Conflate

Chapter 20

(Unedited)
Sadiya's POV

Her brief life had been plagued by so much pain, so much heartache and so many disappointments. She was beginning to understand why some people would rather not get attached. People could be unreliable, unreasonable, unrealistic and heartless.

    Abdullah hurt her so much, he disappointed her.

   She allowed the beautician to do her work as she sat in the bathroom thinking about her life.

     Is she doing the right thing? Why did she agree? Because Abdullah said she should accept his brother and she loves Abdullah so much to not decline his brother's proposal. 

      She could have simply said No but then the smile on Ummi's face was worth saying Yes. Ya Allah! That woman did a lot for her. She was always there for her.

Three days later, when she heard women yodeling from downstairs she knew it has been solemnized. She is officially Mrs Yahaya and it's too late to step back now.

      She sobbed quietly and when the door slightly creaked ajar, Ummi came into the room dressed in a peach lace. She sat beside her and pulled her into a motherly hug. Her Ammi might not be here but Ummi is everything she could ever ask for.

    "Congratulations my daughter, may yours be among the best and May Allah bless you abundantly" Ummi prayed, her hands still wrapped around my body. A lot of people came in to congratulate me. Mostly neighbors and Ummi's relatives and i kept forcing a smile, thanking them.

Hours later while praying asr, i cried in my sujood to the almighty. Ummi came into the room with a tray of food.

      "Sadiya, come and eat" she pulled me up gently from my lying position on the prayer mat. I obeyed and she fed me. "He's coming now, i called him and fortunately it went through" she said "no more crying okay?" She hugged me before leaving and i nodded.

  This woman is so kind despite all the guests in the house she came to feed me and apologize on her son's behavior.

   Yeah, the groom didn't show up to see his bride after the Nikah and Ummi was so furious, she kept thinking what was wrong after trying his number and it wasn't going through and she tried Abdullah's number afterwards but all in vain.

   After several attempts to reach them she gave up and assured me that everything will be okay. That was how i spent my big day crying, thinking, praying to Allah and moving from one side of the bed to the other with Ummi checking up on me.

   Fifteen minutes past seven, the house was quiet and she was sure most of the guests had left to their various houses. The door creaked ajar and I lifted my head up to look at Yahaya from where i sat on the single couch in my room reciting suratul kahf. It totally skipped my mind that today was friday.

    I finished reciting the eleventh aya before closing the Qur'an. I stood up and moved to the mirror, i placed the Qur'an gently and turned around looking at Yahaya that was leaning on the door. He was wearing a three quarter jeans and a sleeveless shirt.

       And i could swear i once saw Abdullah with that shirt.

    Who wears three quarter and a shirt on his wedding and that too his younger brother's shirt. Seriously who does that? I mentally face palmed myself.

He moved closer and engulfed me in a hug. He might not be my first hug but his was different, it felt so right. This is a pure halaal hug, Fruitfully halaal.

  "I'm sorry, I didn't show up" he adjusted my head on his broad chest "I'm sorry mi alma, something came up about Abdullah, he's kinda ill and I didn't want to disturb Ummi. She's very busy, I couldn't trust anyone with him so we stayed locked up in his room. I didn't want to leave him for a second because from the way he was acting he's ready to commit suicide but Thank God he's asleep now" he looked worried