Chapter 9 Will Dima Lose Her Mind And Start Transforming?

The price of love might be madness—though I don't believe in madness.

Dima sat on her bed in her room, tense, lighting a cigarette. She didn't finish it, extinguished it, and lit another. She extinguished that one and lit another. She filled the glass from the whiskey bottle beside her to the brim, downed it in one gulp, filled another, and left it beside her.

She picked up her phone and opened the internet. She found a picture of Ghada's accident on the news. She looked at the picture and recoiled in anger, saying,

Dima: You son of a bitch! You animal! So, she loves you or you kill her? She wept bitterly, put down her phone, and took another sip of whiskey.

—Despite the blood, perhaps we will part ways on the road.

* Amal and Sophia in the living room

Amal was sitting on the sofa upholstered in a soft, pearly fabric, and beside her was Sophia, who looked pale, lost in a silent, almost bewildered reverie.

A heavy silence filled the room, broken only by the ticking of the clock, its passage painfully slow.

Malik opened the door hesitantly and sat down in the chair opposite them. He glanced at his aunt with a faint look, a mixture of appreciation and annoyance.

Amal sighed softly, then said in a voice tinged with sadness, "This is for you, Malik… and for you, Sophia. You both know how much I love you, and I could never do without you… but I also can't leave you to live alone, even though it has to happen someday."

She paused for a moment, then continued, trying to smile, "Uncle Hussein has returned from his travels, as you know. And I can't leave him alone after all these years away.

When he found out what happened to your father and mother, he said Sophia and Malik have to come live with us. Hussein is very kind and has a great sense of humor… and I'm sure you'll love him." Malik lowered his gaze and said in a quiet but decisive voice, "I'm sorry, Auntie… I need some time alone. I was thinking of going to Dad's apartment today, getting the car out of the garage, and sitting there. You and Sophia could go and apologize to Uncle Hussein."

Amal looked at him with obvious concern. "How, Malik? No, you can't be alone. Can't you see how you're feeling?"

"Auntie, I'm not a child. I can take care of myself perfectly well."

She shook her head sadly. "But Uncle Hussein will be upset with you, and I'll be upset too… just so you understand."

Malik smiled faintly, as if ending a discussion he didn't want to continue. "Tell him that I'll be more comfortable this way, and you'll surely be happy to know I'm comfortable."

Amal studied him for a moment, then smiled sadly. "Okay, Malik, do what makes you happy." You know, my children, that all I ever want is what's best for you. Maybe before your parents passed away, I wasn't this close to you… but after they died, ever since we started living together, I feel like you've become my whole life.

She sighed, gazing towards the distant horizon, as if recalling an old pain:

There was a missing piece in my life… I couldn't put my finger on it, and I couldn't fill it. And when you came into my life, that piece was complete.

You know that God deprived me of children, and I couldn't be a mother, and I said, "Praise be to God… God compensated me with Hussein."

He always tried to make me happy and make up for the children I was deprived of… he even refused to let us go to a doctor.

She paused for a moment, then let out a soft laugh that carried more bitterness than joy:

At that time, I wished we were Muslim… so I could tell him to go marry another woman. Not because my faith is lacking, no… but because I love him. Just like some Muslims sometimes say, "I wish we were Christian or Jewish," none of us chose our religion, our origins, our fathers, or our mothers.

These are things God ordained long ago… and we must accept them.

Her tone shifted to deep sorrow:

But fate, which always deprives me of anything I love, deprived me of him too.

He had to travel and leave me. If he hadn't, he would have lost all his wealth, and his partner would have swindled him.

He traveled and lived outside Egypt for 28 years… and I was left living alone. I even longed for a sister… but God denied me that too.

Her voice trembled as she continued:

Nasser… who was everything to me, God took him. It's as if God didn't want to leave me with anything I love.

And when you came into my life, I thought, finally… God remembered me. He decided to compensate me with you for everything.

And now… you come wanting to take you away from me? It's truly unfair.

Malik stood with a blank expression, then quietly slipped into his room, leaving behind a silence heavier than words.

Amal turned to Sophia and asked her in a trembling voice, “And you, Sophia… what do you think?”

Sophia said in a faint, trembling voice, “I can’t think of anything anymore, Auntie.”

Amal moved closer to her and cupped her face in her hands with rare maternal tenderness. “And I can’t live without you, my darling. Of course you’ll come with me… won’t you?”

Sophia smiled, tears glistening in her eyes. “Of course, Auntie.”

Amal hugged her tightly, as if afraid of losing her at any moment, while the clock’s hands faded into the background, as if time itself had stopped in reverence for that poignant embrace. Amal knocks on Malik's door.

Malik: Come in.

Amal opens the door and enters.

Amal: Sophia and I are going to the villa. What are you going to do?

Malik: I'll go with you, go to the apartment, get the car out of the garage, and live there.

Amal: Okay, Malik, whatever you want.

-When you choose to go back to the past, don't forget the consequences.

Amal stops the car in front of the apartment building. Sophia is sitting in the front passenger seat next to Amal.

Malik gets out of the back seat and closes the door.

Malik walks silently towards the building's entrance.

Amal calls out, "Malik."

Malik looks behind him.

Amal: Take the apartment keys and keep them with you. You might not feel comfortable here and want to go back there. Malik goes to Amal, takes the key, and says, "Thank you." Amal: Take care of yourself, and if you need anything, call me. Amal started the car and left.

Malik was in front of Nasser's apartment. Malik opened the door and went inside. Darkness and dust filled the apartment. Dust entered his mouth. He coughed and brushed it off with his hand. He pressed the light switch. The living room and hallway lit up. He walked slowly forward, looking around.

He reached Nasser's bedroom door. He placed his hand on the handle, slowly opened the door, and went inside. The room was dark. He pressed the light switch. He went towards Nasser's picture hanging on the wall. He stood in front of it, looked at the picture, and approached it. Tears streamed down his face. Then he looked to the other side of the room where