Two Tribes

74: Shattered Walls

This was written in a hurry. Excuse errors.

Second update of the day. (I fulfilled my promise :))

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Early the next day, they got discharged. The test results showed that Fawaaz was only down with a fever and medications were prescribed for him.

Relief washed over Afrah as she walked into her room, holding her fragile son close. Tears prickled her eyes as she recalled how scared she had been of losing him. It made her realize just how much damage her feud with Jameel was causing.

Settling Fawaaz gently in his crib, Afrah kissed his forehead and whispered a silent dua for his complete recovery. Standing up straight, she turned to Jameel who was standing just behind her like a wall.

Afrah knew if he talked to Jameel, it could result to a full blown argument and it wasn't the time for that, but the silence, thick with tension, was suffocating. She couldn't hold back any longer. She was tired of the silent treatment. She needed to speak to him and make him tell her what her stance in his life was.

"Jameel," she called, taking a deep breath. "We need to talk." It was not a plea. It was a statement.

"Here?" He asked, looking everywhere but her.

"No!" She spat; the word laced with frustration and hurt. "In the living room. I don't want us waking Fawaaz up." With that, she marched out of the room.

After a minute or so, Jameel emerged from the room and joined Afrah in the living room.

Afrah took a deep, shaky breath, willing herself to stay calm but the quiver in her voice betrayed her. "What's happening?"

"Are you asking me?" Jameel raised a brow, questionably.

"Yes, because I need to know! It's been a week. What are you so mad about?"

"Afrah," Jameel's tone was eerily low-pitched. "I don't want to do this with you right now."

"This is exactly what I'm saying. It's fine, run away. That's what you're best at anyways."

"If you're going to stand there and talk to me disrespectfully, then I'm going to walk away."

It was not a threat. He meant everything he said. Afrah could see just how serious he was and that weakened her defiance a little. Tears blurred her vision. "What's happening, Jameel?" She asked again; this time, she didn't bother to hide her emotions. "You've completely withdrawn yourself from us. Even after almost losing our Fawaaz, all you do is shut me out? Not even a single word of comfort? Do you hate me that much?"

"I haven't withdrawn myself from Fawaaz!" Jameel defended himself. "The fact that we are not on good terms doesn't mean—"

"You have!" Afrah yelled, cutting him off. "Would you have held him in your arms if it wasn't a matter of life and death? A week, Jameel," Afrah's breath hitched in her throat. "It's been a whole week of you ignoring us. I'm tired of pretending that what you're doing is normal because it's not!"

"Don't even go there," Jameel's eyes narrowed, daring Afrah to contradict him. "Don't! You know exactly what you did that put us in this position yet you're acting like the victim? In case you've forgotten, I will remind you; you disrespected Hajiya. Nobody does that and gets away. Not even you."

"Disrespected your mother? Can you hear yourself speak? You're like a child throwing a tantrum! We almost lost our son and you're still holding onto this grudge?"

"It's pointless talking to you. You're never going to be remorseful." Jameel spay out; his voice laced with disappointment.

"Is that even really what this is about? Why don't you just admit that you're acting this way because Najah chose to divorce you even after begging like your life depended on her staying with you."