TRIALS (Completed)

Twelve

“Nooo!” Hoor screamed, eyes widened in horror, hands clasped over her mouth, as though to prevent her tongue from falling out.

Barakah turned to her, the broom she was holding poised in the air.

Hoor dropped her hands and looked around. Her castle, her sand castle which was standing tall in the verandah was now a crumbled pile of wet red mud in the blue packer beside Barakah’s feet.

Hoor gasped, closed her mouth, and gasped again. “Daddy!” She ran back into the house.

Kai. Kauthar winced and shook her head. “Daddy!” Hoor's feet buff-buffed up the stairs, towards their room, tempting Kauthar to lock the door.

“Da-” Hoor opened the door, then closed it immediately, before knocking softly.

Kauthar smiled and left her chair in front of the dressing mirror. “yes?” She answered at the same time with Isma’il who was just coming out of the bathroom, a white towel hanging around his neck.

“Me nene?” kauthar peered down at Hoor, who frowned and tilted her head in search of her Dad. “Daddy.” She called out. 

Kauthar hissed. Of course I dont matter anymore.

“Yes, my baby.” Ismail replied from the bed. Kauthar walked back to the mirror and checked the rose turban on her head, satisfied.

Hoor peeked inside. On catching her father’s eyes, her face crumbled.

“Ah ah, what happened na?” ismail lifted her into his arms.

“See kar ku bata mana lokaci fa,” Kauthar warned, swiping a powder foam across her face.

“Jealousy,” Ismail said, jiggling Hoor around like a baby about to be put to sleep.

“It seems you want to stay and babysit ko?” kauthar sat by the bed to put on her sparkly black heels. Then she made her way towards the door, opened it, and called out, “Barakah, kin shirya ne?” 

“Ah ah,” Ismail frowned at her, then turned to Hoor and scrunched his face, which made her burst into a fit of giggles. Then they heard the lock of the door clicking. Ismail rushed to the door.

“Kai!” he wriggled the door handle. 

“Enjoy yourself!” Kauthar sang.

…

Kauthar couldn’t recall the last time she had a fun outing. It wasn’t that she didn’t have time, but she never saw the need, or maybe she believed that it wouldn’t be fun without Ismail. And, perhaps the girls thought so too, that’s why they never bothered her to take them out.

Although she’d never admit it, but his absence had made Kauthar feel like one without an umbrella under a heavy rain.

But now he’s back, she thought, watching the girls clamoring for his attention, a few steps ahead of her, back to where he really belonged.

Few minutes after they returned from their outing, and after she had supervised the girls brushing their teeth (much to Baraka’s dismay), Kauthar put on her  nightgown to join Ismail in the living room for the 10 o’clock news. But just as she sat beside him, there was a knock on the door, which made her stop in surprise.

“Are you expecting any visitors?” She asked Ismail who shook his head, eyes still glued to the tv.

On opening the door, her eyes popped out, her breath hitched at her throat. “Sa-Salsabil?”

The lady blinked in surprise, mirroring Kauthar’s expression.

Ismail’s head whipped to their direction, he rushed to Kauthar’s side. “Excuse me, who are you?” he frowned at the stranger.