“Assalamu Alaikum!” I said as I entered inside her house.
“Wa alaikumu Salam!” she cheerfully replied.
“Ralia was seated on the three-sitter opposite the entrance door. She immediately stood up to hug me.
“You have finally decided to visit me!” she said.
“I’m so sorry! I just got so caught up with everything,” I said. Honestly I hate visiting Ralia not because I don’t enjoy her company but because I can’t stand her flirty husband.
She walked out of the living room and returned with Juice and two glass cups. She poured the juice in to the cups and kept one in front of me.
“It’s alright you’re here now,” She said cheerfully. There was this glow to her, I had not seen her that relaxed in a long time.
“You look great! Actually you’re glowing! What is the secret?” I asked.
“Is it that obvious?”
“It sure is baby,oya spill it!”
“Oh Haneem, my life has changed so much these past few weeks.”
“How?”
“You know how I went ahead and married a ‘womanizing freak?”
I nodded but then it came to me as a surprise because she had never said it so bluntly.
“Well my dear, God intervened and just like that its history!” She said with a smile.
“Are you sure? I mean its not like I’m not happy, no I’m thrilled but old habits…”
“Die hard. I’m aware, but I have never been so convinced before in my entire life!”
“That is great news! Tell me how this happened,” I inquired.
“That is the best part. My husband was on one of his business trips and I was home alone watching a soap opera. It was exactly thirty minutes after ten at
night that he called me. I was so shocked immediately I heard his voice, it sounded like he was in so much pain yet he strongly claimed that he was
alright.
“You don’t sound well at all, did something happen? Please tell me the truth,” I cried.
“I assure you that everything is all right please believe me,” he replied.
“Why then do you sound like you’re about to cry?’
And then he burst in to tears. Haneem, he is one of the strongest people I know, he had been through a number of tragedies without a single tear. Naturally I was frightened. I thought perhaps his sweet Mother had passed away or something terrible.
“Please talk to me, you’re scaring me,” I said,
“I’m so sorry Ralia, I am so deeply sorry!”
“For what?” I was dumb-founded.
“For everything I put you through, for all the time I hurt you,” he confessed.
“I sincerely don’t understand what is happening?”
“You have been nothing but a perfect wife for eight months of marriage and I have betrayed you repeatedly even in your presence…please forgive me?” He pleaded.
“I swear to God I’m so confused right now. You called to tell me this?”
“I fell asleep early after all the seminars during the day and I had the most scary nightmare that I had ever had!” He blurted.
“Umar, Get up, perform ablution and pray before sleeping. It was just a nightmare.” I said dismissively believing that he was only frightened by his dream.
“You don’t understand. I can’t find peace if you don’t forgive me, I have been an idiot all this time…please”
“What did you dream of?” I queried.
“I lost you to my foolishness and it was hell on earth for me!” He replied.
“But I am alive and well relax,” I said. It was painful hearing him apologize I felt all the pain at once and I just didn’t know what to do.
“You have broken my heart a thousand and one times, what makes you think a phone call at an odd hour can fix that?” I demanded.
“I am ready to be the a responsible husband, I can’t change the past months but I promise to be better,” He said.
“Please don’t play with me! You’ve done that too many times,” I said but deep down inside my heart I was convinced that he was remorseful.
“I know but I’ll be home tomorrow In Shaa Allah (God willing), I’ll prove myself to you”
So he came home and we had the longest, deepest conversation ever.
“My Goodness! I feel like I just read a book or watched a movie!” I blurted.
“My dear, I felt that way at first but he has managed to convince me,” Ralia said.
“You never reported him to his parents or to yours, I’ve always wondered why.
“A part of me was hoping we could sort it out on our own. I prayed a lot, cried a lot and I got closer to God.”
“And you won! You are so strong and he is so lucky to have you!” I said.
“I think he knows that now and you have no reason to avoid my house now!” Ralia said cheerfully.
No comments:
Post a Comment