chapter 48

Chapter 4 

Arylan had her 18th birthday coming up. A can of adulthood and maturity knocking at her door. She would normally go camping on these days but this year she could not make it due to her hectic study routine at school with constant visits to the hospital. There wasn’t much that could be done, so a small intimate part was held with close family and friends, Tim had not showed up for the entire event and has been missing since Abdullahs arrival.

On the day of the party Arylan was met with more confusion when Abdullah came knocking on grandmothers door with a gift for her and disturbing news, news that turned her entire world into something else. A word she never thought that she could own.

“ here take this, ” Eric said handing her a chocolate 

“ no thank you.”

“ you haven’t eaten any junk food since your. Birthday part…you have to take this.”

Aidsn arrived and sat acrooa the both of them in the café, taking out the notes for class that day.

“ she’s still a mute?” He asks 

“ yes, unfortunately…how can he do that though.”

“ She told us not to talk about it, so Eric let’s zip the lips.”

“ I see, anyway you guys go ahead I need to get home my fathers back from Germany.”

Forget about talking to the boys, Arylan especially avoided her grandmother. She didn’t eat her food, or respond to her.

“We have 3 hours left, do you want another latte?”

“ no, I don’t want anything thank you.” 

“ noted. Your losing a lot of weight let’s have a huge meal before we get home?”

“ Theres no need Aiden.”

“ yes of course, some other time then.”

They sat across each other silently before heading home with the takeaways Aiden forcefully bought for her, on their way to the bus station she stopped, sighed before sqatjng down, burying her head between her knees. Aiden watched her, silently. You could hear silent sobs come from the broken teenage girl.

“ is she alive to?” she asks lowering her voice

“Who?”

“ my mother, is my mother alive…and my father.i mean if my so called grandfather is alive I’m sure they okay as well rright?”

He picked he up and sat her down near the bus stop. He handed her a tissue and a bottle of water “ I don’t know what you’ve been through as a kid, but I’m sure your parents are constantly thinking about you just as much as you are about them..twhy have their reasons.”

“ of course…I don’t blame them. I just wonder if they okay. Are they eating well, do they have a roof on their heads, do they have debt, are they happy. I have no grudge against them…grandmother is the best thing that’s happened to me and I wouldn’t change anything, in this life and the next.”

“ wow, normally teenagers would hate their parents for neglectjng and abandoning them, buts it’s funny how you’ve made peace with it.”

“ yeah, thank you for listening to me Aiden… I also apologise for my sour behavior since my birthday.”

“ don’t mention it, besides…theres no need to thank me you already do so much for me without realizing it.

After that night a new bond between the two was born. And Arylan could easily be herself again which meant forgiving her grandmother but still not responding to her grandfather.

Tim was put for almost a month, no one’s heard from him. No message left behind, no call, nothing. The old man left without a trace or clue. Abdullah still on his knees for Biels forgiveness.

“ I found you.”

“ walikumsalam to you as well old friend.”

“ drop the courtesy and tell me what do you want?”

“ can’t we have a drink with each other for old times sake?”

“ Tim, you’re wasting my time. I have better things to do, ” he said attempting to leave the room

“ but Andullah deary, don’t you want to ensure the safety of your daughter in law and your missing grand child?”

 Abdullah stormed over to the counter Tim was seated at, tossing his drink out of his hand.

“ Respect the dead.”

“ I killed them what do you mean?”

“ I protected them…I thought you’d have the heart to spare your kid as well but I was wrong,” Tim said receiving a new drink

“ your insane..theyre dead! Dead! 6feet down!”

Uncle Tim left the room with Abdullahs jaw dropped. You could see the ex-gangsters viens popping, and his entire body shiver in anger and fear.

The same Abdullah who looked his only kid in the eye as he took his life, the same Abdullah who counted the amount of limbs he collected in a week. Time knew all his weaknesses, he knew how to touch the finest nerve in the mans brain, he always pushed the correct buttons, Tim was feared by many, the only man that Abdullah secretly feared.