A walk on thorns

Chapter 44| Salmah Madaki

Sabrina's POV

When I was done praying, I bit Naziya goodbye with the hope of seeing her on the day before I called MJ. He was surprised that I called early and he came on time to pick me up. We went straight to the gift shop where we ordered three and twenty hundred pieces of package to avoid damage and loss, the gifts were divided into two parts, the first hundred was for the class party which would be packaged in a white customized paper bag, the gifts include, a teddy, ball, watercolor, a cartoon mug and hardcover notebook and chocolate.

MJ had ordered the cakes already but then he proceeded to buy another ingredient which he claimed to bake another cake as his gift. We also branched to the park to see how progressive the setting was and Alhamdulillah everything was going as planned until I stepped my leg into that dreadful house. It was after the Maghrib prayer when MJ dropped me.

She was sitting on the floor, hugging her legs, her bag and phone were beside her, and she was wearing a veil, a sign that she had just back from somewhere. She was hysterically crying and shaking, I almost passed her but then something hooked me back, Naziya's words, Stand for your sister, believe me, this is not me standing for her but me trying to be there for her in a way she assumes it is better.

I walked back to where she was sitting and squatted down next to her, it was in the foyer.

“What is going on Anisha? I asked softly. She did not say anything, I began to feel uncomfortable because she could vent her anger on me and I didn't want to be a victim of this kind of circumstance.

“Can you say something, Anisha? What is wrong with you? I took the risk of asking for further.

“I have tons of reasons to cry Sabrina, so I just chose one of them to ponder up,” She said shrugging her shoulders as if she didn't care.

“Yeah, I know,” I said, puffing out a heavy sigh. “I don't know what to say, Anisha,” I articulated helplessly, she turned her blood-spilled eyes to watch me, and she gave me a kind of look I couldn't decipher.

“Same here, sometimes it just feels like Allah has forgotten me like He is not watching me, like my prayers were just hitting up the roof and then come back to me, as if...

“Stop there Anisha! Don't slander, Allah is the most merciful, He is watching and He is the most Just, most of the time, we often think that Allah has forgotten us or He is not answering our prayers but the truth is the answer to our prayer is in our hand, we just need to change our ways and with one single move, one single move Anisha and we will be there because that is all we need.” I enunciated most hopefully. This woman is going crazy, and she is absurd about her misery, she keeps nodding her head at my proclamation as tears pour from her eyes.

“Are you still going to be there for her? I mean Rubina, don't give up on her please,” I pleaded, the last thing that I'd wish for to happen was Anisha to be oblivious about attending the event. It will crush Rubina.

“Yeah, I will but please don't let Mukhtar know about it, in case any of them come your way, just ignore them and also protect yourself from Nadeera at all costs, I am dead serious Sabrina, there is more to things than what you are seeing,” She said, this were the exact words, Naziya advised. More to things than what you see, what is this more?

“Insha Allah I will,” I said deep in thought.

“You know, I was from a fashion designer shop, I went to check out the dresses I should wear for the events, and guess who was the owner of the shop,” She looked at me ruefully.

“Who? I asked as if I didn't want to.

“Salmah Madaki,” she declared with a pitiful smile as tears crawled down her cheeks,”