LIMITLESS

Chapter XXII

"What do you mean, abo?" Rayan asked, her heart racing.

"You lied to us?" Omar asked.

"You guys were so young. I just didn't want to kill your spirits."

"What is the truth?" Rayan asked.

"Your mother ran off with another man. She told me that she was leaving to see her sister and never came back. Her sister eventually contacted me and told me the truth." Rayan's heart sank to her stomach. For years, she had looked up to this woman that she knew nothing about. She had dreamed of having a mother that loved her unconditionally. Someone that would understand her better than Omar or her father did. But her mother was nothing like what she imagined. Disappointed would have been an understatement to describe the way Rayan was feeling.

"You're lying." Omar shook his head. "Hooyo would have never done that."

"Omar, I can't make this up." their father assured them. "Trust me, I begged her for years. I begged her to come back, I begged her to come and take you guys. Not because I didn't want you, but because I know that children need their mother. I tried everything. Her only response to me was that her new man didn't want children in his life that weren't his."

"She was that selfish?" Rayan asked. "She never called, she never visited. She might as well have been dead. I just wish that I didn't waste all of this time feeling bad for her. As far as I'm concerned, she's still dead to me." Rayan sighed. This hurt, but she understood why her father hid it from her and Omar for so long. Her life would have been much different if she had known. She would've been sad, she would have felt unworthy, and she would have grown up angry. 

"I hope that you guys don't hate me for this." their father said innocently. "My intentions were good. I promise. I worked hard and gave you two the best life that I could without her. Please forgive me."

"Is that why we were never allowed to talk to her family?" Rayan asked.

"Yes. I was mad at them too for not convincing her to come back for you guys. They barely even tried to help with you two. Believe me when I say that I was on my own."

"I appreciate you, abo." Rayan assured her father. She, of course, wasn't happy with her father for lying to her all of these years. But she could tell that her father felt terrible. She didn't want him to live the rest of his life with guilt. "Come here." she said to her father. He walked next to the bed and stood next to her. She wrapped her unhurt arm around him and gave him a hug. "I'm grateful that I had you in my life. You did an amazing job with us. Don't feel bad, please. Right, Omar?" They both looked up only to realize that Omar had left the room. 

"Where did he go?" her father asked, clearly worried.

"I don't know." she shrugged. "He's probably overwhelmed. Just give him some time." she told her father. Asad had came back into the room and looked at both of their faces.

"Is everything okay?" he asked. "What's going on?"

"I'll explain later." Rayan sighed.

"Omar just stormed out of here without talking to any of us. He looked pretty upset." he explained.

                                ...

"I've been meaning to ask you this." Hani said to Zaki. They were sitting in the apartment, talking. Her sister had gone to the grocery store and it was now just the two of them.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Why didn't you tell me who you were?"

"Who am I?" he asked, looking left and right.