𝐴 𝑇ℎ𝑟𝑜𝑤 𝐴𝑡 𝐿𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝐴𝑔𝑎𝑖𝑛

𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑝𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑡𝑤𝑜

'And he breaks you over and over again'
~anonymous.

Rahma had always been asked what she saw in Aliyu haidar. Yes, he's a handsome man, he has his charms and has a way with words but there was still something her family and some of her friends saw which she didn't, and now he turned her to a prisoner, a trophy he won and just kept in his house. He took away her phone, saying she had friends influencing her, he forbade anyone from coming over, even her family, who she only gets to speak to on fridays when he gives her the phone.

Still, she thought it was a phase in their marriage like her aunties had said when she was getting married 'there are different phases in a marriage,there are the good ones and the bad ones, so brace yourself and welcome them because they are what make a marriage ' so she held into that statement and welcomed the phase because it will come to pass.

On a Saturday, she woke up later than usual. She had gone back to sleep after making Ali's breakfast, he went out earlier, not for work but to meet his friends. She was thankful he wasn't inviting them over, because anytime he did, she worked too hard to please all of them and at the end of the day, she'll have to soak herself in warm water for an hour or two then massage her feet before going to bed.

Rahma fixed her room, went over to Ali's to do the same and then bathed and went to the living room. She had finished watching the last season of gossip girl last week and started with a new series. She had just settled for what to watch when the doorbell rang. Ali would never ring the bell before he comes in, farha maybe? She has learnt then, though after that incident she still repeated her actions but Rahma didn't comment on it, she simply let her be to avoid any trouble.

She stood up and went to the door and after another minute of pondering, the bell rang again and she opened the door. There was shock on her face but because she was too happy, a smile lit her face automatically. Her family stood before her. Everyone except her father and oldest brother.

"Mummy, anty". She said quietly and moved to hug them. Her mother and step mother who lived like sisters. She wondered, two women under one man and they were fine but just her with one man and it was something she could never think happened among her parents.

"Rahma a waa ni( Rahma has lost weight)". Her mother said after they pulled away from eachother. Rahma smiled at her mother's comment and moved to hug her siblings one after the other.

Ya hameeda, Hisham, halima and Hammad. Then her immediate older brother, her favourite but also the most strict -- even more than her parents, ya sudais.

He isn't touchy, hardly accepts the usual siblings hug but Rahma couldn't help herself -- everytime they met. Besides, she missed them too much, willing herself not to cry, she wished she could go home with them.

"Anty Rahma!". Her niece and nephew made their presence know to her.

"Adeel, Anisa, my babies how are you". She bent a little to hug them.

She ushered her family in asking about her father, she received a sarcastic reply from ya hameeda, saying she'd know if she always called but anty eyed her and replied Rahma that he had a meeting with a friend.

She left with halima to bring them refreshments and after settled on a round cushion on the floor.

"You should have told me you were all coming, I would have made lunch". Rahma complained.

"If we had, you'll probably bring up an excuse, right?". Ya hameeda again.

"Hameeda leave this girl alone, zan bata Miki Rai fa". Anty again defended her.