Tears of Zubaida.

•••••TEARS OF ZUBAIDA••••• •••Chapter Twenty-four•••

Ruqayyah sighed for the nth time, impatiently tamping her feet on the tiled floor of the living room, eyeing the wall clock that was perched perfectly just above the television.

The time seems to be moving very slow for her, it was only 4:48am and she's impatiently waiting for 9:00am. Albeit she has this anxious feeling, she just couldn't be any less excited.
After four years, she's finally going home.

She pressed the cold water button of the dispenser and watched as the cup gets filled with water, many thoughts began to cross her mind. She just couldn't wait to set her eyes on her home, the comfort she feels when she's there is nothing compared to what she feels here. Although she keeps wondering if she will still find that peace and calmness she feels in the very building at Wardanga about five years ago.
She snuggled her feet on each other as an unwelcoming coldness brisk over them, that was when she realized the cup had filled to the brim and began to pour while she was lost in her own thoughts. She picked it up and quickly gulped it down.

She impatiently hissed again at the clock after seeing that it was just an addition of three minutes hitherto to the former time.

Baraka walked into the living room wearing a hijab with a rosary held in her right hand.

"Ruqayyah," she begin, "I can see you're so excited, and eager. Why don't you go and utilize the hours before the time we are to leave. It's almost time for fajr, why not go and perform some nawafils?" Baraka suggested.

"Alright, I'm so eager, I can't wait already." She sighed. "Will father believe it's me or just an imposter?" She questioned Baraka.

"There are a lot of resemblance of him on your face, they are more than enough to make him justify you are his daughter."

"He believes I'm dead." She sighed.

"And if he sees you now, he will realize that he made a mistake and should have let you lived." Baraka smiled.

There was a comforting silence that followed, right on cue, the call to prayers was heard. They all waited until Adhaan was over before Ruqayyah spoke again.

"Tell me about Zaliha. Don't I have any of her features?" Ruqayyah blatantly asked.

"Zaliha is your mother..."

"I know Zaliha is my mother." Ruqayyah stated.

"That's all I know about her too, why not ask your father when we've reached there." Baraka suggested.

"That's not a bad idea too, but I don't want him to know it's me."

Baraka just shook her head and left to pray.

The drive was a silent and smooth one to Wardanga, Baraka had filled the booth with a lot of gifts to present to Zainaba and their own relatives.
A ping from Ruqayyah's phone made her lazily opened her sleepy eyes. It was a text from Aleeyu asking how the trip is. She smiled and typed a reply to him, she was about to press the send button but decided against it.

Let him not think I've been anticipating his text. She thought.

She then decided to wait until she has reached Wardanga before she replies him. Her phone started vibrating which she quickly muted.

She sent him the reply immediately the call went off and added with she's with her aunt she can't pick his call.

Ruqayyah's lips etched into a broad smile, she has missed a lot of things in Wardanga, the roads are very good compared to the last time she has seen them. Even the secondary school she attended was rebuilt as it was indicated on the signboard. Her favorite place where her friend fries tofu at night, was also no more.