AFFAIRS OF THE HEART

2|In Awe!

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"What is wrong with both of you?" Jalal chided, making them flinch.

"I... I... I'm so sorry, Ya Jalal! I thought it was N... Nabeel," Jalilah stammered.

"Follow me. Now!" he ordered and turned to head back to his side.

"Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un, Banina! I'm finished! Please help me out of this mess," Jalilah whispered, tears threatening to spill from her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Jalilah. I can't do anything at the moment. Just pray and go," Banina whispered back, already picturing the consequences Jalilah might face.

"Okay." Jalilah nodded, wiping her damp palms on her dress before slowly making her way to Jalal's side.

When she knocked and entered his cool, welcoming room, she found him already changed.

"Ya Jalal, I'm really very sorry. Wallahi, I had no idea it was you," Jalilah said, trembling, as hot tears began to stream down her cheeks.

"Sit," he ordered, gesturing to the couch opposite him. She took shaky steps to the couch and sat down.

"Why were you playing with water?" he asked in his usual calm voice, his expression unreadable. Jalal was known for his calm demeanor; it was almost impossible to tell when he was angry.

"We... we were watering the flowers with Banina," Jalilah stuttered, avoiding his gaze.

He studied her face carefully before asking, "Is it your job, or did someone ask you to do it?" he asked calmly.

"No... no, Ya Jalal. I promise I won't do it again," she replied, biting her lower lip.

"Do you realize you could get sick? You know you're asthmatic, right?"

"Yes, Ya Jalal," she nodded.

"I don't ever want to see you or Banina in the garden watering the flowers again, understood?" His tone turned daring—the kind that gave goosebumps to every kid in the family.

"In Sha Allah, Ya Jalal," she meekly nodded.

"You can leave," he said, picking up a newspaper from the coffee table.

Jalilah was astonished; he hadn't punished her. Wow! There might just be a miracle today!

Noticing her still seated, mouth open, staring at him in shock, he asked, "What are you still doing here?"

"Huh, I'm so sorry. Thank you, Ya Jalal." She smiled and quickly left the room.

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Upon entering the main house, Jalilah couldn't resist calling everyone together. They rushed over, thinking it was an emergency.

"What happened, Jalilah dear?" Alhaji Abdurrahman asked.

"Ya Allah! Daddy, you have no idea about the miracle that happened today!" Jalilah exclaimed, holding his hands.

"What happened?" Hajiya Khadijah asked with interest.

Jalilah recounted the entire story, leaving everyone in surprise—except for Alhaji Abdurrahman and Hajiya Khadijah, who already knew how soft-hearted their son was despite the hard walls he'd built around himself.

"Wow! That's surely a wow!" Nabeel exclaimed dramatically.

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"I can't find my socks!" Jalilah yelled from upstairs.

"You're so careless, Jalilah! You've made us late again!" Banina scoffed.

"Please hurry up! We're running late!" Nabeel chimed in. Jalilah and Banina were in SS3, Nabeel was in SS2, and Alaina in Grade 2.

"You guys are getting late! Hurry up," Hajiya Khadijah called out, feeding Alaina.

"Mummy, I can't find my socks... and my tie," Jalilah groaned from upstairs, frustrated.

"Who took my Literature textbook? Ugh! You people are so annoying!" she scoffed.

"Why can't you ever be organized and responsible, Jalilah? Why must everyone wait for you every morning? Why not prepare everything at night?" Hajiya Khadijah scolded, determined to help Jalilah become a responsible young woman.

"Ya Allah! We're late because of her carelessness!" Nabeel grumbled.

"I can't find my inhaler!" Jalilah shrieked in frustration. She finally came down, her school bag flung over one arm, her socks and shoes in her hands, her shirt untucked, her blazer draped over the other arm.

"Gosh! Jalilah, why are you so disorganized?" Maheera exclaimed.

"I'm not going to school today," Jalilah announced, dropping everything onto the floor before heading to the dining table where everyone was seated.

"And why not?" Hajiya Khadijah asked sternly.

Jalilah gulped before answering, "I'm not in the mood for school today."

"You knew all along you weren't going but made us late anyway?" Banina huffed in annoyance.

"Are you serious?" Alhaji Abdurrahman asked.

"I'm not joking, Daddy."

"You can't start missing school, Jalilah! You're only a few months away from your JAMB exams," Hajiya Khadijah insisted.

"Let's leave, Nabeel! She can go whenever she wishes!" Banina said, grabbing her bag and leaving the parlor with the others.

"It's okay, Khadijah, Jalilah. I'll take you to school myself," Alhaji Abdurrahman offered.

"I'm not in the mood, Daddy, and I'm already late," Jalilah replied, pouting.

Jalal entered the dining room, hands in his sweats pockets, as he overheard Jalilah's complaints.

"What's going on here?" he asked.

Jalilah tensed at the sound of his voice.

"Ahh, Jalal! You're here!" Hajiya Khadijah smiled, relieved that he arrived at the perfect moment, saving her the effort of reprimanding Jalilah.

"Good morning, Dad. Good morning, Mom," Jalal greeted, kneeling in respect.

"Morning, Jalal," they replied together.

"Good morning, Ya Jalal," Maheera and Jalilah greeted, and he simply nodded.

His gaze fixed on Jalilah, wondering why she wasn't at school yet. "What are you still doing here? Why aren't you in school?" he asked, sipping his coffee.

"I... I'm... Ya Jalal, I was waiting for Daddy. He offered to take me," she stammered.

"Let me save Dad the trouble. Get up; I'll take you," he said, rising and gesturing for her to do the same.

Jalilah dressed properly, gathered her things, and followed him with a pout.

Maheera stood up and went to her room to prepare for her university lectures. At nineteen, she was in her third year in the University.

"She's so much like her father, AbdulMalik," Alhaji Abdurrahman smiled, reminiscing.

"Allah sarki rayuwa kenan, Allah ya jikansu; that's life. May their souls continue to rest in Jannah," Hajiya Khadijah prayed.

"Ameen. I really miss him, Khadijah. Life is hard without him," Alhaji Abdurrahman smiled, wiping a tear from his eye.

"They're in a better place, In Sha Allah," Hajiya Khadijah said with a reassuring smile, gently squeezing his hand.

"Thank you, Khadijah. May Allah continue to shower his blessings upon you," he smiled, bringing her hand to his lips.

"Ameen," she smiled.

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Written on: 2.10.20
Edited on: 17.4.22 🖤