Against The Tide (Formerly Two Tribes)

32: All Hell Breaks Loose

'Time heals'—Whoever made that statement lied. It had been exactly three months since Jameel got married to Afrah but nothing has changed. Afrah's attitude towards Najah had worsened. It had become so terrible that Najah avoided her like the plague because all hell was sure to break loose whenever their path crosses.

Najah had thought Afrah's anger would fade as time heals all wounds but she was wrong. She had tried everything humanely possible to be in Afrah's good book but each time she tried, she would be called all sorts of mean names.

Not talking back was a choice for Najah. She could choose to retaliate but she chose not to for she had made a promise to Jameel to keep his home peaceful, and she wasn't about to break it no matter how hard Afrah intended to trigger her. Afrah would only end up looking like a lunatic.

The most annoying part was how Afrah always acted nonchalant whenever Jameel was around but the moment he steps out of the house, the condescending Afrah would be unleashed. It wasn't news that Afrah had made it a mission to exasperate Najah into giving up on her marriage.

Najah was doing the dishes in the kitchen and humming a song. She had made it a habit to engross herself in chores to take her mind off her reality. It was like an escape route for her. A home therapy that worked well for her.

"Hey!" Afrah's voice reverberated in the kitchen.

Najah ignored. By the tone of Afrah's voice, Najah could already tell what Afrah wanted and she wasn't about to give her the satisfaction she so craved for.

"Najah!" Afrah shouted in her ear.

Najah cut her dead.

"Can't you," Afrah grabbed Najah's arm and aggressively spun her around. "Hear me?!"

Najah shrugged Afrah's hand off and stood tall in front of her. "What do you want?"

"What I want is for you to get out of our lives! Is that too much to ask?" Afrah yelled.

Najah let out a humorless chuckle. "Yes, it is too much to ask for. I can do that, but I'm not leaving my husband to please you."

Typically, Najah would have ignored Afrah but not today. An eerie need to defend herself suddenly overwhelmed her. It was most likely because Afrah took a bold step to touch her today. The urge to finally put the annoying woman in her place was strong.

"Your husband?" Afrah burst out laughing. "The irony. Jameel isn't your husband—maybe in name but that's all it's ever going to be. I really pity you. You're pathetic. I would never wish to be in your shoes. Jameel is not your husband. He's your... landlord. Let's put it like that. And you're just a freeloader."

Although Najah knew Afrah's words were targeted to trigger her, she couldn't control herself by not falling into the trap. As much as Najah would want to pretend, she couldn't keep up anymore. Afrah's spiteful words pierced her heart.

"Instead of wasting your time here, hoping he will someday make a space for you in his heart, you should ask for a divorce, look for a single man and start afresh with him. This isn't even coming from a place of hate. I'm giving you this piece of advice for the sake of humanity. Jameel doesn't even consider you his wife." 

"Don't be too sure about that," Najah smirked. Two can play the game.

"What nonsense are you saying?" Afrah fumed.

"Nonsense?" Najah huffed. "Not exactly. Didn't you wonder where your husband was last night?" Najah didn't want to rub it on Afrah's face that Jameel indeed spent almost the whole night in her room because she knew it would make her go bananas but at that point, Najah wanted Afrah to have a taste of her own medicine.