Zohra was really nervous as she spoke to her best friend Hannah. Her mother never did like it when she talked to her. She didn’t quite understand why though. Hannah was her best friend-her only friend infact.
It had been only a year since she came here from Afghanistan, it was a little too much to handle really. Making friends was especially hard for her when she spoke ‘funny’ around others and well was different from them. Hannah was very kind to her though, she talked to her and welcomed her into her house with open arms. Yet, mother didn’t approve.
Mother always talked of how this is just temporary, they will go back to their home soon. She talked of the beautiful fields, the hills and how fun it would be once they return. Initially, Zohra believed her ardently, but as time went by she felt her faith diminishing. She wanted to accept her fate and start here again, with Hannah and more like her. Yet, mother didn’t approve.
Maybe it was because, how Hannah didn’t wear hijab like a good girl should. Or how she didn’t pray like Zohra did. Zohra always wondered. Mother always ignored Hannah when she saw them in a room playing. She never spoke to her, never even addressed her directly. It was unsettling to Zohra. She’d tried asking mother why she blatantly ignored Hannah but was fearful of the consequences. Mother had always been her support, she adored all her friends back in Afghanistan. Hannah was a nice girl too. Yet, mother didn’t approve.
She still remembers the day it all started-vividly. Zohra was on her way home from school when the school bus suddenly exploded. Before, she could even comprehend what happened everything was black. When she finally woke up next, her whole life had been turned upside down. She was in a different country, in a hospital gown, her face was heavily disfigured and one of her legs had been damaged so much, it had to be amputated. She couldn’t believe anything that was happening to her.
She was terrified. She couldn’t understand a thing these foreigners spoke. She eventually realized that she was the foreigner here in a strange land far away from home. Apparently, Zohra had been lucky to survive the attack but needed immediate medical help. Some NGO, she couldn’t quite grasp the name, flew her here for further treatment and rehabilitation.
It was all too overwhelming; she wanted her mother. She wanted to go back to the way everything was before all of this. A few days in the hospital, a woman promised she would find her mother. A few days later she still hadn’t heard from her when she saw her mother by her side sitting on the chair. She couldn’t believe herself she had gotten at least her mother back.
Mother disapproved of a lot of things, her talking to anyone about her past and now Hannah. Despite feeling guilty about disregarding her mother’s instructions, she loved playing and reading with Hannah. The more she started liking this place and making new friends, the more aggressive mother had become. Now it had come to the point where she would get scars on a weekly basis. Simply, because mother didn’t approve.
The doctors around her grew concerned. They would keep monitoring her and for some reason didn’t believe anything when she talked about her mother. Zohra’s recent visit to the counselor were the most confusing. Why wouldn’t it be? That lady spoke outrageous things!
She said her mother didn’t exist. She said her mother already passed away in Afghanistan. She said what she presumed to be her mother was just a figment of her imagination. She said that Zohra was using her imagination to deal with all the pain. She said her mother never did hurt her, she was hurting her herself. She- This was just too much for her. What she said couldn’t be true at all! How could it? When mother was standing just beside the woman glaring at her!
It just didn’t make any sense. Surely, they wanted to separate her from mother somehow! As the lady droned on and on, her mother shushed her to keep quiet. She couldn’t make a scene here now. Mother surely didn’t approve.
As the lady finished with her talking, Zohra promised to take the prescribed pills. Zohra also promised her that she would talk to someone the next time she sees mother. She didn’t like faking promises but she couldn’t just tell her that mother was standing just beside her now, could she? Finally, the lady buzzed for help and a nurse helped her out to Hannah and her mom.
Hannah helped her into the car and her mother started driving back to their place. She knew she couldn’t take the pills, mother wouldn’t approve. She also felt really guilty fake promising Hannah’s mum that she would. She had been nothing but loving and caring to her since day one. At times, she really wanted to hug her and return her affection but she knew she couldn’t. Because just like with Hannah; Mother didn’t approve.
This was a relatively difficult piece to write and it was coming really long so I had cut it short. Anywho, thanks for reading, would love to hear feedback from you. Don’t forget to share though!!
Avid Procrastinator 