A walk on thorns

Chapter 18| Darkest Tunnel

Sabrina's POV

The walk to the park would have been almost completely silent if not for Rubina's curious questions. The girl seemed so innocent, almost naïve, as if her understanding of the world beyond school was limited to the simplest concepts. Had Anisha ever taken her out before? I wondered. How shameful that was, the thought of a child being so unfamiliar with the outside world, left to wonder about things that should have been second nature to her.

I had planned to give this beautiful little girl the most memorable outing of her life, to fill her day with joy and wonder, but her mother's display of toxic, inexcusable character had overshadowed everything.

To say I was enormously horror-stricken would be an understatement. How could she choose a man over her Lord, while her senses remained sharp and alive? I had once thought she was merely delusional, lost in some self-made fantasy, but this! This! This was beyond anything my mind could comprehend.

This was not the Anisha I knew. This was not the Anisha I grew up with, the one I laughed with, the one I called my sister. The woman I had just witnessed was someone I could never have imagined. Innalillahi wa'inna ilayhi raji'un! How could she fall so far? How had she become so blind? This woman was a stranger to me.
I had to compose myself as we reached the park entrance. Rubina was practically glowing with excitement, and the last thing I wanted was to ruin this evening for her. I couldn't forgive myself if I did. The moment we stepped inside, her eyes lit up, and she let out a joyous, "Wow!" She started firing questions like an excited bird. "Can I touch the flowers? Can I climb the swings? Can I have some sweet combo?"

"Let's see MJ first, hmm? Then you can do all that," I said gently, and she agreed with an enthusiastic nod. Her happiness was infectious.

I scanned the area, hoping to catch sight of him, but he wasn't anywhere in view. So, I called him. He directed us to where he had set up, near the Ice Cream Villa.

"Hello, Assalamu alaikum!" I sang the moment we reached him. My breath hitched as I took in the sight before me. Under a grand tree with sprawling branches, he had created a little world of magic. Two plain canvases were propped up on easels, surrounded by chairs, color palette boards, and an assortment of brushes and paints. A separate table was arranged with snacks for Rubina, an array of chocolates, biscuits, ice creams, and more. It looked like something straight out of a storybook. And there he was, sitting patiently, as if he had all the time in the world.

"Wa'alaikum salam," he replied, matching my playful tone. His gaze shifted to Rubina, and his face bloomed with the softest smile. "And is this the beautiful angel I was told I'd be meeting today?" He crouched slightly to her level, gently brushing her hair back as she smiled shyly.

"Hello, MJ," Rubina greeted, her small voice filled with delight.

"Hello, Rubina! How are you, my little artist?"

"I'm so happy to see you today!" she exclaimed, bouncing a little on her toes.

"Well, the feeling's mutual, my darling," he said, his voice suddenly adopting the exaggerated tone of a cartoon character, making her giggle. "Now, we have everything we need to create our masterpiece. Shall we see what magic our little Miss Painter has in store for us?"

I couldn't help but smile. He had a way of bringing such pure joy into the moment.

"Aye, MJ, you really went all out. This is... a lot," I said, my eyes lingering on the thoughtful details. He was impossibly kind.

"Well," he quipped with a grin, "it's not for you, you know. It's all for my little friend here, isn't it, Ruby?" He punctuated the statement with a quick peck on her cheek, making her giggle even more.