Once upon a time

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"They said stories are for the children and old-fashioned. Once upon a time used to be nice and exciting, it still is to most of us.Those who find it boring have lost a huge chunk of their imagination. This is how this novel shall start, with the chunk they lost..."

  Once upon a time there lived a woman in her early twenties. She was beautiful, and everything a man would ask for. She was the perfect cook, the perfect listener, the perfect advice giver, and the perfect daughter. It was time for her to tie the knot for her mother's sake, and in the past women had no choice of accepting marriage or rejecting it. Seeing that her mother wanted her to marry this man, she prayed to Allah for strength and stability and tied the knot. As the years passed, she was blessed with her very first child, a girl whom she named Nina. Nina was one of those children that was raised by her mother firstly on islamic traits and beliefs, her aunts enjoyed her company and she was her grandmother's favorite child. She was her son's first child so she got pampered and treated with love and joy. Everyone loved her, and everyone helped her mother out in caring for her so that her mother could get her chores done on time.

  Once her father was on a business trip to France, because Nina was his only child at that time, he made sure he never forgot her whenever he was out on a trip. Sometimes it was a chocolate bar, others it was a little doll he bought from the airport. This time, it was different, it was a small golden scooter all the way from France for her. He had to empty his suitcase and instead of packing his few clothes, he packed the suitcase with the scooter. The thought of his daughter jumping in joy to the sight of the scooter made the packing all so precious.

  Years passed, and Nina was accompanied by a brother and as an inevitable human trait, jealousy accompanied as well. Nina was no longer the only child, someone was sharing the love. It was a boy this time and the love was different. But the woman made sure to give each of her children what they deserved and all the attention they needed, she was a mother and she knew she was the only one who understood what Nina was feeling. The woman managed well, till the very end of time. A few years later, the family grew in size and the responsibilities grew in size as well. The woman was raising middle school children, a toddler and a new born baby all at once. She was enjoying her busy life, "For my children, my family" she always said. Whenever she met with her sisters at her mother's house, she knew she was different, her family was unique and her children were the diamonds Allah gave to both her family and her husband's. She knew it and always answered "Patience will bring in beautiful moments in the future, you should just be strong and wait".

  Everyone knew she was right, but did not want to admit to it. Little did they know really.

  Back to Nina, who was lived the "life" everyone wanted. She got what she wanted, she had her father's love and had her mother's love and whatever she wanted was done...little did she know...she never appreciated whatever was done for her. "She's grow to know how to appreciate." was what kept her mother strong and going.

  Nina graduate high school and got into a prestigious university. She eventually graduated with honors and got married. Throughout her years under her parents, she never appreciated anything and was always throwing words that killed. Why everyone asked, sadly no one knew.

  As a bride to be, she was taken care of because she was the very first daughter in the family to get married, she got everything she desired and mostly in spite of all the objects she got, she was treated with respect and as a grownup because that's what her mother thought was the best way to raise a child. And her mother was right, but Nina turned out wrong. Nina always pressured her parents and was always harming her siblings, why to her siblings? She was always angry and mad at them, whenever something happened, she would blame her family first. What is family then? Family always comes first, that's a saying people take for granted.

  Nina got married, and unlike her mother's traditional marriage, she was given the choice to decide if she wanted to get married or not, she even sat for about an hour with her husband-to-be just to feel that she was not going to be wronged in the future. This happened because her parents, mostly her mother, was following the rules of Islam. As a married woman, she always called her mother and complained about her in laws, she shouldn't of done that. "I'll let her vent and just listen to her and tell her to be patient, life was never simple and easy." that's what her mother would say and that's what she always said. "Be patient Nina, for your family."

  When things got out of control, Nina decided to come back home. "She needs a break." is what her father said and what her mother agreed on. "She needs to take a break and come home, they need sometime apart." Things did not work out, and Nina got a divorce. 

  Her family was that family that everyone dreams of. They stood by her side ever since she stepped foot back home till she started pushing everyone away. "She needs sometime to adjust, and we need to help her as much as we can to overcome her ordeal" that's what all her siblings agreed to do. The worst part of her coming back, or it shall be put this way , the blessed and splendid part of her coming home was her coming home not along, but with Allah's heavenly gift: her son.

  The little child was like an angel from heaven, everyone was fond of him and everyone loved him. Everyone cared for him and everyone made sure he was in his best spirits. The helpers at home cared for him, family members always asked about him, and Nina's siblings raised him.

  The painful tragedy is : "Nina never learned and never appreciated."

  She pushed them all away, and took her son away from them. "It's all your fault" was what she always said to her family, the family that took her in with open arms, the family that graced her and made sure she overcame and passed her ordeal successfully and spiritually. She blamed them and prays to Allah for their destruction.

  Why?

  No one knows but Allah, this is not what family should be. The only question is, why is Nina doing all of this? 

  Yet again, no one knows.