After the dinner gathering ended and the voices throughout the house subsided, Ahmed quietly began preparing the sleeping arrangements. He laid out the mats for the children one by one, carefully arranging the pillows and blankets, then prepared a comfortable spot for his father and Mr. Haruki.
Ahmed's mother, Mrs. Sayuri, and Misaki slept in the room, while Ahmed stretched out next to his father and Mr. Haruki. Fatigue had seeped into all their bones, and within minutes, the house was submerged in a deep sleep.
Ahmed's mother woke up at three in the morning. She rose quietly and gently woke Ahmed. He opened his eyes with difficulty, but he stood up immediately to help her. Together, they began packing and organizing the bags for the trip.
Once they finished, Ahmed's mother went to wake Mrs. Sayuri so she could prepare her bags and her children's bags. Ahmed's mother then headed to the kitchen and prepared a warm breakfast: white beans carefully cooked with eggs, and she baked plenty of fresh bread and cakes until the house was filled with a delicious, reassuring aroma.
Meanwhile, Ahmed went to his room, gathered the remaining gifts, snacks, and items he had bought, and prepared them for the trip. His mother called him from the kitchen:
"Go and help Mrs. Sayuri."
Ahmed went to her, and as soon as he began lifting one of the bags, she suddenly dropped it on his head and said:
"Sorry..."
But her tone was provocative.
Ahmed smiled patiently. She stepped closer to him and asked:
"Have you ever loved a woman before?"
"Yes."
He said it simply.
Mrs. Sayuri's face suddenly changed, and she looked as if she were about to explode:
"Who is she?!"
Ahmed hesitated for a moment, then said:
"She is..."
He paused for a second.
"...She is my mother."
Mrs. Sayuri kicked him hard in the arm. Ahmed groaned in pain and said with a raspy voice:
"What did I do?!"
"Sorry..."
She said it again, but in a way that angered him even more.
Ahmed finished helping her and returned to his mother, who asked him:
"Is there fuel in the bus?"
"I don't know."
"Go, wake your brothers, dress them, and wake your father and Mr. Haruki. There isn't much time left until the Fajr prayer call."
Ahmed nodded and left. While on his way, he spotted Mrs. Sayuri, who said to him:
"Wake my daughters, dress them, and comb their hair. I will help your mother."
She tapped him lightly this time. He smiled in bewilderment, muttering to himself:
"She kicked me hard a moment ago... and now she's gentle?"
Then he whispered:
"Women... are harder than mathematics."
Ahmed woke his brothers, dressed them, perfumed them, and got them ready. Then he woke his father and Mr. Haruki to prepare. Afterward, he went to Mr. Haruki's daughters, waking them one by one. He helped them dress, combed their hair, and gently perfumed them.
As soon as he finished, the Fajr call to prayer echoed. Ahmed's mother said:
"Breakfast is ready. We will pray here and then eat."
Mrs. Sayuri woke Misaki, and everyone gathered. They prayed Fajr, then sat around the dining table. Mrs. Sayuri looked at her daughters with admiration and said:
"Masha'Allah... so beautiful. Who prepared you?"
The girls all pointed to Ahmed.
Mrs. Sayuri smiled with gentle irony and said:
"You will be a great father."
Ahmed's face turned bright red with embarrassment, and everyone burst into laughter. They began eating amidst an atmosphere of joy and excitement.
Afterward, Ahmed carried all the bags and belongings and placed them in the bus. The driver was Ahmed's father. Everyone boarded the bus—the voices of the children and the laughter of the adults—their hearts full of longing.
The bus finally moved...
And they were all excited for their journey to Socotra Island, where a new beginning and unforgettable memories awaited them.