Chapter 12: Chapter 12

The photo session was over, Ihsan had been curving a factitious smile on her lips; but deep down she was so tired of all the smiles and poses. The last picture taken was her and Sadeeq; when they were rushing to take her Aunty's cute baby girl with a loving smile on their faces. The baby was just so irresistible. She looked like their daughter, albeit they looked too young.

Ihsan, Reena, and Manal sauntered back to her room. She took a long bathe and wore a loose baggy shirt with a knee length trouser. She groggily slumped on her bed, drape the duvet over her face and looked at chatting Manal and Reena. "Reena, are you sleeping here or Manal's house?" She asked, closing her eyes groggily.

They both gave her puzzled look "What do you mean, Ihsan? You're going to sleep or what? It's your wedding day for godsake!" Reena gasped, she knew Ihsan can be stubborn at times, but this just left her mouth agape.

Ihsan angrily lifted up her face "What do you mean, Reena? Just because it's my wedding day I can't rest? Mtswww....I'm kinda busy please," she retaliated wrathfully and ducked her head on her pillow, closing her eyes.

"Ihsan, you're going to be conveyed to Abbu's house today, let's start parking, you dumbo!" Reena half yelled, as she moved towards Ihsan and yanked off her duvet.

Infuriatedly, Ihsan sat upright, shooting a piercely glare towards Reena "Reena, if you want peace, let me rest. And I know nothing of something like conveyance. This is my father's house, he can also join me here," she hissed and collected her duvet from Reena's hand, slumping back on her pillow.

Manal chuckled outwardly and leaned back on Ihsan's reading chair. "Ihsanuwa, you better wake up and start parking, you guys are leaving tomorrow by 7am," Manal informed, chuckling at how Ihsan abruptly looked at her.

"Manal, I'm not joking here please. Daada didn't tell me we're leaving this soon. So I'm not going anywhere!" She declared with a tone of finality. As her heart was pounding against its ribcage. If what Manal said is true, that meant she will be together with Sadeeq from tomorrow morning? Ya Rabb!

Manal let out a chortle at the sombre look she saw on Ihsan's face. "Let me call him, so you can confirm," with that, she dailed Sadeeq's number, whom picked at the third ring. His husky voice filling the room, sending a chill down Ihsan's spine.

"Yaya! The phone is on speaker. Ihsan said she won't leave tomorrow, we've been begging her to start packing but she even said we're lying, you guys aren't leaving tomorrow," Manal said, amiability filled her voice, as he kept looking at Ihsan, whose tears were at the verge of cascading.

Sadeeq hissed annoyingly "What do you mean, Ihsan? I have a test to write on Monday, and today is Saturday. You know I can't miss that because of you huh?" He huffed, palming his face. He knew today would be the beginning of his forever unending problems.

"Sadeeq! I'm not going anywhere! You can leave nah, who hold you kuru kuru legs? I'll come after a week," she retaliated and yawed her gaze from Manal, whom was doing so hard to suppress her laughter.

"Manal, give her the phone and leave the room," the ordered, for he needed to put some senses into this fish-brained girl, and his so called wife.

"Okay , Yaya. Here, take," she said, as they stood up and sauntered out of the room; snickering.

"Ihsan! Stand up and start packing your things; else..." he couldn't finish when she cut him off in a high pitched tone.

"Or else what? Um, what will you do? I said I won't pack anything. And that's final," she declared angrily, as tears were already cascading down her cheeks. So this is how life will continue? Being under the control of this boy that called himself her husband?

"It's an order, Ihsan. Better start packing your things, but if you don't, I have to do the last thing on my mind," without waiting for her reply, he ended the call. He felt like a mountain was dumped on his shoulders. How would he cope living with this girl? She's just so hard to deal with.

Ihsan let the tears stream down. Even though she's stubborn, she knew what a husband means; and his position in Islam. He completed half her deen. Her Jannah lied beneath his feet.

She let the tears flow freely, it was now that she believed she was really married, that too to Sadeeq. She heard the door creaked ajar, without looking up, she palmed her face and continued sobbing.

Maama sat beside her and engulfed her into a bone crushing hug. "What are you crying for, Ihsan?" She asked, lifting up her face, as she began wiping away her tears.

Ihsan pouted her lips, the tears were still streaming "Maama, am I really married to Sadeeq? Tell me I was just dreaming please," she whimpered, intensely looking at Maama, she hoped she would say it was just a dream, a very bad one.

Maama reluctantly nodded her head as a Yes. How she met Ihsan crying broke her heart. She wished there was a way she could ease her worries.

"And I must be obedient to him, If I want my Jannah huh? He also completes half my deen? That boy, Maama?" She asked again, hoping Maama would say No; since he's a kid.

Maama took her hands in hers, "Ihsan, even if he's 5 years old, his years are counted out as far as he's your husband. He's your husband now, learn how to respect him please. I don't want any problem between you guys, please Ihsan," Maama was sobbing silently, as Ihsan hugged her. Together, they let out a wail and began crying hysterically.

"I'll only respect him because of my Jannah, and for you; Maama," Ihsan slurred, clutching onto her mother tightly.

Daada swiftly wiped his tears and entered the room, he heard all they said. With a factitious smile on his lips, he trudged in and sat at the right side of Ihsan. She broke their hug and looked at him with pouted lips, as fresh set of tears began cascading down her cheeks.

"You don't love me anymore huh?" She asked, giving him a pointed look.

Daada stifled back his tears, he had to be strong. He took a hold of her hands and squeezed them lightly "I love you, more than before, Ihsan," he muttered, smiling fleetingly.

"Then why would you let my Jannah be beneath his feet? You should've let me die single. Striving for Jannah like this would be so hard, Daada," her heart broke any time she remembered he had the key to her jannah. Why would Daada do this to her?

"That's the beauty of Islam, Ihsan," Maama said, as they were still hugging each other.

Ihsan swiftly broke their hug, "And our Mu'allim says that if he's angry with me, the angels will be cursing me. Is it True, Daada? Umm Maama?" She asked, afraid of what their answer would be. She kept looking between her mother and father.

Maama nodded, a feeling of satisfaction ebbing in her heart. She knew Ihsan would be obedient to Sadeeq, because she's very religious. As she had always said "I'm very fragile, and my time in this dunya is little. I should make a better use of it, before I go back to Allah."

"Whatever your Mu'allim says is true, Ihsan. If he's angry with you, try and apologize, before the angels starts cursing you. And if you make him happy, your reward would be abundant. Even that happiness is just by curving a smile on his face. In married life, everything is rewardful, Ihsan. Try and make a better use of it, as you always say."

Ihsan wrapped her arms around them, and broke down completely "Pray for me please. Pray for me so that the angels wouldn't curse me even for a second; that is horrifying," she whimpered, as they circled their arms around her.

It took them minutes before Ihsan went back to her jovial self, but not even for a second, did their talks left her mind. Daada and Maama packed her things, as she sat on her bed, taking pictures and videos of them. To her, this would be her last happy day.

Maama helped her bathe, as Daada left for Maghrib salah. She came out and wore a maroon Lace, which fitted her body perfectly. She sprayed her perfumes and prayed Maghrib; praying to Allah to grant her patience, so she could endure Sadeeq's annoying behaviours. She kept pouring her heart to Allah, until it was time for Isha prayer. She stood up and prayed, reciting her adhkars.

She heard women yodelings, as her heart lost a beat. It was time, time for her to be conveyed to Abbu's house. She spent almost half of her life in Abbu's house, but today was a total different case. She felt the tears streaming, and so she let them, it was now or never, for she would never let Sadeeq to see her tears.