as it was. But at least they were civil. Now things would be much more awkward.

"I was trying to help you!"

"Help me? By fighting with my dad?"

"On your behalf."

"Well I don't need you to fight my battles for me, Radia. How am I ever going to face him again?"

"Well excuse me for trying to fix your problems," Radia said defensively.

"When did I ever ask for you to fix my problems?"

"I'm trying my best here. I'm putting all this effort in for your sake and this is the thanks I get?"

"Oh yeah, thanks. Thanks for making things worse between me and my dad."

"Don't get all sarcastic with me, I don't see you doing anything about it."

"What do you want me to do? There's nothing that can be done. He said it himself we're a burden so why try and make his life more difficult by forcing him to build a relationship with us? It's too late now." Sami turned away from Radia, rubbing his eyes as he tried to make sense of the situation.