Kindred Ties

Chapter 34

Maryam went back home feeling down. She has been thinking about his illness ever since she got out of the hospital and it leaves her disheartened. She salaamed and entered the living room.

Mama was seated there watching Bridgeton as she eats a late lunch. The moment Maryam walked in, she noticed her mood. "Waalaikum Assalam." Maryam looked at her and gave her a small smile, the only one she could afford. "Sannu mama."
"Yauwa sannu."

She went and sat down, then laid down and placed her hand on her head. "What is wrong?" Mama asked.

"Nothing."
Mama didn't say anything, she knows how Maryam is, if she doesn't want to talk, she wouldn't. No matter what you do.
"How is Muhammad?" Mama asked.
"He is fine."
"Did you meet sadiya there?"
"Yes." The short answers made mama sigh and turn back to the tv. Maryam laid there for a few seconds, before going to their room.

She performed ablution, prayed Maghrib, and Isha before going to bed. Instead of sleeping, she closed her eyes and got lost in her thoughts.

What is going to happen to him now?
All those moments, he has been going through this? Hiding his pain behind a smile.
Vesicle cancer

She reached for her phone in her bag and started her little research on the illness. She was devastated by what she saw.

She fell asleep on that.

——————————————
Muhammad kept thinking about what Maryam said, about him being her most favorite part of reality, does that mean...she also has feelings for him? He was suddenly feeling like his 16years old self again, all giggly and in love.

It was only him and Abdallah in the room because he made mummy go back home, saying she should go and rest, that he can stay alone. Abdallah stayed behind after he brought his dinner.

As they were chatting, he kept noticing how Muhammad will just get lost in his thought and have this bright smile on his face. At first he wanted to ignore it, but it just started annoying him.

"Kai moh," he called. Muhammad looked at him, frowning at the nickname. He calls him that whenever he wants to tease him. The look Muhammad gave him got him laughing.

"Why are you all smiley today? Kamar anyi maka kyautan hajj," He teased. "Kodayake I heard that Maryam was here, all the reason to be happy," he was looking for Muhammad's trouble.

Muhammad looked at him in thought for a while before saying, "Abdallah what does it mean when a woman says you are her favorite part of reality?" Abdallah gaped at him in silence.

Muhammad narrowed his eyes, "what?"
"It's just so romantic, she said that to you?"
Muhammad shook his head, "no, I mean yes, but it's certainly what I'm thinking about right?"

"That she likes you? Of course, it is."
Muhammad smiled a little and picked up the newspaper daddy got him. That he should find something a bit entertaining to do, instead of just sitting in bed and doing nothing, and of all the things he could get him, he got a newspaper.

He opened a random page and was just mindlessly staring, as his mind was on Maryam. "You love her?"
"I do, I didn't even realize when that happened, when I fell in love with her."

Abdallah smiled and the smile fell when he remembered something, "you know daddy gave you only a week to find a spouse right? What are you going to do about it? Because I am certain he isn't going back on his words this time."

Muhammad looked sideward in thought, "I don't know honestly. I can't just tell Maryam to marry me ASAP without an explanation."
"Just tell her then."
"No, I can't. She can't ever know, I don't want her to marry me because of that, you know how Maryam is, she will probably agree in a heartbeat because she pities me, and I don't want that."
Abdallah sighed and nodded, "that's true."
"Abdallah don't tell her."
He raised his arms in surrender and chuckled a little, "Alright, I won't."