DARKNESS  

Many things  were changed after divorce, sons’ behaviors altered, sad and puzzling   questions were asked by them, but, for their sake, he chose silence.   He did not utter a word in spite of all begings , he said nothing.   But he was    wounded through word, and look.  If he felt weakness, and started to close control to hide the truth, he entered   his room quickly, vomited  his sadness, wipes with trembled hands his tears, his nose, and his mouth.  Begings  have been altered into stings, that troubled him at his bed, rips his  loneliness,  silence, and awakes him up scared.  Finally before his Sons’ insistence, to know the truth, he preferred to take his things, and leave the house.

The house remained for some years after his leave populous, then the number of the family members decreased, his daughter has been married, and   nobody told him neither on her engagement’s day, nor  on her wedding day.   

Another one decreased the number, his young son, who traveled abroad to get a master’s degree.  Two  years passed before the eldest son got  married, during this period he continued repeating in the coffee shops, and houses, that he   got  married, to fulfill his mother’s desire.  Also, he had  built an appending for her, as she insisted in putting a barrier, to divide between the villa, in which he lived .  But, when her mother was asked, she swore , that she did not say, nor ask  him to do so.

After many years, the mother was transferred to the hospital, but, this in return evoked inside them a fact they neglected, that their mother is still a alive , then sons gathered to look into this matter

         Laila : Our mother’s case is so bad.

          Salem         : What are we going to do

          Laila           : One of us must take her to live with

          Salem         : Ahmed is the eldest

          Ahmed       : No, No I can’t I mean I

Laila           : Enough I, we, understood, what do you

                      mean,  and you

          Salem         : I wish I swear, that I wish, but my wife

                                will not accept

          Laila           : So, It is me, who remained

          Ahmed       : And you, your husband becomes upset ,

                                when she visits you.

          Laila           : Do you have other solutions

          Ahmed       : The appendant stills the best        

          Laila           : I said she is in deplorable  condition

          Salem         : Stop it I have a suggestion , that is to stay

                               in the  hospital 

          Laila           : And if she left it

          Salem         : It is simple, let us take her to aged house

          Ahmed       :Yes, but what a hard criticism we will

                               be exposed to from others

          Salem         : Yes, that is right, so, Laila you

          Laila           : Alas

In the hospital Laila walks to her mother’s room remembering her youth days, and her continuous love to perfumes, and toilet, lamenting what happened to her, and thinking at the same time to find a way by which she can persuade her husband to accept her mother to live with her.

She knocked the door, entered the room, kissed her mother’s   forehead, and said smiling.

          -        How are you

          *        Thanks to  God, you are getting better

          -        No it seems to be the end

          *        You will return to your house quickly

          -        I don’t think so, how is your brothers

          *        Ah, the bed can’t bear

          -        They always ask about you.

          *        Is it right

          -        Ok what about the house

          *        It waits your return back

-        And, what about cheeps, chickens, and the cat.

One night Laila was sleeping but she does not know what  was the time, she took the telephone receiver, then retreated, and called her brothers.

They went to the hospital, and found the mother in her room  gargling.  All realized then, that there is no way, and went out  asking  God to have mercy upon her.

DOHA - NOV. 1995

DOHA - NOVEMBER 1995
* It was published in Al-sharq Qatari newspaper in 15-3-1996