Behind A Smile ✔

78

"He is not answering any of my calls." Ramlah heaved a sigh of exasperation. "Do you think he is mad at me?"

Zynah shrugged. "Maybe he is busy with some other thing."

"I doubt that. He always has his cellphone with him. Maybe he got angry and decided to call of the wedding himself. If that is the case ya Zynah, I won't be able to take it."

"Lemme try." She picked up her phone and dialed his number.

To Ramlah's dismay, he picked up immediately and Zynah put the call on speaker. "Assalamu'alaykum." Came his voice.

"Wa'alaykum salam warahmatullah." She responded. "How are you doing and everyone at home?."

"All fine, Alhamdulillah." He responded.

"I want to speak with you. Is that going to be possible today? I'm in Kaduna."

"Alright. I'll be there in few minutes."

"Thanks. I will be waiting for you." She remarked and ended the call.

"I told you, didn't I? He is angry with me. I don't think I can face him, sis." She voiced.

"That's the more reason you should face him and talk things out with him. I'm certain he feels nervous about the wedding as well. He is definitely going to understand you." Zynah reasoned.

"What if...what if he says hurtful words to me? I don't think I'd be able to take it."

"Why would he do that? Like I said earlier, over thinking brings nothing, but more problems. Just be yourself, apologize to him and make up. Simple."

"Okay." She responded and puffed out air from her mouth.

They had just finished conversing, when Zynah's phone began to ring. "He is here." She said, checking the caller's ID. "Go and meet him."

Wordlessly, she sauntered to her closet and put on the first hijab her hand touched.

"Don't forget to apologize." Zynah reminded, just before she walked out of the room.

•

Zynah had only be gone for just some few hours, but to Bilal, it felt as if she was gone for a year or more. Her absence was profoundly felt. He couldn't imagine how his life would be in a month's time.

His gaze darted to Adnan, who was trying to trace the handwriting in his textbook. Sadness washed over him at the thought of him growing up in a broken family, just because of the mistakes he made in the past. He could only wish and hope he would forgive him later in the future.

"Son." He called, moving closer to where he sat. "Show daddy what you've done."

"Look, dad. I can spell my name." He showed him his book.

"Bravo! That's awesome." He complimented. He had only recently been enrolled in a school. Though it was a tad late, he was picking up fast. Indisputably, he must have taken after his mother, as he didn't do quite well in school.

"Hey, champ, aren't you missing mummy? Don't you want to give her a call?" He asked. He missed a lot already and wanted to hear her voice, maybe it would lessen how much he was missing her, yet he didn't want to seem clingy, hence he came up with a brilliant idea. "Should I call her?"

"Yes, please."

Bilal unhesitatingly dialed her number and handed the phone to the little boy. "Here, talk to her and tell her to return home very early tomorrow, okay?"

He nodded and collected the phone.

"Assalamu'alaykum!" Came Zynah's angelic voice.

Bilal didn't fail to notice the fatigue in it. He felt bad for not being the one that drove her to her destination.