Hurdles

CHAPTER 12

Surah Al-Rahman, Verse 1:
الرَّحْمَٰنُ

The Beneficent Allah,

Zaitun

I trailed absentmindedly down the stairs behind an ecstatic Hany who kept ranting non stop about her brother oblivious of my attention totally drifted from there taking me back to a time when me and Ya Zara would almost turn our house upside down out of joy upon the news of our brother coming home.

"And tada! Here is the one and only...Mami what of Ya Nav, I just left him here? Hany questioned bewildered.

"He just left"

"What, how, why, please don't tell me he left for another country I can't handle it" Haneefa said with horror stricken eyes clutching her heart.

"Of course not, he just went to attend to something urgent, he will be back in no time" Mami explained fondly.

"Oh holy macaroni, what a save!

She exhaled dramatically evoking laughter from both Mami and Sara who has a scowl on her face ever since I came down_as if I care. I also couldnt help being coated with an amused face at Hany's antiques.

"But still Zaitun didn't see my Ya Navid and to think that I even dragged her down for that" Hany complained pouting.

"No biggie at all Hany I will just go back to what I was doing" I said.

"So we won't hear word since your brother is back abi?and Zaitun will see him more than you can imagine" Mami said chuckling giving me an amused look making me turn around to leave to avoid her intense looks and strange words.

"And where does this girl of mine thinks she is going?no where of course" Mami questioned and answered as well patting on the space next to her on the sofa she was perched on.

"Come my child and apply this henna as well its a good one" she said gesturing to the varieties of henna cone splattered on the floor.

"Okay" I said giving a tight lipped smile and went to do her bidding not because I fantasize it but who could have the heart to say no to this amazing woman. I had just taking the position next to Mami when Sara not so gently took a rise roughly collecting the items she has being masking her face with and exited the spacious living room not so subtly after eyeing me with distaste which went unnoticed by Mami and Haneefa.

I was almost done with applying the richly coloured henna and also immersed in the heat of conversing away heartily with Mami and Hany, who will always leave you with no reason than to feel free, secured, love and cherished_oh Allah you indeed are the exalted, creating comfort for your servant in the eye of distress....for I'd be nothing short of an ingrate if I choose to veil the profound happiness and tranquillity I've secured in this house. The vibration of my phone which I was hesitant to attend cause I wouldn't wish to be left out of the moment but later decided otherwise and uplifted the phone to my view only to be left with trembling hands and a heart almost escaping out of its rib cage.

I watched unblinking in a faze as the first call ended my limbs too weak to slide over the answer button and it was when the second call came in that I noticed everyone's gaze was on me at my change of demeanour and with all the courage I could summon I excused myself and headed to my room, quickly answering the call.

"Aa..assalamu..alaikum, I said with a quivering voice and I heard some shuffles from the other side not before I heard some sound which felt like forever to me.

"Wa alaikumus salam..our little Zaitun" he called out calmly with a voice equally thick with emotion, "I miss you so much" he added after a pause.

"Yaya....yaya..I squeaked biting back a sob and as I tried so hard to mutter something coherently all that was coming out are series of unending sobs clogging my voice.

"I know, Zaitun, I know....I know it pains, I know I've hurt you, I know how I am fit to take the label of the worst brother ever, I know I've being nothing but selfish, a coward shying away from his problems...wallahi I know" he paused sniffling. "Can you imagine today marks a complete year since we last spoke_ though I know my reasons are the dumbest ever but that last call we had broke me for you kept pleading with me to come home which is my worst nightmare and I couldn't keep shattering your hope" he said cracking and I plucked the phone off my ear to check if he was still with me when I heard his sharp inhale.

"By Allah its so hard, so painful,...ya Allah, since that day I removed that sim card hoping that would bring the both of us solace_I wanted you to blend and seek a mother in aunty Zee whom we all know is a God sent, may Allah reward her and I know me constantly calling you will hinder your healing process and for every time I talk to you, it...it resurface my wound taking me into that lane of memory_wallahi I miss them so much, so much and time doesn't seem to heal that and you know the only thing stopping me from taking you with me is your education. But now in shaa Allah I will be that brother you seek for, cause I'm coming home soon in shaa Allah never to leave again.

" Yaya"I finally managed to utter, please come back, please"I croaked.

"In shaa Allah, I will, are you alright, how is anty Zee I'm sure she is treating you like a princess right, what do you want this annoying brother of yours to get you" he said all in one go and I didn't get to answer him when he excused himself apologetically to attend to someone,  promising to call again.

And that call was all it took me to break into hysterics_only if you know ya saif....only if you know the human aunty Zee is behind the pretence....only if you know I'm now made to live under some people else's roof for some disgusting and despicable reason that is so stupid and absurd to a sane person's digestion, which to my wonder turned out to be a blessing cause the Mafa's are the best you could ever wish for....only if you know.

Mami and Haneefa seems to have took a hint to my distraught state after that call cause they didn't pester me to come down to the party which was already in progress and even though my throat feels so patchy and yearns for a liquid to grace its path I still remain in the confines of my room and shortly after isha prayer when  I noticed the seizure of the chaotic noise indicating the reception has ended, I went down to the kitchen not before bumping into Mami who informed me of the extension of aunty Zee's journey to almost 2months to which Mami was ecstatic about since according to her she will have us more to herself and as for me I couldn't be more happier at the news even though I know she is using that as an excuse to achieve her dubious target on a certain member of the Mafa.

After taking in gulp of liquids relieving the searing pain in my throat, I diced some fruits for Mami and was walking across the hallway when I was bumped by an egoistic, self-centered and annoying guy who clearly crawled to my nerves and I did hold direly to my self restraint to avoid lashing out on him and for both our save Hany came into the scene and it was then I noticed his sharp features same as the other Mafa's which will leave you with the word Masha Allah at your vocals at their pronounced beauty making me realise he is none but the infamous Ya Navid.

After that encounter,on my way up I crossed path with Sara who has her face decked with layers of excessive make up probably from the party and as usual she scowled and passed by me uttering some coarse words which left me giving her a pitiful stare cause none of her actions worth my attention.

And much to getting strange encounters for the day I was much again stunned at what happened right after exiting Mami's room on her request for my presence for I was met with a sharp stare full of rage and distaste from Ya Navid who maintained his glare while passing by me and if looks could kill then for sure I'd be some feets beneath the ground............. Oh Allah! What just happened again.

Salam wattpadians😁😁😁😁

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Storm in silence obviiiii.....