Our Circumstances

Chapter 8

Saliha fluttered her eyes open. It was way before Fajr time, but she awoke to the sound of a conversation coming from the kitchen.

Her parents. 

It was their usual routine, talking boisterously during breakfast as if it wasn't five in the morning. Saliha wasn't one to complain about the early hours of the day, but she did dislike making conversation and any loud sounds that woke her up.

As much as she wanted to groan at the cackling of her parents and their unawareness of their children still trying to catch some zeds, Saliha let it slide, grateful that both of her parents were downstairs alive and happy.

Afterall, it had been a long time since she woke up to the voices of her parents.

She threw away her covers and made haste to the bathroom to freshen up. After brushing her hair and throwing on a soft, cotton dress, she made her way downstairs and greeted her mother and father.

"Wa 'Alaikumussalam" was their response. 

Her mother was washing dishes while her father, who had just finished taking his medications, smiled broadly. It appeared that the two had just finished their breakfast.

Saliha put both hands on her hips and tilted her head slightly. "What were you two blabbering about?" she asked exaggeratedly.

"Nothing in particular... Miss Saliha", answered her father mockingly.

Saliha giggled, recollecting the times she mocked her sixth grade teacher, Miss Riley. She would always speak in a very loud voice, constantly demanding her class's attention. One time, Saliha, who had been assigned a seat next to her friend, was giggling at something that her friend had made comments about. Saliha and her friend were unable to contain themselves, and soon received attention from nearly the entire class, including the teacher. Miss Riley had turned her head from the board and gave them both a death glare. She put her marker down, placed her hands on her hips, and snapped, "What were you two blabbering about?"

Saliha was so humiliated that she remembered the moment forever. The teacher's fury, the motionlessness and silence of the entire classroom, everyone's watchful eyes on her, the inability to do anything except look down at her own shaky, sweaty palms which remained on her lap. 

When she had come home and told her parents what happened, instead of feeling pity for their daughter, they hadn't bothered containing or stifling their laughter. Saliha felt hurt then, but later acknowledged the event as something laughable as well.

It soon became a little inside joke and reference that only she and her family knew about, one that Saliha and her father used to mention frequently.

Saliha thought she had done good after giving an old reference, causing her father to be in a delighted mood. After all, old references die hard. She mentally patted herself on the back.

"How are you feeling, Dad?" Saliha felt that she had asked this question too many times, but every time, she was genuinely curious about her father's health.

"Alhamdulillah. Glad to be with my family, glad to be home." He took a drink of water before suddenly wearing a stern expression. "Saliha, my love, about the propo-"

Saliha instantly groaned. "Dad, come on -"

"Hear your father out, Saliha", Maria said, wiping her hands with a kitchen towel. "He doesn't want to ask you for confirmation fifty times, relax. He just wants to go over some details."

Saliha exhaled, grabbing a seat next to her father and getting a glass of water herself. "Sorry, Dad, you may continue."

Adam, instead of throwing back a snarky comment like he usually does, cleared his throat and said, "So... this Saturday night. The parents are very excited to meet you... and I think Anas too."