Mama

"Moureeza, take care of your sisters when I am gone," mama said.

Mama's beautiful green eyes faded. It was like a light went off, God turned off the switch of Life and mama was gone.

I woke up from my deep sleep and remembered mama's last moments. Losing her was a big blow to all of us. She was papa's strength. She held the family together.

Her death was a shock to everyone because she was so young. Only 39. Cancer ravaged her body within months. Papa grew more distant from us after her death.

From then on, papa's obsession for the secret cave deepened to one of mania. He coped with grief by throwing himself into the research and by connecting with Professor Jeff Everett. Their email correspondence was printed and filed, taking up volumes of files that filled up multiple cabinets. Years and years of correspondence and at least once a yearly physical meetings.

When mama passed away, Freezia our youngest sister was only 8. Moureeza was 20. With father being mentally and emotionally absent, Moureeza became our caregiver, she was our pillar. The weight of taking care of us made her more mature than her peers. She waited until Freezia was 18 before she accepted the proposal from her long time sweetheart Al-Waheed. By that time Moureeza was already 30. She turned 33 now with two babies in tow, two sons, born a year apart, Rasheed and baby Rosham.

I love my eldest sister. Even though we are 7 years apart, and I could never understand her interests nor could she understand mine, I know that she got my back no matter what happened. I picked up the phone to call home. She was my only home.

"Moureeza, it is me, Theeya," I began.

"Theeya, how are you my sister?" Moureeza's voice sounded concerned.

"I am fine. How are everyone at home? How are Rasheed and Rosham?" I asked.

"They are as naughty as ever. How are you really?" insisted Moureeza.

"I am fine, really. How are our sisters?" I evaded my sister's question.

"Freesia our baby sister is pregnant now with her second baby girl. Due the same month as Mohana is due with her second baby boy. Urma is due next month with her third baby, this time a boy. Might as well she is turning 31 soon. Mother stopped having us when she was 31. How is the expedition coming along?" Moureeza pressed.

"All going according to plan. We may move out of this city in 5 days. We managed to find 5 of us already. All is well," I assured.

"Good to know that. Oh by the way George's wife is expecting their third baby this month. They already have two boys and this time I heard it's a girl," her sister volunteered the unwanted information about my ex.

"I gotta go now. Please send my love to all over there, tell them I called," I abruptly cut short the conversation.

"Oh okay bye Theeya. Please take good care of yourself, love," and the call ended.

I felt the pain in my heart again.

The betrayal.

The lies.

He was already seeing his now wife Maria when we were still together.

George knew that my late father left a substantial inheritance to me as I expressed my interest to carry on his quest to seek the whereabouts of the secret cave. It made sense now since it was an open secret in the neighborhood anyway while we were growing up. It was a puppy love, me and George. It was never meant to be. When George wanted more than hugs and kisses I closed myself to him and he left our dates more often than I could count. Somehow deep inside I had always known he was not the one for me.

When mama passed away, George and I were only 15 and were already liking each other. I turned to him more like a friend and a familiar shoulder to cry on more than as a lover. It was a relationship of convenience. I was needy and he needed to feel needed. He was also the middle child of a big family of 3 older boys and 3 younger girls. His family was a typical middle class suburban family, but he had bigger ambitions. His next door neighbour Maria was the only daughter of an upper middle class family. Since he could not get me, he figured she was the second best and what better insurance to secure a brighter future by impregnating her.

I shook my head and tried to shake off the memories of George and his betrayal.

"Good riddance," I muttered under my breath.

"Theeya, are you awake? I fell asleep on my laptop," Jeff closed his laptop cover and stretched out his arms.

"Yeah, I just called home. Did you guys carry me inside?" I asked.

"Yes we did. You did not weigh more than a feather. No worries," he winked.

I laughed out loud at his feeble attempt of a joke.

"I am not sure of my feelings about this man anymore. Perhaps I was looking for a father figure in my life and that was why I did everything I did including joining a mostly male expedition to find the secret cave," I thought.

"What else did Magdalena say after I fell asleep?" I asked.

Jeff filled me in all the theories that were presented by Magdalena even though he was careful to not add his own judgment and disbelief into his explanation. I respected him even more for that.

"What do we do now?" I looked at his one day beard growth on his handsome face.

He shrugged: "I guess we can check if our luggages have arrived and check out our rooms. Come."

I gathered my clutch and walked with Jeff.

Jeff asked the male servant who was positioned outside the door to lead the way.

"You think I am crazy for saying I am your mother, don't you?" I said.

He stopped in the middle of the lounge with his brooding brown eyes looking at deep into mine.

"I am never thinking that you are crazy. Don't ever say that. If I need to be your son in your mind for your peace of mind then so be it," he said.

I gulped. That was the most romantic thing a man could say to me in the most unromantic way.

"Thank you Jeff. That means a lot to me," I manage to blurt out.

"Come, let's go," he said and the servant continued leading the way.

No matter what happen I know that I could count on Jeff. The years of friendship he shared with my father would mean something to him at least.

Suddenly the room swirled. The last thing that I saw was Jeff's concerned face looking at me, calling my name. Then everything went black.