ZAYYAD
'Watcha you up to?' Ameena asked kissing my cheek before sitting beside me.
'Nothing in particular, I'm just not in the mood. Wat about you?' I asked
'Nothing either. I wanted to watch a movie called parasite cause Irfan claims it's interesting. But now that you don't have anything in particular, maybe I'll wait to watch it another day' she shrugs
'Let's just watch it. Maybe I'll understand and get the vibe? What channel?' I asked
'It's not on the television, it's on my laptop. I'll have to go and get it. Just wait' she said standing up but I stopped her.
'Don't worry, I'll go bring it. You sit down here' I say
'No need. I can walk normally and properly. You sit here and wait for me' she said not budging
'No I'll bring it'
'No I'll bring it'
'You stay here'
'No, you stay here'
'I'm not staying here'
'Neither I'm I'
'You know what?'
'What?'
'Just carry me up and let's bring it down together?' She said and I thought about it.
She wasn't fat nor will I call her thin. She was an average woman.
'Yeah sure' I said and carried her bridal style up the stairs to her room.
'Ouch!' She said when i dropped her on the bed.
'What?' I asked trying to to smile.
'You dropped me on the bed with a thud, now my butt hurts' she whined
'Aww that's too bad' I tsked also climbing in the bed with her.
'Say sorry you naughty husband' she said whacking my arm with her veil.
'But darling, I don't want to say sorry' I say poking her nose, making her sneeze.
'Don't do that. But why won't you say sorry?' She pouted
'Cause I prefer this' I said and captured a kiss.
~~~~~
'Assalam mu Alykum' A timid voice came from the door and I looked up to see my wife.
I rolled my eyes before I answered 'what do you want? I thought I told you not to come back?' I hissed
'Y-yes you did tell me not to come back. B-but your m-mother told me to tell you to pick up your phone' she stammered
'You can go. You've passed on the message' I shooed.
'Oh okay. But before I go. Do you need me to do anything for you?' She asked her head always down not looking at me.
'I said go didn't I? Just don't bug me. Okay? Go do whatever you want to' I said sternly
She nodded and was about to go out but I stopped her
'Haven't I told you to stop nodding? If you aren't a lizard or a mute, talk to me' I ordered
'Okay, sir' she barely said her voice cracking, but I'm not taking any of it.
'I didn't hear you. Talk louder' I yelled at her.
She sniffed 'okay sir' she says louder this time around.
'And one more thing. Don't call me sir. I don't want you to get used to it and then you go call me sir in public. People are going to think I treat you bad' Her head shot up when I said the last part. Glaring at me
'Also go and wash your face. You look ugly' I dismissed.
She ran out of the room no longer containing her tears.
I rolled my eyes at her act and went back to what I was doing.
~~~~~~
'Abba?' Ummul Khulthum said and I hummed an answer
'Where are we going? I thought we were going to pick up Amma before we leave' she says
I look at her through the rear mirror before answering her 'Nope we can't. She has to rest. So do you, I'm taking you home so you could also rest. You can see the baby again tomorrow'
'But why? I want to see him today, I want to be there when you guys are naming him. This isn't fair' she whined
'But it's pass your bed time. It's already twelve o'clock, besides you aren't sleeping at home. We are just going to pick some baby stuff I forgot and your clothes. You're staying at grandmas tonight' I tell her.
'But you won't name him without me? Promise?' She asks bringing out her pinky finger.
'Promise' I say bringing out my own pinky finger.
She yawns and sits back while I go inside to get what we need.
~~~~~
'I'm sorry to say that she has been diagnosed with a rare disease of the spleen. Come and I'll tell you all about it. It's better we discuss it in private' the doctor says and I follow him.
'You see, the spleen......................................'
~~~~~
'I'm sorry but she can't make it. You would have to choose between your unborn child or your wife' the nurse says
~~~~~
'Abba!!!!!!' Ummul Khulthum's voice screams from an unknown place and I look round to find darkness over darkness.
'Abba!? Where are you?! Abba! I'm here!!' She screams.
'No!!!!' She screams but I can't seem to find her anywhere.
~~~~~
'You're alright now, don't worry. Everything's alright' She tells Ummul Khulthum.
'Please don't go, please. I can't sleep' Ummul Khulthum yawns
'I'm not going anywhere until you get better. I'm here if you need me' she says patting her shoulder.
'Seriously?'
'Seriously' she replied giving her a kiss on the forehead.
~~~~~
'Innalilahi wa Ina'ilayhi Raji'un!' Salma Zainab's first daughter shouted.
'Your house is on fire! Someone call the fire department! Someone! Anyone!' My mom shouted
It was like I was in a trance. I couldn't do anything. I didn't try anything. Not when the people I loved where in the house that was on fire.
'I'm sorry to tell you this but your wife's dead. But your children are in the ambulance over there' Marc told me.
'My wife's dead? Again?' I question myself. 'She's dead' I whisper and all I saw next was darkness..........
'A'Uzubillahi Minash-Shaytuanir-Rajim!' I say immediately after I wake up from my crazy set of dreams.
I'm all hot and cold at the same time. My shirts wet due to my sweat. But the rooms air conditioning is still at sixteen.
I get to the toilet and wash my face with cold water. I look at myself in the mirror, my hair is falling onto my face, some are sticking to my forehead.
I sigh and enter the room. It's 3am. Some might say it's the devils hour but it's quite the opposite in what I believe in.
Before I go into the toilet, I change into another pair of black sweats and a white t shirt this time around.
I pray two raka'ats and read the Quran, this time I open to Suratul Nur (light).
I think of nothing and everything as I read the Quran. I think of Ummul Khulthum, Ameena, my mother, my father. Everyone and no one.
When I'm done reading I enter the library. I normally don't read but I know that when I'm in here I feel nostalgic.
I remember when Ameena used to sit me down and read a Harry Potter novel to me but I always end up sleeping half way through the first chapter.
It's not like I don't like Harry Potter, I just don't like the book version even if my late wife claims books are better than the movie versions, I still prefer the movie versions.
I sit in the rocking chair and look at all the books we have. I don't know what to do about them.
I'm not a reader and Ummul Khulthum hasn't picked up any reader ethics or signs. Maybe give them out to charity? Or the local library store?
I don't know, I pick up an old news paper and read old news. A head line catches my eyes and I decide to read it.
It says that the famous Muslim man who has an architectural company in Vancouver, Ibrahim Abdulkhaliq, died in an accident but his son fortunately survived the accident. And his wife also died out of shock, maybe thinking that her whole family's dead.
I continued reading, his son, Muhammad Burhan, has gone back to his home country, Nigeria, because he is still too young to live on his own.
When life takes it's drastic turn, we've got nothing to do except to follow it like obedient ducks.
I don't know where I got that from but i just thought of it. Now To think of it, what if Muhammad Burhan was originally from America? Where would he stay? Cause I'm sure he wouldn't want to stay at a social services homes.
And I'm sure he wouldn't want to stay at an orphanage. I hope he gets what he needs. The family he deserves. Hope he is happy where ever he is.
I read for a while before going back to sleep for about an hour and a half so I can wake up for Fajr prayer.
~~~~~
'I made some sandwiches for you' I told her when we hopped into the car.
'What type of sandwich? Is there butter in it?' She asks worried
'Nope, no butter. I used some eggs, tomatoes, cucumbers, sweet corn, and mayonnaise' and some onions but I can't tell her that, she won't even touch it if I tell her.
'Oooh, thank you very much' she said smiling.
'Oh yeah, Zainab's picking you up today. I'm having a double shift today. So I'll pick you up when I'm off?' I say looking at her briefly through the rear mirror.
'Hmm hmm. But can I go to Imran's on Thursday?' She asks
'Do you mean Imran or Suraya but disguised as Imran?' I quirk an eyebrow.
'Hehe, you know what I mean' she giggled fiddling with the sequence on her shirt.
'Yes you can but I'll have to call and ask if she's free. It's not like we can just call her up everyday you know' i told her.
She hummed an answer and continued playing with her sequenced shirt till we reached school.
'See you later Abba' she said but I stopped her.
'Cupcake? Promise me you won't do anything that would lead to trouble, please. If there's anything bothering you, you know I'm here for you, I'll always be here' I paused 'oh God I'm talking as if my five year old ten years older' I mumbled to myself.
'If you want to tell anyone besides me, you can always tell. We won't judge okay?' I assured her.
She nodded her head before grabbing her backpack, running off to go meet someone. I sighed and drove to work.
~~~~~
'You want one?' Adrian asks me and I nod my head.
Me and some of my friends/co workers are in Marc's office. We are talking about nothing and everything, well mostly about how we are being treated by our wives.
Good things, bad things, frustrating things and all the whatnot. It's funny seeing them talk irritatedly. Marc has even tried mimicking his wife's voice.
'So as y'all know. I'm mostly on night shifts and all, yesterday I came back home my usual time, ten pm. But my wife was nagging at me to get a different shift. She says it creeps her out to hear the door opening in the night' he paused 'and she wouldn't even allow me enter my own room'
'Why won't she?' I asked collecting my coke from Adrian.
'Cause of the door sound also she claims the beds more comfy without me in it' he said his face all scrounged up.
'Then go sleep in her room or somewhere' Anderson tells him.
'I don't want to. Her beds smaller and has this smell in it. My daughter accidentally washed her bed sheets with her clothes. And she adds this strong scented substance to it when she rises it. It smells like something fruity but strong. I can't stand that smell' he says shivering at the thought.
We laugh and him and I part him shoulder. Sorry man we tell him.
'What about you? How's your daughter holding up? Or should I say? Boxing up' Anderson asks.
We laugh at his little joke before I answer 'she's stopped punching people, apparently it's pushing people now into sand pits. She still won't budge either' I sigh
'Don't worry man, she will tell you guys one day or the other. But in the meantime, I heard she likes hanging out with a particular woman' Marc says
'Oh yeah, Suraya. She's this lady we met. Her nephews was the last one to get punched by Ummul Khulthum. And because the boy said it was his fault why she punched him, she dragged him to my house to come apologise to Ummul Khulthum' I paused taking a sip out of my drink. 'Ever since, we've just been crossing paths. And apparently Ummul Khulthum enjoys her presence more than she enjoys her family's presence. She asked this morning if she could go to her home on Thursday after having a whole day to themselves yesterday' I shook my head
'Don't worry man, she'll come back to you. She's having an adventure meeting other people you didn't really allow her meet in the first place' Anthony said
'Why don't you marry this Suraya lady? You said you wanted to marry someone Ummul Khulthum is comfortable with. And you are okay leaving your daughter with her. So why don't you just marry her?' Marc asks
'Yeah, true. Why don't you just get married to her? Or do you have to go through a very long process in your religion cause you're a widower?' Anderson asks
'Um, no. Not that I'm sure of it but I think we don't have to go through any long process. As long as we aren't getting forced to marry each other. I can go and ask for her hand in marriage like a young bachelor. But I'm not in the right state to get married' I paused ' I don't even know if she's engaged or not'
'You wouldn't know until you ask. And I'm sure she's single, cause if she wasn't, she wouldn't have much time with your daughter' Anthony said
'That can be true or she's just coincidentally free whenever we call her. That can be true, can't it?' I said taking my chances
'Just say you don't want to get married to her. We aren't forcing you, we just think she might be a good wife and mother to you and your daughter. We hate seeing you like this man. You look emotionally drained' Marc huffed
'I'll think about it' with that our alarm went off and we had to go to the rescue.
So if you understood what happened there then 👍🏽👍🏽
But if you didn't
The letters in cursive were his dreams.
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