Zeenat's P.O.V
We prepared the table for lunch because my aunt Amina was coming over today. We had not seen her for sometime now and she also was the closest family member to us and I will also be forever grateful to her for everything she has done for us especially when I was pregnant with Layla.
"Hello everyone" I shifted my gaze to see if it was aunt Amina who entered as I put down the plate on the table. I immediately rushed to her and engulfed her in a hug.
"how are you my dear"she asked as she released me from her embrace.
"fine aunt"I answered smiling."isn't that Layla"she asked looking very surprised at the little girl standing next to mother.
"yes, amina"mother replied smiling"let's go to the table now"mother said ushering aunt inside the house.
I really had so many things to thank this woman for. She had always got my back from day one. I still could recall when Layla was so sick as a child and we needed money for her medication. She had borrowed money from a friend of hers just to help me and that's one thing I will never forget. she is like my second mother.
"Layla, hope you don't give your mother much trouble like before again"she asked and Layla nodded smiling. Then aunt placed her fork down to continue talking "because I can still remember how zeenat will cry and be so sad because you wouldn't stop crying when you were little. You were quite a little stubborn baby"she said smiling.
"zeenat, how is everything"aunt asked looking concerned and I understood where she was going with this question.
"everything is fine aunt"I replied and then I and aunt exchanged glances with mother who was giving her a "that's not true" look.
We talked about random things and about aunt's new house and all. Since she had refused to re-marry after the death of her husband she lived alone. I and Layla packed the plates and then I washed them after we were done eating.
I sent Layla to her room to complete her homework and then I came back to meet aunt and mother in the living room.
"zeenat,you and your aunt can go to the balcony I have something to do inside"mother said standing up from the chair.
"the weather is nice today"I said putting my hands on the railings.
"yeah"aunt agreed "I see you're still giving that poor girl cold shoulders"aunt added after a few minutes.
"you know the joy of motherhood is not something every body gets to enjoy in their life. Remember I lost a child before but you know after I grieved for sometime God brought back joy to my face when your mother had you and when I had Khalid."she said, stopping for sometime.
"when your mother called that she just gave birth,i had rushed there then holding you in my hands for the first time I had tears in my eye. God had taken my first daughter for a reason and God made you a mother for a reason. He saw you worthy of such great responsibility and you should be grateful"
"but aunt, that same God didn't give me any means to take care of the baby he gave me. He made her dad leave before I was even able to tell him I was pregnant. He made me go through alot bringing up Layla. It was hard aunty and you know it. I cried night after night. Some days were bad and some were worse. I had no one to run to, no one to help me except you and mother" I explained as memories of those days flooded my thought.
"it's all a test my dear, everyone faces one problem or the other but what makes us different is how we fight our way through it and remain strong. My love, you have to reach out to God always because he is always ready to help. I hope there will be a time when you will look back at all this and be grateful that you didn't give up"aunt said
"aunt, i am just so stressed out and everytime I see her I just get so angry that I lose all control and wish she never existed. I don't even know how to love myself anymore not to talk of someone else"
"careful what you wish for zeenat, she is still your daughter no matter what happens. Don't let the poor girl suffer from a mistake that wasn't even her fault"she said feeling so worried now.
"The day Ahmed left me with her without bordering to come back, he already made me extend the hate to her" I said sadly
"You know all what you're saying is not the enter truth, he didn't even know about Layla"
"Mother I reached out to his mother countless times but she told me how Ahmed didn't want to talk or hear from me and was having a perfect life with his wife abroad"I explained
"I am sure you don't believe that woman because we both know her and how she is. Deep inside you, you know this isn't true" aunt said trying to convince me.
"If this isn't true then what else can explain why he didn't reach out and left out of the blues" I said
"I am sure there is a logical explanation for all of these. Something just doesn't feel right somewhere" Aunty said.
"Why are you even making excuses for him aunty" I asked curiously.
"The Ahmed you introduced me is nice, kind and different from how you're talking about him now" aunt said. I remembered how much she liked him the first time they met. Everyone always likes him. He was so lovable.
"People change aunty, people change" I said
This wasn't the first time we will be having conversations like this but like always the hate I feel still always overcomes the love I try to feel.
YOU ARE READING
BROKEN
Romance"I hate love"!!I screamed as tears streamed down my face and my voice echoed back. "I looked around me waiting to see if anyone was going to pass by. I looked back into the depths of the sea and I became so anxious as I held her out about to throw...
