52 WEEKS✔

Chapter Five

A good parent is one who can call you out on your shit no matter how much you're loved,  one you can feel free to tell your woes and trust enough to make you feel better if not make your problem go away.  A good parent is one who draw you close to Allah,  teach you the deen, tell you about the challenges of life, the goodness and badness of the world,  to prepare you for the worst,  make you your own super hero, make you strong,  independent and a good citizen of the community and above all love you selflessly for any love that ain't selfless that ain't love but something else.

Rufaidah realised all that during their daily lessons,  yaya Shams doesn't have to use the big brother card on her because she's an eager  and willing student.  Had he known that what his little sister want is love,  he'd have given her all the love his heart is capable of giving. She  is still bitter and angry at their parents, the maids are seeing a new side of her royal highness now that she has something other than barking orders at them. She hardly call them or make them do anything which isn't part of their job description,  she is no longer feisty and since she's a neat freak they don't have any problem with cleaning her mess.

She is laughing and crying at the same time while watching midnight sun, an American movie of a girl, Kate who has a rare disease called XP, she has been in love with Charlie right from young age but didn't get to meet him until the night of their high school graduation since she can't go out during the day except at night. She usually go to the train station to sing with her guitar and that's where they first met. She didn't tell him about her condition because she wanted to be more than just a disease to him. They stayed late on their first date loosing track of time and she got exposed to the sun which led to her death after making a song titled charlie's song for him which becomes a blockbuster after she was gone.

Wiping her eyes and closing the laptop Rufaidah turned to the maid that has been waiting for her for almost thirty minutes to tell her the reason why she summoned her.

"Oups sorry please,  I was totally into this movie I forgot that you are here" she apologized with a small smile while the maid stood rooted unable to say anything because for all the years she has been working in the house this is the first time Rufaidah talk to her nicely including an apology.

"it's okay ma'am,  what is it that you need to be done for you?" She finally replied,  not wanting to rile her up.

"Do you know how to plait?  I'm tired of untangling this bird's nest" she asked, propping her legs.

"Yes, which style do you want me to do for you? " came the maid's enthusiastic reply.

Rufaidah brought out her hair cream, cutting comb and hair brush " Take it easy okay? I haven't plaited my hair in two years" she warned,  wincing at the slight pain she felt the moment the maid touched her hair.

The maid took extra care as if she's plaiting a new born baby's hair, they were silent for almost thirty minutes before Rufaidah asked of her name.

"Ummi" the maid replied,  she thought Rufaidah's apology is the surprise that will last her a life time but she's wrong.

"That sounds more like a nickname than a real name, what's your real name?" She prodded.

"I don't know ma'am, I lost my parents when I was very young, my aunt took care of me until she no longer want me so she sends me here to work and she never told me my real name or anything about my late parents" she narrated sadly.  Rufaidah turned to look at her,  she can't be more than 16years of age and she has seen so much already.

"Have you ever been to school? "

"I used to go to islamiyyah but not anymore,  I have never been to a conventional school" Rufaidah nodded in understanding,  different thoughts running through her mind,  she thought she is the only one with problems,  that no one is going through worse than what she is going through but she's wrong,  she should be thankful to have all the luxuries of life at her disposal.