How Love Happens - Chapter 13

 

Haifa stared at her mother, her mind still trying to grasp the gravity of the situation. It was hard since sweat dripped down her back, yet she felt oddly cold. Her heart hadn't stopped its increased pounding, and her hands felt numb. She felt lightheaded.

Everything she had planned and executed for the last month was ruined, down the drain as they say. If her mother knew what her intentions were, she clearly had no leg to stand on anymore.

“But… how?” she asked.

“You are my daughter, I have raised you and cared for you before you knew how to do anything yourself. I knew your habits and needs before you knew them. I knew you would be rebellious once I made the decision to come here. I also knew something was brewing in your head the way you kept quiet. Besides, you still have most of your belongings in the boxes they arrived in.” Her mother said, almost gently. “I knew you would try something.”

She blinked at the details her mother had noticed, details only she could have known. The hard fact dawned on her that she had underestimated her, the strongest woman she had known. Haifa cursed at her own mistake. Mamma was never a fool; she had taught Haifa everything and had battled through life with the strength of a warrior. Where anyone else would have given up, Nasreena had the courage to stand up regardless.

And she had managed to go through such hardship only with her strength and intelligence. Haifa had no chance of pulling the wool over her eyes. Maybe she should have tried harder or made a different plan. Suddenly, her thoughts shifted. Her brows furrowed.

“If you had known what I was doing, why did you let the argument escalate at Uncle Zuhair’s house? Why didn’t you stop me like you did just now?”

“I have been waiting for an opportunity to have that argument for a long time,” she replied. “Zuhair had such bad suspicions, and it had been rumored all over the island. No one had the guts to say anything or ask me directly if it was true or not, not even Zuhair himself. It felt invigorating to finally clear the air and give him a piece of my mind. You did me a favor there, to be honest.”

“But you seemed so sad afterward.” She said bewildered.

“I had to appear sad for you, obviously. I didn’t want you to think talking to any of your family, especially anyone older than you, like I did was the right decision. You had to know it wasn’t the way we should treat our relatives, no matter how much they might have deserved it.” She cocked her head. “Besides, I wanted to see how far you would go next time.”

“Why would you want me to continue?” Haifa asked, still confused.

Her mother did not reply right away. She seemed to be thinking about how to reply, which concerned Haifa more than she realized. Suddenly, this whole thing was starting to feel like it was a setup. Like her mother had masterminded something, and Haifa had unknowingly played along as she had planned.

“Mamma,” she said, her voice low, yet the questions it held were pretty loud.

Nasreena took a breath, “I knew you would try your methods to manipulate me to change my mind once we came to Vavathi, but I had no idea this was your plan. I was happy you were as predictable as I assumed. I let you continue with your charades because that was what I was counting on.”

“I needed your focus on me, to use your brain in various ways to change my mind. So that your focus was no longer on Aseel. You needed to get out of your head for a second to realize what a miserable life you would have if you stayed with him. What you called love wasn’t healthy. It is destructive.”

Her fear began to disappear as a new feeling began to build in its replacement. Anger began its nasty coils around her as she realized what her mother had done and why. Her jaw clenched, her hands fisted.

“All of this was so you can keep me away from Aseel? So I would forget him?” she asked.

“Your relationship with Aseel is toxic. He is the worst kind of human, and you were part of the problem. You were an enabler. You let him take advantage of you.”

Her voice began to rise, “And what gives you the right to control my life? To choose whom I should love?” she spat, “Why didn’t you just tell me this before, Mamma? Why do you have to manipulate me to do what you want?”

“I have told you, so many times, I sat you down and talked to you when he came back a second time. But you were not ready to listen to me; you did not hear what I was telling you,” She said.

“So this was your solution?” Haifa asked in disbelief.

“I did what I thought was best for you. Aseel is arrogant and self-centered and has no respect for you. Love is not possible without respect for each other,” she said quietly, observing the anger on her daughter's face. “You are as bad as him. You don’t love him either; you just love that he is handsome, wealthy, and has status in Male’.”

Haifa’s eyes stung with angry tears, her lips quivered.

“Dharifulha, I'm sorry I am hurting you. But I had to resort to extreme measures because I cannot get through to you any other way,” her mother’s face softened, and she reached out to her daughter, “I cannot let you spend the rest of your life with him. You have so much love to give, and you could have someone much better, someone who would return your love.”

Haifa stepped back, her throat clogged, and she couldn't form her words. She shook her head as her mother tried to comfort her. "No," she said, putting more distance between them.

"You will not choose whom I will be spending my life with. Your control over my life is over. You didn't think I could live on my own; I will show you. I am leaving you and this island the first chance I get." With that, Haifa turned and walked away blindly.

***

The island was a vision of perfection. The sun shined brightly, but its light was not as harsh as it was at noon. In the evening breeze, the trees swayed gracefully, their leaves glistening in various shades of green. Despite the natural beauty surrounding her, Haifa couldn't appreciate it. Her overwhelming emotions had clouded her ability to see the beauty in everything, even on such an evening.

She didn't have a specific destination in mind; she just kept walking, her anger overshadowing all other emotions. Right now, she had no intention of returning home, especially in case her mother had gone back there. Nor did she want to see anyone she knew.

After walking for a long time, she decided to veer off the road and follow a narrow path that led to the beach. As she approached, a refreshing, cool breeze enveloped her, a stark contrast to the inland heat. Before her, the ocean stretched out like a tranquil, velvety song, its waves rolling in rhythmic harmony.

The sky above was clear and very blue, with only a small cluster of clouds forming on the distant horizon. The beach was a pristine white, shimmering like every other island in the country, and the sea itself was a beautiful turquoise, appearing as though it could rejuvenate anyone who dipped into its inviting waters.

A few families had already set up along the shoreline, but Haifa continued to walk until she found a quiet spot far from the nearest company. She eventually halted, standing just a few feet away from the gently lapping waves, and then sank down onto the soft sand.

Sitting there on the beach, Haifa pulled her knees up to her chest and hugged herself tightly. Throughout her life, her mother had been her rock, the person she trusted above all others. She had never imagined a day would come when she felt so manipulated by the woman she held in the highest regard.

Betrayal, loneliness, and emptiness washed over her like crashing waves. She berated herself for allowing this manipulation to happen. She knew her mother so well, and yet she had fallen for it.

Her mother understood the depth of Haifa's love for Aseel, knowing he meant everything to her. Despite this, she had made the choice to separate them. She claimed Aseel was toxic, which Haifa vehemently believed was far from the truth.

Aseel had never been toxic to her; he had loved her deeply. And called her an enabler. Her mother's controlling nature seemed to have clouded her judgment and words. Haifa shook her head, grappling with the fact that the person she had trusted above all others had orchestrated this heartbreak.

Haifa had always been aware of her mother's dislike for Aseel, but she never imagined it would escalate to this extent. For the first time in her life, she felt a deep sense of resentment toward her mother.

Mothers were supposed to be protectors and caregivers, not manipulators who used their children. Her mother had manipulated her, exploiting her knowledge of Haifa's vulnerabilities to control her life. It was a blatant betrayal, and Haifa refused to tolerate it any longer.

Her mother had underestimated her, assuming that Haifa lacked the courage to leave or to thrive independently in Male'. She was determined to prove her mother wrong. Haifa had made her decision, and she knew exactly what she needed to do.

Haifa took out her phone and dialed Aish's number, deliberately ignoring the missed calls from her mother.

"Hey, what's up, girl? How did the plan go?" Aish's cheerful voice came through, but Haifa's anger remained unabated. She had informed Aish in the morning that she was going through with the second phase of their plan today, so she must have assumed Haifa had called her to report another success.

"Plans have changed. We're going with Plan B," Haifa informed Aish.

"Plan B? I didn't know we had a Plan B," Aish responded, sounding surprised.

"We didn't, but things have changed," Haifa began, taking a deep breath. She proceeded to recount the incident to Aish, explaining the altered circumstances.

Aish didn't respond immediately. Haifa knew she sided with her mother when it came to Aseel, she had been very vocal about it before. However, Haifa had not called her to side with her mother today, she needed her friend.

"Tell me about the plan," Aish asked in a measured tone. Haifa breathed a sigh of relief, how she treasured once again Aish's understanding of what she wanted. Aish was a true friend, the kind who always had your back no matter what.

Haifa quickly filled her in about the photo competition, careful not to mention Zishan's name. That was a complication she would have to deal with herself.

Aish whistled, "A hundred grand? That's a whole lot of money," she said.

"Yes, enough to cover the rent and deposit, maybe even a few months' worth," Haifa replied.

"It's a good plan. What's the catch?" she inquired.

"The winners are only announced after three months, so I have to stay here for that long," Haifa said, a hint of sadness in her voice.

"Oh no," Aish sympathized. "But hey, we can't focus on the worst part. Let's concentrate on the bright side, right? Just three months, and you'll be home free, baby," she exclaimed happily.

In spite of herself, Haifa grinned. “Yeah, just three months”

After ending her call with Aish, Haifa briefly debated whether she should move in with Uncle Zuhair's family, just to spite her mother. However, she quickly pushed the thought away, realizing she couldn't be that mean to her mother, no matter what she had done to her.

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