When Minal reached Home her mother was still busy packing. Like this, the packing would be finished tomorrow so Minal wouldn’t have much to do the next days when her mother would be busy, working in the hospital. Greta was a nurse and had a very demanding job. It wasn’t always easy to work as a nurse when Minal was still a baby and she had no partner to take care of her while having night shifts. But since Minal was old enough to stay home alone at night, Greta was again enjoying her job: It has always been her dream job, as she loved to help people and her current job at a newborn station she was totally fulfilled with her job. Seeing those tiny humans every day made her remember the time when Minal was this tiny and how much she had grown turning 18 in only a few days.
Greta didn’t plan to have only one child, in fact she wanted more than one baby. When she was together with Hamed, they were talking about the future and how they would have at least three children and live as a big and happy family. This dream didn’t came true and still Greta was never able to get over it completely. She never found a man that made her feel the way Hamed had and therefore she didn’t had any more children.
She knew that Minal would have loved to have a brother or a sister but she just couldn’t give her that and she felt sorry for it. Not being able to keep her father in her life and not being able to provide her siblings made Greta feel incredibly guilty and led her to spoil Minal to make up for the missing parts.
When Minal Greta got up to greet her and to invite her to drink some tea and have a chat. She knew she had promised to tell Minal about her father after her 18th birthday and she decided to start it now. Greta knew Minal deserved to know about her father and it was probably wrong to keep him from her, but she was scared. What would happen if Minal liked the way her father was living and decide to go and live with him.
Thinking of this option, Greta had made the decision to not tell her before Minal was old enough to make a right decision.
With 18 years, Minal was very grown up and acted very responsible. Greta was sure Minal was ready to handle the truth and to handle the contact with her father.
She knew were Hamed was living as they had contact every once in a while. When Hamed left, Greta promised to keep him updated about his daughter and to send him pictures of her regularly and she kept this promise.
At the same time both of them had set up an account for Minal where they both would save money for Minal every month. Hamed however always put more money in the account than Greta because he simply had much more money than she did, and at anytime, Greta was struggling to provide for herself and for Minal, he would send her some money to help out. The money they saved for their daughter would be a present Minal would receive on her 18th birthday.
Minal of course didn’t know about this and Greta didn’t plan to tell her about it before her birthday.
When mother and daughter sat down to drink some Arabic tea together, Greta noticed that Minal was much more cheerful than she had been for the last weeks.
G: “You look happy sweetie, did anything special happen?”
M: “ I talked to a friend after Erick canceled our date and I realized I shouldn’t be upset over him, I will break up with him!”
G: “Well you know I never like that boy very much, I think he didn’t treat you the way you deserve. So I am happy that you won’t be bound to him anymore. You will surely find someone who fits better to you.”
M:” Thanks Mom. So what did you want to talk about?”
Greta smiled, she knew her daughter wouldn’t let it slip and ask her why she wanted to sit down with her. Minal was very observant and hard to fool, a characterize Greta reminded of Hamed, who was exactly the same.
G:” I know I promised to tell you about your father when you turn 18. And seeing how there are only a few days left, I thought we can talk about him now. That’s if you want to?”
Minal locked at her mother in shock. She thought her mother had forgotten about her promise or would at least try to avoid this topic for as long as possible. The last thing she expected from her mother was to come to her and offer this conversation about her father.
M:” You know I would love to. I’m dying to know more about him since years. Please tell me about him.”
Greta took a deep breath.
This wouldn’t be easy for her, the feeling for Hamed had never completely died and every time she thought about him, she became sad.
But she knew she had to do this for the sake of her daughter, she owed her that much.
G:” Well your father was born and raised in a little city near Dubai. It’s located in the United Arabic Emirates. He has only 1 Brother, your Uncle Ameen, who lives in America with his family. Your father is still living in Dubai now with his family..”
Greta looked up at Minal to see her expression but Minal´s face was blank and didn’t show any emotion. She looked like she were daydreaming and that was what she was probably doing, daydreaming of her father and his life.
G.” Minal, I can give you his email or address so you can write him and talk to him if you want. He will be able to answer all the questions you have, much better than I could.”
Minal looked at her mother and smiled.
M: “ I would love that, I really wanna write him and know what he thinks of me and how he is living.”
Greta got up to bring a little book from her room. It was something she had never shown Minal before, but now it was time to let her know everything about Hamed. And for Greta it was the best chance she could get to finally make peace with her past.
She handed the little green book to Minal and told her :” I collected a lot of information about Hamed for you in this book so I wouldn’t forget anything important and so you could read it by yourself.”
Minal took the book and thanked her mother by giving her a hug and a kiss on the cheek.
M:” Thanks Mum, I m so happy you did this for me. I’ll go in my room to take some rest now, I m really tired after all what happened today.”
G:” Alright Darling, have a nice night. I won’t be here in the morning, my shift starts at 4 am and ill be back in the late afternoon tomorrow. Ill leave money on the kitchen counter if you need anything.”
M:” Night Mum.”
Minal went in her room, holding the book close to her as if it was the most precious item she owned. And it probably was. After all this book contained all the information, she was longing for and even the address to contact her father.
She just couldn’t keep the smile from her face while getting ready to sleep, knowing that once she would lay down in her bed she would not sleep but read as much as she could in her mother’s book.
Dressed in her pajamas Minal sat on her bed with the green treasure in her hands.
Reverently she opened the book and read the first site.
Minal Harold
Born 3.9.1990
In London/ UK
Daughter of
Greta Harold and Hamed Mohamed Sabr
Islamicly married on the 15.4. 1989 in London/ Medina Mosque
Islamicly divorced on the 9.1. 1992 in London
Mother:
Greta Harold
Born 25.7.1972
In Exeter/Uk
Father:
Hamed Mohamed Sabr
Born 14.6.1970
In Dubai/United Arab Emirates
“So they were islamicly married”, Minal thought to herself.
She always thought they had never gotten married and it made her happy to know that they actually married in front of God’s eyes even though they never registered their marriage anywhere.
“Medina Mosque” she read over and over again. She had heard this name before and was trying hard to remember where this mosque was located. She gave up as she realized she just couldn’t remember for now where it was. She would simply ask Anisa or Jennah about it, maybe they could tell her where this mosque was.
Mina yawned. She was tired from all the events that took place today, but she just couldn’t bring herself to close the book and sleep. How could she close it now that after years of waiting the information about her father were in her hands in this very moment?
She blinked her eyes a few times before turning to the next page.
After reading, about half of the next page Minal fall asleep, still holding the book firmly in her hands.
Her dreams were filled with oriental pictures of camels, sand and men with huge turbans. Her father, a faceless figure entered her dreams and welcomed his daughter home. It was a happy dream and when Minal woke up with a smile on her face, she was hoping that soon it would become reality.
As soon as she was able to, she grabbed the book again and started to go on reading where she had stopped last night.
The next few pages of the book were information about Hamed´s family, kind of like a family tree.
It included the names of his parents, grandparents and brother. They all were born in Dubai and Hamed was obviously the first one in his family to marry a foreigner.
His brother Ameen had married a girl from his country but had moved with her to America.
The Tribe of Minal´s father very well connected and her mother had written down that that was one of the reason why she and Hamed broke up.
The next page was a complete description of their breakup.
I was happy with Hamed and very much in Love. Little did I know that we were not to last. I knew of course about his origins, culture and religion.
But we were married islamicly so I thought through this we should get acceptance from his family.
However, when he contacted his family and told them that he had married me and that he had a 6 month old baby daughter.
Especially his Father was angry that Hamed had married a foreigner and even worse a non-Muslim. He had brought shame over his family with his deeds and they wouldn’t accept it.
Hamed didn’t have much money at that time and as a student he lived from the money his father would send every month.
Now that his father knew about us, he threatened Hamed that he wouldn’t send him anymore money and that he wouldn’t be his son anymore if he didn’t leave me.
Your father however stood strong against him and told his father he would come back to Dubai to solve this problems and he would move to Dubai with me and the baby.
When he explained me his idea to move to Dubai I was livid. I loved him with all my heart but I never wanted to move to a Muslim country whose language I couldn’t even understand. I didn’t wanted you to grow up there either so I told Hamed I would never move there and if he really wanted to go he would go alone.
We argued a lot after this and the happiness we had was gone.
Hamed told me he had to go back, his family was everything to him and he couldn’t abandon them forever. He wanted so much that I would come with him and live with him and his family.
But I couldn’t, no matter the consequences I just couldn’t leave my country and my family. So in the end we broke up when you were about 1.5 years old. The whole year from the time when he had told his family until he went back to Dubai we lived from very less money. Hamed´s family didn’t send us any money as they wouldn’t support our family. It was a hard time that probably was another reason why we didn’t stayed together. In the end he left and told me to take good care of you. It broke my heart to know he wouldn’t see you grow up, but what choice did I have?
I send him pictures of you every once in a while so he would know about his daughter. And he wrote me every now and than asking about you and how you are doing in your life.
I’m sorry sweetie that you had to grow up without your father, but you see there was no other way for me and him. I hope you understand and forgive both of us for our mistakes.
Minal wiped the tears away and laid the book aside.
It broke her heart to know how much her parents suffered and what they went through just because of their different nationalities and religions.
Why couldn’t Hamed´s family just let them be happy together?
At this point Minal made a oath to herself never to like Hamed´s family, even if they would act nice towards her now. In the beginning they were the cause that her life went like this!
When Minal entered the woman prayer room, she spotted Anisa right away.
Anisa was wearing a beautiful long pink dress with a brown jacket to cover her arms. The Hijab that covered her hair was brown as well but with a decent leopard print. Anisa was praying and Minal couldn’t help but think how gracious Anisa appeared while offering the Prayer.
When Anisa finished her prayer, Minal smiled at Anisa while walking towards her.
“ As salamu alaikum!” Anisa greeted her happily.
“Wa alaikum as salam” Minal answered her while being hugged by Anisa.
“How are you?” Anisa asked her warily. She could see that Minal had cried and she didn’t want to push her in any subject, so she wouldn’t feel sad again.
“I’m ok, just a little sad. But I feel much better after I had a little talk with Jennah” Minal answered her smiling, trying to hide the sadness that still lingered in her mind.
“ That’s nice, I always turn to Jennah when I have a problem I can’t tell my Mum. She’s great in giving advices! So, tell me, what’s going on?”
The two friends sat down, leaning against the wall of the plain room.
The ground was covered with a red carpet while the white walls had a few golden ornaments here and there but there was no furniture or pictures. Minal loved this place, it was a place of peace and simplicity for her. A place where she would forget all the troubles that were waiting for her outside the mosque.
“ Well I am mad at Erick but I’m not sure he knows that since I didn’t answer his SMS yet and I sure don’t plan on calling him anytime soon. Why do guys have to be so stupid, Anisa?” Minal had a questioning expression on her face while waiting for Anisa´s answer.
“Don’t ask me sweetie, you know I’m not dating. So I have no experience with this. I just pray that the man I will marry one day will love me, respect me and treat me well!” But if you ask me, Erick is no good for you! Just break up with him and you will feel better.”
Anisa knew that Minal still loved Erick and that it was hard for her to get away from him, but she genuinely thought it would be the best for Minal to break up. She never met Erick but since she knew, Minal she heard a lot of storied about him and she didn’t like at all how he treated Minal.
As a Muslim, she decided not to date and she would search for a husband when the time was right. Not someone who choose her for her looks or for her money. She want to marry a man who will love her personality and who will treat her right and she was sure a man who fear Allah/God would do that. He would treat her in a good way not only out of love to her but out of fear of the punishment he would receive after his death if he didn’t treat her in a good manner.
Anisa was sure that Minal didn’t thought the same as she wasn’t a Muslima, but still she deserved a man that respect her and who wouldn’t ignore her the way Erick did.
“I know Nisa, I think it’s useless to fight anymore, as much as I still love him. He just doesn’t change and I don’t want to be unhappy because of a man for this long time. Anyway lets just change the topic, he doesn’t deserve all this attention” Minal was smiling bright now as she was thinking of her father and that only a few days kept her from discovering his identity.
“ Its only 10 days until my birthday, I can’t wait to get to know more about my father. What you think which country he could be from? I mean the name Hamed shouldn’t be to much common right?”
“Its mostly used in Oman, the emirates, Saudia and Kuwait I think. At least that’s what my dad said. He said its not so common in Egypt and the other middle eastern countries. What do you wish where he would be from?” Anisa looked at her friend, wishing that the information Minal will get would be good and make her happy. She knew how devastated Minal would be if she wouldn’t be able to contact her father or if even worse he refused to talk to her.
“I don’t know. I haven’t been to any of these countries and I don’t know much about them anyway. Maybe Oman, I read a lot of nice things about this country, but than again I think people from there are said to be really conservative.”
Minal didn’t really have a preference about where her father could be from as long as he was a good person she didn’t care.
She was of course curious where he would be from, after all his nationality was also half of her nationality and it bothered her not to know this part of her identity.
She looked a lot like her mother with her blue eyes and light skin color, so no one ever asked her if she wasn’t 100% British. Minal was happy about that as she wouldn’t know how to respond if someone asked her where her dad was from. Only a few of her friends knew that her dad was actually from an Arabic country and that she doesn’t know much about him.
Erick was of course one of them and he didn’t understood why Minal wanted to get to know the man who left her and her mother when she was just a baby. He used to tell her that she shouldn’t try to contact her father in any way as it would just cause more pain.
But whatever people told her, Minal was certain to get in contact with her father as soon as her mother would give her the information she needed.
Anisa looked at Minal, worrying about her friend who had become very dear to her in the last few months. She felt for Minal like a sister and she felt sad whenever she saw that Minal wasn’t happy.
“ Well Habibti, we still have to wait a few days til we will know. So lets not waste our time with guessing. Tell me what will you do for your birthday?”
Minal thought for a moment before answering Anisa.
She hadn’t really planned much for her birthday as she wasn’t in the mood for it. But why not have some fun with her best friend’s? She could use something to brighten her moos and keep her mind from thinking of Erick.
“I didn’t plan anything till now. Any ideas?” Minal smirked.
“How about we just have a little girl’s party at your new place? Do you think everything will be ready before your birthday?” Anisa asked her.
“Well it should be alright until then. Lets make a list of things we will need” Minal felt happy thinking of having her best friends around her and just having a great time for at least one day. Of course, she wouldn’t invite Erick and she wouldn’t even ask him for a date on her birthday.
He had many chances to change and he didn’t so now she wouldn’t run after him anymore. She wasn’t 100% sure, if she would be able to stay away if he came back to her, but she would try. Minal knew it was the best to break up with him.
After 2 hours of making plans, Anisa and Minal decided to meet again the next day to go shopping. They had missed the Arabic course which Jennah held in one of the neighboring rooms but they had achieved to finish the major planning for Minal´s birthday.
After saying their goodbyes, Minal went back home to help her mother with the packing. She was in a much better mood than just a few hours ago and she had the positive feeling that her life would change for better now. After all, she was only 18 and had everything she could ask for, a loving mother, great friends, a decent home and many open possibility s for her future.
„Minal?...Minal! Stop day dreaming now, we have to get going. Its only 1 week until we move to the new flat and you know i wont have time to help you packing the next days, so come on!"
Greta looked at Minal with a worried expression on her face. Her daughters 18th birthday was just a few days ahead and since some time Minal seemed to be constantly sad and in bad mood. For all Minal told her it was because Minal finished high school and didn‘t really know what to do next. But Greta knew better than to just listen to Minal´s explanations, there was another reason, and its name was Erick. Minal´s long-term boyfriend, who Greta never like very much. She though of him as an arrogant and not very smart boy, but Minal was young and in Love so it was useless to tell Minal her opinion. Sooner or later, Greta was hoping that sooner or later they would break up and Minal would find a boy worth her time and affection.
But for now she had to get her daughter to stop looking out of the window and thinking about whatever and start to help her packing things. After all they had only 1 week left to pack everything so they could move to another flat.
Greta felt sad about leaving this flat which carried so many memories. memories that took place even before the birth of her precious daughter, at a time when Minal´s father was still with her and the happiest time of her life was taking place. But that is long ago she had top remind herself and its useless to think of these kind of things. The flat they would move to was much better situated and even cheaper.
Minal closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “Time to work and forget about him for a while” she told herself. She turned around and took a look at her mother who was currently packing some chandeliers in newspaper so they wouldn’t break on the way to their new flat.
“The new Flat” was quiete a term Minal didn’t like, she didn’t like at all to move away. She spend her whole life in this flat and even though she couldn’t remember him, she knew this was the place where she spend the first few months of her life with both her parents. That was before he left and before her mother decided to delete him from their life for good.
Of course Minal has tried several times in her life to get some information about her father, but her mother would just tell her that he left because his family wouldn’t accept them and that it hurt too much to talk about him. Since Minal didn’t wanted her mother to be hurt she always had dropped the topic.
When Minal grew older her longing to know about her father had grown more and more and she was tempted to find him but than again there was her mother, and she couldn’t do that to her.
Two years ago she finally confined in her mother and told her she wanted to get to know him at any coasts, but her mother put her off and told her she would tell her after her 18th birthday.
Now it was only 10 days left until her birthday and the thoughts of her father wouldn’t leave her mind at any time.
Minal knew her mother thought she was in this melancholic mood because of the fight with her boyfriend Erick but that was just half the truth. In reality she was thinking what she would do once she would know the whole truth about her father.
How would he be? Would she get to know him? Where was he from?
The only thing her mother would tell her was that her father was living far away and that his name was Hamed.
After she got to know his name, she of course researched it on the Internet but wasn’t able to get much information about it.
It was an Arabic name used mostly in the middle east and in turkey and it meant praiseworthy.
Her mother also told her that she and her father had chosen her name together as they had decided that she should have an Arabic name too in honor of Hamed´s culture and religion.
The meaning of her name was Gift or achievement and it was the name of her fathers grandmother who was the only person in his family who had supported Hamed in his decision to marry Greta.
With a sigh Minal took some books and tossed them in one of the empty paper boxes.
She was in no mood to look through all of her stuff before packing it so she started to simply put all the things she wouldn’t need the next week in the boxes they had prepared.
After two hours of packing Minal´s phone rand and the caller id showed it was Erick.
While catching her mobile from her desk she was wondering how this conversation would go. Would he even tell her he missed her like he used to. Or would he act as distanced and careless like he did the last few weeks.
She was hoping for a wonder, that Erick would be the same as he had been when they first met and when their love was still exciting and strong.
M: Hey Erick
E: Hi babe, what are you doing?
M: Just packing my stuff for the move, n you?
E: I just came home from training, do you want to meet up later?
M: Sure, lets meet a Fresco´s.
E: Alright I´ll be there at 7pm,ok?
M: Ok, se you than..
E: See you
M: Bye
“Whatever happened to us” Minal though while closing her phone.
Again Erick had talked to her like a friend not like a lover. They had been together for 1 year now and their relationship never lacked passion. It just recently started that there would be no more “I love you” “I miss you” or “ Cant wait to see you again” when they were talking on the phone.
Minal knew it was partly her fault that Erick started to distance himself from her. After all she refused to sleep with him even after 1 year, but she simply didn’t wanted to do this without at least being engaged, if not married. Erick of course didn’t share her view on this point and regularly tried to go further than just kissing though he always gave up and never pushed her when she said no, a point for which she was very grateful to him.
Still she knew she couldn’t go on like this forever and if he wasn’t interested to get serious and show that he want to spend his life with her their relationship would break.
At this point they acted more like friends than as if they were in love and Minal wished she were able to change the path they were taking which lead to separation.
She still had a lot of feelings for him and he was her first real love after all. Minal was ready to fight for him, but she wasn’t ready to give up her morals and like this she wasn’t sure if her fight would be enough to keep them together.
“Mom, I´m going to meet Erick in two hours, when should I be back home?” Minal asked her mother while walking toward the kitchen.
“ You don’t have school tomorrow so just be back before 1am sweety” Greta replied.
“ Alright, I´ll make us some pasta before I go so you don’t need to cook”
“Thanks Minal, I could really use something to eat after all this packing, I cant see an end to this task” Greta sighed while grabbing another pile of files to put pack them.
While cooking Spaghetti bolognaise, Minal´s thoughts again went to her mysterious father. Does he have more children? Minal was asking herself. Maybe she had some half siblings without even knowing it! But what was the use of thinking about what could be when eventually she would find out in just a few days time. Her mother might have forgotten about her promise to tell Minal after her 18th birthday, but Minal definitely didn’t and she would find out about her father, one way or another.
She was smiling thinking these thoughts as she was happy to finally get the answers she has been longing for since many years.
But now, she decided, she would think of ways to get her relationship back the way it was and she already had an idea how to achieve that.
2 hours later Minal was on her way to Fresco´s, Erick and her favorite coffee shop in all of London. It wasn’t like one of the fancy and expensive shops were tons of people sat and where you hardly ever found a free place. Fresco´s was a small café which was mostly visited by regulars like Minal and Erick. They had met here for the first time and than had their first date here, since than they used to meet here regular whether to study or just to spend some time together without their friends.
Sadness overcame Minal as she looked at the café from outside, thinking that if she and Erick were to break up she would never be able to come to this place again. It would be too depressing to come here alone with all those memories of her and Erick.
Minal stooped for a second to check her vibrating mobile. It was text from Erick saying he wont be able to make it as something had come up.
Angrily Minal turned around to go back home. Sitting in a café on her own wasn’t something she liked to do. Why couldn’t he write her earlier so she wouldn’t have come here. While walking in the direction of her house Minal decided to call one of her friends. She wasn’t ready to go home and tell her mother what Erick had done while her mother already didn’t like Erick. So she decided to call Anisa, a girls she didn’t knew for too long but who already had become one of her best and closest friends. Anisa was Egyptian and they met when Minal went to a mosque to find out some more about the religion of her father.
She was the first girl to walk up to Minal and ask he if she could help her, from than on she answered any question Minal had and she tought her a lot about her fathers religion.
M: Hey Nisa, do you have some time?
A: Sure, I’m free what are u up to?
M: I was meeting Erick but he canceled in the last second so I was hoping we could spend some time?
A: Ahh.. So I’m just your replacement ha?
Anisa was laughing which relived Minal who thought she had offended her friend. She always thought Muslims were somewhat serious and couldn’t understand a little joke, but she knew that wasn’t the case with Anisa at least.
M: Come on Nisa, I’m in desperate need of a friend!
A: Alright, just tell me when and where?
M: In 30 min at the mosque, ok?
A: Ok, ill be there. See ya, Habibti.
M: See ya, Nis.
Minal closed the call and started to go through the pictures on her mobile while walking towards the mosque which was only a few minutes away from her.
Most of the pictures were her and Erick, kissing, cuddling or just posing.
How long has it been that they were just having fun together, she asked herself.
She missed Erick, the old Erick, the one she had fallen in love with.
Not the one who would ignore her for days and than cancel their dates in the last second. Sadness overwhelmed her and Minal struggled to keep the tears from falling.
When she finally reached the Mosque she was crying, though trying to hide it was obvious for anyone who would look at her.
As she entered the mosque a woman stepped towards her calling her name.
J: Minal! What happened to you? Are you ok sweetie?
Minal looked up and saw Jannah, a older lady who spend a lot of time in the mosque, teaching Quran , Arabic and giving other lectures in English.
She had attained a few of those lectures and had build a bond of friendship with Jannah, despite the age difference she felt like she could trust her and they treated each other just like family members.
M: I´m ok Jannah, I just had a little problem with my boyfriend.
J : Oh that doesn’t sound good, do you want to tell me what happened? We can sit down in Hilal and drink some Tea.
M: That sounds great but I have an appointment with Nisa in 20 minutes.
J: 20 minutes are enough time to have a little talk.
Jannah smiled her bright smile and Minal couldn’t help but to smile also. Jannah always had this effect on her. She seemed to radiate calmness and peace at any time they met.
M: Ok lets go, I can really need a tea now, its freezing outside.
While they both walked towards the little Turkish restaurant that was just beside the Mosque, Jannah told her about he newest courses she would give in the mosque. Once they had set down and ordered some real Turkish tea Jannah looked expectantly at Minal as she waited for her to start telling her what happened with Erick.
“I don’t know what to do Jannah, I still love him but everything between us has changed and I don’t know haw to get it back like before” Minal told Jannah while looking at the table.
“You know darling I don’t want to make you feel worse, but when a man stops paying you attention than there is mostly a reason to it, Whether it is a another woman, or the fact that he simply lost interest. You should stay away from him, and tell him that you wont go on like this. If he comes back and changes than he loves you, otherwise..”
Minal sighed, knowing that she had tried this and Erick wouldn’t bother to run after her. They had broken up once but than she missed him soo much that she had called him again and when the met again they reunited. Still Erick didn’t change after this and it all just became worse.
“I have tried that Jannah, but after that it got worse and now he acts more like we are friends only, but I miss the old him”
Minal was once more close to cry, but as they were sitting in a restaurant full of people she closed her eyes to hold the tears back.
“Its time to let go Minal, he isn’t the right one for you! If he was, he would act different and he would definitely treat you different! As much as it will hurt you to let him go, you will get over it and one day you will find the one that is right for you and who will make you happy every day.”
Jannah was smiling while she said this, she knew just too well how things could go after a heartbreak. She herself had once been in Minal´s Position and after a bad break up she had meet her husband Bilal.
The love of her Life who not only brought her to Islam by teaching her about it day by day, but who also had filled her life with happiness and joy.
After this heart to heart conversation they drank their Tea in silence, each of them thinking of a man that had stolen their hearts.
One of them happy and one of them heart broken.
Jannah was the first one to break the silence again.
J: “Its time to get back to the mosque, Anisa will be waiting for you and I have to prepare for the Arabic lesson. It will be at 8pm, you can come and join us if you want.”
Minal smiled a genuine smile and thanked Jannah for her kindness by giving her hug.
M: “You know Jannah, You made me feel better and I am so happy to know you”
J: “Thanks Minal, I’m happy if I can help and you know you can always come to me if you need to talk or if you need any help”.
Minal gave Jannah another hug before they made their way back to the mosque.
The Title of the Book isnt final and might change at any time when i find a better fiiting onw.
The Book is about a british girl who lives with her mother in Londong and has no clue who her father is. her mother keeps his identity a secret but promises to tell her about him after her 18th birthday.
Now that this birthday comes near Minla thinks about her father more and more while at the same time her life is changing a lot with the problems shes facing with her boyfriend Erick and the fact that she finished high school and has no clue what to do next.
Study? Travel? get a Job?
The world is open for her but Minal wont make a decision until she knows who her father is, as she plans to get to know him and the circumstances that kept him away from her and her mother.
What will she discover when her mother reveals who her father is?
All Minal knows isthat her fathe is arabic and a muslim.
But will he be interested in having contact with his daughter and will she be able to finally meet the man who has hauntedher dreams for years.
She is about to find out and Minal cant wait for the days until her 18th birthday to pass..
