Under That Niqab

61. Echoes

They were both so engrossed in the work that they didn't even realize how quickly the time had passed. It felt like only a few minutes ago that Shavez entered the room where she was seated and now the storm had ended too without causing the havoc it usually does.

Haya found herself feeling surprisingly relaxed and at ease. She realized that she hadn't felt this comfortable with anyone in a long time. It was as if the storm outside was a metaphor for the tumultuous events that had led her to this point in her life, and now she had found a safe haven in the form of Shavez's company, and she admits it, that he was the most compassionate person she has ever met. But she did not trust him, no.

She was inside her room sitting on a prayer mat yet again, since that was her only chore these days when Shavez casually walked inside and sat on the couch to one side, watching her end the prayer and rise immediately.

"Are you not going to ask for anything?" He asked.

Haya turned towards him with a quizzical expression on her face as she finished folding the prayer mat. She wasn't quite sure what he meant by asking. "What do you mean?" she asked, tilting her head slightly.

Shavez smiled at her and said, "You know, after prayer, people usually ask for something they want or need in their lives."

Haya thought for a moment and then shook her head. "I don't really have anything to ask for," she said softly. She believed that things that were meant to happen would happen regardless of whether she prayed or not. For her, prayer was just a means of finding inner peace and solace, not a way to ask for something...

Shavez looked at her with a small frown. "Are you sure?" he asked. "There must be something you want, something you're hoping for." Haya thought again, but couldn't come up with anything.

"I don't know", she mumbled. I just want to find my son and be able to take care of him.

"Are you afraid? that if you ask for something, it will give you hope and you don't want to be disappointed in the end."

Haya looked at him again her face turning pale at how easily he read her, it was something buried deep inside her and Shavez casually mentioned it like it wasn't a secret.

"I-" She was taken aback "I don't know-" She could only utter in fear that he was capable of reading her mind too.

Hope, yes..it was dangerous, it made people cling to false promises and believe that everything would turn out fine in the end. She had been hopeful until that very day, but now her hope had dwindled.

"It's alright if you don't want to ask something for yourself, would you ask Allah for my safe return instead? I'm leaving tomorrow y'know and this weather, it scares me" He twisted one end of his lip forming a pout.

Haya who was still holding onto the prayer mat put it down upon his request and raised her hands, and it was after so long that she was asking something, praying for something even if it wasn't for her.

As she started the dua, it felt to her like a comeback to home, she returned home. And of course, the one to hold the credit was Shavez. She prayed then, she asked for his well-being, his safe departure and return, for all that Allah has to give her, she kept on asking, for finding where her child was, for her inner peace.

That's what happens when a wanderer returns home, he greedily takes in all that the home has to offer.

As she ended the dua, she could feel a heavy weight lifted from her shoulders, momentarily forgetting that Shavez was still present inside the room, his eyes never leaving her, not even for a second.

"How do you feel?"

"Lightweight"

"That's good,"

Haya waited for him to leave a remark, say something to mock her about how she didn't want to pray but ended up doing it, instead she heard "Do you remember" She turned after keeping the prayer mat back in its place.