Fickle

Chapter 58

The following Saturday dawned bright and cold, the kind of day that demanded thick scarves and hot chocolate. Jenna was practically vibrating with excitement as Kulthum helped her tie her ice skates.

“I’m going to beat everyone!” Jenna declared confidently, her cheeks already pink from the chilly air.

“Not if you fall on your face first,” Hudayfah teased, a rare playful smirk crossing his lips.

“I won’t!” Jenna retorted, sticking her tongue out at her brother.

Abdullah chuckled as he laced up his own skates. “Let’s see if your mother and I can still keep up with you two.”

Kulthum raised an eyebrow at him, a teasing smile playing on her lips. “I didn’t know you could skate, Your Royal Highness.”

Abdullah gave her a mock bow. “Prepare to be amazed.”

The local rink was bustling with families, the sound of laughter and the scrape of skates against ice filling the air. Jenna was the first to take to the ice, wobbling slightly before finding her rhythm and zipping ahead.

Hudayfah was more hesitant, his steps cautious as he moved away from the edge. Abdullah skated beside him, offering a steadying hand when needed but allowing him to find his own balance.

“You’re doing great,” Abdullah encouraged.

Hudayfah glanced up at his father, his expression guarded but softening. “It’s harder than it looks.”

“It is,” Abdullah agreed. “But the trick is to keep moving. If you stop, you’ll lose your balance.”

Hudayfah nodded, focusing on his feet. Slowly but surely, his movements became steadier.

Meanwhile, Kulthum glided effortlessly across the rink, her years of childhood practice coming back to her. Jenna cheered as her mother executed a small spin, clapping her hands excitedly.

“Show-off!” Abdullah called out, his grin wide.

Kulthum laughed, skating over to him. “You can’t call me a show-off unless you can do better.”

“Challenge accepted,” Abdullah replied, attempting a spin of his own. He promptly lost his balance, landing on the ice with a loud thud.

Jenna and Hudayfah burst into laughter, and even Kulthum couldn’t suppress her giggle as she helped him up. “Impressive,” she said, her tone laced with amusement.

As the afternoon wore on, the family fell into a comfortable rhythm. Jenna raced ahead, her infectious energy lighting up the rink, while Hudayfah began to skate with more confidence, even daring to challenge his sister to a race.

Kulthum and Abdullah hung back, skating side by side as they watched their children.

“They’re happy,” Abdullah said quietly, his gaze fixed on the twins.

Kulthum nodded. “They are. And they need this. They need us.”

“We’ve come a long way,” Abdullah said, his voice thoughtful. “But there’s still more to do.”

“There always is,” Kulthum replied, her tone soft. “But today, let’s just enjoy this.”

Abdullah glanced at her, a warm smile spreading across his face. “Agreed.”

The outing ended with steaming cups of hot chocolate at a nearby café, the twins chattering excitedly about their skating adventures.

“Daddy fell so hard!” Jenna exclaimed, giggling.