I Won't Forget
Chapter 9
Chapter 9
I waited for what seemed like eternity till a
beautiful woman with long, wavy black hair, olive skin, chocolate
brown eyes, and pearly white teeth answered the door. That was
Adam’s mom.
“Alisha?!” She seemed terrified to see me. That wasn’t exactly the type of reaction I wanted to get.
“Deena Aunty*!” I smiled and reached out to hug her. She hugged back. Then she pulled away after a couple seconds. I pulled away too, nervously.
“Umm…” I hesitated awkwardly.
“Alisha, Beti**, I don’t mean to be rude, but what are you doing here?” She asked, puzzled.
I explained to her how Mitchell got the tickets and we both came here secretly to get Adam and his family to come back to America.
“Alisha, Beta**, you shouldn’t be here right now. I need to call your parents as soon as possible. Once we set up these phone lines…”
“No. Please, Deena Aunty, Just let me talk,” I said, so she waited for me to continue, “I made a huge mistake. I was in shock because it was right when I found out about Liv and I shouldn’t have snapped at Adam… I didn’t mean anything I said and I’m really, really sorry because I shouldn’t have said it.”
“But you did say it, Alisha. You wanna know something?” she smiled sadly and brushed my hair off my cheek with her hand, “Adam doesn’t need to see you right now or anytime soon. He has his own things to worry about. Olivia Taylor was one of his close friends as well, and he is really going through a lot right now.”
“You mean… He doesn’t need to see me or doesn’t want to see me?” I said, with pools of water forming in my eyes.
“Both,” Deena Aunty said, “I’m sorry Alisha, you know I’ll always love you like a daughter, but it’s over now. Adam’s father got an amazing job here and all his family is here. He will be going to med school here and he’s preparing for college. It’s better if we all have a new start. You’ll go to Northwestern in the fall and then insha’Allah*** med school later on. Things will work out Alisha. So maybe you and Adam didn’t. But sometimes great things fall so better things can fall together.”
I was speechless. Of course, I disagreed. I loved Adam. I couldn’t picture the rest of my life without him. I looked her in the eye and tried to nod but I failed. I couldn’t help it, I started crying.
“Alisha! Oh, Alisha, don’t cry. It’s going to be okay.” she hugged me again.
“C- Can I at least see him before I leave?” I asked sadly.
“He isn’t home at the moment, I’m sorry. But I’ll tell him you said goodbye.” her tone told me that she wouldn’t pass on the message, but I was crying too much to fully acknowledge it at the moment.
“So go home now, Alisha. I promise won’t tell your parents about this but they must be worried sick. So go home and get back to your life. It’s summer, enjoy it while it lasts. Goodbye Alisha.” she smiled and wiped my tears.
I nodded and I knew I couldn’t get the goodbye out so I just gave her a sad smile and walked away on the stone walkway and through the gate. The cab was still there so I got in and told the driver to take me back to the hotel. After I got back in, I leaned my head on the back window and finally let all the tears fall.
* Deena Aunty- In India, Aunty is said after the name, not before.
** Beti/Beta- Hindi/Urdu for "daughter/child."
*** Insha’Allah- Arabic for "If it is God's will."
“Alisha?!” She seemed terrified to see me. That wasn’t exactly the type of reaction I wanted to get.
“Deena Aunty*!” I smiled and reached out to hug her. She hugged back. Then she pulled away after a couple seconds. I pulled away too, nervously.
“Umm…” I hesitated awkwardly.
“Alisha, Beti**, I don’t mean to be rude, but what are you doing here?” She asked, puzzled.
I explained to her how Mitchell got the tickets and we both came here secretly to get Adam and his family to come back to America.
“Alisha, Beta**, you shouldn’t be here right now. I need to call your parents as soon as possible. Once we set up these phone lines…”
“No. Please, Deena Aunty, Just let me talk,” I said, so she waited for me to continue, “I made a huge mistake. I was in shock because it was right when I found out about Liv and I shouldn’t have snapped at Adam… I didn’t mean anything I said and I’m really, really sorry because I shouldn’t have said it.”
“But you did say it, Alisha. You wanna know something?” she smiled sadly and brushed my hair off my cheek with her hand, “Adam doesn’t need to see you right now or anytime soon. He has his own things to worry about. Olivia Taylor was one of his close friends as well, and he is really going through a lot right now.”
“You mean… He doesn’t need to see me or doesn’t want to see me?” I said, with pools of water forming in my eyes.
“Both,” Deena Aunty said, “I’m sorry Alisha, you know I’ll always love you like a daughter, but it’s over now. Adam’s father got an amazing job here and all his family is here. He will be going to med school here and he’s preparing for college. It’s better if we all have a new start. You’ll go to Northwestern in the fall and then insha’Allah*** med school later on. Things will work out Alisha. So maybe you and Adam didn’t. But sometimes great things fall so better things can fall together.”
I was speechless. Of course, I disagreed. I loved Adam. I couldn’t picture the rest of my life without him. I looked her in the eye and tried to nod but I failed. I couldn’t help it, I started crying.
“Alisha! Oh, Alisha, don’t cry. It’s going to be okay.” she hugged me again.
“C- Can I at least see him before I leave?” I asked sadly.
“He isn’t home at the moment, I’m sorry. But I’ll tell him you said goodbye.” her tone told me that she wouldn’t pass on the message, but I was crying too much to fully acknowledge it at the moment.
“So go home now, Alisha. I promise won’t tell your parents about this but they must be worried sick. So go home and get back to your life. It’s summer, enjoy it while it lasts. Goodbye Alisha.” she smiled and wiped my tears.
I nodded and I knew I couldn’t get the goodbye out so I just gave her a sad smile and walked away on the stone walkway and through the gate. The cab was still there so I got in and told the driver to take me back to the hotel. After I got back in, I leaned my head on the back window and finally let all the tears fall.
* Deena Aunty- In India, Aunty is said after the name, not before.
** Beti/Beta- Hindi/Urdu for "daughter/child."
*** Insha’Allah- Arabic for "If it is God's will."
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