DESTINED TO BE HIS GARMENT

chapter 24

Her face was full of anticipation as well as frustration as much as her heart was filled with anxiety and uncertainty. What she was about to do would bring about two things. It was either she angered or saddened her mother-in-law or she hears good but surprising news. The conversation she was about to trigger was a sensitive one. But knowing her mother-in-law, she would hardly show her unhappiness about it all. And that was her motivation to go ahead and ask her a set of questions that seemed to be bugging her mind. Ever since the revelation, she hadn't been able to have a quiet time with herself without thinking about it.

She had always been a witness to the unhappiness in Mrs Fatima's face, and being the Samira that she was, she had asked A.J about it even before they got married. She had accused him of being the source of his mother's unhappiness. And that had also brought about an admission she had been shocked at. He had a sister they didn't know was either alive or dead. His mother was always in deep thoughts. And every effort they had made to find his sister had proved futile. He had been sad himself as he narrated everything to her.

Samira was frantically biting her fingers in hesitation. She didn't know how to begin the conversation as her mother-in-law sat right beside her in their living room. Ever since, their visit to Najwa's house and the striking resemblance she saw in them, coupled with the doubt she had always had about Najwa and Salma's  relationship, plus the longing she always witnessed in her mother-in-law's eyes anytime she was around Najwa her doubts had deepened and gained intensity. She had always thought Salma and Najwa did not look one bit alike. Nor did she look like any of her parent in any way. But she had kept her reservations to herself. Not wanting to voice it out to cause any problem. But after seeing Mrs Fatima and Najwa together, it had cemented her doubts about Najwa's origin. And her urge to ask more questions and get her curiosity satisfied was increasing. She couldn't ask Najwa such questions because from the look of things, Najwa herself was unaware about it all. And so she thought she wouldn't be in the best of position to give her any answer.

A lot of things were running through Samira's head. She did not know the best approach to use in order to commence a conversation. Being the person who usually did not beat about the bush, it was becoming extremely difficult for her to device an approach which will not get her mother-in-law offended but which will get her questions answered.

"Mother, is Najwa your long lost daughter?" Samira blurted out all of a sudden. Being as straight forward as she could be.

The older woman was beyond baffled at Samira's pronouncement. She had wanted to pretend not to have heard her. But she couldn't do that. Not when she was sitting right beside her and had heard her loud and clearly. She knew Samira was a blunt person, but she had never imagined the girl could be so blunt with her as well.

Mrs Fatima peeped towards her son's bedroom and towards the kitchen so as to be sure he was no where around to have heard what Samira asked. But Samira's husband was currently in their bedroom working tirelessly. She had stepped out and left him alone because she didn't want to disturb  him before joining g her mother-in-law in the parlour. But hopefully he was out of ear shot because of how busy he had been.

Mrs Fatima took Samira by the hand and dragged her towards her bedroom in haste. She did not let go of Samira's hand even after they sat on her bed upon getting inside the room. Rather, she took her other hand in addition. The older woman was beyond astonished at Samira's finding. She wondered how Samira found out but her son still knew nothing at all.

"How did you find out?" Mrs Fatima questioned. Her surprise had not disappeared one bit at Samira. The girl was just a genius

"It's just that she looks so much like you. Unlike Mr Abubakar and his wife as well as Salma." Samira explained calmly. But the elder woman smiled lovingly at her and proceeded to ask more questions in order to know exactly what was running through her daughter-in-law's mind.