Islamically Connected

Chapter 3 Embarrassed

"Yeah mama come in." I say sitting up properly.

My mom enters giving me a small smile and sits on my bed next to me.

For a minute none of us say anything. Dead silence. But I felt no awkwardness, no tension and I was comfortable.

My mom lets a deep breath in and out.

"I know you've already thought about everything..."

"I also know that you'd get irritated if I started giving you pep talks about the um current situation."

"All I'm going to say is that everything happens from the will of Allah. This is Allah's will, he has something better for you." My mom says smiling.

"I know you're strong and smart. Don't be hard on yourself like usual." My mom says getting up.

"Dinner in 10 minutes." My mom says and I give her a smile.

"That's my girl. I love you Fatima. Don't forget." She says with a wink and walks out.

Alhamdulillah.

-

I walked down the stairs and helped my mom setup. I tried to talk and act normal. But it takes a bit of time.

Who cares anyway.

"Yallah! Everyone come on! It's time for dinner!" My mom shouts. The front door bursts open and Yunus walks in saying Salam.

"Oh smells good." He says smiling and running in.

"Wash your- wait where did you go?" My mom asks and Yunus washes his hands and takes a seat.

"I told you I was going to the football game. Me and my friends."

"What friends?"

"Mama. You know all my friends."

"Who went?" My mom asks. She always asks once in a while for no reason.

"Mama!! " he whines as my dad and Yaqub walk in.

"Did you wash your hands?" My mom asks as the two sit and they nod their head.

"Yallah say Bismillah." My mom says.

I could tell Yunus was trying to stay casual but he wasn't making a single eye contact. Like come on that's not casual it's acting like a stranger.

We continue to eat the three of us silent while my parents go on about their usual rants. This is why I love my parents. They didn't make me feel uncomfortable and just let this marriage thing slip by as if nothing happened.

"You got rejected?" Yaqub asks.

"Shut up." Yunus says trying to defend me.

I push my chair back and head up to my room not saying a word. I'm not sad. Not about not having that guy but being a reject. The word reject just pissed me off! Ugly!

I don't know why this whole marriage thing has made such a affect on me.

The funny thing is when I was younger I used to fight with boys a lot. Usually just arguing except for the dork himself I actually physically fought him. And I don't regret it.

Flashback*

"Boys are HARAM!"

"Fatima relax."

"If you be friends with a boy you are haram. Big fat haram. "

"All boys?"

"Yeah. If you like boys you're haram and I can't be friends with haram."