The Mystery Box

The mystery box arrived about a week before Eid. It was addressed to S, N and H!

"It's from the Islamicbookstore!" they exclaimed, after scrutinizing the box top, sides, and bottom, even rattling it to figure out what was inside.

"Hmm who sent you that package?" hubby and I asked.

I spied S whispering something to N's ears as N continued to verbalize her guesses out loud. Suddenly they both giggled. Knowing smiles lit up their faces.

"I'll open it tonight, " I said.

"Will you tell us what's inside?" they asked.

I nodded absent-mindedly. I'm no good at keeping surprises.

That night, I opened the box with the excitement of a child who had just received the most sought after gift. Let's admit it, I'm sucker for giving people gifts. The process of preparing them for giving is what gives me the thrill; the wrapping, the arrangements, and of course, the joy you see on the recipient's face. With the kids, I have started to write short notes to them in their books that we gave as Eid gifts. The notes are individualized thus making them special. They love them!

We had ordered a bunch of books from Islamicbookstore for them, but as I looked through the items in the opened box, I realized that some of the books I thought would be good for N were too 'grown-up'. So we ordered a new batch of books just for N.

We gave S a set of three series of the Story of Yusuf alahissalam, since she finished memorizing surah Yusuf by the end of Ramadan. H, we gave a book about Muslim heroes in the Crusades, and Umar Ibn Al Khattab from the Golden Series. For N we ordered Salman Al Farsi, Saad Ibn Abi Waqqas, and Saad Ibn Muadh. For all of them we bought the Quran Challenge game by S. Khan.

Hubby, in his cruelty, put in his Economics and Public Policy textbooks in the empty box and taped it up, to give the kids the impression that we never opened it. You will see why I say 'cruel' later on.

I made notes to them in their books, and we waited for the new package to arrive. This time hubby made Baby Z as the recipient.

"Ooh! It's for Z!" they exclaimed.

Again, they rattled the box to figure out what was inside.

"I think it's a toy for Z," H said, convinced with his hunch.


On Thursday, as we got news that Eid was on Friday AND Saturday, I prepared the gifts, including the newer ones for the kids. The 'mystery box' we had left sitting in its original place in the living room.

S, seasoned to hubby's tricks, said,

"Well you could have taped it up again," when I told her how could we have opened it if it's still taped shut.

"Why would we do that?" I asked her, and she gave me a grunt.

I set the gift bags on the little table in the living room downstairs, ready to surprise the kids when they come down in the morning.


Hubby went to the masjid for Fajr, and before he did, he brought the 'mystery box' upstairs and told the kids they could open it. I was still sleeping but I managed to catch him in the act out of the corner of my eyes. I remember thinking to myself,

"How cruel!" but I slept on, too exhausted from the night before to wake up immediately.

I heard the girls talking between themselves in their room as they cut the box open with scissors. Despite my exhaustion, I opened my eyes, and strained to hear their conversation.

"It's just Abi's books," I heard S say to N.

I felt like my heart was wrenched and squeezed away from me. It was a bad joke. I called N to my room and asked her,

"So what did you find in the box?"

"Oh, just Abi's boring books with highlights in them," she replied. I fought down a bubbling chuckle. She left and headed downstairs.

H was still asleep. By then, I was sorely curious, so I got up and squatted at the top of the stairs, trying to make out the girls' conversation. Unfortunately, I couldn't hear much because Baby Z was too busy making lip vibrations in the room, drowning out the sounds of his sisters' soft voices. Just great! I have girls who have soft voices and boys who are loud. I guess if H were awake I would have at least been able to hear what was being said. That boy is loud.

I decided to jump on them, so I came down the stairs quickly, giving them no time to run and hide. S and N were sitting on the couch, already reading their books. When they realized I was coming down, they tried to run and hide but it was too late.

"What are you guys doing?" I asked, feigning ignorance.

They grinned and giggled.

When hubby came back, I told him what happened.

Oh, that was a very cruel joke. I would never have done it, though it did provide some early morning entertainment on Eid day. As for Baby Z, I could have done without his loud sputtering and continuous saliva bubbles, hindering my eavesdropping mission.

And, S, N, H! I know you're reading this!!!