NOORIE (Editing)

Chapter 41

"Someone is here to see you." Habiba said, walking into Noorie's room.

"Who is that?" Noorie asked,not taking her eyes off the book she was reading.

"I don't know her. She just requested to see you ." Habiba replied.

"I am coming." Noorie said and close the book. She came back to her grandparent's house last week.

6months have passed since Mahmud died. Noorie have been staying with Mahmud's parent since he died. His mum insist she comes back home last week. She doesn't want to be selfish by keeping Noorie in her house.

Noorie wore her hijab and went downstairs to see her guest.

"Assallamu'alaikum." She muttered,walking into the living room.

"Wa'alaikum sallam." The lady replied. She was holding a small boy.

"I don't think I know you. Is there a problem?" Noorie asked and sat down on a couch.

"I want to tell you something." The lady replied,staring at Noorie.

"What is your name?" Noorie asked. She was getting uncomfortable with the way she was staring at her.

"My name is Nafisa and this is my son,Mahmud. I named him after his father." Nafisa explained to a confused Noorie.

"Mahmud?" She asked,unsure. Why will the lady tell her she named him after his father?

"Yes. I am very sorry Noorie. I heard Mahmud is dead and I can't keep living with this guilt. I always wanted to tell Mahmud about this boy,but I didn't get to tell him." She explained with her glistening eyes.

"I don't understand you. What are you saying?" Noorie asked. Confusion was written all over her face. What is this woman saying?

"This is Mahmud's son." Nafisa deadpan.

Noorie was shock to hear this. Mahmud was never married so where did this come from?

"I am sure you are mistaken. Mahmud is my husband and he is dead. Maybe you should check the next house. I am sure you are in the wrong house. Please you should leave." Noorie was sure the woman was lying. How can the boy be Mahmud's son?

"I am in the right house. I swear I am not lying. This is Mahmud's son. I wanted to tell him about his son. I called him that day he had an accident. He was on his way to see me when he had that accident." Nafisa explained,sobbing. She regrets everything she did.

"How?" Noorie asked,staring at Nafisa.

"Let me explain how everything happened. Mahmud didn't know I was pregnant. He was not even at fault." She wiped her tears and continued. "We went to the same university with Mahmud. He was every girl's dream. I really loved him back then,but he doesn't even talk to girls. His sister was a psycho. She doesn't want to see anyone near Mahmud. She made sure he never got close to anyone in school." Noorie stared at her unable to say anything.

"I did everything to make him notice me. I was even willing to change my bad ways because of him,but he keeps ignoring me. I decided to tell him about my feelings one day. I told him how I felt about him and do you know what happened?" She asked,wiping away her tears. Noorie didn't answer her. She just stared at her.

"Anisa humiliated me. She called me all sort of names. I became a laughing stock in the school. She called me a prostitute. Random numbers will call me telling me all sort of nonsense. They will tell me to spend the night with them. Do you know how I was ridiculed in school? I felt like killing myself. The humiliation was too much. So I decided to ask my friends for help." Nafisa positioned the boys head on her lap. The boy was already dozing off.