Chapter 4

In the House of Mr. Ali Hefzy in Cairo.

Father and mother... They are the bond, the pillar that a person still needs to protect, any of us needs the bosom of his mother and the wisdom of his father, no matter how old he reaches or what his positions and grades are.

Parents are like huge great trees with fixed roots and tangled branches where you always find your place no matter how you migrate and travel in search of yourself, you go for a long time and when you return like a sad and retired bird of seeking sustenance and searching in the world, you find shelter, housing, shade and comfort in the branches of these great trees.

Mahmoud needed his parents, Mr. Ali and Mrs. Najat, to tell them what was going on inside him, because he had decided to marry Aaliyah and did not know how and when to tell his wife about this decision at this time, as the end of the school year exams are approaching, and the house needs calm and focus in order to ensure the future of the children.

Mahmoud sat with his parents having a cup of tea, which he likes to drink from his mother's hand, but he was not himself on this day, he was sullen and it was not difficult for his parents to realize this, so his mother looked at his father in wonder as if asking him what was there, and his father said calmly as usual:

- Drink your tea, Mahmoud Why are you lost? Is there something, son?

- There's no thing, dad... I will drink the tea now.

- Why didn't Huda or the children come with you, son? Are they fine?

- Yes, mom. They are good, They are busy with studying and examinations.

- I hope them all to be fine and may God helps them with their exams.

- Thank God, we are all fine thanks to your prayers.

Mr. Ali still thinks his son is not happy because of something he doesn't know about him so asked again:

- What's wrong with you, Mahmoud?!

The same thing was his mother's thought that got close to her son and put her hand on his back softly and said:

- You need to tell us, Mahmoud, you look very exhausted and anxious.

- That is right. I'm hesitant and worried about what I'm thinking of right now.

- Please tell us, son. What is your problem?

Mahmoud looked to them then moved his face to the other direction then said hesitantly:

- I think... I need to get married.

Najat tried to hide her surprise or shock at the words of her son, Mahmoud, but she could not, while his father's face looked a little understanding or anticipation, and he shifted his face to the other direction as if thinking about what he should say, while his mother asked in great concern feeling sorry for her son's wife, Huda:

- And what about Huda? Isn't she your wife? She never neglected you or your children. She always takes care of you and them and even me and your father. She is the kindest one to you, son.

- Yes, mom, she is, but I did the same thing to her and my children. I sacrificed them all with my days, my happiness and my health. Now I need to find my own happiness. I think I deserve this, mom.

- Your happiness was in your feeling that your wife and your children are blessed and love you and appreciate your sacrifices, you should not forget when they were rushing to you and hugging you when you came back from your job and it was the time when you had a sense of the world and what is in it and you were satisfied and contented with that feeling, try to remember seeing them grow up like beautiful flowers in front of your eyes and how you felt grateful being that father and husband. You are blessed with your family, son.

Don't be unthankful, Mahmoud.

Mahmoud could not find what to say in response to his father while his mother completed:

- And Huda!! This respected wife that sacrificed her life for you and your children, she never complained or bothered with her responsibilities and duties, she endured those bad years with you while she was that pretty young lady with all love and satisfaction, then it is her reward from you that you got married to another woman when you became rich, famous accountant.

- Oh, Mom, It's not like that. I really love my family and feel grateful for them, but I just...

Mr. Ali interrupted his son and asked:

- Can you imagine Huda in your position?! What if it was her that felt like that?!

Mahmoud didn't get what his father meant and looked straightly to his father saying:

- I mean, Dad... I don't understand!!!

- If Huda said to you that she wants to get divorced because she have sacrificed a lot and needs to live her life that was lost anywhere far away from you, What do you think then?!

- Why would she ask to be divorced?!

- For no reason, she just felt tired and lost or she felt bored with her life with you, or just want to leave you to your new life and woman.

Believe me, son you are looking for mirage.

- Mirage?!

Tension and nervousness appeared on Mahmoud, who was surprised by the words of his father and mother, so his mother tried to calm him down and said:

- Of course, it is mirage, darling... I think you possess all the reasonsof life and happiness, a good wife, good children, a quiet life and a satisfied livelihood are enough for your home, and if you do what you desire, you are going to lose everything you had.

- And for your information, Mahmoud, most men think about doing the same like this at a certain stage of their life, you are not a mutation, sometimes when people achieve most of what they wished for their longevity, ambition or certain standards of life, they change and think they could return their life back, but this is too hard as they became parts of families and society, life has restrictions and limitations, son.

- But God didn't prevent us from having more than one wife, dad.

- Of course, my dear, but our Lord has done justice and imposed justice between couples, can you do justice between them? And it is fair that the time when you can compensate Huda for her devotion and tiredness for you and for your children after you have remained a senior employee, she did everything to you and deserves to share these moments of seeking happiness and success and passion with you, not the other woman.

- Your happiness is in your home, my son, you are lost, we love you and just want to see you happy as usual, we feel the happiness when you feel it and argue with you for your sake not for others.

Don't lose yourself or your family, Mahmoud.

*****************************

In the House of Mr. Mahmoud Hefzy.

It has been almost fifteen days since Mahmoud visited his parents' house and talked with them about what he had made a decision about, which was to marry Aaliyah, although his decision was criticized by his parents a lot and they considered him a selfish man looking for false happiness and Mirage, and that he was unjust to himself and his wife and might lose everything, he clung to his right to a second marriage, which he believes will restore his happiness, passion and interest in life.

During these days, Huda often reminded him of their first days of marriage and the beautiful memories they lived in the years of the first marriage before their children grew up and their needs and responsibilities multiplied, Huda was messing with these thoughts that revolve inside him as if she had grown to know what he was going to do, so he doubted a lot about the motives. Did Huda know what he was planning to do?! Did his mother tell her anything about what they talked about? Did they ask her to take more care of him and bring back to his memory these memories? He doesn't know for sure, but Huda, as usual, is calm and reasonable, cares about all the affairs of the house and the affairs of the children and gets close to everyone to share with them everything that goes on in their lives, she always feared for her children those poisonous thoughts that spread among young people at this age, so she warned them not to take drugs under any circumstances and not to approach bad friends who don't mind going the devil's way without legitimate, moral or educational considerations.

Mahmoud decided to break this intellectual deadlock that he is currently living and take care of something else, so he went to check on his daughter Toka and her studies and found her with her mother taking care of her as usual, she always checks on her in her room, then he went to Hadi's room to check on him and his studies and preparation for exams, he knocked on the door of Hadi's room and then came inside with a smile on his face

before he asked him in a friendly manner:

- How are you, son? Do you study well?

- Thank God, Dad, it's all right.

- Would you like me to make you some coffee or tea, Hadi?

- Thanks, dad, mom has made me some tea a little while ago.

Mahmoud smiled and said:

- Huda... Of course, always one step ahead of our thinking.

- I really hope to make her proud of me, dad, and you of course.

- Study hard so as to pass your exams and we will be proud of you.

- Sure, dad I will study hard.

- Do you need any thing, son?

- Thanks, dad.

- So you don't have any problem of any kind that you like to say to me, if only I could help you with it.

- A problem like what?

- I mean.. A problem with a colleague, friend or girlfriend, any sweet heart for example.

- Sweetheart? How do you know her name, dad?!

- Name of whom?!

- Sweetheart.

- Is it the name of your girlfriend?

Hadi laughed and said:

- Huh... No, dad I am just having fun with you, l know none as a girlfriend. The girls of the university for me are just colleagues, and I know no girl out of my university. I won't have any forbidden relationships with girls before finishing my colleage, and it will be formal relationship like engagement or marriage. I want to have a great family like ours, dad.

- I'm proud of you, Hadi. Your mother raised you very well.

- So that I would like to meet a girl who is like my mother, so that she would raise our children in the same way as you raised us, even if I believe than no woman resembles her, right, dad?!

- Yes, of course. I hope you find what and whom makes you happy, son. Now continue your studying or mom will be angry with your father because of wasting your studying time.

Hadi smiled to his father that smiled back and left.

Mahmoud realized that his decision will never be easy, the children will not accept their father's marriage to another woman and they carry all this love and appreciation for her. Was his love for Aaliyah a major sin? Should he quit? but how, he told her that he would bear such a high cost for her, He also cannot retreat, he loves her very much and sees hope and a new life in her, Is it love again or clinging to the pride, power and vanity of youth that attacks men of this critical age? He no longer knows or understands the truth of what is happening to him, he hesitates again.