Falling Innocently

Chapter 17 - Half a Heart

"Also prohibited are the women who are already married, unless they flee their disbelieving husbands who are at war with you*. These are Allah's commandments to you. All other categories are permitted for you in marriage, so long as you pay them their due dowries. You shall maintain your morality, by not committing adultery. Thus, whoever you like among them, you shall pay them the dowry decreed for them. You commit no error by mutually agreeing to any adjustments to the dowry. Allah is Omniscient, Most Wise.

*4:24 If believing women flee their disbelieving husbands who are at war with the believers, they do not have to obtain a divorce before remarriage."

-Surah An-Nisa, verse 24

Waliya looked lost. It wasn't even fifteen minutes since Aahil had walked through the security gates and she already looked like a lost soul. Her brother, Raihan, was amazed to see her drastic change and wondered if having her marry Aahil before he left for Dubai was actually a good thing to have done. She already looked withdrawn and sad and pondered if their three days together could really have had such a great impact on her?

Did time spent together affect the intensity of one's love? Or was it the type of person that Aahil was, that caused to her to act differently in the short time apart? He was not certain, but one thing he knew for sure, six months without Aahil was going to be pure torture for Waliya.

He had to do something to cheer her up, that was his baby sister and he had to take care of her. Walking over to her, he slung his arm around her shoulder and spoke to her in one of the most teasing voices, "So little sister of mine, how about you and I go for a little sweet shopping?" He knew mentioning sweets would get her excited since she would be able to stock up on her Tempo chocolates and her Oreos. However, this was the one time she smiled sadly and shook her head.

"I have enough because Aahil was too stubborn and he made me keep half of what I originally bought for him," she said and rolled her eyes at him.

They were walking out of the airport and towards to his car pulling her along with him. She was moping and he didn't like it. He was supposed to take care of her and make sure she was happy, but this was an inner pain that he couldn't fix. It was making him feel like useless -in every single way. He couldn't make her happy.

"Wow, so you're trying to tell me he already knows what a beast you are when it comes to your sweets?" he teased her. All he wanted from his sister was a smile, a true one. One smile that wasn't fabricated, and showed her pain.

She nudged him with a smile and they continued their little childish game of knocking one another in the ribs and racing ahead to the car. By the time she reached the car, he could see her puffing a little from being breathless and the running they had done. Her eyes shone a little brighter and her cheeks were rosy, finally she had some colour.

"Raihan, Waliya," their father said in a mock strict voice, but his eyes showed warmth at their behaviour. "You are both married adults, act like it. Waliya, I expected better from you," he said and unlocked the car. They slid into the back seat while Nafeesa got into the front seat. "You should have won," he father added before starting the car.

She burst out laughing and pulled tongue at Raihan's sulking face. He was about to grab it, but she pulled it inside in time. "Hah, daddy expects better from me, but you're the athlete!" she rubbed it in his face.

"Mummy, Waliya has sweets in her bag!" he said and stuck out his tongue at her, knowing that his mother loved sweets -maybe more than Waliya. 'Idiot!' Waliya mouthed to him.

"Hmm?" Nafeesa said as if she were uninterested in their conversation. She knew Raihan was trying to get a raise out of her daughter, but not giving him what he wants was a thousand times funnier than seeing Waliya getting angry.