𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐠𝐞 | 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝟎𝟏

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟒𝟐

ARZO

The following week, none of us touch the subject and go back to our normal life where there’s no voice in my head- or I pretend there isn’t.

I sometimes have trouble sleeping so we have a new routine now.

Whenever it’s hard for me to sleep, Faizan recites a Surah and I sleep to the sound of his voice and the comfort of the words.

Everything isn’t quite normal but we’re getting there. The voice will go away. It has to.

Aside from that, Api and Zahid bhai invited us for dinner tonight along with mama and baba. That’s where we’re headed right now.

Zahid bhai is the one who answers the door with a huge smile on his face.

“Assalamu Alaikum,” he greets us, opening the door further for us to go in.

“Wale Kum Assalam,” Faizan says and I sign after Zahid bhai takes the box of custard from me.

“Everyone is in the backyard,” he tells us, closing the door then leads us to their grand backyard where we find mama and api sitting on a couch, talking and baba standing by the pool. Their heads turns towards us when we walk in.

“Assalamu Alaikum,” we greet them.

“Wale Kum Assalam,” they greet back.

Mama and I share a hug before she goes to hug Faizan and I hug api.

“How are you doing?” I sign

“Good.” she says, smiling. I return the smile.

Faizan, Zahid bhai and baba stand by the pool, talking while we take our seats on the couch.

“I’ll be back. I need to use the restroom.” api says after a while, getting up to leave. Zahid bhai meets her halfway with a concerned expression, asking if everything’s okay. After api reassures him, he relaxes and returns to baba and Faizan.

“Faizan looks happy.”

I turn my head to mama when she says it. I frown and type, what do you mean? He’s always happy when he’s with you all.

“Yes but this is different,” mama says with a warm smile, “he’s more relaxed. I know it’s hard for him to recognize basic emotions. It’s not his fault that he’s different but I know he wishes he could be like others, he tried for years to figure out what to feel, when to feel- did he tell you about his past?” when I nod, she releases a sigh, “Good. I was worried he wouldn’t.” she smiles again, “both of you sisters are the best thing that could happen to my boys. I am so thankful to Allah that my boys have wives like you two.”

I smile, holding her hand as I type, Faizan loves you a lot. Both you and baba. You both saved him and gave him a home he thought he’d never have. He wants you both to be proud of him.

“We are. We are so proud of him. Of both of our boys,” she says, squeezing my hand gently. Both of our smiles widening.

After a while, api returns and asks, “so, what did I miss?”

“I was just telling Arzo how lucky my boys are to have wives like you two.” Mama replies.

Api and I exchange a smile.

“They’re lucky to have parents like you and baba,” api replies, “you both raised them very well.”

She lets out a soft chuckle, “JazakAllah.”

“What are you ladies talking about?” Zahid bhai asks as he, Faizan and baba come to us.

I get up from my seat so that Zahid bhai can sit with his wife and I sit with Faizan on the other couch, across from mama and baba.