His parents looked at him and smiled. It came as a surprise to see him in town without notice and as soon as he dropped his bag in his room, he explained to them the reason for his visit. A nikkah ...“Ma sha Allah, she finally agreed?” Her mother asked him and he nodded. He hardly hide things from his parents being the last child of the family and being the closet to his parents. They were just like his friends. “And her sister is getting married soon, ma Sha Allah.” His father said.“I think this is better now that you have a job.” His mother said to him.“We would have accepted her all the same if she accepted the wedding proposal then, more like a having a bonus daughter.” His father said. “So, I will get her Wali’s phone number and plan a meeting with him ins Sha Allah, and I am hoping we can even have a Nikkah on her sister wedding day and probably planned for the Walimah later ins sha Allah.” His father said and Ismail nodded. “Do you think that your apartment is okay ... W

She tried his phone number again for the third time and was about to start thinking of what to do when she heard his voice from the other end. They exchanged teslim.“How are you?” He asked her. “I should ask you that?” She said to him and she heard him laugh and she eave a sign of relief. “I am better and thanks for visiting. I am sorry you have to see me in that state...” He said finally. “It is nothing ... I hope the pain has subsided?” She asked him.“I want the truth?” She asked him and there was silence from him... “Are you there?” She asked him. “Yes I am, I was silent because you don’t want to believe me.” He said to her. “I just want to know the truth.” She said. “And she said it again.” He said.“I am sorry.” She said. “I am better much more better than the last time you are here.” He said to her. “Alihamdulilah. I will come see you tomorrow ins sha Allah.” She said to him. “Is there not something to do for the prep?” He asked her.“Yasmina, I would not want anyt

She entered his office and took her seat after her Teslim, it was his first time of seeing her in two weeks, she is hardly at work due to school, now at her second year first semester, he realised how much effort she is putting to excel and to say he is proud of both of them is understatement. “Yusrah... I hope no problem ... Your face look gloomy.” He said to her, she was not smiling at all, unlike Ashabi who is friendlier and outspoken, Shade keep more to herself. “I am here to see you sir.” She said to him and he nodded. Of course, that was what she said when she called him that morning. “What is it? Is there something you need?” He asked her “It is about my sister.” She said to him. “Okay, what about her?” He asked her. “What do you want from her?” She asked him sharply and his heart missed a beat at the question. It was the least question that he expected. “I know you understand what I am talking about ...what exactly do you want from her ...she is the only one I have and

And they heard Adnan drove in to the compound, he entered the building a few minutes later, Ashabi came to the living room to welcome him and then returned back to the kitchen, she returned with a bottled water and a cup , served him and was about to return back to the kitchen when Hikmah stopped her. “Ashabi oya come and pack these cups to the kitchen too.” She ordered and that shocked Adnan, Ashabi sighed and moved to the cups and jug , take them and went back to the kitchen. “Hikmah, what is the meaning of that nonsense you just did now?” He asked losing his temper and Fatimah gave her friend “I told you so look”.“I don’t take nonsense and you know me , don’t ever talk to my wife in that manner again... If you can’t control that, don’t ever come to my house again.” He said to her and she swallowed hard. She was not expecting him to react that way. “So why are you here? It is almost time for Maghreb.” He said to them. “Bro, are you sending us away?” Fatimah said to her brother.

She could not sleep, but keep staring at the ceiling all through the night, she could not concentrate on anything, she was glad he didn’t even bother to press her, they eat out before going home that night and she only pick on her food, he got her some drugs on their way home and even forced her to take them and she felt bad to see him worry so much about her. “Could it be something you ate?” He keep asking and she realised she just had to keep playing along, when they got home that night, she had a shower and fell on the bed , they observe their Salah on the way and thus, they got nothing to do but to sleep. He just let her sleep and it didn’t take him long to sleep as well. It was stressful driving. She keep sighing deeply and keep rolling from one side of the bed to the other, she was scared and confused and she felt like a bad person, a liar and very dirty, while she was in the shower, she keep trying to wash off the dirt in her and she cried so much as she recalled how dirty sh