TRIALS (Completed)

Nine

Dedicated to sadmerh, for her lovely comments. 💗💗💗

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The lack of an answer is sometimes better than the presence of a lie. – Najwa Zebian 

“Hey, stop there!” Fadilah bellowed at Bushra, who was carrying a stack of ceramic plates on her way out of the kitchen. 

“Ma?” She replied, eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

Fadilah walked up to her, examining the plates with a frown. “Have you washed these?” She pointed at them.

“Ah, yes ma.” Bushra nodded. 

Fadilah eyed her, and ran a finger around the edge of the plates, then she showed her the wet dusty stain. “What did you say again?”

“Ummu Amina,” AbdulHameed called from the kitchen doorway, shaking his head. “take it easy.”

Fadilah glared at him. “What do you mean, do you want her to disgrace us out there? Common to wash ordinary plates o!”

Abdul Hameed shook his head again while Bushra let out a frustrated cry. “But ma, the plates are very old and heavy o, it’s not easy to wash them.”

“Eh?” Fadilah advanced towards her as she jumped back, the plates almost toppling over.

“ Wo–look!” Fadilah added, pointing a forefinger at her, eyes blazing.

“It’s okay,” Abdul said calmly, resting his hands on her shoulders and guiding her out of the kitchen. “Just take a deep breath.” He said as Fadilah sat on a dining chair, sighing. 

“I’m scared.” She pronounced, raising her eyes to his warm ones. 

“Of what exactly, it’s just a meeting o,” Abdul said, sitting beside her. 

“It’s not that I don’t want her to be happy, I just don’t think this man is right for her.”

  “Fadilah,” He dragged out her name and leaned closer. 

“No really,  I can feel it here.” She pointed to her chest. 

Abdul sighed. “If it doesn’t work out, then so be it, but what kind of parents will we be if we don’t try and support our children’s choices? Besides, nothing has been finalized yet.” 

Fadilah scoffed. “ But you know how Meena is na, she has taken this one very seriously. I don’t want her heart broken at the end.” 

“Neither do I,” he placed a hand over hers. “but we have to trust her and hope for the best.”

Fadilah shook her head. Hope was the least emotion in her heart right now. Ever since the announcement, she barely slept well. The news had lodged itself in her heart like a tumor.

No matter how hard she prayed, the worry wouldn’t just go away. That was why ignoring Meena and keeping her at arm’s length was the best way for her to deal with it. She had once tried voicing out such fears, but it ended up doing more harm than good. And had caused an estrangement between her and her elder sister. And Fadilah had regretted it since then.

But now, with her daughter, she wished she could be more brave. She wished someone would listen to her, just once. Or at least, ask for the reason behind her reaction. 

But then, they didn’t know about Doyin. Not even Abdul, for her name had been wiped out like a writing on a black board. Nobody spoke of her, not even their mother. And it was because she did exactly what Meena was trying to do —marry from a different tribe.