Behind A Smile ✔

50

"Adnan! Adnan!!" Zynah yelled, racing down the stairs. She couldn't bring herself to calm down even for a split second. Her thoughts kept drifting to many possibilities. What if Bilal had taken him to get back at her? She checked every nook and corners of the living room, but couldn't find him. She climbed up the stairs again and headed to the room she used to share with Ramlah and Rashida. Without knocking, she barged into the room, startling Rashida in the process. Ramlah's eyes widened in surprise at her action.

"Are you out of your mind?" Rashida sprung up from the bed. "What was that for? Were you planning to have me miscarry my child?"

"Where is my son?" She questioned, ignoring her sister's remarks.

"Adnan is missing?" Ramlah took in a sudden intake of breath. "Have you checked his room properly? He might be there."

"I have checked the room thoroughly, he isn't there. If he isn't here as well, someone must have taken him!" She accused.

"What are you insinuating?" Rashida rolled her eyes. "Who would do such thing? The world doesn't revolve around you, you know? Quit making your problems ours."

"Ya Rashida." Ramlah called warningly. "Please stop."

Rashida huffed.

"Ramlah please help me look for him. I don't want to lose him." Tears welled up in her eyes.

Ramlah drew her into an embrace. "Please calm down, sis. I'm sure he is somewhere around. No one could have taken him right under our noses. It's impossible."

Zynah disentangled Ramlah's arms from around her and pulled back. "Bilal took him." She seethed.

Rashida snorted.

"What!" Ramlah's face scrunched up in confusion. "How would he even be able to do that? He couldn't simply have walked into the house and took him without anyone's knowledge." She reasoned.

Everything she said fell on deaf ears. Zynah sat down on the floor and wrapped both her hands on her head. "What am I going to do now? Bilal has killed me. He took my Adnan because I didn't agree to his condition." Tears streamed down her face.

Rashida's gaze averted to Ramlah. "Go and inform mum of what's happening here. I'm really sick and tired of these daily dramas. I can't wait to go back home."

"Alright." Ramlah replied and left the room.

Rashida rolled her eyes at Zynah. Her demeanor contorted in irritation. "Get a grip of yourself. You're acting like a child. He went missing, he didn't die! You're just being paranoid."

Zynah glared at her. She was about to retort, when Hafsa walked into the room.

"How did this happen?" Hafsa asked. "Are you certain he isn't in this house?"

Due to how broken she was, she couldn't bring herself to reply. She didn't know what she would do without her son. If truly Bilal kidnapped him, he wouldn't allow her see him ever again, unless she agrees to go back to him. More tears escaped her eyes as she thought of the condition he might be in. She had no doubts Bilal would treat him well, but Adnan was still recovering from the operation he underwent. She hadn't fully recovered as well.

"Zynah, I'm talking to you; are you certain he isn't in this room?" She repeated.

"Yes." She croaked out. "Bilal took him, mum."

"Ramlah, please go and search around again." She said, then turned to Zynah. "Give me your phone, I will talk to him myself." Hafsa stretched out her hand.

Ramlah took it from the nightstand, dialed Bilal's number and handed it to her mother, before walking out of the room to search for Adnan, as requested.