The Three Muslimahs ✔

Chapter Seventeen: Nida's Plan and Jenna's Encounter

Chapter Seventeen: Nida's Plan Doesn't Go Well and Jenna Encounters Faraaz

Breakfast at the Abbas residence was quiet and hurried, as Mr. Abbas needed to head to work (taking Mr. Ahmed with him) and Husayn needed to head out for his job as well. The girls in the family were no different, as Jenna needed to go to school and Imaan has class early in the morning. Nida watched as the elders and the rest of the two families ate their breakfast and went back to their rooms to change and get ready for wherever they need to go.

"Nida, will you come here please?" Mrs. Abbas called from her room once everyone had finished breakfast and the dining room was empty of people. Nida smirked to herself before rising from the dining room chair—she was the only one there, with her now empty bowl of oatmeal she had for breakfast—and making her way to the couple's room.

"Yes?" Nida said quietly. She wanted to come off as demure and polite, as her acting skills will be very much needed right now. If she spoke in the proper manner, she will soon come to know what the elder Abbas family members' ulterior motive was—kindness or something else.

"You said you needed to speak to us, dear," Mrs. Abbas said with a gentle smile as she closed the door behind Nida. Mr. Abbas was in front of his dresser, putting on his tie with the mirror reflecting his motions. He paused to look at Nida worriedly.

"Is everything alright?" Mr. Abbas asked.

"I am a horrible person!" Nida blurted out. The elderly couple stared at her, bewildered by her outburst.

"No, you're not," Mrs. Abbas said, quickly recovering. "Why would you say that?"

"I committed a terrible sin," Nida began, her lower lip trembling.

"Well, you don't have to tell us, you know," Mrs. Abbas said gently, a hand on Nida's shoulder.

"Do you remember when Jenna and I had an argument? About her brother?" Nida continued, ignoring Mrs. Abbas's words. Mrs. Abbas hesitated before nodding. "Well, I was so furious that night, I wanted to forget how much she humiliated me in front of you all. I didn't go to that girl's house that night—there was no girl to begin with. I left for a party and consumed an alcoholic beverage." By the time Nida was done, her voice had lowered to a pained whisper and tears were prickling in her eyes. She inwardly praised herself for her deceiving skills; she has become really well at it.

"Ya Allah!" Mrs. Abbas cried while Mr. Abbas murmured, "Audhobillah." Nida, not knowing what he meant, simply looked up at him with tears in her eyes and nodded.

"I did not want to but I was so furious. I was blindsided by fury and I could not take it any longer. Oh, please, please, do not tell my parents. They will be so upset to hear this," Nida cried, pleading to them with her hands clasped together.

"Don't worry about that, beta, of course we won't tell them a word!" Mrs. Abbas cried and Mr. Abbas nodded in consent.

"But you must realize that drinking does not solve your problems," Mr. Abbas said gravely. "And try not to get angry because anger harms in more ways than one can fathom."

Nida nodded eagerly as two tears fell from each eye. But there was true curiosity when she asked, "How is anger harmful? Do I not have a right to be angry?"

"Oh, I'm sure we all get angry and rightfully so," Mrs. Abbas replied and Nida watched as she came round to face her. "But regardless of whether we are right in our anger or not, we should not get angry."

"Why not?" Nida asked, frustrated. All acting skills flew out the window as she tried to comprehend what they were saying. How could one possibly not be angry?