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Chapter 19: The Galaxies Align

1st June, 2020

I hope you had a blessed Ramadan full of Allah's mercy and tranquility. May Allah forgive us and accept the good deeds committed in the precious month and all year round <3 

(Reminder: Fasting the full month of Ramadan and following it with 6 days in Shawwal  = the reward of fasting an entire year. Please don't miss out on these magnanimous offers that Allah gives us, may He ease for us our tasks.) 

And now, happy reading :)

"No one of you should die except thinking positively of Allah."

Narrated by Muslim (2877).

Chapter 19:

The Galaxies Align

Rufaida squatted down, moving the broom in a sweeping motion while she accumulated the last speck of dust. Once satisfied that the pile of dirt gathered from sweeping the entire house was collected on the pan, she stood up, carrying the maintenance essentials with her so she could put them in their designated place.

She loved cleaning; it was so therapeutic and felt like a mini workout session. She couldn't survive in a messy environment, which is why sometimes even when she'd come home exhausted from work, she'd dust her surroundings and sweep the floor before doing anything else. She wasn't obsessed with the act, but she just liked everything around her to be organized and tidy.

Now, as she waited for the bucket to fill half in capacity, and added disinfectant to the water so she could begin mopping the floor, an unexpected doorbell interrupted her.

"Who's that, Rufi?" Asma enquired, from where she was lying down.

"I don't know, Ammi, I'll check," she answered.

Twisting the faucet closed, she picked her dupatta and wrapping it around her head, she walked towards the open door, moving the curtain a few inches so she could gaze at the visitors who stood by the gate. Her brain registering them as unfamiliar, instead of crossing the distance of the little courtyard and opening the bolted entrance, she decided to enquire about them from where she stood.

"Yes?" She asked, her gaze shifting between the two ladies clad in abayas.

"Are you Rufaida?" Came the eager inquiry of one woman, her eyes trying to assess the girl before her. "Parveen Khala told us about you."

Hesitation creeping from her insides and reaching the root of her hair, Rufaida excused herself and walked back inside to deliver the piece of information to her mum.

"Ammi," she called, her voice hushed in panic. "Two ladies whom we haven't met before are standing by the gate. One of them knows my name and says Nani sent her. What is going on?"

"Really? I'm not aware of who they are or why they're here," Asma replied, equally surprised. "Ammi just told me she was sending your proposal to a few brokers, she didn't inform me anything else."

Walking to the door, Asma decided to inspect the scene herself, while Rufaida decided to stay in her room, although she could hear every word of the conversation outside.

"Assalamu alaikum," she heard Asma's voice greet the unexpected guests.

"Wa Alaikum as-salam," came their collective reply. "I'm Sidra, I spoke to you on the phone a couple of days back."

There was a pause, and Rufaida found her eyebrows shoot up when she realized who these ladies were, just as Asma confirmed, in a skeptical tone, "Oh yes, I remember now. Please come in."