Too Little, Too Late

53

The car came to a stop in front of the Abdulaziz compound at Haven Estate and Ibrahim was certain he did not want to leave the vehicle, not when he knew he was not ready to face his in-laws; not when he'd broken their daughter after promising to love, cherish, and honour her for the rest of their lives.

A warm hand closed around his and slowly, as though his body was still booting like a freshly powered machine, he turned to look at his father who sat beside him. Salim offered a small smile, his squeeze gentle. "You can do this, okay? We'll be right there with you every step of the way."

In the front passenger seat, Fareeda had turned to look at both men that she loved. She nodded, her smile as small as Salim's. "We'll be there, Ibrahim. We promise."

The tears slightly blurred Ibrahim's vision and he had to blow out a breath, following it with another just so he didn't break down there and then for the umpteenth time in less than twenty-four hours. He took two minutes to gather courage before he nodded at his parents; a small nod but a nod all the same. Salim squeezed his son's hand once more before he let go.

The car doors went open at the same time and each member of the family of three got down, leaving the driver within. They all wore black; Fareeda in a black abaya and its complimenting veil while father and son wore matching trousers, turtlenecks, and the same coat with boots on their feet.

They helped themselves into the compound and their footsteps seemed louder as they ascended the front stairs. Before Salim could ring the doorbell, the door went open and Salama – with eyes that showed just how much she'd cried and skin that was a near shade paler – managed to give them a small smile.

Ibrahim felt a fresh stab of pain and it twisted. He wondered what he would say or how he'd address her because he no longer felt worthy of calling her Mum, not when he'd tainted his image and the trust they had in him. The silence stretched until Fareeda broke it. Her smile was smaller than Salama's and a sheen of tears made her eyes glassy. "Assalam Alaykum, Salama."

Salama swallowed and tears began to well up in her eyes which only further made Ibrahim feel worse. "Waalaykum Salam, Fareeda." She stepped aside. "Please come in. Everyone is waiting for you in the living room."

Fareeda stepped in first and Salim followed. Ibrahim, in shame, lowered his head and stepped over the threshold. The memories hit then; the first time he'd stepped into the house back in 2013, his and Ayra's engagement party, the way he'd rushed back when his family members nearly blew up the plans he and the squad had which caused him to act fast, the times he came over to drop her – Ayra – off and to also discuss the wedding plans with Salama and her team, the wedding itself, and every time he'd visited since then.

The house was unusually quiet and it weighed down on him. His mind went back to his and Ayra's wedding and how beautiful it'd been although he'd paid attention to the details just so his acting wouldn't slip, knowing that when it was over he was to go spend the night with Bella and the others while Ayra stayed at home. Back then, the thrill had been exhilarating and the lies had been perfect. In that moment, as they stepped into the living room, Ibrahim regretted it all and wished – with everything he had – that he could turn back time to make every wrong right.

Muhsin, Al-Amin, and Falilat sat in the living room, the atmosphere sombre and the space quiet. Salama stepped in after the Fahads, her small smile still on. "Please have a seat. There's tea if you'd like."

Salim and Fareeda offered salams which were responded to before they – clearly humbly – sat on a loveseat, knowing better than to be overly comfortable with the situation at hand. Ibrahim stayed standing and Salama's smile disappeared as she sat beside her husband, her hand naturally finding his. "Ibrahim? Why don't you –"