married at 16: Scars that bloomed into strength.

Episode Eleven (11) "Not thesame Jamal. Her return, His distance"

Baraka's pov

"I don't like him," I replied to fatimah.
"What do you mean? Duhhh you are not suppose to like him." She opposed with a chuckle.
"Yeah right.......wait... is your brother ok?  Because he doesn't seem so." I asked with a rough tone listening keenly for her respond.
"Well yeah, he is. What's up?" She proposed.
"Nothing much," I answered and slowly lean on the bed.
"Hmmmm.......," she paused. "Stay right here, I will be right back," she held my hand and playfully drag me. I got up and sat properly staring at her like a lost goat. She uttered something which I couldn't hear clearly and left.

I sat for almost five minutes in the room but still fatimah hasn't returned. So I thought of going downstairs to check on her. While I was struggling to open the door I realised that someone was knocking too, I hurriedly perfected my hijab and unlock the door.

"Asalamualaikum," we utter the greetings in unison.
"Waalaikumsalam," I smile a little bit before responding. On the whole he was still maintaining thesame expression.
"Your child wants to join the girls," he said it with a faint smile plastered on his face. I took zaid from him and he immediately left the spot without uttering even a single word.

'That hurts' I muttered placing my hand on my chest. Yeah.... watching him turning his back at me really hurts. It hurts so bad but I can't do anything about it. He changed alot this past years, I'm surprised. I never thought he would act this way. After all these years, I've been yearning and praying to unite with him and all I could get from him is a faint smile and total mutants. I feel so bad right now, maybe coming back home is never a good idea. Nonetheless I will have to leave anyway, perhaps someday my love will be returned, maybe this is what is best for me.

After a long pause I entered back in the room. Since zaid was around, I could no longer search for fatimah so I sat on the bed, put zaid on my lap and started singing lullaby.

Zahra's POV

I was in the room chatting with baraka when I receive a message from jamal that i should make some pancakes. I got up as soon as I saw the message on my dm. Heading straight to the kitchen, I took some flour, vanilla essence and two cups of sugar in mom's room before I start cooking. In ten minutes time the food was ready. It looks really good and I guess baraka would also love it. Speaking about her, I really want jamal and her to reconcile, I don't want her to leave without getting engaged or if possible even Marry her. I will try my level best to set them up because I love them both and you know.....!they are really cute together.
Their eyes screams true love, they are just shy.

'Tring' the microwave stopped. I took all the pancakes and put it on a tray plate sought of, it's looks really beautiful, fabulous, fantastic, awesome.....I really admired the deco and everything, mom didn't waste her time teaching her children house chores. Not bragging though it's part of the essentials.

I Climb downstairs to check on the men and serve them cakes before going back to the room since I was the one making it, but the only problem is I'm shy to even move my legs so I had to text jamal and Abdul Hamid to come and get the food. I waited for about three minutes before jamal arrived, to say I wasn't uncomfortable and annoyed would be an understatement.
I wanted to scold him so badly but I remembered it's his day so I have to be extra nice, So I stopped but I knew he was gonna annoy me to death before he leaves.

"Stop it please! I need to go....baraka's upstairs waiting," I replied to jamal's foolish moves that he was making in order to irritate me more.
"Okayyyyy.......," he said with a fake smile.
"I mean yeah right you too. You are taking her side now. You are putting her over your own blood, I mean your own brother. You kidding right? Naa....do you mean to say because of that woman I can't even talk to my own sister?.....," he added with a straight face yet calm in his voice.
"Hey hey hey....what was that all about Jamal? what was that supposed to mean bro?...why are you blaming me all of sudden for no good reason...bro you need some prayers right now....you know what? I don't wanna disrespect you or anything but I gotta go because I don't have time for your silly jokes," I exclaimed as calm as I could. I really thought he was joking but his expression screams something else."I don't know who needs to say this but you are being rude right now," I face him directly and drop the sense like a nasty peel. I don't really know but I feel like jamal is hiding something.

"Listen....," he was about to say gibberish again so I break him.
"Sorry to say this but I don't have time for petty conversations," I said truthfully without directing my eyes on him. I turned around to walk back. He looked at me as if something was odd.
"If I had known that it was gonna end up this way, I wouldn't invite baraka here," I'm the only one talking right now.
"You don't even understand zahra," he said with that sad innocent face almost dropping a tear.
"Make me understand," with that I continued walking upstairs and left him hanging.

*****

"Zahraaaa....mom wants to speak to you," Amir shouted and I heard his foot steps. He knocked the door I open it and say salam to him before I take the phone.
"Waalaikumsalam sis, mom wants to speak to you," he handed the phone with a huge smile revealed on his face.
"Thanks," I replied to him. I made a gesture that I will bring back the phone when I'm done talking. He said ok and left.
"By the way dad is downstairs," he exclaimed while he was living.

"Asalamualaikum mom....I miss youuu, how are you feeling now, you OK?......i'm very sorry about yesterday, I told jamal to call you and I hope he did," I said it all in one breath. I walk towards my dressing table and lean my body on it waiting for mom's reply.
"Alhamdullilah I'm doing great. How about you my child? I miss you all very much. Hope you're being a good girl and I hope you're taking care of your brothers too," mom replied breathing so hard in every word. I'm very scared, I feel like her situation is getting worse.
Although I have hope in Allah, I still feel scared because she was diagnosed with another sickness two weeks ago.
"Yeah I am Alhamdullilah.......it's just...things are just hard without you. We miss you alot mom, samira misses you, she ask about you all the time. We are all trying to be strong. Jamal's trying his best to be the big bro he can ever be," I exclaimed. Though I'm very mad at jamal but I had to speak the truth, he's really trying.
"Maa shaa Allah, that's a good thing my fatimah, may Allah keep guiding you all. Though I'm not with you but always remember my prayers are always with you ok. Send my regards to everyone please....," Said mom.
"in shaa Allah I will mom, I'm glad that you're fine mom...," I replied just to make myself believe that she's ok.
"Don't worry princess I'm doing just fine.......uhmm I will have to go now the doctor's coming. Talk to you later ok," she exclaimed.
"Bye mommy, tomz I will come and visit," I said with a smily face.
"You don't have to come my child. In shaa Allah I will be fine. Take care, be a good girl and also don't forget to read the quran. Asalamualaikum!," as soon as she made her last remark, she ringoff the phone. I replied her greeting even though she's not there. I walked straight to the bed and lie on it. Putting the pillow on my face, I couldn't hold my emotions neither do I want to be ungrateful so I started weeping. I cried all my tears out and pray for my mom's well being until the weight on my chest reduced. I got up and went downstairs to make breakfast, fortunately I found all the foods on the table flirting with me. I walked straight to my dad before sitting and give him a hug and a kiss on his forehead. I said salam to everybody and settle down.

We ate to our hearts content showing gratitude to Allah at the end. Samira and I clean the table and wash the dishes together for some minutes while jamal and the rest headed to the living room. Since dad was here, we all have to go to the parlour to equally spend time with him, samira and I wash our hands and join the men.

"Dad we are in summer!!!..," Amir said mimicking jamal's voice.
"Dude he knows right......If you don't have something to say just shush," jamal mocked playfully putting his finger on his lips.
"Don't be a bully dude, he's your bro.....chill mn," Dad exclaimed with a smile putting his hands on jamal's shoulder.
"Dad you don't understand.....Amir's just irritating. He's off," he winked teasingly. Amir got up and started to chase after him and foolish jamal run for his life. Meanwhile I just sat there  staring.
"Dad I need to tell you something," Samira whispered to dad holding his ears.
"Jamal is in love," she whisper shouted. Immediately jamal heard her, he rested on the couch, mute and shy. Dad looked at him, winked and laughed.
"Dad you know that samira is a kid right?" He said covering his face.
"By the way Yasir and khalid's coming over. They just texted me right now," he changed the topic.

"They're highly welcome," dad replied.  I slowly excuse myself and ran to my room to put on proper hijab. When I came back everyone was laughing at me as if I'm the clown but I didn't mind. I guess it's because of my sudden disappearance.
"I'm proud of my girl," dad complimented between his laughters.
"Mom's proud of me too," Jamal replied with jealousy written all over his face. Sometimes he's behavior is like of samira's. He's too childish.

His phone rang and I saw him heading towards the door. I silently prayed that nothing messes up today.

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Written✏ by Haddy Nyang(a.k.a khaddija uthman)