أم حنون

This Fear, Chapter 6 has been updated.
          
          
          Patreon Updates:
          
          Risk, Chapter 9 has been posted.
          
          I have also posted the full story of Imperfect since it will be a while before I can finish editing it to be published. It is available as a one-time purchase in the Shop or under the last tier subscription.

ARF V2 has been updated.
          
          Note: This arc will be coming to an end in the next few chapters and the story will be going on break for me to finish up the final arc.

Patreon updates:
          Risk, Chapter 8
          Courage, Chapter 14

This Fear, Chapter 5 has been updated.

Ya’qoob was working hard on collecting advice on marriage and being a good husband not only from his father but his uncles, too. Though Tâhir and Arqam hadn’t taken him seriously at first, even they had given good advice eventually.
          
          “Hey, why don’t you ask me for advice?” Khaboor asked from over his shoulder as Ya’qoob was sitting on a fence reading the notes he’d collected.
          
          “You’re not married. You probably don’t know much.” There was a following pin-drop silence, but he could still feel Khaboor’s presence over his shoulder. “I probably know more than you,” he added. “If you get married, don’t tie your wife to a chair if you get mad at her, M’kay?”
          
          With that parting barb for an offense he would not be forgetting anytime soon, Ya’qoob jumped down and started on his way to the farmhouse.
          
          “It was ONE time!” Khaboor called after him.
          
          Ya’qoob was sure that was only because no one had ever trusted Khaboor to babysit again.
          
          (This Fear)

Asalamu Alaikum sis 
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ARF, V2 has been updated.

Armed with a notebook and pencil, he marched down to the farm to search for his target. He finally found his father in the goat pen, filling the feeder. “Daddy, I’m ready to learn!”
          
          Yahya turned, his blue eyes curious. He looked between Ya’qoob and the notebook. “Learn what, Qoob?”
          
          Ya’qoob grinned widely. “To be a good husband! You’ll teach me, right? I mean I know you’re not perfect since Mommy gets mad sometimes—” Yahya winced, but Ya’qoob ignored it. “—but you must be doing pretty good since she’s usually happy with you. Me and Uncle Mahmood agreed I should learn to be a good Muslim and a good husband if I want to marry Noorah. I can learn about being a good Muslim from the imâm, but I thought of you when I was thinking about who should teach me husband stuff.”
          
          After his monologue, Ya’qoob flipped open the notebook to an empty page and poised his pencil above the paper. “I’m ready to learn something.”
          
          Yahya stared at him for a moment, but he was used to being stared at when he came up with new brilliant ideas, so he just waited for his father to come to terms with it. He would have to say something useful eventually.
          
          Yahya flicked his attention from the goats back to Ya’qoob. Finally, he said, “The first trait of a good husband is being responsible and carrying out your duties.” As he said it, there was a grin on his face that didn’t bode well.
          
          A sense of dread came over Ya’qoob. Before he could figure out why—or even write what his father had said—Yahya pointed toward the goats. “Time to be responsible, Ya’qoob.”
          
          He barely held back his groan. “Can I write it down first?”
          
          “No need for that,” Yahya said cheerfully. “I’m sure you’ll remember the rule very well by the time we’re done.”
          
          (This Fear)

Before she could think of what to reply, an incensed voice interrupted, “What are YOU doing here?”
          
          She looked up to find Jake standing over them. A fire smoldered in his bright green eyes, fists clenched to his sides. It was rare she saw Jake angry, and she’d never seen him this furious. She couldn’t determine if it was jealousy or concern.
          
          Charity didn’t say a word. Instead, she watched Kevin, to see if her judgement held up. The old Kevin would have been enraged—no one from a class beneath his own could talk to him that way. The way he responded to Jake would show if he still held onto that arrogance and attitude.
          
          “I like to come here sometimes,” Kevin said. “I used to play here. It reminds me of my childhood.” He stood up. “It looks like I’m wearing out my welcome, so I’d better go. See you around, Jake, Charity.”
          
          When Jake turned to her, the betrayed look on his face startled her. “What were you doing with him?” he asked in a low voice, sounding very like an abandoned little boy. 
          He WAS jealous, she realized. “I told you he comes here sometimes,” she reminded him. “Yes, we talked, but it doesn’t mean what you think. I’m not going to choose him over you.”
          
          She wouldn’t. No matter the return of her old feelings or how strong they were. Kevin still was and would always be wrong for her. Even if her feelings for Jake were more warm and cozy than electrifying, even if he didn’t excite her the way Kevin did and couldn’t compare in appearance, he would be the one she chose.
          
          “Promise?” he whispered.
          
          She nodded. “I promise.”
          
          (ARF, V2)

“I got something fun!” Ya’qoob announced when he returned. When he plopped down, he held out a hand-held water ring toss game. “Let’s play this!”
          
          “Where did you get this?” she had to ask. HOW was he getting people just to give him stuff?
          
          Ya’qoob gestured to a group of girls about Mukhtâr’s age or older sitting on a bench talking. “One of them was playing with it. I asked if I could borrow it.”
          
          “And they just gave it to you?” she asked in disbelief. “How?”
          
          “It’s easy,” he said. “You just smile and ask nicely.”
          
          No, it was not as easy as it was for him. Noorah had seen that killer smile he used when he wanted something, and it always worked, even on her. When the smile wasn’t enough, he had an arsenal of compliments that helped him through. 
          
          She was beginning to understand what her kindergarten teacher had meant. Ya’qoob could get almost anything he wanted with just a smile or a few compliments. He WAS dangerous.
          
          (This Fear)