Chapter One

Hayat Ali's pov.

Her Childhood Story.

Every childhood is different because of how children experience it. Some have the worst childhood, while others have the best childhood.

I had the best childhood any child could wish for. Best parents, everything but one day it all changed when my mother was diagnosed with Cancer.

I was barely a teen when it happened. But inside of hurting, she smiled and she always told me,' Pray and make duas for me and don't ever be sad as it is His will, not ours ',

I always pray with her and sit with her while caressing my hair until I fall asleep. It was something that I loved about her.

Her care and love became unconditional for me and my papa. But her health grew worse and worse every day. But she never lost her smile, her hope, or even her prayers.

She grew weak to the point that she needed to go to the hospital to stay there. My papa and I visit her every day after school without fail.

It was just like any other normal day when I came home from school. My father was waiting for me so that we could go and see my mother at the hospital.

"What's wrong, Papa?", I asked him. All I got from him was a smile.

What I didn't know was that that was the last day I would see my mother alive, as the Cancer had already progressed.

She wanted to say goodbye to me.

I walked hand in hand to her hospital room. She was lying there in her bed, weak, but she kept on smiling and praying.

The thing about my mother is that she never gave up praying and smiling, even though she grew weak.

"Mamma", I ran to her side.

She hugged me tightly, not wanting to let go.

"I missed you, Mamma", I tell her, kissing her cheeks.

"I missed you too, My life. My Hayat", she hugged me while looking at my father with tears in her eyes.

"What's wrong?" I asked, hoping that they would tell me.

"Hayat, we have to tell you something very important. I want you to always remember that I love you very much, and don't ever let go of your prayers. The doctors can't do anything more for me. I did promise to be here always and forever, but sometimes that doesn't happen," my mother explained to me without trying to shed a tear.

"Mamma, you can't leave me, please", I cried in her arms, but I knew that this was His will and only His.

"Listen to me, my dear Hayat. We shall meet in Jannah in shaa Allah. Don't ever forget that. I love you, my Hayat, now and in Jannah, " my mother tells me, wiping my tears. "Smile, my baby. Because I am happy to have had you in my life. You and your father are the most important people in my life", she added, looking at Papa.

"But I still need you, Mamma, always...."

"And you always have me in your heart and mind. Remember, prayers are the best communication between Allah and us. So never let go of that My Hayat", she tells me.

I looked into her eyes and looked at my father, who was crying.

"I love you very much, Mamma...."

I know My Hayat. I know that and I love you too", she tells me. I could hear the beeping of the heart machine.

"Hayat, my child. It's time for Mamma to leave now", she tells me, smiling.

I nodded, trying to let her go, but I couldn't. I turned to my father, who was trying to hold himself for my sake.

Mamma turned to him and signalled him to come near her which he did.

She held out her arms for us and then hugged us while saying her shahadah.

The heart machine then stopped beeping and flatlined. This meant that she was gone.

Alhamdullilah.

I cried my heart out for her. I know that she is in a better place.

"I love you, Mamma," I kiss her forehead one last time. I turned to my Papa, who couldn't hold it any longer and broke down holding me in his arms.

The doctors came in to disconnect all the machines that were attached to her. They wheeled her to the morgue for her funeral preparations.

It came on the day of her funeral, saying goodbye one last time before they took her away.

Two years passed my father sat me down to talk to me about something important.

"Hayat, my dear child. I am getting married because you need a mother in your life. You need someone to take care of you when I am not at home", he explained to him how he met her.

My stepmother, Maryam, and her daughter, Jameela.

I knew he was lonely and needed someone to be his companion, so I agree with him getting married to her.

The day she came home was the worst day of my life. When my father left for work, she made me a maid.

I cooked, cleaned, and even ironed clothes for her and her daughter Jameela. Even though she was old enough to do things.

Maryam never wanted me to call her mother, nor did I want to. I gave her the respect she deserved, but not my love.

I always remember my mamma and her smile.

That's why I always pray and I always remember her in my prayers. My mamma is and will always be my guardian angel.

Aayan's pov.

Being in a boarding school just because my parents couldn't take care of me, as they were busy with the company that became their responsibility.

I hated being here, but thanks to my best friend Zahir, who made it better for me to study.

I made a promise to myself that if I ever have a family of my own, they won't suffer the way I did.

"Ready to go for prayers, brother", Zahir tells me.

It is Friday afternoon, and we always go to the mosque for afternoon Juma'a prayers.

"Yeah, I am ready", I tell him. We walk outside our rooms and head to the mosque where the Imam has started the Khutbah.

It is almost the end of the year when we go home for a holiday, but I knew that my parents would not be at home and I would be surrounded by maids.

Thanks to Zahir's family. I will stay with him for the rest of the holiday.

That's how my childhood is. Filled with parents who don't care about you and who send you to boarding school when you reach the age of being in high school.

Thanks to Zahir being here with me, made it possible for me to hang on until we finished high school.