TREASURES AND THORNS

Chapter thirty

"There is a path from me to you that I am constantly looking for."
            -Rumi

Dedicated to my beautiful friend, Fauziya who got married yesterday, 14-04-18.

Baarakallaahu laka, wa baaraka 'alayka, wa jama'a baynakumaa fee khayrin..

May yours be among the best😘

OMNISCIENT

"In one sentence, tell me about yourself," the middle aged woman spoke. She sat opposite Rukkayya in the spacious room. She was corporately dressed in a black suit and long skirt. An ash hijab hung tightly around her square head. She was lean and tall as Rukkayya saw when she stood up to welcome her in to the room.

"I am Rukkayya Nasir, I am nineteen years old and I am married."

That was basically it. There was nothing special about her. She was ordinary except for her new found life which she was still adjusting to. Rukkayya had never felt any different from any girl you would see walking on the streets.

"Are you happy with your marriage?"

What an odd question! 

No one had ever directly asked her that. Rukkayya thought of how to answer for a minute. She looked around the spacious room. There was a table to their left. There were a few files on the brown table. The paint on the walls was somewhere in between white an ash. A greyer colour that was not too bright nor too dark. She liked that about the room. Her attention returned back to the light complexioned woman.

"I am fine with it."

Doctor Zainab was not satisfied with the answer. The patient had deliberately swerved away from the real question.

"Are you happy?" Doctor Zainab asked.

She ran as fast as her feet could carry her up the stairs then down the hallway that lead to her room. When she was finally in the safety of her room, Rukkayya locked the door - for the first time ever - turned her back to it and slid down. Her hand instinctively went up to her swollen lip.
What just happened? Rukkayya asked herself. It had happened so fast that she did not get a chance to process what was happening. He had pinned her down using his muscular build to keep her in place. She didn't stand a chance against that. The scariest part was how she melted instantly at his touch. She did not even put up a fight.

Who does that?

She could still smell the strong scent of Sandalwood. Rukkayya released a breath she did not know she was holding.

Rukkayya blinked the memories away. "It was an arranged marriage, for now I'm simply growing in to it."

The questions that came after that were a lot more difficult, forcing her back in to the room in Ahmad's office. When it became too intense for her, Rukkayya spoke up.

"I need a break!"

"Its about time, we just concluded our first session. See you on Thursday Mrs Modibbo."

Rukkayya couldn't help the tingly feeling that cane with with her title. She smiled politely at the woman before nearly bolting out of the room. She gently placed her head on the cool wooden door that had just given her access to her freedom. She released a breath she didn't know she was holding. The air outside the room was different.