FATE

Chapter 15

Bassam

I don't know why but I've recently developed the urge to do right by Badriyyah my supposed wife. I guess it comes with the responsibility of me being her husband.

I still can't wrap my head around the fact that I'm a married man let alone married to her. It feels surreal and sometimes feels like something straight out of the movies. A fairy-tale.

But who am I kidding? Reality kicks the hardest. I often find myself calling her to check up on her, to ask if there's something she needs or something I can do for her. She always says no to my requests though and I don't in anyway find it offensive. I mean she and I aren't there yet.

She calls and sends texts too mostly asking for permission to go out. I love that she does that. That's her acknowledging me as her husband and it's something she's doing out of respect for religion and culture.

I've spent two third of my life in a different continent, I've seen alot of things done differently, interacted with different people regarding different aspects of life but it's safe to say nothing, I mean nothing beats the Islamic religion, its teachings and its way of life.

Islam gave women their rights, duties and responsibilities as daughters, wives and mothers but today women are trying to go all out in challenging pervasive cultural norms about women.

Islam isn't oppressive to women so as such, I'll never oppress women neither will I stop them from pursuing their dream as long as it doesn't go against the teachings of Islam. If anything, I'll support them.

But it warms my heart to see men and women being courteous, traditional, respectful towards each other, having morals and doing right by each other. In a way, I know chivalry isn't dead.

I hate all the gender role dissing and slandering we see today mostly on social media, I mean whatever happened to coexistence? I thought it was well established that we need each other. But today's generation strongly disagree with that. Well we have civilization to blame for that but I'm not in anyway in support of that despite being learned and all. I guess you can say I'm still local, traditional or old school.

I'm consistently getting pestered about the wedding at home. Like getting to warm up with her isn't enough now they're talking about living with her.

I've already told Mama and the girls to do whatever they want because I'm not a fan of big gatherings and if they want anything from me, they shouldn't hesitate to ask me just like they've been doing for a while now. All they do is bill me these days asking me for money to buy God knows what all in the name of "buying stuff for my wife" and they wouldn't even let me see what they've been buying.

It's Monday morning, a day we all dread for obvious reasons, sitting in my office, grading some papers I'm to give back to students when I heard a knock on the door. I told whoever was at the door to come in and the door opened revealing my two friends and colleagues.

Abdulrazak came in with Maryam following suit. They sat down as we exchanged pleasantries. We talked about alot of things; work, students, politics, life while still grading the papers on my table.

"Bulama when was the last time Bassam here got us breakfast?" Abdulrazak asked Maryam addressing her by her surname.

"Uhm...not in a while" she replied.

"Well that's because he's busy getting his wife breakfast. He's suddenly forgotten about us now that he's married." Abdulrazak said amused.

I was dumbfounded and caught off guard. "It was that one time" I said looking up from the papers.

"And what will you have me do? I was meeting her in the morning and I had every intention of getting breakfast, so I got something for her too. It's not a big deal I would've gotten it for you two and you both know it" I said trying to defend myself even though I know they're just pulling my legs. We sat there a while, Abdulrazak ordered lunch. We ate, talked some more and went about our daily routine. I took the papers I graded and headed to class.