THE FARHAN'S

~~~14

Chapter 12: Unexpected Encounters
Fathiya woke up feeling surprisingly energized. As she stretched and prepared for the day, she suddenly realized something—her period had arrived, and she was out of pads. With no househelp in sight and Anam, her younger sister, still fast asleep, Fathiya decided she didn't want to disturb anyone, especially not her well-grown brothers. Resolving to handle it herself, she quickly grabbed her keys and headed out.

The grocery store was quiet, and Fathiya found herself engrossed in selecting her essentials. She moved with a sense of urgency, her mind too focused on what she needed to notice much as someone has been staring at her . As she finished and headed toward her car, a voice called out behind her.

"As-salamu alaikum," the voice said warmly.

"Wa alaikum salam," Fathiya replied, turning to see a man standing a few feet away, looking a little too comfortable for her liking.

"I just wanted to take a moment to say that your dress is really beautiful," he said with a genuine smile. "I really like it."

Fathiya's surprise turned into a soft smile. "Thank you so much."

"I've never seen you around here before," the man added, his tone casual but curious. "Your face looks new."

"I'm usually indoors," Fathiya replied, trying to keep the conversation light but brief.

"Oh, why?" he asked, clearly trying to prolong the chat.

"I work a lot, so when I'm home, I just rest," she said, subtly hinting that she wasn't looking for a long discussion.

His eyes lit up with interest. "What do you do?"

"I'm in IT," she answered, trying to keep things vague.

"Wow, IT?" he said, visibly impressed. "I'm into coding too, though I'm transitioning into cybersecurity."

Fathiya's heart raced a little. She wasn't sure why, but this conversation was unsettling. "That's nice," she replied politely, her mind questioning why she was even entertaining this stranger's conversation.

The man smiled again. "I'm Rayyan, by the way," he said, extending his hand.

"Fathiya," she answered without hesitation.

Rayyan nodded. "Can I have your number, Fathiya?" he asked, a bold move she wasn't expecting. Before she could think it through, she gave it to him, still unsure why. "Can I call you anytime?" he added smoothly.

"Yes," she found herself saying, her mind spinning as she walked back to her car.
****
Farhan's Return

Farhan came home later that day, his mind still unsettled from the previous night. To his surprise, Amal was sitting on the couch, watching a movie as though nothing had happened the night before. The contrast between the frantic episode and her current calmness unsettled him even more.

"Amal," he called out as he sat beside her.

"Naam, baby," she answered sweetly.

"Wai me ya same ki jiya ne?" (What happened to you last night?) Farhan asked, his voice laced with confusion. "Aljanu ne ko meh?" (Was it a spiritual attack or what?)

Amal froze, her eyes wide in shock. She had been avoiding thinking about it, but now Farhan was demanding an explanation. She stared at him, unsure of what to say.

"Tambayan ki nake, Amal," (I'm asking you, Amal,) he pressed, his tone firmer now.

Swallowing hard, she finally answered. "Wallahi, baby, ni bansan me ya same ni ba," (I swear, baby, I don't know what happened to me,) she said, her voice low and confused. "I'm just as confused as you."

Farhan studied her for a moment, his face softening. "Toh," he said finally. "Allah ya baki lafiya." (May Allah give you good health.)

"Ameen," Amal whispered, watching him walk away toward their room. As she sat alone, tears welled up in her eyes. Tayaya zan fada maka mai yake damuna, baby? (How can I tell you what's really wrong, baby?) she thought to herself. Bazaka taba ganewa ba. (You'll never understand.) She wiped away her tears before they fell.

Fathiya's Return Home

Fathiya pulled into the driveway, feeling slightly rattled from her encounter with Rayyan. She stepped inside and noticed her father sitting on the veranda, something he didn't often do.

"Daddy, yau kai ne anan?" (Daddy, you're here today?) she teased, walking over to join him.

He chuckled warmly. "Eh mana, Kodai ke ma  ke che anan "he joked. "Ni kullum anan nake," (I'm always here,) he added with a smile.

Fathiya smiled in return, the warmth of her father's presence soothing her earlier anxieties. As they chatted, she mentioned her plan to return to work the next day. Fathiya owned her own IT company and had the flexibility to decide when to go in, often managing her team remotely.

"Allah ya miki albarka," (May Allah bless you,) her father said, nodding in approval. "At least, by going back to work, you'll get some things off your mind instead of staying and sulking."

Fathiya nodded in agreement, but her mind was elsewhere—thinking about the strange, unsettling encounter she had just had at the store.

*****
As salamu alaikum wa rahmatullah
We have come to the end of this chapter.
Looks like farhan is going to have a tough competition

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