She wanted to slap herself, she ruined her plan to gain his trust by her own hands.
“Ofcourse, you're your father's daughter at the end of the day.” Khizr scoffed, glaring at Amal. “Tell me, for how long have you been eavesdropping?” Khizr gripped her arm, pulling her closer to intimidate her.
“I, only a few seconds” Amal responded, her gaze still lowered. Lying wasn't an option as it would only make things worse.
“I stand on my words but only on conditions–” Khizr's word's halted as his phone rang. “I'll deal with you later” Khizr said, after checking who was calling, and walked away.
Amal rolled her eyes at her words before staring into the hallway and let out a dejected sigh as she tried to find the room again.
– -
“What are you doing” Amal questioned when she saw the elderly woman put clothes in the closet, it seemed like men's clothing which raised Amal's eyebrows.
“Khizr told me to shift his clothes into this room” The women answered, Amal's frown deepened at her words, and she left the room, only to be back in a minute with another stack of clothing her hand.
“His room is next door, why are you shifting his clothes here?”
“We're only shifting his work and sleeping clothes here, the rest will remain in that room. He is your husband. If not in this room, where would he be?” The woman spoke with a stern look in monotone as she went into the walk-in closet. Amal just stood there confused with her mouth slightly open in shock of the event.
‘Anywhere but not here’ Amal said in her mind.
“He'll be here after the dinner.I'll tell Farah to serve you dinner here, you're not allowed to come downstairs so don't bother coming unless you are ready to face severe punishments for your actions.” The woman spoke once again as she came out of the walk-in closet , intimidating Amal before she left the room.
Amal sat on the bed contemplating her life, was she actually stuck here for the rest of her life? With that man, Khizr. She shook her head to remove these negative thoughts, and looked around trying to find something to write on.She searched the side table and found a small diary with some coloured gel pens. Even though she was confused as to why coloured gel pens were her, she was grateful that she found something.
Amal thought of possible ways to escape whether it was escaping once he allowed her out or when he went away, rational or irrational way, she mind mapped all of them in the diary. Amal halted in her plans when a thought crossed her mind, she couldn't run away without divorce. If she ran away without one, she won't be able to remarry and a happy successful marriage was something she really wanted especially after seeing her ustadha's family when young.
‘I stand on my words but only on conditions–’ Khizr's words came into her mind as she frowned. ‘Conditions?’ Amal thought to herself before questioning if she could put her own conditions.
Amal scoffed at herself for even thinking about it, ‘He'll throw you into that room again, you fool’ She called herself out.
Amal flinched when she heard the knock on the door, she looked around hysterically before throwing the diary behind the side table to keep it out of sight of others. ‘If he finds this, he'll kill me’ Amal thought to herself before making a mental note to hide the diary where it won't be found.
Farah entered the room with a tray filled with food,after Amal allowed her to enter, and placed it on the table before the sofa.
–
“Badr!” Yazid called out his son when he saw him get out of a room, rubbing his eyes to clear his view. Badr squinted and looked where the very familiar voice came from, before running in the arms of his father.Yazid kissed his forehead and sat him on his lap with a big smile on his face.
“Baba, I slept waiting for you” Badr replied, his smile fell into a pout.
“Badri, when did you start lying?” Khizr questioned his nephew as he pinched his cheeks.
“I didn't lie!” Badr responded, rubbing his cheeks with his small hands, and Khizr rolled his eyes knowing he slept right after the call. “And you didn't give me a kiss and a hug before going to work!” Badr complained and he folded his arm, Khzir scoffed at his words whereas Hayyan and Fardeen smiled at the kid's complaint.
“Forgive your baba, hm? I was in a hurry so I forgot, blame your mamu” Yazid spoke as he shifted the blame to Khizr, who just stared at him in disbelief.
“Ok, I'll forgive you just because I want Allah ( ﷻ) to forgive me because I lied before.” Badr spoke, earning a fake gasp from Fardeen who was seated on the opposite sofa. “I slept after the call, I didn't wait for you,” Badr confessed,making Khizr scoff.
“No lies from now on, ok?” Yazid warned strictly and Badr nodded as he hugged his father's chest.
“Yeah, no lying, otherwise a monster will come under your bed and will eat you.” Fardeen spoke in the same tone as Yazid, mocking him.
“That monster's name is Fardeen,” Hayyan said as he slapped the back of his neck.Fardeen stared at Hayyan, with a bitter scowl, who acted clueless.
“Deen, go tell Farah to give that girl her food.” Fardeen nodded and offered Badr to join as he walked to the door, Yazid patted the back of Badr and he ran behind Fardeen.
“Girl?” Fateh looked at Hayyan and Yazid who just stared back, blankly, before fixing his gaze at his friend.
“Janab's wife” Yazid spoke up when the other two remained quiet, Fateh stared at his friend as if he heard the biggest shock. “He didn't tell me about it too, I heard about it from the men”
“I feel threatened, you gave my place to a girl–”Fateh tried to joke but quieted when he noticed the awkward atmosphere.
“Where has your sense of gheerah gone? Did you sell it away in the midst of your revenge?” Yazid questioned Khizr, who glared back at him but Yazid wasn't a man who'd be scared of glares. Fateh and Hayyan felt the tension rising as both men stood strong at their places. Hayyan tried speaking up, “Shut up, Hayyan.”
“Just because you're my sister's husband, don't assume that it's ok for you to interrupt my private matters.” Khizr retorted, his glare boring holes into Yazid. If Yazid wasn't someone he respected, he would be on the floor beaten to pulp.
“Private matters? Are your matters really private if your wife is being talked about in a gathering of men?” Yazid glared back at him, intensely, trying to ingrain some shame into that man's heart.
“That's crazy, can't lie.'' Fateh spoke in shock, at the appalling information. Hayyan remained quiet because he did agree with the point of Yazid, some of his best friend's acts were unacceptable.
“Who were the men? Tell me, I'll deal with them.” Khizr asked, blankly, trying to restore his reputation in front of his friends.
“Deal with yourself, first. You gave them the topic, they talked.Don't go on a crazy ousting spree to boost your ego, Fear Allah in regards to the status he has given you.” Yazid said in an austere tone before softening his speech at the end. “Fix your marriage, Khizr, or divorce her. Your enemy is her father, not her.” Yazid suggested, Fateh nodded in approval whereas Hayyan just sat there with a blank face, waiting for Khizr's decision.
“She's useless, anyways.Farooq doesn't even care so we'll get back to the initial plan I had in mind.” Khizr retorted as he leaned back on his couch, leaning his head on the back rest. The other men nodded at his decision, Yazid sighed a little in relief hoping that he did make it easier on the girl.
“What about his daughter then?” Fateh questioned gaining Yazid's attention , confused about how his friend's statement affected the girl.
“His daughter is my wife, he has no business with my wife.”Khizr spoke as the men nodded at his decision, hoping the marriage goes well for him.
Fardeen entered the room but upon sensing the awkward silence, he decided to make an excuse.To his dismay, Yazid caught his sight and questioned, “Where's Badr?”.
“Bhai, He's with Khizr bhai's wife.”
–
“My Baba doesn't like liars, he gets angry only when he knows I'm lying. But, I lied to him. I apologised to both, Baba and Allah( ﷻ). Allah ( ﷻ) will forgive me now?” Badr explained his situation before getting the glass of juice in his tiny hands and drinking. Amal was at awe, at his actions and his words.
“Ofcourse, Allah ( ﷻ) would forgive you. He forgives all the sin, and do you know what the prophet ( ﷺ) said?” Badr looked up to her, waiting for her response in anticipation. “He (ﷺ) said ‘Allah Almighty said: I am as My servant expects of Me, and I am with him as He remembers Me. By Allah, Allah is more joyful by the repentance of His servant than if one of you found his lost camel in the desert.’. So, you should always expect best of him.”
“I will! But you also have to make dua that Allah ( ﷻ) forgives me, ok?” Badr question as Amal chuckled at his cuteness and a few times.
“I will, but eat your food for now. Hm?” Amal said and he nodded, Amal made another small morsel for him and he gladly ate. Amal smiled at the child, and his love for Allah( ﷻ) and his messenger( ﷺ). His knowledge amazed her, the amount of hadiths he quoted were applaudable.
Upon hearing Badr's stories of how his father teaches him, Amal was left appalled at the fact that such a person was a part of Khizr's, a gang leader, family. She prayed that once she was out of this marriage, she'd be able to raise such a kid with islam in his heart and marry a man who wished the same.