The Segment (Completed)

35. In The Name Of

A soft knock sounded on the door and caught Farrah's attention. As the door opened gently, Farrah called to enter. Ben entered soundlessly and paused at the sight on the bed. Farrah was propped up, sitting against the headrest of the massive bed; and Richard was curled up around her. His arms around her waist and his head resting on her stomach as his legs tangled in hers.

Without even realising, she was tenderly running her fingers through his curls. The style that he has combed his hair into long since mussed by his own hands.

"How is he?" Ben asked slowly as he neared the bed. Stopping at the foot. Not wanting to disturb the peace that had enveloped Richard.

"I...I honestly don't know..." Farah said softly as she looked at Richard's sleeping face her fingers still brushing his hair. "Did you know? About his mother?"

"That he found her?" Ben asked, and Farrah nodded.

"Yes," Ben said his eyes on the sleeping form on the bed.

"You should have told me, Ben," Farrah said, her voice heavy with sadness.

"I'm contractually bound, Farrah," Ben said.

"So am I. You should have told me," Farrah said her eyes tearing up. "We could have avoided this," she sniffled. Clearing her throat of the tears that were knotted there, she continued; "I need to go. I will need to pray my Fajr soon."

"Don't leave him, Farrah," Ben said.

"I'm not, I need to say my prayers. I need...," Farrah sniffled again, and this time the tears leaked through and ran down her cheeks.

"I know, you need your space to process all this...But he'll be beyond broken if you're not here when he wakes up. He thinks so little of himself; losing his control in front of you and then not finding you here in the aftermath of it; it will seal his fate. He will forever believe that he is unworthy of love. That he is not 'man' enough for love. That he's weak and pathetic...and...," Ben looked away and scrubbed at his eyes furiously.

"Please stay. I'll get your prayer things from your room. Just, please stay," Ben pleaded.

Farrah conceded and instructed Ben on where to find her things. She closed her eyes and automatically her hand resumed stroking Richard's hair. She threaded her fingers longing, languidly through his hair. Feeling each strand of hair brushing against her sensitised fingertips. She longed to trace the smattering of freckles on his nose, neck and, hands but she kept that temptation at bay by gently sifting through his cottony hair.

It felt like hours had passed when she heard another soft knock on the door. She opened her eyes and saw that Richard was still curled around her body. He was breathing deeply, lost to sleep. With Ben's help, Farrah managed to disentangle herself from the sleeping body and quickly hopped into the shower. Freshening up, Farrah then took her wudhu and walked in Richard's slippers to the empty space by the bed.

Using an app on her phone, she found the direction of the kiblah and set her prayer mat down. Donning her prayer garb, only Farrah's face was visibly. The rest of her was swathed in a white silky material. Taking a deep breath, Farrah found her center. With the intention of praying Fajr, Farrah raised her hands and said a soft, melodic, "Allahu Akbar".

***

Richard stirred, feeling strangely alone and disoriented. With his eyes still closed he reached out with his hands to find nothing but an expanse of space. His eyelids felt heavy and swollen put he forced them apart, to look around as he could swear the he had fallen asleep in Farrah's arm. That it wasn't his imagination playing tricks on him. He could still smell the almond and honey scent of her hair.

He opened his eyes and his breath stilled. Facing away from him, there she stood in her white prayer garb, hands up in prostration as she said her prayers. He watched her lips move slowly as stretched, curved and curled as she said her prayers.

He was entranced with her movements, she looked like she was floating in a cloud of silk. As she finished her prayers, she paused as if she sensed she was being watched, although she never looked back to check. He kept on watching her as she held her hands up, as she looked up to the sky, and in a soft voice she prayed.

"Bismillahir-Rahman-nir-Rahim; In the name of Allah, the merciful and the compassionate...Ya Allah, please forgive me for my sins..."

Richard froze at her words.

"Unknowingly, I was the cause of someone hurting so badly...so severely. Please forgive me for my blindness to others' pain. That I was too absorbed in my ambitions to realise that I was hurting someone. Someone that I care deeply about."

Richard released a shuddered breath.

"Ya Allah, please bestow upon us your guidance. On me. On Richard. Help us be the people we are meant to be. Help us fulfil the roles that we were put on this earth to fulfil. Help us heal, Ya Allah. Bestow upon us your kindness and your mercy, that our fractured hearts might be one again."

Richard's eyes were glossy with tears.

"Ya Allah, please forgive those who have left us too soon. Forgive our mums for their sins, and place them in the highest of Jannah. Amin."

Tears trickled from the corner of Richard's eyes as he said his amen silently with Farrah. In that moment it felt like his heart had expanded out of his chest. He was overwhelmed by the depth of feelings he had for the woman who was standing and removing her prayer garb. Gracefully she took it off and with practised, precise movements was folding it into a square.

As Farrah turned to face Richard, a shy smile on her lips; his heart started pounding in an insane rhythm. Am I having a panic attack?, he thought frantically. The tears kept on rolling as his face turned red. His breathing harsh and labored. He clawed at his chest to ease his breathing.

Farrah rushed towards him, climbing back into bed, she took him in her arms and allowed him to once again find comfort in her arms.  

***

Woo, mid-week update!!

Haha, lies. I didnt get to update on Sunday due to this chapter not being finished. 

I don't really know what to say about this chapter...if you have any thoughts, please do share. I love reading your reactions and thoughts. It not only makes me delirious with happiness it totally fuels my creative juices. So please do comment.

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