AYAD

Chapter 10

Time progressed on, and soon enough it was the weekend. Gracie had gone to see her mother and friends. I felt like she had not seen Saheed in days. Why bother staying at home when he was never there? They spent no time together and didn't even speak. The relationship felt like poison to Gracie.

Back at the Ayad house, the house was more dull without Gracie's bright and bubbly personality. Her smile alone lit up rooms and hearts.

Mr. Ayad had summoned Dabir into his study, right as Dabir was preparing to go to his own home office to get some work done. Dabir knew that his father and Saheed had been down there talking all morning.

Dabir got into the room and saw Saheed kneeling on the ground weeping, as his dad paced in a worried and angry fashion. In Arabic, Dabir asked "What is all this?"

"My son, please, sit. We need your help. Your idiot brother–" Mr. Ayad raised his hand to strike Saheed, causing him to flinch. "Your brother has brought shame to this house."

Dabir took in a deep breath and let it out, whenever Saheed acted out, everyone would turn to Dabir to make it better. He was always Mr. Fix-It, but this issue was about way more than he could handle.

"Saheed! Tell him what you did!"

"Why do I have to-"

"Shut up! He's your only hope!" Mr. Ayad shouted, before plopping down into his chair. He felt faint.

Saheed knew this was true. Afterall, a big part of what Dabir did for a living was negotiating multi-million dollar contracts, he could reason with anyone. He might have hated Dabir, but he needed him now more than ever.

"SPEAK!" Mr. Ayad screamed.

"Baba." Dabir called, firmly but calmly. He didn't want to get caught in the middle of a yelling match between his father and Saheed.

"Okay, okay. I won't yell." Mr. Ayad assured, his eyes cut back to Saheed. "Speak. Now."

"Fine." Saheed wiped his face and sat back on the chair, his head turned in the opposite direction from where Dabir. He cleared his throat. "I...I got someone pregnant."

Re-hearing the admission, Mr. Ayad felt sick to his stomach all over again. Dabir felt a pang in his chest. Both Mr. Ayad and Dabir were absolutely gutted for Gracie, they were abhorred.

 Dabir didn't understand how Saheed could be so repeatedly and consistently stupid. He felt as if he was about to lose his mind,  he stood up abruptly. "This is not my concern, Baba. Let him figure it out."

"No! Please! Please, my son. Your brother needs you, without your help she will surely leave. Gracie would make the perfect wife! Beautiful, smart, kind, everything! She must be kept happy." Mr. Ayad urged. 

"What is the expectation? He needs to deal with his own decision."

"My son, wait! You and Gracie seem to be very close, no? Talk to her for your brother."

Saheed looked over for the first time, the brothers eyes were locked. Even in such a desperate moment, he felt anger and jealousy at the thought of Gracie being near Dabir.

With eyes still on Saheed, Dabir said "He needs to be a man."

"I AM A MAN!"

"A man wouldn't do this." Dabir's face was hot, he took a deep breath to calm down before he continued speaking. "This is foolish and childish...What do you expect me to do? Beg Gracie for you?"

"Gracie doesn't have to know anything... well she shouldn't have to know. We still have time! The girl is trying to out me, but I'm thinking we can get it under control for the right amount of dollar signs..? You know?"