The Wedding

Chapter 23

Saturday

7 days to the wedding

"Ya do you know where Baba is?" Laila asked Ya Halima who had her back to her as she stood in front of the open cupboard.

"He's in the small living room" Ya Halima replied without turning back to look at her. Laila frowned at her sister's hoarse voice

"Are you okay?" Laila asked her

"Yeah I'm fine" she answered still refusing to turn around. Laila put her hand on her shoulder and turned her, her sister's cheeks were red; eyes swollen. She waited for an explanation

"Pepper went into my eyes while I was making breakfast" her hand went up to her eyes to wipe the tears that were rolling of their own accord. "It'll stop shortly"

"Are you sure it's all gone?" she asked worried. "Let me help you wash it out"

Ya Halima shook her head. "No it's fine" she walked off into the bathroom leaving Laila to concentrate on what she was trying to do. The previous day she had gotten carried away and had totally forgotten she had planned to get back home to speak to her father. When she and Yaseer got back in it was almost eight and everyone was around; she couldn't get him alone without arousing everyone's suspicions as to why she wanted to speak to him alone. But it was all good because her father usually spent the whole weekend in the house either reading or writing so she could get him alone for a few minutes. She passed Ya Zainab who was on the dining table in the living room busy typing on her laptop and pretending Laila didn't exist. Laila said nothing and went down the corridor leading to the small living room their father liked to occupy when he wanted silence as no one ever entered it because there was no TV.

She knocked on the door on the open the door and said "Assalamu Alaikum" announcing her presence.

Her father looked up from the newspaper he was reading. "Wa'alaikumus Salam. Laila come in"

"Baba I've been wanting to talk to you" she walked in and sat on the chair to his left. He closed then folded the newspaper in half before dropping it beside him and taking his glasses off then placing them atop the paper.

"I understand your reservations" he spoke "Contrary to what people believe even men get this. I had some doubts too when the time came"

Laila frowned "What?"

"What is it they call it...." He paused "Yes! Cold feet. You suddenly feel that Yusuf isn't even as great as you thought... maybe you need more time to get to know each other better you know; I assure you it's all the work of Shaitan trying to seed doubts in you, to prevent you from doing what pleases Allah"

"What?" she let air of disbelief. "No. No- that's not what I want to talk about" she laughed humourlessly, in obvious discomfort.

"I should have probably heard you out first"

Laila laughed. "It's fine"

"What did you want to talk about?" he asked

She became cautious as she spoke "I wanted to talk about Ya Zainab"

He leaned back to let his back rest on the chair "What about her?"

Laila moved forward to the edge of her seat and spoke sounding already desperate "Baba she's upset. You asked her to quit her job and end her relationship with Jafar all without any explanation"

"You know why I did it"

She nodded "Yes I do but-"

"Then why are you here?" he frowned "I told you how this man works and from what you know about him, can you not believe that Jafar knows too? And is just helping his father with some sick plan to harm my daughter?"