A tale of love, loss, and new beginnings.
Hareem wants to start over, Momin is stuck in the past. Can a newly wedded couple learn to love and accept one another while also dealing with an uncertain future and a haunting past?
Trigger warning: ptsd...
"The pens have been lifted and the pages have dried." (40 Hadith Nawawi 19)
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Chapter Twenty Three
He had gotten Ahmed to measure out the space for him, yet he could tell right away that his brother-in-law had miscalculated.
"The fish tank isn't big enough," Momin commented, pointing to the three inches of space on either side of the wide dresser.
"Not big enough? You want her to swim in it?" Ahmed retorted, standing next to the glass tank which rested on the floor of Hareem's bedroom.
"I told you to tell me if she has space for a fish bowl, and you told me she has a three foot long dresser." Momin shook his head. "I had to respect the aesthetics by following the proportions!"
Both of the men groaned and shook their heads in annoyance.
After their visit to the Japanese restaurant, Momin had been considering the possibility of getting Hareem a fish. He had thought that if she had it in her room, she could stare at it to calm herself down when she felt overwhelmed. However he had ended up getting a full size fish tank which would easily house a dozen fish.
It was an idea that he had only shared with Ahmed because he had no idea what sort of space Hareem had in her room, and he was also conflicted whether Hareem's parents would approve of the idea. Showing up at their house with the fish tank, ready to set it up, seemed to be the only option.
Hareem stood at the door nervously, watching them set up the water filtration system, the lightning, and the habitat accessories like pebbles, underwater plants and a small toy house.
"I'll drop off the fish tomorrow," Momin told her. "After the water has conditioned for twenty-four hours." She nodded at him.
"Do you guys want to take a break?" She cautiously asked as Ahmed plopped down on the carpeted floor.
"I need a bathroom break," Ahmed announced, getting up and leaving the room.
"I'm okay," Momin assured her, continuing to work on the tank.
He glanced at her again, watching her enter the room and sit down on her bed to watch him. Her room was exactly what he had expected, the opposite of his own. White walls surrounded the pink canopy bed, the off-white carpeting complemented the white rug at the foot of her bed. Next to the spacious dresser was a desk and chair where he could see she regularly studied. Her books were messily spread across the desk, but the rest of the room was neat.
Hareem hugged the teddy bear that rested between the half dozen pillows on her bed. Her bright yellow shalwar kameez contrasted with the light bedspreads, similar to her Eid clothes on Thursday. His mother had sent those clothes, claiming that now that she was part of their family, they would get her Eid clothes.
Momin had known as soon as he opened the parcel that the clothes wouldn't reflect Hareem's style. He had only seen her in light colors with very delicate work or designs on them, his mother's choice of bright yellow with blood red embroidery and lace didn't work with Hareem, nonetheless, she had worn them anyway and looked cute.
