With Love, Zayn✅

21.

"Mommy, what if I want to go home?" Little Zayn asked, staring at his mother with those tear filled eyes.

She smiled, leaning down to ruffle his hair. "Why would you want to go home?" She asked.

He simply shrugged. It was his first day in his new school, and he's about to start his primary three. His parents changed school for him, for reasons only known to them. But he didn't like it. He was never one to be conversant with others. He enjoyed his company, and that of the ones closest to him and no one else.

Opening up wasn't something he wanted to do. And being in a new school, he is obviously expected to open up and interact with others. But he hated it. So much.

He would much rather curl back into his room and stay there away from everyone else. It wasn't that evident then, but that was his SPD slowly resurfacing. Yet no one noticed it.

Then, his mother wasn't neglecting him. No, that started in the later years. If anything, he was mommy's little boy.

He was close to Kulsum then, but he was closer to his mother. Come to think of it, amongst the three siblings, she had always loved Ahmed more. Maybe, it's because the boy was the light that came to her at her darkest days, and so, she gave most of her love to him.

She sighed, when she saw him look down with a frown etched on his face. She didn't understand why he was feeling that way just about being in a school. "If you want to go home, just let your teacher know and she'll hit me up"

"But you don't pick up your calls Mommy"

She chuckled, shaking her head knowing though the boy is young, he's smart and right. At that moment, her husband was starting to indulge himself in politics and being the supportive wife she is, she indulged in it too. As such, she barely picks her calls and allows her PA to do so instead. And even then, she doesn't bother to get a follow up on who called and what message was left.

She thought about his words, then nodded; snapping her gaze to him. "Well then, I want you to memorize this okay? If you feel like coming home, just tell your teacher to call that number and I promise, I'll pick up and be there" She stated the eleven digits to him; making him repeat it a couple of times to make sure he gets it.

She was being honest when she said she will pick it up. That's her personal number that no one knows about, not even her husband. She has it with her and was hoping to use it only on special occasions.

But Zayn is the precious child she was willing to let in on that, even if he doesn't understand the importance of it.

He stated the numbers, grinning widely when he got it right.

Sh grinned back, her facial expression mirroring his. She then rose her hand up for a high five. "That's my boy" She muttered, when he clapped his small hand with hers. "Now tell me, who do you love the most?"

Zayn's grin was still plastered right across his face as if he was given candy. "You!" He exclaimed. "I love Mommy the most"

She then opened her arms, then pulled him into an embrace. "And Mommy loves you more. Always remember that Ahmed. Mommy loves you more than anything"

Lies. Lies. And more lies.

Zayn shook his head, tossing the phone on the table between him and Kamal as he stood up. "That's impossible" He muttered; eyes glaring at Kamal. "How can you even insinuate that? Do you even hear yourself? We're talking about Mama here, my mother...Kulsum's mother!" He hissed under his breath.