Chapter 43: Chapter 43

He knew that when tension is high he should inject love instead of anger, give her an olive branch instead of enmity, but sometimes it just isn't that easy with Nadia. She gets all up in his face and he gets this urge to smack her down but if he does that he'll be gone, lost, hurting. So instead he take all the courage he has and use it to suppress his violent impulses. He soften his eyes and held out her hand, "Nadia, I love you. I love you now and I always will. I'll walk away if you need time to cool down, but if you want to talk instead of shout, I'm all ears." She steams right up his face; she wants a fight but he wouldn't give her one. Doesn't that always lead to damage?

"I freaking know you're taking me to that hospital not because your brother's wife is sick but because of that stupid girl!" She screeched, hitting his chest. He rubbed his temple, trying not to unleash his anger. "Nadia, you're following me and that's final!" He declared before sauntering out of the living room.

She knew if she allowed him to go alone, something might happen between him and the idiot girl, Maryam. She hissed and followed him outside. Without saying anything, she entered the car and he drove out of the house.

"And I swear if you dare look her way, you would meet the other side of me," she warned, arms on her chest. He chuckled dryly and ignored her. So all this fire she has been releasing, she haven't released the real one? He wondered why he couldn't do anything to her or fight back. He loves her so bad that he can't do nothing about what she does.

He parked the car at the parking spot and hopped out with giving her a second glance. She also came down the car and followed him into the hospital. He led them to the room since he had been there once. He could hear her murmuring and cursing him but he didn't care.

He knocked on the door softly before entering. Habiba was sitting on the bed while he was on the stool feeding her. "Mujahid, Nadia you're welcome," Habiba said, giving them a welcoming smile. Nadia forced a smile as they exchanged pleasantries. "Hope you're feeling better now," Mujahid spoke, plumping down on the sofa beside Nadia.

She slowly nodded smiling, "I'm feeling much better now Alhamdulillah."

After Mahmud had exchanged greetings with his brother's wife, he turned and continued feeding his wife. After he was done, he stepped out of the room and Mujahid followed him.

He followed him out of the hospital. "Can you tell me why you want cut my throat?" Mujahid stopped him. Mahmud paused and turned his head. Mujahid had never seen Mahmud look that way, his eyes had a deadness, a stillness. The man who laughed often, the one who was everyone's friend had developed a hardness. "Look, don't allow that girl to come between us, brother. We are better than this. We never fight, right?"

Mahmud rubbed the bridge of his nose and sighed. "Look I don't even care what happened between you and her. I don't wish to know. I am happily married and don't give a damn about you, or her or any man she allows to play with her!" He concluded before walking away. Mujahid stared at his brother's back, not believing his new attitude.

He wanted to apologize, not because he felt remorseful but he wanted Mahmud to talk to Maryam and apologize to her on his behalf. Her love was increasing in his heart, day by day. He never imagined a day like that would come. Nadia has proven to him that Maryam would be the greatest wife for any man.

He shoved his hands in his kaftaan pocket and headed back into the hospital. She was about to leave the hospital because she was done for the day. He smiled softly and stood in front of her. She paused and looked up. She let out a faint hiss and moved to the other side to walk away but he blocked her way. "At least hear what I have to say, please Maryam. I'm serious," he pleaded.

"I'm trying so, so hard not to smack your face right now, so you better get out of my sight," she seethed. He looked into her eyes, she was afraid, confused and angry at the same time. "Do whatever you want to do just as long at you will listen to me," he spoke gently.

She sighed, rubbing the side of her forehead. She was getting out of patience. "Whatever happened was because of me. I was a fool to not see. I really repent from heart. Please Maryam, Let's make a brand new start. I'm truly sorry," he apologised going on his knees, not caring they were in a public place. Her eyes widened as she looked around. The workers there quickly left the place to avoid being sacked by her.

She turned her eyes to him and let out a dry laugh. "Nice trick Mujahid, but I'm afraid you have to change it because this doesn't work anymore." She walked away, leaving him there on his knees.

His eyes met with Nadia's' and his heart did a backflip. He stood up and sighed. He knew today he doesn't have any excuses to gives. She walked passed him, fuming with rage. He quickly followed her outside the hospital. "Nadia? Where do you think you're going?" He blocked her path.

"To my parents house, where I know I would be treated right no matter what!" She retorted, her eyes burning with infuriation. "What do you mean by treat you right? Don't I do that?" He questioned. "Look, I don't want to hear such thing. Let's go home and I'll explain everything," he spoke again and held her wrist but she slapped his hand away. He opened his mouth in disbelief. "Don't get on my nerves, Nadia. By Allah you'd not like it when I get angry!" He warned and pulled her hand again.

He threw her into the car and entered the car before driving them home. She kept on wailing and cursing him their whole drive home. The moment he parked the car, he stepped out and she briskly followed him into the house.

"Where do you think you're going to?" She held the back of his kaftaan shirt. He turned and glared at her, "before I hit your face, let go of my shirt," he warned in an angry tone. "You cheating gormless mountain gorilla, do you worst!" She spat, tears cascading down her already red cheeks. "Nadia, let go of me," he said through gritting teeth.

"I said do your worse, beastly little brute......" and then he slapped her without having any second thoughts. The slap was as loud as a clap and stung her face. It had been an open-handed smack and it had left a red welt behind. Just below her eye was a small cut where the ring had caught her. She staggered backwards, clutching her face, eyes watering.

"I have warned you not once, not twice but you refuse to listen to me. What on earth is bothering your dumb brain? What's there if I follow her? So what if I do? I have the right to marry four wives, don't forget and yes, you're right, I'm in love with Maryam and I wish to marry her so deal with it!"

He started walking upstairs but she held his shirt again. "Then divorce me! I hate you, I hate you and I will not stay with you anymore. Divorce me!" She screeched, dragging him back. "Just shut up!" His holler reverberated in her ears like a clap of thunder, such was his rage. It was a roar of pure anger. "You want to leave? Then leave, I don't give a freaking damn if you stay or not!" He slapped her hand and walked upstairs without giving her a second glance.

She screamed through the four walls holding her head. She fell on the floor screaming her lungs out. She strained her vocals but nothing came out, still she screamed, hoping he would come to her and say he was joking. Suddenly, her body wracked with raw sobs and she shook like a leaf. Fright consumed every cell in her body, swelling them with terror. With every second she practically felt the rise of her blood pressure, but she knew that this was the least of her worries.

She rise up from the floor and headed up to her room. She packed some of her clothes in her suitcase and took her handbag with her car keys. She stormed out of the house and entered her car.

Her heart beat rise the moment she arrived at her parents house. She remembered her mother's words before she got married to Mujahid.

"If anything happens after that marriage, I mean anything, don't you dare come back to my house! Since I've warned you but you decided to be stubborn and include mama in this!" She mused to herself as she walked into the house.

"Salamu Alaikum," she said, entering mammy’s room. She removed her eyes from her laptop to Nadia. Her eyes first landed on the wound Nadia had under her eye. She smirked and closed the laptop as Nadia knelt down in front of her. Tear stream down her cheeks, her whole face was red, "Mammy, you were right about him. You were right he sent me out of the house. Please forgive me, please Mammy."

Mammy placed her hands under her chin glaring at Nadia. "Did I or did I not warn you about this man?" She questioned, gawking at her. "Mammy please...."

"I need a simple answer!" She cuts her off. "You did, you warned me and should've listened," she murmured. Her head ducked. "What did I tell you when something happens between you and your so called husband?" She asked. "You said I shouldn't dare come back to your house," she murmured. "Speak up!" Mammy thundered, making Nadia to jolt back in fear. She repeated herself but louder.

"So, What are you doing here? In fact, don't waste my time. Get out of my house before I completely lose my temper." Mammy seethed, pointing at the door. Nadia looked up with her red, puffy eyes. "Mammy please, I'm truly sorry for not listening to you. Where else would I go please? I need your help more than anything right now. Please help me, I'm begging you," she pleaded with her mother but Mammy played deaf ears.

"For the last time, get your butt up and leave my house at once or I'll call the security to send you out!" She warned again. Nadia hesitated before dragging her legs out of the room and left the house.

She had nowhere to go but her aunty's house or her grandparents'. She didn't want her grandmother to know yet. But then, an idea popped into her head. She shouldn't have gone to Mammy at the first place. She hissed took a turn that would lead her to his parents house. He wouldn't mess with her again if she reported him to his step mother.

The moment she arrived at the house, the gateman did his job and she drove in and park her car at the parking lot. She entered the house and headed straight up to Ummah's room. "Salamu Alaikum," she murmured but loud enough for whom ever was in the room to hear her. Ummah turned and looked at her. "Wa'alaikumus Salam, Nadia. You welcome," Ummah welcomed her with a smile. Nadia settled down on the carpet next to where Ummah was sitting on her sofa together with intisar.

"Good evening, Ummah. I hope I met you in good health," she spoke gently. Ummah had already sensed there was something wrong. "Intisar go to your daddy's living room, I'll meet you there soon," she said and intisar did as she was told.

She placed her hand on Nadia's shoulder. "My daughter, is there anything wrong? What happened to your face, how did you hurt yourself?" Ummah asked when she noticed the wound under her eye. Like she was waiting, she burst into tears. "SubahanAllah, Nadia? Speak to me. What is wrong? Where's Mujahid? Something happened to him or what?" Ummah bombarded her with questions.

"He slapped me," she uttered, whimpering. "Slapped you? What did you do to him? How did this happened?"

"I didn't do anything Ummah, I simply asked him what was between him and that Doctor Maryam then he started yelling at me and slapped me before sending me away."

Ummah was speechless. Completely out of words. She couldn't believe Mujahid would do that. What was going on? What's between him and Maryam? "Don't worry, my dear. I will call him now. We would find out where he got the audacity to hit you," she soothed before picking her phone and dialed his number.

He was already in bed, eyes closed and relaxed but deep down in his chest he felt pain and anger rising. He was really provoked by Nadia's behaviours. He regretted hitting her but she was being stubborn and rude to him. He hissed and sat upright when his phone started ringing. He answered the call, "Salamu Alaikum, Ummah. Good evening."

"Come home now! And don't waste my time," she ordered. He definitely knew Nadia reported him to Ummah but whatever the case, he would deal with her when they come back home. He stood up and got ready before leaving the house.

The moment he stepped into the room, he met Nadia's dragon eyes glaring at him. He shrugged and settled down opposite Ummah. "Good evening Ummah," he greeted again, head ducked. "Mujahid what happened between you and your wife?" She asked instead. He raised his head up and looked at Nadia. "I didn't ask you to look at her, I asked you what happened between you and her."

"Ummah, nothing happened. I didn't even know she came here," he spoke gently. "Mujahid! I'm not joking with you! I said what happened between you and your wife? Okay then, why did you slap her if nothing happened?"

He hesitated before speaking, "Ummah, this girl is so rude and disobedient!" He glared at Nadia. She glared back and looked away. "Does that warrant you to raise your hand and hit her, Mujahid? Have you already forgotten your father's advise? Mujahid why are you so stubborn please? Now what's between you and Maryam?"

He sighed, rubbing his temple. Nadia doesn't know how to keep her mouth shut about anything. "Ummah, I'm so sorry for my foolish behaviour. In sha Allah we will go home and settle things down," he promised, looking at Ummah.

She heaved and sigh and nodded. "I don't want to hear such thing happen again. And you too Nadia, you have a fault in this. You should never raise your voice at your husband, don't talk back at him. May Allah strengthen your bond."

He stood up from the carpet and left the room. Nadia stood up sluggishly. "You should follow your husband and if he tries anything again, don't hesitate to call me." Nadia slowly nodded and thanked Ummah.

He had already left the house the moment she headed out. She heaved a sigh and started walking towards her own car. She knew today's war was different and she'd teach him a lesson for what he had done.