Once and for All ✔

Chapter 16

Muhammad's POV

"So, Jawariyah," Mum said looking over at Jawariyah who's busy cutting out vegetables for Harrison. "Is Muhammad treating you right?"

She looks over at mum and smirks. "Yes,"

"We're really proud of our son for marrying such a righteous young woman," Dad says at the other end of the table. " We can't be happier to call you our daughter in law."

Jawariyah nods. " I really appreciate it."

I pick up my cup of water taking a sip. "You guys are talking as if I'm not here," I say to the whole table.

" Don't you like to be praised?" Hannah asks switching off her phone and picking up her fork. I can easily sense jealousy in Hannah's tone, she has always hated listening to my parents praising me whilst she sat their listening endlessly.

"What about Hannah?" Hannah looks over at me surprised. I smile.

"Huh?" Mum looks over at me confused.

"Hannah's amazing Alhamdulillah and she's getting great grades in Uni right now." Dad knows what I'm doing and he continues to rant on about Hannah.

"She's looking for a husband right now, one with a brown beard and cute dimples." This is what gets Hannah attention, she knows we're just playing around but a word about marriage is never a joke to her.

"Married?" She asks in disbelief. Dad nods and we all crack up laughing.

"You like guys with brown beards and cute dimples?" Jawariyah asks.

"Yeah, especially the cute dimples."

"I have a cousin who has a brown beard and cute dimples, his name is Hassan." Jawariyah picks up her plate and walks off to the sink.Hannah picks up hers too and follows her into the kitchen.

"We need to talk." Dad looks over at mum who smiles and walks off to the kitchen too.

Dad folds his hands out in front of him. "Muhammad, we need to talk about your sister."

I nod. The reason why I came over was that dad was concern about Hannah and wanted to speak with me.

" Did she do something about?"

Dad nods. "I found her with a boy yesterday after school holding hands and walking to the train station."

I ran a hand through my thick black hair. "Your mother and I tried speaking with about it but she keeps on denying it."

"You think she will listen to me?"

Dad nods. "Yeah, since your her brother and you've through what she's going through right now."

"Ok," I nod, getting up and walking off to the kitchen.

Mum and Jawariyah are drying off plates in the corner talking quietly amongst themselves.

Hannah's washing the dishes humming to herself.

"We need to talk," I say placing the plate in the sink.

"Can you wait until I finish washing the dishes?" I know could easily sense that she was trying to talk me out of it.

"No, we need to talk right now,'' I say in my almost angry voice.

"But who's gonna do the dishes?"

"I will!" Jawariyah puts down her wet tea towel on the counter walking over to us.

"Fine," Hannah rinses her hand.

Jawariyah intertwines her finger with mine and whispers. " Please be gentle, she made a mistake." She squeezes my hand and I squeeze back before letting go.

Hannah's pacing around the room and Dad's nowhere to be seen.

"The whole reason why you came here was so you could give me an hour lecture about my haram relationship with Jacob."

"Yes, Dad wanted me to speak to you about what he saw yesterday."

Hannah shakes her head and laughs. "He saw nothing, Muhammad."

"Hannah, why are you denying what happened?"

"I am not!" I am already frustrated.

"Stop denying it! What happened to the sweet little sister I grow up with?" I ask

'''I'm still your little sister and why do you care so much about me?''

I'm trying to keep my anger in control at this time. ''Because your my little sister and it's my job to look after you.''

She walks over to me and wrapped her arms around me. ''I made a mistake and I'm sorry.''

''It's okay,'' I say. ''We all make mistakes.''

''I told Dad about Jacob and he kept on saying that I was too young to get married.'' She ignored Dad's words and start dating Jacob despite what my dad said. Sometimes, our parents saying things to keep us from doing haram without knowing that it would make us do haram.

The Messenger of Allah said: "Marriage is part of my Sunnah, and whoever does not follow my Sunnah has nothing to do with me. Get married, for I will boast of your great numbers before the nations. Whoever has the means, let him get married, and whoever does not, then he should fast for it will diminish his desire."