Safaa

Chapter Sixty Four

When he reached the house, he found her at the backyard giving orders to a Maid to take some stuff to her car. He silently watched how she gave the order, the kind gesture she used made him remember the Zarah he fell in love with, it mesmerised him and she caught him staring at her unawares.

"Hello" She smiled.

"Hi" He walked to her side smiling too.

He gave her the ice cream and they walked back into the house. She welcomed him warmly, asking him about Yusrah, and telling him to send her the baby's new pictures, as always. When they were conversing, he informed her about the reason for his visit which made her demeanor changed, from caring to cold.

"I'm actually coming from Safaa's home, I went with some of the designs for our new home and she made her choices at last, You ladies won't be the death of me, It's been two weeks since I've been asking you to make your choice too, I guess coming by myself will make you choose at last"

She tore her gaze away from him and began fiddling with the ring on one of her fingers, he waited for some minutes to let her think of what to say and when the silence began unnerving him he spoke again.

"Zarah..."

"I'm sorry, but I told you I've decided, I can't go back, this is home" She said everything under her breath but Ahmad heard all of it.

"You're still stubborn aren't you?" He sighed and she smiled shaking her head lightly.

"I wanted to visit an orphanage before I saw your message, Can you go with me?" She asked in an attempt to lighten up the atmosphere.

"Ofcourse"

"Alright, Let's go then" She grinned adjusting the veil she used to cover her head. She was dressed in a peach cotton gown, that had intricate flowers all over the bodice, she looked so calm, looking so different from the woman who left his house some months ago.

They transferred the stuff she loaded inside her car to his own and he silently drove them to the orphanage she wanted to visit. The kids were so happy to see her and they chatted with her like a long lost friend. It amazed Ahmad because he knew how Zarah never liked associating with kids. They were in the garden of the orphanage, watching the kids play different sorts of games when he asked her the question that had been on his mind.

"Do you normally visit them?"

She laughed seeing the awed expression on his face before answering him.

"This has been my sanctuary for the past few months, I visit them once every week, I find peace watching them happy" She smiled staring at the kids adoringly.

"Wow, well Ma shaa Allah" Ahmad smiled turning his gaze to the kids too.

"Maybe through them I would be able to have peace of mind, be able to assure myself that my merciful Lord would forgive my sins"

"May He forgive us all"

"Amin ya rabbi, Forgive me too Yaya Ahmad" She pleaded with a shaky voice.

"Not again Zarah, this is the umpteenth time" Ahmad said almost frustratingly.

"I know, I just feel like..."

"Okay let's stop talking about this, Let's participate in some of their games" He cut her off.

She agreed reluctantly and they joined the kids, he was glad she had found something that made her feel a bit 'better'. They spent two hours in the orphanage and when it was time for them to leave, most of the kids became too emotional, pleading with Zarah to stay but she managed to control some of them, promising to visit them again before they would even miss her.