Love So Far

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"When all feels hopeless, you turn to Allah to remind yourself that 'hopelessness' is not a word in our religion." He muttered. "You turn to Allah in all circumstances of course, but if you turn to Him in the darkest of times, there is more reward for that." 

"Bhai, can I give you a small suggestion?" I said.

He looked at me. "Go ahead."

"I think, instead of sending her to her parents' house, take her and the kids away for a while. And when it's just you and your family, talk to her." I said. "Marriage is too important. We should attempt to fix it before doing something to create more distances." 

"When did you grow up, Jazzy?" He gave me a small smile. 

"I don't know. All I know is that you're too important to me and I can't see you like this." 

He nodded. "I'm going to give this a try. A lot of times we disregard advice from people younger than us, especially our younger siblings, but the fact is that wisdom can come from the most surprising of places." He ruffled my hair. 

"May Allah make things easier for you. Ameen." 

He looked up at the sky, sighing heavily. "Allah is very Merciful. Even if I have to suffer in life like this, I have faith that I will later be rewarded for it. I just have to be patient." 

I was in tears. I've never, ever even had an argument with Arhaan Bhai. Every time there was a chance of one, he calmly handled things. Ahad Bhai and I, on the other hand, had always ended up yelling at each other like lunatics. He was spoilt in his own ways, and I was the 'pampered princess', as he always called me. 

"Yo, siblings! What's up?" Ahad Bhai's voice made me turn and I saw him walking towards us, grinning lazily. 

"Ugh! Him again!" I looked at Arhaan Bhai and rolled my eyes, and he laughed.

"I'm the coolest Sheikh sibling, shorty. You're just jealous." Ahad Bhai said. "Come on, let's have some midnight snacks like old times." 

"Ahad..." Arhaan Bhai  sighed. "I'm not in the mood." 

"There's no 'mood' for food." I told him. "You can eat no matter what mood you're in, so come on." I grabbed his arm and tried to drag him inside, but he wouldn't budge. "Arhaan Bhai, come on!"

"We'll just sit out here." Ahad Bhai shrugged and flopped down on one of the loungers, and I sat on the one beside him.

Arhaan Bhai surrendered and took a seat on the third lounger. 

"Look, Bhai." Ahad Bhai spoke up. "Everybody who knows us knows that you are the most sensible, the most mature, Sheikh sibling. You're so good that you make me and Jasmina look even worse."

I couldn't help laughing at that, even as I silently agreed.

"And good people are always rewarded, in one way or another." Ahad Bhai continued. "I know you are going through difficult times, but you're kindness and your wonderful personality will not go to waste. You will be rewarded for your patience and endurance." 

"What happened to you two?" Our eldest brother smiled. "Last time I checked, Jazzy was always running away*, and you were always rebelling, Ahad."

*A reference to a lot of comments made by readers!

"Now you two are so mature."

"Life taught us lesson, Bhai. Life made us grow up." Ahad Bhai was such a Drama King. "But, in all seriousness, Bhai, I know better than anyone what it's like to stray off the right path. Deal with Bhabi patiently and kindly, and In Sha Allah, she'll become the same Sadia Bhabi that she was in her earlier days of your marriage."