TAWAKKUL

9. Broken Further

Something was meddling with my sleep.

I tried to move it away with my hands but was quite unsuccessful.

Coming back to my senses I realised that the sun was shining brightly and it's wonderful rays hit my face, thus ruining my sleep.

I looked at my phone and it was half past six in the morning.

A feeling of regret washed over me. I'd missed my Fajr prayer. It's bound to happen when you sit on the terrace till two.

I looked at my hand, recollecting what happened the previous night.

And then I noticed that Azlan wasn't sleeping on the bed. He wasn't in the room.

I checked the bathroom. Not there as well. I wondered where he went already.

After a quick shower, I got ready peacefully inside the room, not the bathroom this time. Then I performed the Qadha prayer in compensation for the Fajr salah that I'd missed.

Azlan didn't come to the room all this time.

************************************

I headed downstairs to the kitchen.

Ayesha was preparing breakfast.

"Assalamualaikum Ayesha. Emmm..the aroma makes me feel hungry already! "

"Wa-alaikum assalam ma'am. Thank you ma'am "

"By the way Ayesha, have you seen Azlan? He seems to have gone early today."

"Oh no ma'am, sir's at home itself. He was with Nargis ma'am when I went to ask her about the breakfast."

"Oh."

What was he doing with his mom since the morning? Did he ask her about what happened the previous day?

After a little bit of pondering, I reached breakfast table. Grandma was already there.

"Are you fine dear? You didn't eat anything yesterday. I'm sorry for what happened."

"I'm fine grandma. And please, I'd not like to talk about yesterday. Sorry."

"Ok child. As you say."

Mr Rishaad entered the room wishing everyone a wonderful morning.

He was quite cheerful. Probably unaware of what happened.

"Where's Nargis? Azlan's not there too."

"Sir, I'll call them."

And Ayesha ran to look for them.

A while later, Azlan and Mrs Nargis entered the dining room.

There was something different about them.

Mrs Nargis was a little tense while Azlan looked annoyed. He was nearly clenching his teeth.

" There's a scheduled time for breakfast. I think you both are old enough to understand that."

Azlan rolled his eyes at what his dad said while his mom began justifying.

"We had some important business to deal with. Hence the delay."

"What business?"

"It's not of your concern." replied an irritated Azlan.

Mr Rishaad hit the table with his knife and gave a deadly stare to Azlan. Azlan didn't back off. He jumped into the stare game too.