AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Her eyes widened. “Why would you think it was her?”
Shit.I didn’t want to get into a deep conversation with her about my mother. Maybe one day, but not now. But I had to say something, because I opened that door. I needed to close it again. “There are not many women that could change my life,” I replied.
She stared at me as though she wasn’t going to accept my answer. Finally she said, “Your mother is not coming here. She is never returning to Tabiq. If she was, she would’ve done so a long time ago.”
Grandmother could’ve added more, like we don’t know if she is even alive, or something, but she didn’t. Had she been in contact with her all these years and hid that from us? “Well, at least we agree on that. We don’t know where she is or if she’d even alive,” I said, trying to get her to tell me more.
I could see her eyes fill with sadness. “I don’t know where she is, but I hope I pray she’s still alive. But she has made her decision, and I long ago stopped hoping she would return. Now I just hope she has found some peace. Some happiness.”
Her eyes told me that she wasn’t keeping anything from us. Not about our mother at least.
It was good know. Now I could turn the conversation back to why I was here. “Since it’s not my mother, I don’t know why you say it can’t be Crystal,” I said.
“Has she changed your life?” she asked.
Oh, I walked right into that one.
“In a way, yes.”
“Good. So, what are you going to do about it?” she questioned.
“Grandmother, I came here to play cards, not talk about Crystal,” I said.
“Really? That’s odd. I’m not the one who brought her up. You did. And I’m not the one who thought she was the one who would change your life forever. That was you again. So, I’m just asking you one little question. What are you going to do about it?”
And this is how I know you cheat at cards because you’re as sharp as a tack.
“I’m not doing anything. She went home. Back to work. And I’m not moving to the States. I belong here,” I said.
“Why?”
“Why what?” I asked.
“Why do you believe this is where you belong? It is where you were born, but you don’t have to remain here your entire life. If anything, I always thought you were going to be the one who left to see the world,” she said. “Even as a child, I couldn’t keep you inside. You were always off exploring something. Why not go and do it with the woman you love?”
“I never said anything about love,” I said firmly.
“No, you didn’t. And yet, you didn’t deny it either. That just leads us back to my question. What are you going to do about it?”
“I haven’t decided,” I replied, honestly.
“Well, if I were you, I’d start thinking about that and forget all about the visitor.”
I wish I could. It must be mother if it is not Crystal.
“Okay. Anything else?” I asked.
“Yes, it’s your turn to deal,” she said.
“I think I’m done playing cards with you. All I do is lose,” I said.
“That’s because you don’t know how to play,” she said.
“I know the rules,” I replied.
“That’s not what I said. The rules are just a small part of playing cards. It’s how you play the rest of the game that determines if you win. That’s just like knowing you’re in love. What you’re going to do about it is what will decide your future,” she said.
She was right. Sitting here wasn’t going to get me what I wanted. And what I wanted for sure was a future with Crystal.
