The Nearest Heaven ✔️

Part 37 - A Party Of Words

Part 37 – A Party of Words

"They (your wives) are a clothing (covering) for you and you too are a clothing (covering) for them."

~Surah Baqarah, Verse 187

Faraaz frowned deeply as he watched Fadiyah sleep peacefully. She lied on her side facing him with one palm underneath her soft cheek, her brow was smoothed out, and she had the whisper of a smile on her pink lips. In short, she looked like an angel at peace with her life. His mind whirled with the troublesome thoughts of Nazia's stony actions. What was she truly upset about? What had they done to her family for her to be that icy towards him and his wife in such a short space of time? Did someone tell her something for her to be treating his Fadiyah that harshly?

Initially, when Aaban had just fallen ill, Nazia had willingly left her children for the week in Fadiyah's care. Faraaz loved having them in the house. It made him yearn for children of his own. Children who would run right through the house, screaming and shouting at one another as they chased each other. Children who would mess the house with mud, sticks and stones, angering Fadiyah, but in the end of the day, he knew that they would be loved more than they could ever imagine.

While he was still young – and not yet anywhere near thirty – he felt no rush to have children. There was also the matter of Fadiyah not wanting any children, but he wondered of those stemmed from some unmentioned fear.

However, he knew that Fadiyah had not shouted the children unnecessarily, nor had she given them any chores to do. In fact, Fadiyah had only spoiled them rotten with sweets, chocolates, cakes and movies and attention. Was that truly so bad? All that Fadiyah had wanted was for them not to sit in the house and mope over Aaban being in hospital. She didn't want them to cry for their brother.

Instead, she made them play outside for hours on end, then she would let them paint and draw. She encouraged them to do anything that they wanted, as long as it did not involve them sitting in front of the t.v for hours. As much as it hurt them and made them sad that they could not see Aaban, Fadiyah ensured that they had many other things to occupy their attention.

For more than an hour, Faraaz scrutinised every moment that he and Fadiyah had spent with Armaan, Safaa and Sabah. Where had they gone wrong? He wasn't left to worry about it for much longer as Jacob knocked on the door.

After three sharp raps on the door, he creaked it open a slight crack and spoke. "Faraaz? Fadiyah? Are either of you awake?" His voice was just above a whisper.

"I'm awake," Faraaz answered, barely loud enough for him to hear. "What's wrong?"

Jacob leaned against the wall as he let out a deep sigh. "Nazia and Ahmed are here."

Faraaz looked at the ceiling and rolled his eyes. He had no patience for their antics, especially not with Fadiyah being so upset over their treatment. "I'll be out now. Just give me a few minutes to get into the wheelchair." Faraaz rolled onto his side. "Fadiyah is asleep, so she won't be coming to see them."

"Cool," Jacob replied casually. "Do you need any help?"

It was a question of courtesy that Jacob was in the habit of asking. Jacob was well aware that since Faraaz had decided to become independent, he no longer waited for anyone to help him in nor out of bed.

"No, thank you, Jake. I'll be out soon." Faraaz had waited until his room door closed before he leaned back into his featherdown pillows and let out a deep sigh. Internally, he felt conflicted as his emotions warred within. Nazia being unnecessarily upset with him and giving him the cold shoulder hardly bothered him but being that harsh to Fadiyah, who was nothing but kind to Nazia and her children, was crossing a line that brought out the worst in Faraaz.