Echoes of Agony

Chapter Sixteen

It had been a week since AbdulJalal spoke to Zaytun. She did her best to try to make things work between them, but the situation was frustrating her. Determined to resolve the tension, she decided to wait for him and have a serious conversation, unable to tolerate his cold treatment any longer, even after apologizing more than once.

It wasn't until 12 AM that he chose to show up. As he entered the guest room, he frowned upon seeing Zaytun there. He had been staying in the guest room since the incident.

"We need to talk, AbdulJalal," she said firmly, trying to break the ice.

"I'm tired," he replied curtly.

"I am too. I'm tired of the way you're treating me. I don't deserve this. It's unfair, AbdulJalal. We need to communicate. Silent treatment isn't the best way to solve our differences."

"I said I'm tired. I just came back from work."

"But you-"

"I need to sleep. Get out!"

"Abdul-"

"I said get out." He pulled her away from the bed and flung her towards the door.

Zaytun was left speechless, sitting there frozen. Her eyes watered, and her body started to tremble.

"I love you so much. Please don't, don't do this," she pleaded. "I said-I said I would never talk about kids again. I'm truly sorry."

He didn't respond, instead, he removed his necktie and suit.

"What do you want me to do so that you forgive me?" she asked.

AbdulJalal turned around. "You don't need to do anything. We should continue this conversation tomorrow morning because I'm tired and need to rest."

Sleep had long forsaken her. Zaytun couldn't close her eyes. She looked at the clock opposite her bed. His smile, his jokes, his teasing-all the moments they had shared seemed like a distant memory. She regretted bringing up the subject of children so quickly. She should have waited. Let AbdulJalal address these questions and visions on his own. Why hadn't she turned her tongue seven times before speaking? She wasn't ready to part with him. She would never be ready. She spent the whole night praying on her prayer rug.

When morning came, she gasped upon waking, thinking she'd missed AbdulJalal, who should have been off to work. Relief washed over her as she saw that the clock showed 6 AM.

Zaytun got ready and went downstairs. She headed straight to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. Once she finished, she set up the table. As she was about to place the last plate, AbdulJalal arrived, looking as handsome as ever. They sat down in silence, him eating the breakfast she'd prepared with his usual appetite.

"Did you like the meal?" she asked, but AbdulJalal didn't reply right away.

After putting down his fork, he spoke, "I want to say something, and you will listen to me carefully. If I marry you, it's because I want to get my parents off my back. The pressure of finding a good wife is stressful. I trust you enough to marry you. If that's the case for me, then you have to also respect my desire not to have children. No matter the situation or how long we stay together, this marriage does not prioritize children. I hate children and do not wish to have any. Are you on board with that?"

"I just want to be with you and live happily. If you're ready to accept me, just me, then I don't see why I wouldn't be on board with what you just said."

So, AbdulJalal didn't like children, which was odd but terribly sad. Zaytun had many questions: weren't his parents concerned that their family name, which carried such power, might disappear because he was the only heir of the Sanis'? The future of the companies rested on his shoulders. For this purpose, she wasn't expecting this revelation. It saddened her because she would have liked to have children. She wanted to have children with the love of her life. But if he didn't want to build a family together and still deemed her worthy of being around, she could handle that. She hoped that, in time, he would fall in love with her. Love could change a man, but not contempt. Zaytun wanted AbdulJalal to make her feel loved. The rest would come later, slowly but surely.