Jannah. [SEQUEL TO DAWUD]

Chapter 11 - Lies

In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

If the time of prayer has been called and you haven't prayed before reading this, please do so.

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Jannah's P.O.V

I stuffed my face with popcorn, sinking into the couch. Mariam sat herself down next to me, sure to be careful. You could see the slight swelling of her belly now, even with the loose fit of her night gown. Abdallah walked by, stopping to kiss her cheek and then her forehead. 'May Allah bless you guys.' I said with a mouthful of food.

My brother-in-law wore a grimace as he clicked his tongue with disapproval. 'Jannah, you look like a mess.' He inquired, judging me silently.

'You know what Abdallah? I'm going through a mid-life crisis right now, and I don't appreciate your attitude, okay?' I whined, waving my hand in the air.

Mariam chuckled and squeezed my arm. 'Sis, you're only nineteen. Adults go through their 'mid-life crisis' when they're well into their thirties or forties.' She explained.

I raised a finger. 'Well, my birthday is in three days, which means I'll be twenty, and, if I die when I'm forty, I'll be right.' I explained, continuing to stuff my face. Abdallah laughed as Mariam shook her head.

'Don't let Laith get to you.' My sister whispered as Abdallah walked into the hallway. 'All you have to do is clock in, work hard, and clock out. That is all.'

I groaned, pulling at the drawstrings of Dawud's hoodie I was wearing. 'Laith makes it a living hell for me. He even competes with me over who can walk from the water fountain to the office the fastest. I mean, who does that?' I pressed angrily.

'Let's not backbite.' My sister warned. 'Jannah, out of all the trials you've been through, surely this can't even be amongst the top five.'

I paused to think. She was right. A year ago, I would have never let a boy aggravate me or get on my bad side. I would have simply ignored their existence. And so that's what I was going to do.

Later that night, I walked from the corner store to my apartment, carrying a couple of my husband's favorite snacks. The air was nice and chilly, flowing through my thin jacket. It was now October which meant the trees decorating the walkway leading up to our building were skinned of their leaves, leaving them bare. October was my favorite month. I loved everything about it.

When I made it home I locked the apartment door behind me. My sliders came off with ease as I removed my coat and hung it on the rack. Stepping into the kitchen, I nearly screamed upon encountering Dawud, who happened to be directly in front of me. He was bent forward, scanning the fridge for something to eat. 'Assalamu'Alaykum, garden.' He said with a smile, keeping his eyes locked on the contents in the refrigerator.

'Wa'Alaykum Salam...' I paused setting the bag on the counter. 'Garden?' I questioned. Dawud laughed, filling the room with his deep and raspy voice. 'Ah, I get it. Jannah means Garden. My name is Jannah. Hahaha.' I rolled my eyes and leaned against the counter. Dawud gave up, standing up straight and shutting the fridge hopelessly.

He sighed. 'I'm craving-'

'Pringles?' I blurted. He looked at me with pleasure opening his arms to embrace me. 'You only love me when you're not hungry.' I whined as he squeezed me against him.

Dawud and I sat on the couch, talking about our day. He told me about work, how quiet the bookstore becomes when the weather grows cold. We spoke about his mother, careful not to mention his father. That was still an open-wound for Dawud. We talked about Akhlaaq and how he's become much more conscious of following the Sunnah outwardly with the way he dresses, Allahuma Barik. And when the subject of my workplace came up, I simply shrugged.

'It's like any other work place, you know?' I said quickly, chewing on a baby carrot. 'Just your regular office job.' I said, popping the b. Dawud nodded apprehensively, crunching on a chip. 'But I did want to ask you something.'

Dawud glanced up at me, green eyes radiant and full of innocence. I hated hiding the fact that I worked with Laith but at the same time I knew that Dawud didn't deserve the extra stress of worrying about me. 'Ask away, beautiful.'

I thought for a moment. 'I was thinking about the past today. What had happened before we got married and all of that. The good times and the bad times. And I remembered that boy named Laith. What happened between you two? What caused all the enmity?' I finally spoke, hesitant beyond measure.

Dawud grew silent before crossing his legs. 'I don't know what to tell you. It was before I became practicing and those are memories I don't want to rediscover.' He admitted. My eyes widened with surprise. Dawud had a past? A past he wasn't proud of? I'm not sure why I pictured him in his teenage years glued to a prayer mat wearing a white thobe. How interesting. 'I just know that I don't want him near the ones I love.' Dawud whispered. 'After what happened last year at our basketball game, I can't even say his name without getting heated.'

I shook my head, feeling guilty but also not willing to accept this. 'Remember how we studied Surah Al Hujuraat together this morning before work? What does Allah say in the tenth verse?' I challenged.

'The believers are naught else than brothers. Therefore make peace between your brethren and observe your duty to Allah that haply ye may obtain mercy.' My husband said with his head hung low. I watched him silently. My husband was an incredibly smart and thoughtful man. I knew that he understood where I was trying to get at. 'It'll be hard, but I'll try. I'll try to make peace with him, for the sake of Allah.' He barely uttered. 'But in the meantime..' He looked up at me with serious eyes. They pierced my heart. 'Just stay away from him, okay? If he's walking right, you go left. If he looks at you, look away. Promise me this, okay?'

I gulped, nodding aggressively. Oh, what do I do?