Come, Fly With Me

THIRTY EIGHT

Days passed, and though we were at peace with our decision, we were still, much to our dismay, at a distance from our wider family. Unable to face the potential disappointment, we had remained in the comfort of our own home, occasionally speaking to our siblings and parents over the phone. When they asked why we weren't joining for family get-togethers, we put it down to being extremely busy with work –which wasn't a lie, as intentionally or not, Ehsaan now seemed busier than ever at the office.

I was sat in the living room, reciting some quran after praying Zohr salah and waiting for Ehsaan to get home. I'd been out for a much needed brunch with Saffa and Rima today to discuss the upcoming wedding plans and she had immediately recognised that something was up. But I brushed it off, not wanting to delve back into the details of it –because knowing my best friend, she would not let it go.

When I finally heard the key turning in the lock, I was glad he was home and that we could finally spend some time together, but when I saw the look on his face, my heart dropped and I knew instantly that something was wrong.

"Assalamualaikum" I greeted him, but to no avail.

"Waalaikumsalaam. I need to talk to you" he said, irritably pulling off his shoes and coat and dropping his keys on the entrance table before following me into the living room.

"What is it?" I asked.

"I was at the office after being in international partner meetings all morning and coaching some of the associates, when I got a call. My secretary said it was a client, so I of course went out of my way to take out the time and speak to him. Turns out, it was that BAS*** Yaseen! You know what he wanted? He wanted me to take on his divorce case!"

"What?!" I was shocked – what on Earth is going on?. "Hang on, Ehsaan, calm down"

"I can't calm down. He calls me telling me that I refused to help his daughter and so it's now my 'duty' to handle his case!"

"That's ridiculous!"

"Exactly!" he sighed, his hands in the air. "Hedoesn't care about us, Aleena. He doesn't care! And now that he needs something, its okay for him to just expect that we'll kneel down to his every desire like Amma has all her life just because of a family favour! I won't do it!"

He grabbed his jacket and threw it on.

"Where are you going now?" I asked him, worriedly.

"To Amma's. Let's go"

He grabbed the keys and I quickly got my phone and threw on an abaya. We drove there in silence as I was slightly nervous of the intense new side of Ehsaan that this whole episode had unveiled.

We walked in, and everybody was sat around in the large open plan space - laughing and talking, but falling silent upon our arrival as they sensed the rage enshrouding my husband.

Seeing them all, he huffed.

"They don't know, do they?" he said to Maa, pointing at his sisters, brother-in-law and father. She coiled, tensed up and looking down somewhat ashamedly as she realised what was about to unfold in front of her.

"Know what?" Aaminah responded, standing up and coming over.

"Are you going to bother telling them, or shall I?" He directed at his mother, his voice rising.

"Ehsaan please! Not now!" she whispered.

"No! Don't you try and hide this from them. I'll tell you all what's going on, and then I want you all to decide, honestly, who's side you're on." Everyone exchanged worried glances with each other, and Umar bhai came and stood by Ehsaan as Papa tried to decipher the situation.