Chapter 63

He pulled the vanity stool in his room and plumped down beside the bed. His eyes enthralled on her. She looked so much younger when sleeping. Long lashes, a blade nose and burrowed cheekbones, her appearance only to die for. He couldn't help but notice the plump pink lips. The top lip was thinner, but not too thin, and it had a natural cupid’s bow; the bottom was thicker and more plush. He stared at them while she slept, so perfect, yet so frustrating that he could bear no social contact with her, just yet. 

He looked at the clock, it was almost 10 in the morning. She has been sleeping all through the night till he woke her up for subh and she went straight back to bed after she prayed. He couldn't wait for her to be awake and tell her the news too, but he was afraid of telling her the person behind it. 

He stood up from the stool and headed towards the bathroom to take his bath. She wasn't in the room when he came out. He smiled a bit and moved to his dressing mirror. She was embarrassed that they slept in the same bed maybe. He dressed formally and stepped out of the room. He descend down the stairs to the living room. She wasn't there. He walked further into the living room to the kitchen. She was sitting on the stool staring and a blank space. She didn't even acknowledge his presence. 

He stared at her for brief seconds and walked towards her. "Care to tell me what you're thinking about?" He inquired standing before her. She looked up and shook her head. "Good morning," she mumbled. "I was going to make breakfast but I don't know what to cook exactly," she spoke bashfully.  "How are you feeling now?" He asked placing the back of his hand on her forehead to feel her temperature. "Your temperature was high last night," he added. 

"I'm feeling okay." She smiled sheepishly. "You cleaned the house yourself?" She asked and he nodded. "I'll make breakfast, pancakes? Fries?" He asked moving to the pantry. He opened it and looked at her, raising a brow. "Anything will be okay," she responded sheepishly. 

He simpered and looked away. She focused on his retreating back, having a reverie about everything that has happened to her last night, in just few hours. She got married and lost her baby all on the same day. That was too much for her but she always remembered her mother's soothing words. 

Allah will never burden you with something that is beyond your capacity to deal with. Even on days when you feel as if you cannot take it anymore, know that you can survive it- for Allah knows us better than anyone knows and whatever trial you're facing in your life, know that He also gives you the strength to handle that trial.

"Manha? What are thinking of?" He inquired looking at her. He had a bowl in front of him on the kitchen island. She took hold of his gaze and shook her head. "You didn't hear what I said?" He asked and she shook her head again. 

"I said the person that got you molested and murdered amatullah has been caught......"

For a split second her whole reverie was suspended. She peered at him to make sure what she heard was right. He smiled a little and nodded. She parted her lips to speak but the words vanished. "It was mujahid's wife," he averred before she could finish registering his first information. "He pleaded for her to be pardoned but I told him I can't declare anything about it. You're the only one that can decide to forgive her or not but in my opinion she does not deserve to be pardoned," he contended irked. 

She still didn't say or do anything the whole time he spoke. She didn't even know what to say. Does her parents know about this or mahmud was the only person that knew? "He told your parents last night," he mumbled. She looked at him again. Eyes watering. She looked away and nodded. She was supposed to be a bit relieved or happy but nothing really changed. All her thoughts kept wandering off to her daughter. 

She wiped the tear that dropped and stood up. "I need to go take a shower," she excused herself and left. He looked at her retreating back till she left the kitchen. He sighed, scratching the back of his head. He didn't expect her to react that way. She needed time to think, maybe. He thought. 

He was almost done with their breakfast when he heard the door bell. He looked at the kitchen door for brief seconds before dropping what he was doing and stepped out of the kitchen. He walked passed the dining room and living room to the door. Who could that be by that time of the day and on a Saturday. 

He peeped through the peeping hole before he slowly opened it. Could that day get any better? It was Maryam's parents standing right before him. He quickly masked his stunned expression with a smile. "I.... good morning, daddy, mommy. Please come in....." he stuttered and widened the door. They entered and he directed them to the living room. "Where's maryam?" Daddy asked after they have exchanged pleasantries. He couldn't wait to set eyes on her. 

Mommy glared at him but he seem to not even notice her daggers going his way. "I will go call her right now," he excused himself and entered her room. He stepped into her room same time she was coming out. He blocked her path and closed the door. She gave him a puzzled look. "Uhh.... you have visitors," he stated, looking at the door as if someone was going to barge in. "Me? Who could that be?" She asked walking passed him but he blocked her way again. "What's wrong?" She asked. 

He held her shoulders, "just don't panic." He knew how she easily panicked over everything no matter how little it was. "Why would I panic? Let me go see who it is," she said and shrugged off his hands away from her shoulders.

She walked passed him and ambled out of the room. He sighed knowing things won't go as easy as it should. He almost bumped into her when he stepped out of the room. She looked away and tried to walk pass him and enter her room but he grabbed her arm. "You see I told you not to panic. Where are you going now?" He asked while she struggled to free herself. 

"Just let go of me, I don't wish to see him," she claimed and snatched her arm away. She stormed into her room when mommy followed her. "Don't worry I'll go talk to her. Her father wants to speak with you," mommy informed him before following Maryam.

She had her face covered with her hands, not that she was crying. She couldn't get over the shock that her father was really the one apologizing to her now. He could only apologise when the truth was out not when she was saying it by herself. Nevertheless, she doesn't care. When she was saying the truth, why didn't he believe her? She wasn't ready to see him left alone speak with him. 

"I know what your father did to you was out of hand," mommy started. Maryam looked at her mother and scoffed. She was furious, mommy could tell. "I apologize to you on his behalf, okay? Please accept his apology. He's your father and you can't change that fact no matter what he does......"

"But you can change your child when they make a mistake?" She cuts in, irritated. Mommy was perplexed. When did maryam became so cold? "You were the only one that stood by me through my bad and tough times. He only cared about his career. He didn't wanted to be shamed of what he thought I did....." she trailed off and looked away. She promised she wasn't going to cry no more. She swallowed hard and closed her eyes. Her throat pained her. She needed to cry the pain away...

"Forgive him, please.... if you take me as your mother then forgive him."

"But he didn't believe in me when he should have. He sent me away when I needed him the most. It's just too much.... everything.... I just can't...." 

Her dark brown eyes looked as if an ocean had been encased inside of small glass marbles. Then the smooth spheres appeared to be cracked; the ocean had started to leak, little water droplets streamed down Maryam's rosy cheeks.

"I know my dear. I'm still angry about what he did too but he is someone we can't replace, right? Please stop the tears now, no one is worth your golden tears." She engulfed her in a warm embrace. 

"Did you tell him that I'm married now?" She asked when they broke the hug. Mommy smiled and nodded. "I did and he is very okay with it. He always had that dream of you being married to Mahmud, I did too." She wiped Maryam's tears away. Maryam smiled sheepishly and nodded. 

"Now let's go back to the living room." They both stood up and walked out of the room. He was still discussing with mahmud. He looked at his daughter and smiled. She smiled back and walked over to him. 

She reached out and hugged him tightly. That's when she knew she had missed her father. Being in his arms made her feel a glimpse of happiness and hope in her soul. "I'm so sorry for what I did to you, Maryam. Please forgive me." They broke the hug. She nodded her head and hugged him again. "I forgive you," she mumbled. 

He held her soft hands. “I know you have felt alone for so long. I know you've been seeking for our comfort and love but weren't there for you and I'm very sorry for everything I have made you go through. I will not stop apologizing to you maryam. Indeed you're the most amazing and loving daughter. May Allah bless you and may your marriage be among the best.”

Just last night if someone would tell her that she would be happy the next they, she would've called them crazy. She hugged him again, all her worries slowly fading away. She was more than elite to know her life would go back to the way it used to be, except the fact that she was married now. 

“And about the wedding, we are definitely going to have an exquisite, considerable wedding. I have to make it up to you two for what I’ve done,” he smiled at her. Mahmud scratched the back of his head, not welcoming the idea of having a big wedding. “Daddy, you know I don't like huge weddings. A simple walima will be very okay, right mommy?” Mommy nodded in agreement. 

Maryam wanted to follow them back home but daddy refused with the excuse that she was married now. But she would the back home for the wedding preparations.

She went out to accompany them and came back into the house. He wasn't in the living room anymore. She entered she kitchen and met him arranging their breakfast on a plate. “I made waffles instead,” he informed while he glazed it. She settled down on the stool. He pushed the plate towards her. “Thank you. Aren't you going to eat?” She asked and he shook his head, anxiously. He looked distant and a bit disturbed. “What happened?” She inquired. 

He looked at her beamed, like he always did. And it did wonders to her heart. “It’s just dad I got a call from my father when I was with daddy saying that he wanted to see me now.” He heaved a sigh. She returned a smile, “you shouldn't be worked up about it. You should eat first before you leave, okay? Khairan In Sha Allah.” He smiled again and nodded. He settled down beside her and they had their breakfast together. 

**

"Getting her molested then afterwards killing her child but you still don't regret everything you have done even when your husband divorced you? Are sure you're okay, Nadia?" Her mother asked, infuriated. Nadia looked away and shrugged her shoulders. 

"By Allah if not because I wouldn't want my child to be roaming around the city I wouldn't have allowed you to stay in my house. And you even have the audacity to tell me everything that you have done?"

"Well Mammy I thought after telling you everything you'd find a solution for me not.... yell," she spoke nonchalantly. Mammy didn't hesitate to smack her cheek. The slap was as loud as a clap and stung her face.

"I am not as heartless as you are, Nadia. And I haven't gone crazy. I would never allow such stupidity cloud my mind to think of hurting someone that much." Nadia stared at Mammy with greatest shock. "Mammy you slapped me?" She mumbled still holding her cheek. "I did and I will do it again if you say something senseless again. What kind of a person are you Nadia? I did not train you to be selfish and heartless. Put yourself in her shoes, will you be happy if someone did that to you or it happens to your own daughter? You're not even scared of what her parents might do to you right? Do not expect me to do anything when they threaten to take you to the police and you know that would be your end.”

Nadia turned away and hissed slightly. If that happened to her, there was no way she was going to forgive whoever did it, no way! And why won’t anyone get that what she did was the right thing. It worked since her husband didn't marry her at the end. If she didn't carelessly kept her phone like she did, he wouldn't have found out about it. But definitely she would find a way to go back to her house and end maryam without any evidence that she was the one.  

"In fact get out of my room! Get out! Senseless idiot." She barked when Nadia wasn't even paying attention to her. She stood up and stormed out of her mother's room. Time to act up and end everything for good.