Kasih Nadiah (Nadiah's Love)

Chapter Ten: Compromised (Part Two)

*WARNING: This chapter is PG-13 due to some violence and disturbing scenes. Readers strongly cautioned.

**Please read the author's note at the end to understand the context of the story, Islam and muslim women. I will be talking about Hijab and Niqab (face covering veil).

Dedicated to my sister from the land down under for always listening to me and her encouragement.

Babe, thanks for having iman in me like I have iman in you. I love you for the sake of Allah <3 :)

Chapter Ten: Compromised (Part Two)

"Aren't you coming to bed?" At the tone of her husband, Aminah lifted her gaze from the book she was holding and searched for him, finding him standing at the doorway of their bedroom, looking at her.

Instead of answering, she looked to the round clock hanging on the wall and then at the door, Hassan's gaze trailing after hers. It was ten-thirty; the time when their daughter usually comes home from the surau. Except for the occasional passing breeze and the whooshing of the trees, the night was still.

"She will be home soon," he commented, moving closer to her as though having read her mind. "Zainab's walking her home, remember?"

He placed a hand on her shoulder. "You don't have to wait up. You aren't well yourself."

As he said this, she raised one fist to her mouth, coughing into it, pain rippling through her lungs. She rubbed a hand over her chest when her cough had subsided. She set the book down just as his hand left her shoulder and watched him move to the door. "I'll just leave the porch lights on," Hassan said, flipping the light switch.

That still didn't manage to tame the unease that resided in her heart.

"We should head to bed," he said, already walking to their bed chamber. "We have another long day tomorrow."

Rising to her feet, Aminah spoke the contents of her heart, "Bang, my heart... doesn't feel good."

Hassan turned to look at his wife. She added, " I have had this feeling since morning. I feel like...I feel like something bad is going to happen."

He studied her face for a moment before saying, "You've probably overworked yourself. Don't be so paranoid. Go rub on some axe oil and perform wudhu before going to sleep. InsyaAllah, it's nothing. "

Protests hung off her tongue, but she let it slide.

Her husband was probably right. She blew out a sigh, relaxing her tense shoulders and rubbing the back of her neck - deciding it best to loosen up a bit. She often worried at the slightest things and would grow anxious if anything was out of place for she was used to routine. If a task was unfinished, she would go to bed late just to finish it even if held little to no importance as she couldn't stand leaving work piling and liked to stay on schedule and be prepared. Her concern had warranted a toll on her health on several occasions, making her husband and children protesting against the stringent rules she lived by. Perhaps that was why she often felt like she was thirteen years older her actual age when she was only thirty seven.

Deciding to heed his advice, she headed inside, leaving Hassan to switch off the remaining lights.

***

"H-Harun," Nadiah stammered, swallowing sharply. Harun is here. Here... with me. Alone. What is he doing here? Questions raced through her mind, her natural instincts sending warning vibes while she could hear her mother's voice echoing in her ears.

"Tak manis seorang perempuan berdua-duaan dengan seorang lelaki yang bukan muhrimnya (It is not fitting for a woman to be alone with a man who is not her husband)"