Adornments Of The Heart

03

She walked further into the house with her heart breaking softly with each step she took because she knew for a fact what awaited her in this house. She wished something would happen and she didn't have to visit her mother every weekends, but it wasn't like she enjoyed staying in Dutsinma, especially since Baban Fatima mostly spend his weekends in that house and she hated the sight of him along with his creepy looks and smiles.

She knocked on the living room's door softly before she pushed it and walked inside. The house was eerily silent, as if there was no one inside but she knew there was. Just the hum of the air conditioner and the scent of Turaren wuta which she loved so much.

She walked directly to her room and closed the door. It was exactly as she left it, not even a pillow was creased and she now realized that Mama really meant it when she said that the maid wouldn't be cleaning her room anymore since she had refused to get married.

A painful smile marred her face as she placed her bag on the bed and laid down to stretch her legs. She had a car, but Mama had stopped her from taking it to Dutsinma because in her words, Muhibbah would be roaming around carelessly if she had a car. And the public transport was stressing her out that she always found herself dreading Fridays and Sundays.

The door slightly moved and her younger brother of ten years appeared, a wide grin on his face. "Addah Muhibbah!" He squealed and hugged her roughly. "I knew you were back, I heard your voice from my room!" He said excitedly and Muhibbah felt her heart warming. Khalil made her stays easier in this house and she was thankful for the day Mama gave birth to him. He was her last born and most loved by all. Muhibbah practically raised him.

"My baby! I've missed you so much and guess what? I got you that chocolate, enough for you to have it for a week and it won't finish, but you have to promise me one thing, will you?" She said happily, sitting in the middle of her bed as she pulled her bag and started bringing out all that she bought for him and he smiled while nodding his head.

"Whatever it is, I promise I will do it."

She chuckled, handing him the chocolates. "You'll let me sleep now, first. Then you'll make sure you memorize the remaining two hizbs left for you in Suratul Ra'ad before next week, deal?"

"Yes! Now, can I start eating already?" He was already opening one even before she gave him an answer and Muhibbah just smiled staring at him happily eat his chocolate.

Her life would've been perfect if not for two things. One, which she felt could be change since it was happening now and the other she wished everyone would forget since it's in the past and no one can actually change a thing about it.

She ended up sleeping until she heard the Maghreb adhzan. Even though she was certain Mama must've known she was back, Muhibbah slept off and didn't bother to go and greet her. At least she would have this sleep before she heard whatever it was that Mama had in store for her this weekend.

She prayed, recited all her Azhkars and prayers before she left for Mama's room. Taking deep breaths to calm herself down and she entered the room with a soft salam on her lips.

She met Mama on her praying mat. The scrutinizing look she was flashing her was enough to make Muhibbah recoil back into herself but she stayed strong and walked further until she sat on the lush carpet in the room and cracked a fake smile.

"Good evening, Mama. I'm sorry I didn't get to come and greet you after coming back, I fell asleep almost immediately." She was Mama's first daughter, but one could thing she wasn't. Weren't all mothers best friends with their first child? In Muhibbah's case, it was entirely different.

Sareena was the most beloved child and their mothers best friend. And no, Muhibbah wasn't envious of that. She simply wished she had a good relationship with her mother. And all this strain didn't started just because it had taken her long to get married and her mother now viewed her as a spinster, no. It started long before that. Maybe even before she was born.