Bowled Over By The Broken

Chapter 24: Storm vs Waves

13th May, 2017

He Who created Death and Life, that He may try which of you is best in deed: and He is the Exalted in Might, Oft-Forgiving.

(Al-Mulk 67:2)

Chapter 24:

Storm vs Waves

"Ammi, shall I leave now?" Tammara asked her mother in law softly and the lady in question nodded her head.

"You can take the car and ask the driver to come back here after dropping you off. This party will go on for a couple of hours, they've organised some games after lunch."

"Ok, that should be great!" Tammara smiled and just as she got up to leave, the host of the party, Hina, stopped her.

"Tammara, where are you going? We haven't even served lunch yet!"

"I promised mum I'll join her for lunch today," she replied politely. "Haven't seen her since the time I returned from the holiday. Besides, she has some guests coming over and wanted me to meet them."

"Well in that case, I won't stop you. Bali sure did some good to you, huh? Look at all the glow on your face," Hina complimented.

"Thank you," she answered, and couldn't agree less. Bali was gorgeous, and after their honeymoon, these would probably make up for the most cherished moments spent with Raiyyan. Her husband just knew how to make her happy but then again, he was doing this from the time they were kids, so no doubt he had mastered it by now. He was the biggest blessing of her life and she couldn't imagine a moment without him!

"You're sure it's the holiday glow and not something else?" Another guest teased from beside Hina.

"Are you pregnant, Tammara? It's been what, three years since your marriage?"

The bluntness of Hina's question caused her cheeks to color in embarrassment.

"N-No, I'm not," Tammara said.

"Give Raiyyan a child, my dear, you should not keep him waiting. Or have you'll mutually decided on not having a baby just yet? With various family planning techniques these days-"

This wasn't the first time Tammara was getting to hear all this and while initially they were subtle hints from nosy desi Aunties, the bluntness and intensity of their curiosity baffled her this time. They were discussing her marital life so openly that it disgusted her.

All the while during the conversation, she had her eyes trained on her mother in law, waiting for the moment when she'd pitch in and reprimand her friends for their behavior. But when she didn't react to their words, Tammara smiled sadly.

Who was she kidding? She probably was tired waiting for her to give her a grandchild and maybe she didn't stop her friends because she thought the same way too.

Finally, saving her dignity and cutting them mid sentence, she said what Raiyyan always told her, "We'll have a child when Allah wants us to have one."

And while they probed her further with questions that caused her to tinge a deeper shade of red, she hurriedly excused herself, her eyes burning with tears on her way out.

She didn't know what she did to deserve this.

***

"Hey Bee," Tammara smiled, hugging her sister. She had cried and dried her tears on the way and promised herself she wouldn't submerge her family in her sorrows. They were all excited to meet her and hear the updates of her vacation, they were hoping to see her relaxed and rejuvenated so that's how she decided to portray herself.