The Wedding

Chapter 21

Thursday

9 days to the wedding

Laila bumped into something standing where she was as she ended the call with Zee. Turning around; she discovered that the something was a travelling bag "Where are you going?" she asked Ya Halima that was pulling it out of the room.

"I'm not going anywhere" she replied. "Maryam's leaving"

"Jafar came to pick her up?" Laila asked; hope bubbling in her chest. Maybe everything wasn't entirely over. So what she couldn't tell Jafar why their father had insulted and refused him. She could at least meet him and talk him into giving her time to help them sort it out and to explain how her sister wasn't at fault.

"No" Ya Halima burst her bubble of happiness with the one word. "He sent a driver to pick her up"

"He's that serious about never meeting again huh?" Laila sounded deflated.

"Come hear something" she said to Laila and went back into the room leaving Maryam's bag on the corridor. They walked in on Ya Zainab who was receiving a phone call. For some reason she'd put it on speaker.

"Your brother and sister in law aren't back yet. Where's she going to stay?" Ya Zainab was asking

"I don't know. I'll figure something out. But your father made it clear he doesn't want my family anywhere close to you and that includes Maryam"

"Jafar I don't know why Baba did what he did and I'm sorry. But I'm going to fix it"

"There's nothing to fix. Just let it be Zainab. I should go..."

"I'm sorry" Ya Zainab said as the tears began rolling down.

"It's not your fault" and then the call was finished.

Laila was leaning on the door as though to edge her body away from all the awkwardness in the room. Ya Zainab flung the phone unto the bed and wiped away her tears. She walked past her two sisters out of the room and into the kitchen. Laila hurried after her. "You should come see Maryam off"

"I'd rather not" she replied angrily picking a knife to spread butter on the slice of bread she'd picked. Laila said nothing more. She took the bag off Ya Halima and Ya Halima held Maryam's hand as they walked outside to the car that was sent to pick her. If it was that she was just leaving; Laila wouldn't have felt as emotional as she did. But that her leaving signified the end of Ya Zainab's relationship with Jafar...

The two sisters stood back and waved at girl only stopping when the car was out of the house; out of sight.

"What should we do to fix it?" Laila looked to Ya Halima.

"I have no idea why she thinks you're responsible for it in the first place... but I think you should stay out of it. Let her be" she said then walked back into the house leaving Laila standing out there, thinking.

"Why're you standing here?" he asked from behind her

"Maryam just left" Laila turned around in time to see him nod as understanding dawned. "I came to see her out"

With one glance Yaseer knew what she was thinking. It didn't take a genius to figure out that she was blaming herself for it again. "None of this is your fault"

"Tell that to my sister" she said moving towards the house.

"If you want me to, I will"

She shot him a smile to show her appreciation. They then heard the sound of a car being unlocked and looked to find Laila's father. Together they walked to where he was standing. He had come out of the house to leave for work and hearing their footsteps; he looked up and a smile came on his face as he saw Laila