Past mistakes and moving on

Salma sighed as she let herself into her home. She turned on all the lights even though it was just afternoon and headed to the kitchen. A glance at her reflection on the shiny surface of her cupboards showed her, she looked deathly pale with eyes that were swollen and a very red nose.

“Oh God” she moaned out loud. She looked a fright. No wonder her business partner had sent her home. She was grateful to him, it wasn't every day a girl was hit with the unexpected news that her estranged mother had passed away.

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Salma was surprised by how heartbroken the news had left her, considering the fact that she and her mother hadn't spoken in the past 15 years. Maybe it was because she was now a mother herself, and she couldn't imagine not talking to her daughter for a week.

“Honey?” Salma heard her husband Brian call from the doorway.

“In here” she croaked in a hoarse voice.

“Oh my poor baby” Brian said, engulfing her in a tight hug that made her break down in tears again. He made soothing noises and stroked her back until she calmed down.

“Where is your car, I didn't hear you drive in” she mumbled into his neck.

“Still at the office. Theo called me when I stepped out for lunch, so I jumped into a cab and headed home. I would rather not waste time going back to get the car” he replied, steering her towards the living room.

“Oh, you sweet man, what did I ever do to deserve you?” she said, tearing up again as Brian put her on a sofa and put her feet on the table.

“You better don't cry Salma” Brain threatened, but it was too late. She was bawling like a child again, which made him smile and lift her onto his lap.

“I'm sorry” Salma said, taking Brian's handkerchief to blow her nose.

“So after all these years, you're finally going to visit home?” Brian said.

“Not just me” Salma replied with a hiccup “Me. You. And Laura”.

Brian settled her on the sofa and moved to the kitchen to get her a glass of water. He came back with a look on his face that made Salma ask what the problem was.

“The thing is…” Brian paused, scratching his head, “Um, Laura and I have been visiting your mother for a while now”.

Salma stared at him open-mouthed, the hiccups stopping immediately.

“She has been trying to reach you for years, babe, but you're just as stubborn as she is. You kept on refusing because you felt she just wanted to dissect your life and list out everything wrong with it. So she reached out to me” Brian said, clearing his throat when she didn't immediately reply.

Brian was right. After her father's death when she was 18, Salma had moved out of mother's house as she and her siblings fondly called their family home. Their father who had been an architect had built the house as a gift for their beautiful mother.

The memories of the house flooded back to her. How the house always smelled of vanilla and roses, the gourmet meals and splendid baking feasts. The family pets, running around and playing pranks with her siblings and their daddy. Then the dark times crept into her memories.

Her mother always telling her she would never amount to anything good. The fights and quarrels about every decision Salma made. Praising her siblings and openly showing them more love, and the worst of them all was her mother telling Salma that she didn't know she had been cursed with a child like her.

Salma had moved out the next day and never went back. She still kept in touch with her siblings and even though they'd always begged her to reconcile with their mother when they had gotten older and to sort things out, Salma had vehemently refused. But now she regretted it.

“Baby, are you okay, say something” Brian said worriedly.

“Thank you, Brian, I'm glad mother got to meet Laura honestly, and I should have gone to see her. Just to know why she treated me the way she did” Salma replied.

Brian smiled slowly and was glad that Salma didn't freak out. He went into the basement and brought out the secret album of pictures he'd taken during visits with Laura. He left her with it and a cup of tea and headed to Laura's school to pick his daughter up.

---

After making arrangements at her work for her absence. Brian, Laura and Salma headed to her family house a week before the funeral. She felt nostalgic as they pulled up to the mansion.

“Hello family” she said as her brother Theo came out to welcome them.

“Who thought it was a good idea to host a party in mother's house without her permission” he asked

She chuckled and replied, “That was definitely your big head”

“Correct, and who forgot to put out the smolder after burning letters from her boyfriend who broke her heart and almost burned mother's house?” he asked again.

“Guilty as charged, that would be me” she replied, laughing at the disastrous memory.

“Welcome home Salma” he said, giving her a bone crushing hug. Laura ran to greet her uncle, who she had obviously become obsessed with since her secret visits with her father.

“Where is Sophia” Salma asked expectantly.

“She should be here in a few hours. She can't wait to see you”. Theo replied.

Sophia, her little sister, was her mother's golden daughter. But she and Salma had never hated each other. Even after Salma left they still talked every week but with busy lives and jobs they'd hardly seen each other. Salma assured him she also couldn't wait.

Her first step into the house made her cry. It was just as she remembered it, the large living room with a fireplace that occupied one portion of the wall. The chandelier and spiral staircase. The large windows on the first floor and beautiful floors. It even smelled the same, vanilla, and roses.

She spent the week helping her siblings plan the funeral and catch up on stories about their lives and of course their mother's. It turned out their mother had felt terrible at the way she'd treated Salma and had mourned for her like a dead child for years, especially whenever Salma turned down her invitations. But meeting Laura and Brian had helped with her heartbreak.

Salma wished once again that she had listened and forgiven her mother. The day of the funeral dawned bright and clear, and it was a beautiful day. Everything went on smoothly and their relations were happy to see Salma. They all said her mother would rest well knowing she had finally come home.

Two weeks later…

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Salma sat in her husband's office waiting for him to finish tidying up when her phone rang. It was Theo.

“Hi big bro, missing me already?” she asked

“Of could love, but I have great news for you” he replied sounding excited.

“Let me guess, you're finally moving to my city?” Salma replied.

“God no, I have an architectural company to run Salma” he replied.

“You're getting married then” she said

“Again No. Cupid's arrow hasn't hit me yet. Just shut up and listen. Mother's lawyer read her will to me since you and Sophia couldn't come down, and guess what? She left you the house!” he said hurriedly before she could interrupt.

“What?!” she asked shocked.

“You heard me, and a letter that I've forwarded to your house. We'll talk later business calls!” Theo said hurriedly.

Salma stood there shocked until Brian was done, and then she shared the news with him, which made him laugh at the expression on her face. Two days later, Salma got her letter and she read it with tears and happiness.

My dearest Salma,

If only I could turn back the hands of time… I loved you the only way I knew how because I was scared. You were the spitting image of my late sister Beanie. She was a wild and stubborn child who brought my family nothing but shame until she passed away. You don't know about her because we never talk about her. I thought that you would be just like her in character, so I treated you horribly.

I'm happy you proved me wrong, and I hope you can forgive me someday and remember the good memories. Laura and Brian are wonderful, please do not be mad at them for bringing solace to an old woman's heart. I put my house in your care, love it and cherish it as you would have done me if we had settled our differences.

I apologize for everything, and I am proud of you and I love you very, very much with all of my heart.

Mother.