A walk on thorns

Chapter 18| Darkest Tunnel

Sabrina's POV

The walk to the park would have been almost completely silent if not for Rubina’s curious questions, the girl seems flat for the knowledge of basic things outside. Apart from school did once Anisha ever take Rubina out? This was almost shameful.

I planned to give this beautiful girl the most memorable outing of her life but her mother's display of her noxious inexcusable character was against us.

To say I am enormously horror-stricken was a devaluation. How can you choose your Man over your Lord with your 6 senses stable and alive? I thought she was just delusional and living in her own curated idea, but this! This! Is beyond my brain to stockpile.

This is not the Anisha I know, this is not the Anisha I grew up with, this is not the Anisha I was wishing to come and see, This woman is not my sister. Innalillahi wa'inna ilaihi raji’un!

I had to compose myself when we reached the park entrance, Rubina was excited, the last I wanted to do was ruin this evening for her, I can't forgive myself if I do that. The moment we entered, Rubina yelled ‘WoW!’ she kept asking questions like can I touch the flowers? Can I climb the swings, can I have some sweet combo? I had to persuade her to see MJ preferably before diving into anything and she was more than happy with the decision.

I looked around to see if he was not beyond my eyesight but I couldn't find him. So I called him and he gave us the reference for the part he was residing. It was near the Ice Cream Villa.

“Hello, Assalamu alaikum!” I said to him in a singing tone the moment we reached. What amazed me the most was how he arranged the place. This is serious, under a tree, he brought two plain canvases, the chairs, the color panel boards, different variety of colors, and brushes. He also arranged another table filled with goodies for Rubina, a different variety of chocolates, biscuits, ice cream, and more, He was patiently waiting for us.

“Wa'alaiki salam.” He replied in the same tone as mine and then his eyes moved to Rubina with a beautiful smile perched on his face. “Is this the beautiful angel I was told I was going to meet today? He pampered her and she shyly smiled. He got up from his seat and scooted her up. “Hello MJ.” She greeted.

“Hello Rubina, hope you are doing well.”

“Yeah, I am so delighted that I am seeing you today.” She anxiously declared.

“Same here darling, Now we have everything needed to do our job, let's see what our little Miss Painter has for us.” He intoned as if he were doing a cartoon character’s voiceover.

“Aye Lord, MJ you shouldn't have done all this, it's too much,” I said, my stares still on the tables, he is so kind.

“Well, it's not for you, it's for my little friend here, Isn't It Ruby,” He challenged, pecking her on the cheek.

“Uhmm, okay, since it's not for me and I wasn't even offered a seat,” I said taking a space from a seat opposite them, the one in which the table was filled with goodies. “I will stay out of your business, by the way, you look dashing,” I winked at him grabbing chocolate from the table.

“Or isn't this one my business too? I pulled, smiling at my stupid behavior.

“Oh my God! Sabrina, are you flirting with me in front of a child? He began to laugh amusingly.

“Ay, you even have a dimple, it hurts to notice.” I dramatically place a hand on my chest making a pitiful face at him, making him laugh harder.

“The next time you do this again we are sending you away, isn't it Rubina? He said when his laugh subsided.