The Halaal Way

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Ibn Abbas (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "There are two blessings in which many people incur loss. (They are) health and free time (for doing good)".
[Al-Bukhari]

“From where do you know her?” Nihlah asked the one question that had been bothering her immediately they set their feet in the confines of their room. What she felt at the moment was confusion admist the deep fear that consumed her.

She most certainly had a past with Sumayyah, but because she knew no good ever came out of their relationship, she couldn’t wrap her head around a single reason that could have brought the she-devil together with her husband. Whatever it was, mustn’t be a good one.

Sensing her panicked situation, Kamal stretched out his hand and held her shoulders giving them a gentle squeeze, in an attempt to calm her down.

“Remember the girl that broke my heart?” He asked staring deep into her eyes and she nodded.

“It was Sumayyah”

She slowly nodded her head, then she freed herself from his hold and went to sit down at the edge of the bed. She let her crutches fall on the floor as she felt a dull pain slowly find its way to her head. If there was something Kamal succeeded in doing right now, it was confusing her the more.

“How on earth did you fall in love with a girl like her?” She asked looking up to catch his eyes.

Kamal took slow steps towards the bed and sat down beside her. He didn’t know why the sight of Sumayyah had so much impact on her. But he was sure it had to do with her past. Maybe it was time he listened to the unfinished story of Nihlah. He thought as he held her hands firm in his.

He began to narrate their story, from how they met, to how he fell in love with her, to how she broke his heart, to the confession about her actual aim of luring him into falling in love with her, and when he reached that point, Kamal could swear he had never seen so much fear in Nihlah’s eyes as he saw right now.

“Oh my God! She wanted to kill you” Her hands flew to her mouth as she said that, the fear in her eyes reflecting in her voice.
If Kamal didn’t give a damn about the whole situation at first, now he did because of how scared his wife was. She looked like she was going to pass out any moment.

He contemplated telling her the remaining, but after a second thought, he dismissed the idea. They built their relationship on trust, so it was only fair if he told her everything.

“Listen Nehlah, you have to calm down, okay?...”

“Calm down? You’re asking me to calm down when someone out there is after your life? It’s damn scary Kamal, and I can’t just calm down”

Kamal let out a frustrated sigh as he pinched the space between his eyes.

“You might as well let me finish because this isn’t the scariest part”

“What?!” She exclaimed with wide eyes, and he simply nodded. She was forced to calm down and listen to him.

“The same man that is after my life attempted to end yours too while you were unconscious...” and he went on to tell her how he received that anonymous message that informed him the drugs were poisoned, how he had trusted the sender and later found out it was Sumayyah, how he had hired security personnel for both their safety... he told her every single detail, and when he was finally done with the story, Nihlah was short of words.