Elhaam!

Chapter 8

"what do you think you are doing, huh! you think you can just trample into my household, take over my husband and my kids and still get away with it? Tell me, what you and your mother are up to?" she let out an infuriated scream, frightening the kids, including hers. But at the moment, she couldn't care less even if her kids were to see her like a monster.

"i- I'm s-sorry" Fahaad stuttered, not sure what else to say.he wished with all his will Zulai calms down or that his father walks in to save him from her wrath, but of course, as always, luck wasn't on his side.

"sorry! you think sorry will make my home a happy home again. Nooo...you just wait and see, i don't care if you're a young boy, i will deal with you" she threatened through gritted teeth. summoning her kids away from Fahaad, pushing against their protest, soon he was left alone.

At that moment, clutching the phone to his chest, he wondered why his life had to be the way it is. He never thought of offending anyone, talk-more of actualizing the deed, yet so many hated him.

Soon enough, Ibrahim walked into the house oblivious to what had unfolded in his absence.

"Abba, here is your phone" Fahaad said, outstretching his hand forward holding the phone. With a look on his face, one wouldn't detect the terror that was once there, and since Ibrahim knew nothing about his son, he also couldn't see anything wrong with his demeanor.

"Oh thank you. I'd want to talk with you Fahaad. Come on, follow me"

With silent steps, Fahaad trailed behind his father to another secluded room he was yet to see till then.

"Sit down" Ibrahim motioned towards the sofas at the far end of his study room. Though it looked more like an office, Ibrahim used it for studying instead. And so, he placed a shelve to hold his books, serving as the library.

"You never answered my question earlier" Ibrahim began, also settling down next to Fahaad on the sofa. Seeing the confused look on Fahaad's face, he added "are you afraid of me?"

It took a moment for Fahaad to finally muster a modest reply. "no"

"Then why do you find it hard to converse with me. I see your interactions with your siblings and its not as strained as ours. Do you think I am forcing you to stay here?"

It was quite clear the worry over Ibrahim's face and he didn't bother concealing it. "no, i want to stay here." he gave a timid reply.

Letting out a defeated sigh, Ibrahim drew is son closer to him, having his arm around his shoulder.

"I was seventeen then, just graduated from secondary school and your mother was just entering. At that time, I had a sister still in the school in form 4 which you call ss1 now. Apparently, your mother was her school daughter and it was always about your mother at home. I never saw her until my sister introduced her to my family, the daughter of the greatest she had introduced-" he paused, letting out a silent chuckle with a distant look in his eyes.

"-it wasn't her beauty that attracted me to her, but her innocent look. I never let anyone know of my opinion towards her. I always gave small smiles and curt nods around her. From that moment onward, I took it upon myself to go for my sister's visiting days, it was just an excuse to see her. Before I had any chance to approach her, my sister graduated and my only chance of seeing her was gone. It wasn't until her own graduation that I saw her with the excuse of escorting my sister, she was far more beautiful than I last saw her. I decided to at least voice out my intentions towards her and see if luck was on my side. I confessed my feelings towards her, telling her I wasn't sure if I loved her but i liked her a lot, and she, she told me in her family they believed in love and not dating so if I loved her, I should approach her father.