Ripples Of Pain

CHAPTER FOUR

Two women sat around a woman on a sofa ,  which seemed not comfortable for them at all .They were actually consoling a woman in-between them. The foam of the sofa was getting off, to them , it look like they are sitting on a bench or wood chair.
Some men were also sitting opposite them. They were actually sitting on a mat, a mat which Ahmad used to pray. A girl was resting her head on a  woman sitting beside her also,  in the sitting room .Everyone looked pained , no one was cheerful at that moment.The other two women were advising  Aisha,they told her to her it was qadar ( destiny). To Aisha, everything still look like dream, she didn't believe what has happened, still look like miracle. She burst into  tear again.

"My husband is sleeping , nothing happened to him.We still talk yesterday before he went to bed. We went to Selimah's room together to pray for her.Noooooo!!!!   not this time "ya Allah". My husband didn't promise me to leave me with this pain. She looked at Selimah, who was resting her head on  Sumayyah's lap and continued with her talks of sorrow,"We have planned to raise our child together oh" She cried more

"It's okay Aisha.Pray for him .We know your husband was a good man.Pray for him to enter Paradise.We don't know what he is facing now" One of the women in the sitting room stated

"Assalamualaikum" Two clerics in a white gown greeted.They were told to enter the sitting room.Seeing these men , Aisha knew it was time for them to take her husband to cemetery, It was time for them to have his janaza(bath on a corpse) for him, it was time for them to shroud him and pray for him , before they will finally take him to an islamic cemetery."Where is the corpse"one of the man asked

"Inside the room"Aisha answered with tears on her eyes

"My husband is now a corpse. He is not Ahmad again. No one addresses him as Ahmad again."She cried more

Many people were outside. They were actually waiting for the corpse to be brought out .Aliyah was among the crowd. She left her place of work immediately she heard the news.
Some were under a canopy, a cleric man was reciting a verse in the Quran.He was also praying  in a language everyone understood, and people were saying aameen to his prayer.
Aliyah was unable to see Aisha at that moment.People were already much in the house, she decided to join those under the canopy.Now the corpse was  brought out, cries again , Aliyah also cried on sighting Ahmad's corpse. She remembered all the good things Ahmad has done to her.
"May Allah grant him aljannah firdaous" Aliyah joined the women at  the back to pray on him. An imam lead the prayer, and seemed there was a little bit silence now. After prayer, Aliyah could see Aisha now, she also prayed with them except Sumayyah who was left inside the house.Probably because she was not praying, or because Selimah was resting on her leg, nobody knew the reason why she didn't join them outside , to pray.

"Assalamualaikum aunty" Aliyah greeted Aisha.She  was shocked to see Aliyah. She knew Abdulhakeem won't have allowed her to leave her work because of what has happened.How did she manage to escape from his house? Or was he the one that granted him the freedom to leave or the wife? It was as if Aliyah knew what Aisha was thinking, she told him she left without telling him.

"What have you done Aliyah? You know how this man can be so mean. You know this could get you fired. I think you should be going now dear.Thanks for the consolation."

" I can't leave you like this aunt.By the way,  you will need someone to stay  with you. I can't leave you and Selimah alone In the house, or, are you following them to cemetery ?"

"Sumayyah  and her children are here with me. So go back to your work. I don't want you to loose your job dear."

"Okay aunt"

"I will call you later then"She bid her a good bye and off the house she was .