Life Taught Her (Short Story)

It’s funny how a simple question like that could have a lifetime story behind it. A story that no one knows about but yourself. Lessons you learned and promises that you made with yourself.

“I learned my lessons...” was her reply to that question every single time someone asked her.

It almost stroke midnight. Fatima went to check on her kids, Jacob and Maryam, she tucked them in bed, and made sure they were alright. “I don’t know how you do it, but you just do” said Ahmed –Fatima’s husband- with a pleasing and calm smile on his face. He puts his newspaper aside, takes off his glasses and goes to sleep.

Fatima was just a normal kid surrounded with a loving family and big dreams. She always thought that she was very blessed to have her most loved people around her, her parents and grandparents. She loved them all equally since she spent all her life with them. However, she used to spend more time with her grandparents than her actual parents because they were busy most of the time. She was very attached to them, especially to her grandfather. They went grocery shopping together every day, and had dinner together as well. He’d buy her all kinds of things that Fatima loved just to see that smile on her face.

At the age of 16, Fatima’s dad lost his job –high level job- and that was when everything started to change and distance took place between her family members. It all happened so quickly just like nightmares. It was summer, and Fatima was just promoted to 12th grade. She was very excited because she couldn’t wait to invite her family to her graduation –specially her grandfather-. However, she couldn’t continue her education and stayed home for one entire year because her dad couldn’t pay the bills. Her mother couldn’t take seeing her kids not getting the education they needed –Fatima had 3 siblings- which raised more conflicts between her parents.

Her parents fought so much to the point where Fatima couldn’t take it anymore, they wanted a divorce. For sure Fatima couldn’t let that happen, she asked for help from her uncles and aunts, but no one listened to her. They didn’t give her the attention they used to give her back when she was at school getting educated and lived the good life. As if they used to be nice to her because of the wealthy life she lived. She was very shocked because that was the last thing she was expecting from them. While all of these conflicts were taking place, Fatima’s grandfather was in the hospital under intensive care. “I knew he was getting old but...” she whispered to herself.

Two days later, the doctor said that his situation was getting worse. Fatima’s family –uncles, aunts, etc. - all went to visit him as soon as possible, and they all said their goodbyes as if they knew something was going to happen. Except for Fatima, she was too busy dealing with her parents’ problems all day long. It was 8:00 AM in the morning the next day, when she woke up to a call from one of her aunts telling her that her grandfather died. This left her miserable and broken for a really long time. She was hoping her parents would at least stick together after her grandfather’s death. Eventually, her parents got divorced and Fatima and her siblings were torn apart from what happened. Not to mention her spending her sleepless nights overthinking. In her head, there was a loud battle of thoughts. The silence killed her. Until one night, Fatima promises herself to be the best mother to her kids. She promises herself not to repeat her parents’ mistakes no matter what.

“I learned my lessons…” she said with a smile, took a deep breath, closed the lights and went to sleep too.