Pleasure of love lasts but a moment, Pain of love lasts a lifetime. - Bette Davis

Ahmad's POV.

"What is wrong with you Man?"

My conversation with Ma'aruf at the office got heated as he tries telling him that am at fault for thinking Safaa can poison my mother and for letting her stay out of our home for a week.

"Ma'aruf please,I don't want to talk about this and since Safaa chose to stay in your house,she should stay there forever if she wishes"

"Talking to you is pointless" Ma'aruf hissed and left the office.

My anger towards Safaa would have lessen if she didn't leave home,she knows that no matter what,I will try talking to her when am calm but meeting her absence at home made me so furious that I made up my mind not to go and bring her back,she's forever welcome to my house but only if she comes back by herself.

Why won't she understand that my brain itself stopped functioning when I was told that my Mama was poisoned?

I am aware of the promise that I made to her,that whatever happens I'll listen to her,my shoulders will forever be a place for her to lean and cry on,Iwill advice her,not as a husband but as a brother.The love I've shown her is immeasurable,.

I stood by Safaa and showed her how to live again,I made her experience copious happiness and laughter.

Why then would she poison my Mama?

I have not set eyes on her for seven days now,deep inside I miss her and yearn to hear her soft voice,to hold her hands in mine,to stay up all night talking about nothing and everything but my ego is stopping me from going to her,she still have to explain what made her do something so cruel to my own mother and tell me why she let the evil whispers of the Shaytan influence her.

I want the explanation but am not willing to go and hear it,I want her to come home by herself and tell me everything.

My thoughts are so occupied that I felt suffocated at the office.I drove back home and Zarah kept trying to get my attention,to cheer me up but I don't even pay attention to her.

"I cooked your favorite for lunch,lemme serve you" Zarah dragged me to the table.

"Stop touching me" I muttered.

"Easy there tiger,I just want you to eat some food that's all" She pouted.

"Fine,serve it"

"Here you go" She placed the plate of rice and beans infront of me.

The first bite reminded me of my wife,it doesn't have the taste I want.

I want Safaa home.

I brought out my phone to call her but changed my mind.I am the man  afterall and am definitely not a weak one.

But what if she never comes home?

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Safaa's POV.

"Shuraim stop running" I panted running behind him.

I have never seen a child that's so full of life and energy like Shuraim,he is just like his mom.

We have been in a park for hours now,he never gets tired of playing,He can wake up in the middle of the night and ask me for a piggyback ride or a lullaby,I never fail to fulfill his requests though,because with him,I let go of my worries,he fills the void and hole in my heart.

"Maamie look" He stopped running and began jumping,showing me a horse passing by.

"I saw it" I sighed trying to catch my breath.

"I wanna go to it" He whined and before I knew it he ran behind it.

I panicked because a car is speeding and it's coming towards my sweet little boy who's not even aware of it.

"Oh No Shuraim" I yelled almost having a heart attack.

It almost hit him,but luckily the man who helped me with my veil back at the clinic some days ago saved him.

"Ya Rabbi" I cried snatching Shuraim from the man.

"Don't..." And I broke down clutching him tight.

A while later,I composed myself seeing the little crowd gathered around us.

"I'm sorry Maamie" He pouted wiping my tears with his tiny palms.

"It's okay baby,never do that again" I sniffed wiping my tears too

"You sure love this son of yours" Tahir smiled and I smiled back.

He strolled with us through the park without saying a word,I don't know if he's also lost in thought just as me but I didn't stop him from following us nor did I try to start conversing with him.

"Maamie I want ice cream" Shuraim whined.

"You've had enough sweets for today Shuraim,your mom will scold both of us"

"But..." He gave me the best puppy eye he could muster.

"No buts baby"

"Pleaaaase,Uncle talk to her" Shuraim stopped walking and took Tahir's hand.

"Maamie pleaaaase let him have ice cream" Tahir mimicked him.

"Yes Maamie pleaseee" Shuraim jumped.

"Fineeee" I whined too.

"You two are cute,is he your child?" Tahir began talking.

"No he's not" I answered simply.

"I have a little baby girl just his age"

"Really,where is she?" I beamed.

"She's playing by the swing,let me get her so we could get Ice cream together"

He came back some minutes later with a very cute girl,it's true that children are a blessing,for indeed amidst them I forgot all of my worries,well not all sincerely,half of it.We had ice cream together and Shuraim with Sahla bonded in no time.

Tahir and I also became much more comfortable with one another because knowing that he's married and already with a child I felt like he's someone I can trust,I got to know a bit about him.

And from that day,we coincidentally kept meeting at the same park whenever I come with Shuraim.

One blessed day while the sun's blazing and the weather was so hot,Tahir and I left Shuraim and Sahla  on the swing.We sat on a shed and just like that,he began telling me about his life,his marital life specifically.

"Ummu Sahla doesn't even have our time you know,she's always busy and Sahla tends to get bored at home,I don't have a job so I'm always with Sahla,sometimes she doesn't even go to her Mom when she comes home..."

"She's really a busy woman" I mumbled awkwardly.

I don't know why he's telling me all that,we met some days ago.

"Yeah and I try everything to get her attention atleast for our daughter's sake,but it's all furtile,she's the boss taking care of the house entirely,so I can't keep complaining"

"You never had a job?" I asked him trying to change the topic.

"I had a job,a wonderful one but I got sacked few months ago"

He told me about his job and how he got fired,from the gleam of his eyes,one can easily realise the love he has for his job.

"Maamie" Shuraim yelled my name sobbing like someone has smacked him.

"Ya Allah what's wrong baby?"

"It's Sahla,she's refused to open her eyes and I kept waking her up,help her" He cried dragging me with him.

"You mean she passed out? " I stopped to catch my breath.

"She passed out" Tahir said breathlessly and ran to her figure lying carelessly on the floor.

"Innalillahi" I panicked rushing towards the swing.

"We need to take her to the hospital" Shuraim acted brave seeing how both of us are panicking.

"Yes hospital" Tahir managed to compose himself.

I watched him pace the hospital A&E nervously,stopping briefly to tap his phone.His baby sometimes looks sick to me but I never asked him if she's sick or something.

"Tahir calm down a bit,She will be alright" I assured him.

"Her Mom is so stupid to be acting this way,she's not picking my calls,We need to act fast"

"Calm down please,tell me what's going on" I asked him calmly.

"Sahla is sick,she has a heart ailment and it needs surgery and I have no money,the doctors told us it's necessary months ago Safaa,her mom has the money but she's not willing to help"

"What kind of mother is that,how much will the surgery cost?" I asked him boiling with anger.

What sort of a mother is Sahla's mom? A lot of women are in need of children but they are not blessed with any,myself inclusive,here she is misusing the opportunity to get a lot of reward from her Rabb.

"Trust me,you don't want to know Safaa"

"No you trust me and tell me,I might help"

"Okay,First you have to help me talk to Sahla's Mom..."

"Why?" I asked quizzically.

"She doesn't talk to me,she's in town yet she stays at a hotel instead of our house"

"You need to sit,Sahla will be alright In shaa Allah" I reassured him patting a space next to me.

His problem is way more complex than mine...I thought before giving all my attention to what he's trying to explain.

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Jama'a Barkan mu da Sallah.

Anyi Sallah lafiya?

Everyone should give me my barka da Sallah.

Safaa is about to get more interesting in shaa Allah,I can feel it...

Get ready for more drama,heartbreaks,betrayal,and a mixture of happiness+Sadnesss.

Happy Sallah everyone.

Kalthumm loves you all 😘😘