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Chapter 4: When Secrets Unfold

21st Feb, 2019

"And whoever takes Shaytaan (Satan) as a Wali (protector or helper) instead of Allaah, has surely, suffered a manifest loss."

[al-Nisa' 4:119]

Chapter 4:

When Secrets Unfold

At her mother's inquiry, Afreen tried to conceal her surprise under nonchalance and casually walked into the living room, quietly taking a seat.

"What happened, Mamma, what do you mean?" She questioned meekly.

Zainab turned towards her, a hand on her hip while she shot daggers her way.

"Don't play too innocent Afreen, I know what you've been doing behind our backs. Who is the guy you've been hanging out with? You did not feel an ounce of shame playing with your mother's trust?"

"Mamma, who told you all this?" Afreen finally questioned, her heart pacing.

Instead of replying to her, she turned towards her son. "Ahmed, how much did you know?"

"Why would you ask me something like that?" He protested, masking his panic under the act of ignorance.

"I'm certain you must have received some hints, both of you study in the same college. Is this the kind of brother we raised you to be, to let your sister commit so much haraam under your nose and you sit back and watch the drama?"

"Mamma, I..." he shrugged uncomfortably, looking anywhere but towards her. "Afreen and I hardly see each other on campus, what exactly are you talking about," he queried, trying to play it cool.

However, Zainab's anger was shooting to the skies by now. Her children were her pride, and to think they were up to this sort of claptrap made her self respect shatter right before her.

She slapped Ahmed on the cheek, hard, and Afreen gasped, bringing her hand to her mouth. Tammara, who had just stepped out of her room, rushed to her MIL, holding her arm when she raised it to slap him once again.

"Mamma, what happened?" The daughter in law of the house inquired, her shock evident in her voice.

Ignoring the question, Zainab continued to stare at her son, "I didn't expect this from you, Ahmed. You let me down."

"How is this my fault?" He objected furiously, and without waiting for a reply, he marched towards his room.

"Mamma, please, calm down, whatever it is, we can sort this out," Tammara interjected, trying to tame the fury building inside her MIL.

"You don't understand, Tammara, you don't know the kind of mess this girl has gotten herself into," she accused, pointing her finger towards her only daughter where she sat rubbing the tears from her eyes. "I went to Aalia's kitty party today, and we were talking about our children. When asked, I told them I wasn't in a hurry to get Afreen married and you know what happened after that? Afra smiled at me mockingly and hinted that probably Afreen has other ideas. I was taken aback by her statement and when prodded further, she said her sources informed her Afreen was dating somebody. Can you imagine what I felt at that moment? Yet I denied such false claims and told her that I had raised a God-fearing daughter who wouldn't get into such things but when I spoke to these twins, their reaction confirmed my doubts. Just look at their behavior, they've definitely been hiding something from me."

"But I think you're mistaken, Mamma," Tammara commented. "Our Afreen isn't like that, even if she liked someone, she'd definitely approach us before initiating anything from her side."