Sweet Haram.

¥ Eleven ¥

.
Dahir's  POV.
.

I just stare at him as he paces round the room raining insults, cursing on the man.
"Aren't you pissed?" he asks finally calming down.

"You mean insult and curse him? I don't think I need to do that".
He looks at me worriedly "She's not going back even if Baba wants it, koh?"

I nod "No. She won't have to suffer anymore, my sister can't end up in his house again, she deserves more than that".

He smiles. "So? How is she?"
"You can come see for yourself, she misses you too".
"I have a few things to take care of for Ma, I'll come right after".

"Sure. How do you think  Ma feels about Mallika? Has she ever said anything?"
"She doesn't like her that's for sure".

"She said so?" I ask worriedly.
"No. You know the way she behaves when she doesn't like someone, she doesn't like talking about her and always gets worried about how you're holding up".

I huff "I know. Let's go back to the office, sitting in this parking lot is a waste of time".

.

The aroma.... The sweet sweet aroma.
My house has never smelt so good, I'm still not sure if it's my house.

I enter the kitchen and find Mallika and Reema cooking.
I smile, widely.

"What's going on here?"
"Well we thought about it, instead of me sitting at home doing nothing I have decided to teach your wife my cullinary skills".

I look at Mallika who looked so proud of herself "Yes and I'm cooking dinner". She boasted.

I clap for her "That's amazing, all by yourself?" I ask sarcastically.
"You're being sarcastic with my happiness".

"No, you're assuming things".
"Of course" she rolls her eyes sarcastically.
"Come on, my life isn't indolent so I have nothing to worry about".

I turn to Reema who just stood there watching us, smiling "Where's Khalid?"
"He went out with Hanif and Fayza".

"That's fantastic, let him have fun. I'll go take my bath".

.

I come out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around my waist and sit on the bed.

The door opens and Lala enters. "The food is done" she says excitedly.
"Okay".

She turns around to leave but I call her.
"Yes?"
"I want us to go see Ma this weekend. I might have been wrong when I said she was okay with you".

She frowns "So she doesn't like me?"
"But don't worry it's because of me and I'll fix things".

"You hated the idea of getting married to me? That's what you mean by because of me?"
I nod "I did"

"How about now?"
"Well decisions have already been made, I guess I'm not so against it now".
"Not so against it? Well that's progress" she scoffs "Why didn't you? Or why don't you?"

"That's a story for the gods".
"If it was you wouldn't be harboring such feelings for me".

"Look, you were just completely different from how I expected".
She looks at me confused "I am a guy and believe it or not I have alot of friends and you've dated alot of them, most of them".

She looks at me, looking mad guilty. "So that's why? You guys sit and talk about me?"

"I don't even talk about myself so I have no reason to talk about you but when you meet with friends they sit and have conversations and they don't ask you if you're interested or not, if you want to talk about it or not. Your name popped up so many times, so many stories behind it each time it's called".

"I need to get dressed" I say entering the bathroom.

.

I plug in my ear piece and close the gate.
Since it's the weekend I start jogging by 7am for 2hours before I go back home.

The gate of the house in-between mine and Hanif's opens revealing a man, probably a few years older than I am.

"Hello there" he says smiling widely.
"Hello, just moved in?" I ask.

"Yes. My brother, sister and I just moved in. I'm Ashruf, nice to meet you".
"Pleasures all mine, I'm Dahir Junaid". I shake his hand.

"It looks like you're jogging, I was just going to take a walk.... Mind if I join?"
"Sure".

We start jogging "Just got married, huh?"
"How do you know?"

"The glow... You have it".
"I'm not sure if it's a glow though but thank you".

"I was going to come pay a visit later in the day, then visit my other neighbour".
"Hanif?"

"You know him?"
"He's my brother in law. Maybe you can come over later, I'll introduce you".

"Thank you, it's one of the reasons I brought my brother with me. To meet normal people in his age group".

I nod. "Of course then just send him over".
"I know you're trying to be nice so thank you".

I smile "It's not a problem".

.

We stand in front of their gate.
"Thank you for a great conversation" he admitted.

"It was a pleasure".
Just then their gate opens. I turn around and freeze. It was Kareema.

I collected her number but threw it away afterwards, I didn't see the point in talking to her, leading her on won't be fair.

She smiles at me before turning to Ashruf "Yaya, Ya Tukur says he can't find his car keys".

"God that boy" he groans before turning to me "And please be patient with him, he's a bit overbearing".

"I'm sure I've handled worse" he turns around and walks in.

She smiles wider "See you".
What is going to happen now?

I'll just avoid her.

.
Anwar's  POV.
.

I felt like I've failed myself, my sister, Dahir and even Ma. It hurts more because I thought he was a good man.

I introduced him to Baba in the first place, because I wanted to look at the big picture but instead I ended up ruining my little sister's life.

"So? What are you thinking about now?"

I raise my head and look at Baba. He's actually like a righteous man but he caused this all, if only he showed equality between his children then this wouldn't have happened.

He's so partial, his favourite is obviously Dahir because he is his exact replica. They are both obnoxious, arrogant, serious, quiet and smart and I'm like Ma, just good with people.

He loves Reema because she is his only daughter so the fact that he loves me least is more obvious than Chinese and Indians look different.

"We can't let him get away with what he has done".

He huffs crossing his legs "If you think the same way your brother does you'd know that we can't, he's still her husband and so she has to end this quietly".

"But baba---"
"That's that. For now I'll still pretend like I don't know she's in Kaduna and don't tell your mother, I know how much you like talking".

I nod.
I can't let a man who disrespected my sister to live in peace. Never.

.
.
.
.
.
.