without getting into a fight with the militia. They heard some shots fired, and they exchanged mortars, but there’s no news of Tamer. I know one of the leaders over there. We can’t reach him by phone, as you know, so I sent one of my guys to give him a message. We'll hear from him sooner or later. Please Mona, get a hold of yourself. I'm too exhausted myself to handle a breakdown of yours!"
Mona didn't answer. She shut her eyes, covered her ears with her hands, and bent in two, her head touching her knees. She felt her heart breaking into small pieces, and a huge ball of tears was stuck in her throat, constricting her breathing. She knew Kamil too well, so well that she was certain he would not spare her son's life even if she begged him for it. She should have sent Tamer and Nora away a long time ago; she should have bought them tickets, put them on a plane, and let them go away forever. Their prese nce had made her so happy that — like an idiot —she’d pushed the sad reality away and had lived like the young couple, in a dream.
Mona felt herself being pulled back into a sitting position. Kamil was looking at her angrily. "What's your problem, Mona? Didn't you hear that I almost got killed? You have yet to see the marks he left on my neck, or don't you even care anymore? Is everything about Tamer now? Wake up to reality. He's always been mentally ill. In the past, after his father got killed, he used to attack you. Have you forgotten everything already? Tamer, Nora. Tamer, Nora. You were starting to become delusional. I left Elham for you. After Toufic's death, I could have given you some money and let you go. But no, I gave you everything I thought you deserved in this life. Is this your way of thanking me, after all these years?"
"Oh Kamil! I was just in shock, that's all," said Mona, coming back to reality. How could she let her feelings overcome her in front of Kamil? She was really losing her mind. She took a deep breath and caressed his face and neck. "Oh Kamil, I'm so sorry about all this. He's still my son, but you’re my love, and this whole situation rips my heart in two. I know he's crazy. I'm so sorry again for what he did to you. But you are my life. I don't exist without you." Mona closed her eyes; she felt like she might throw up at any moment. Just looking Kamil in the eye gave her the feeling that her son was already dead. Every cell in her body was screaming in frustration and pain.
Nora entered the living room at this moment. She looked pale and depressed. "Is Tamer here? He didn't come to our usual meeting place outside the hospital. I have some bad news to tell him."
"We have bad news for you, Nora," cried Mona, still in Kamil's embrace. “Tamer had one of his crises today. He tried to kill his uncle, and then he disappeared. I can't, I can't think about it…" With tears covering her face, she ran to her bedroom, leaving Nora and Kamil facing each other.
"Crisis? What crisis?" Nora couldn't stand up anymore; she found herself a seat across from Kamil.
"One of his usual ones, Doctor. Or did you forget that he was your patient?" Kamil asked sarcastically.
"I clearly remember that he was there for addiction and nothing else. What kind of crisis?" Nora asked, dreading the answer. She already knew her mistake. She had never wanted to know what was wrong with Tamer then. Now she had to face it.
"Addiction to getting insanely angry, if that’s the way you want to think of it," said Kamil derisively. “He’s been sick since he was sixteen. That was when he started fighting with the militia and killed his dad by mistake. He has his on and off times. You surely understand, Doctor? Or did you have no idea what he was really like?"
"No idea! Azoomy refused to give any details about Tamer or release any private documents explaining what happened to him."
"Azoomy is a great friend. He helped out a lot in the past. But he can't do anything this time. Tamer tried to kill me before he ran away
Mona didn't answer. She shut her eyes, covered her ears with her hands, and bent in two, her head touching her knees. She felt her heart breaking into small pieces, and a huge ball of tears was stuck in her throat, constricting her breathing. She knew Kamil too well, so well that she was certain he would not spare her son's life even if she begged him for it. She should have sent Tamer and Nora away a long time ago; she should have bought them tickets, put them on a plane, and let them go away forever. Their prese nce had made her so happy that — like an idiot —she’d pushed the sad reality away and had lived like the young couple, in a dream.
Mona felt herself being pulled back into a sitting position. Kamil was looking at her angrily. "What's your problem, Mona? Didn't you hear that I almost got killed? You have yet to see the marks he left on my neck, or don't you even care anymore? Is everything about Tamer now? Wake up to reality. He's always been mentally ill. In the past, after his father got killed, he used to attack you. Have you forgotten everything already? Tamer, Nora. Tamer, Nora. You were starting to become delusional. I left Elham for you. After Toufic's death, I could have given you some money and let you go. But no, I gave you everything I thought you deserved in this life. Is this your way of thanking me, after all these years?"
"Oh Kamil! I was just in shock, that's all," said Mona, coming back to reality. How could she let her feelings overcome her in front of Kamil? She was really losing her mind. She took a deep breath and caressed his face and neck. "Oh Kamil, I'm so sorry about all this. He's still my son, but you’re my love, and this whole situation rips my heart in two. I know he's crazy. I'm so sorry again for what he did to you. But you are my life. I don't exist without you." Mona closed her eyes; she felt like she might throw up at any moment. Just looking Kamil in the eye gave her the feeling that her son was already dead. Every cell in her body was screaming in frustration and pain.
Nora entered the living room at this moment. She looked pale and depressed. "Is Tamer here? He didn't come to our usual meeting place outside the hospital. I have some bad news to tell him."
"We have bad news for you, Nora," cried Mona, still in Kamil's embrace. “Tamer had one of his crises today. He tried to kill his uncle, and then he disappeared. I can't, I can't think about it…" With tears covering her face, she ran to her bedroom, leaving Nora and Kamil facing each other.
"Crisis? What crisis?" Nora couldn't stand up anymore; she found herself a seat across from Kamil.
"One of his usual ones, Doctor. Or did you forget that he was your patient?" Kamil asked sarcastically.
"I clearly remember that he was there for addiction and nothing else. What kind of crisis?" Nora asked, dreading the answer. She already knew her mistake. She had never wanted to know what was wrong with Tamer then. Now she had to face it.
"Addiction to getting insanely angry, if that’s the way you want to think of it," said Kamil derisively. “He’s been sick since he was sixteen. That was when he started fighting with the militia and killed his dad by mistake. He has his on and off times. You surely understand, Doctor? Or did you have no idea what he was really like?"
"No idea! Azoomy refused to give any details about Tamer or release any private documents explaining what happened to him."
"Azoomy is a great friend. He helped out a lot in the past. But he can't do anything this time. Tamer tried to kill me before he ran away
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