A Muslim's Romantic Journey

Chapter 35.

Yusuf's POV

One month. That's what Hamza had told me. Safia's dad had given me until Eid to find a solution to this problem. That was even less than a month! Then I had to knock off another ten days I was planning on using for I'tikaf. Ten days where I would seclude myself from the world.

This was a test from Allah. I had to be patient. I had to put my trust in Him. I put my trust in Him before and he blessed me with Safia. I had to do that again.

At least I knew now Safia wanted to be with me. Hamza told me what went on in their house and everything Safia said. That provided me with great comfort and determination to win her back. Hamza also told me his whole family were trying to change his father's opinion but he was being stubborn. Being the eldest in his house and the patriarch, his opinion counted the most.

My first plan was to talk to my mum and get her to apologize. Maybe if she told Safia's family she was really sorry for what she said, Uncle Dawud would let Safia come home.

I got back from work just before iftar and was helping Maryam with the food. Mum had become lazy after Safia came and even though Safia was gone, mum continued doing hardly anything.

"We've got half an hour to go. Could you just stay here and keep an eye on the food in the oven?" I asked Maryam.

"If you want me out of the way while you talk to mum, just say so." She replied.

"Well I would but you have a bad habit of eavesdropping." Maryam looked away embarrassed.

"Sorry, I won't eavesdrop again. I've learnt my lesson."

"You have? How?" I said raising an eyebrow. Maryam wouldn't meet my eye and I knew something had happened. "What are you not telling me?" Maryam shook her head. "What is it with women and keeping secrets?" I said leaving the kitchen and walking over to where mum was sitting.

Mum was watching a drama and I waited until it finished. It reminded me of the time I was getting to know Safia before we got married and I was going to ask mum to go around their house to ask for her hand in marriage. I was so full of hope then, and I was full of hope now. It was weird how I thought once mum accepted everything would be okay. But here I was practically repeating what I went through earlier in the year.

Finally mum's drama finished. I wasn't going to advise her on cutting down on TV at least for Ramadan because the last time I did that, she made me feel like I was a bad guy.

"Mum, I need to talk to you."

"If it's about Safia, there's no point. You know what I'm going to say." She said without even looking at me.

"Can you at least apologize to her dad?"

"Why should I? I didn't say anything wrong!" She shrugged.

"Mum, you insulted his daughter!"

"You're just overreacting."

"You're forgetting that she's my wife. When you insulted her, I was severely offended so I can only imagine how her father felt." Mum was getting irritated. "Please! Just apologize!" I begged. "It's Ramadan!"

"I would apologize if I thought there was a need for me to apologize. I just stated facts, no need for anyone to get offended."

"I've had enough." I said falling back on the sofa. "What do you want from me mum? Safia's a good girl and I would be so happy with her. Why won't you let it be?"

"I'm not stopping you from being happy. I'm doing this for your happiness."

"For my happiness? You think tearing me away from my wife will make me happy? You think insulting her in front of me will make me happy?"