Against The Tide (Formerly Two Tribes)

41: Nuts And Bolts

Down in the dumps, Afrah sat down on the edge of her bed and watched as Jameel put on his shoes.

"You still won't talk to me?" Jameel asked as he occupied the space next to her.

"What can I say? I can't even convince you to postpone your visit so it's useless speaking."

"JaFrah," Jameel cupped her face and made her look at him. "it's only going to be for three days. I have already told Hajiya that I'd be coming today. She's expecting me. I can't just call her and tell her I won't be going anymore. I need you to understand this, please. Last week, Najah even told me how Hajiya was complaining bitterly about me not fulfilling my promise."

Afrah suppressed the urge to roll her eyes at his last sentence. She wondered why he always involved his second wife in their conversations. To say the least, it was annoying.

"I will be back before you even know it."

Displeased, Afrah shook her head. "Can't I just go to my parents instead? I will come back when you do."

"When did you return that you want to go back already? It's not going to look good at all, and besides, Najah is-"

"Fine," Afrah cut him off. The name itself was starting to irritate her. "I will stay if that's what you want!"

"Thank you."

Afrah huffed.

"I'm just going to be away for three days." He reminded. "Before you bat an eyelash, I'd be back in your arms, okay?"

Afrah kept mum.

"Okay?"

Afrah didn't like the idea of having to stay with Najah alone for three days. She knew Najah wouldn't in any way try to harm her, she just didn't find it pleasing.

"Can I go? Hmm?" He asked as he moved closer to her.

"Hmph! As if you'd stay if I said otherwise."

Jameel chuckled and wrapped his arms around her. "Don't be like that, JaFrah."

Afrah snuggled up with him. "I'm going to miss you."

Jameel pulled back; his gaze boring into hers. "I'm going to miss you more. Please take good care of yourself and my baby. Do not," he warned. "Do anything stressful. I don't want anything bad to happen to you and the baby."

Afrah nodded.

"What do you want me to get for you?"

She shook her head.

"Nothing?"

She nodded.

"I'm going to get you something and you're going to love it."

"Just go and return safely... it's all I want."

"In Sha Allah," he kissed her on the temple. "I'll be back."

His last sentence left an unsettling feeling in the pits of Afrah's stomach but she quickly shrugged it off. She had been watching a lot of movies lately and that had begun to take a toll on her reasoning.

"Are you going to see me off?" He asked. "To the car?"

"Uh-uh," she shook her head. "It'd be difficult for me to see you go."

Jameel gave a small smile. "You're talking as though I'm traveling to my death and-"

"Please stop!" Her heartbeat skyrocketed. "Don't say that." The thought alone had her insides tingling. Being a widow in her twenties was one of her major fears. "Even as a joke. I don't like it."