Journey to 'I do'

40- Simpler lives

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Muhammad's POV

As A'isha excused herself to use the bathroom, I barely registered the moment, assuming it was a routine action. However, when Nadia followed suit a few minutes later, I felt a flicker of concern, though it was quickly overshadowed by other distractions. It wasn't until we heard the muffled screams emanating from the bathroom that my senses sharpened, and an instinctual dread crept over me.

The urgency in the screams pierced through the air, causing an immediate reaction from Umma, Farida, and myself. We rose simultaneously, drawn to the source of the distress. Each step towards the bathroom felt heavy, weighed down by a sense of impending doom.

As we approached the door, another gut-wrenching scream pierced the silence, echoing through the hallway. "Meh ke faruwa?" Umma's words hung heavy in the air, laden with fear and uncertainty.

Pushing open the door, I was met with a sight that froze me in place. Nadia stood over A'isha, her hands clenched around her, shaking her violently. A'isha lay on the floor, blood trickling from a wound on her head, staining her dress sleeves. The realization hit me like a physical blow—Nadia had attacked her.

Anger surged within me, mingling with a potent cocktail of panic and disbelief. The sight of A'isha's prone form, vulnerable and injured, fueled a fierce protectiveness within me.

Rushing forward, I pushed Nadia away from A'isha, my hands trembling with a mixture of rage and fear. "What have you done?!" My voice came out in a hoarse, choked whisper, barely recognizable to my own ears.

Nadia's eyes, devoid of remorse, met mine with a chilling indifference. "I didn't mean for it to get this fa—"

"Rufe mana baki! Er rashin hankali kawai!" Umma's voice boomed, cutting Nadia off mid-sentence. Aunty Halima approached behind us, her expression a mixture of shock and concern, demanding to know what had transpired.

"Get a driver quickly," I instructed urgently, my voice strained with panic, as I lifted A'isha's limp form. With trembling hands, I attempted to cover her head with her scarf, desperate to shield her from prying eyes.

"Innalillahi wa inna ilahi raji'un," A'isha's sister murmured tearfully, her voice filled with sorrow as she stared at her sister's lifeless body. The sight of her grief pierced my heart, flooding me with guilt and determination.

Farida rushed to comfort her, offering reassurance.  As we emerged from the house, the weight of the situation hung heavy in the air, each step a struggle against the tide of uncertainty and fear.

With A'isha cradled in my arms, we made our way to the waiting car. The 4 of us including A'isha got into one car with the driver and Farid, umma and umar followed us in another.
As we drove through the night, the gravity of the situation settled upon us like a heavy shroud, filling me with a profound sense of anger and disbelief. How could Nadia have stooped so low, unleashing such reckless violence over petty jealousy?

In the midst of the chaos, one thing remained clear— I would ensure A'isha received the care and protection she deserved. "Don't die on me baby please" I whispered quietly in her ear as I made Dua in my head.

The sound of A'isha's sister's stifled sobs echoed in the confines of the car, a haunting melody of grief and despair. Farida's attempts to console her were met with hollow reassurances, the weight of the situation too heavy to bear.