He reached out, a gentle hand tilting her chin upwards. "Jadwa," his voice laced with concern, "look at me."

Her eyes fluttered open, and she tilted her head back, meeting his gaze. He studied her face, taken aback by her even greater beauty up close. The moment Muhammad realized he was staring too intently, he released her chin and stepped back. But Jadwa didn't look down, her gaze remained fixed on his dark eyes.

"Ameerah is fine, didn't Ahmad tell you?" He closed the door with his left hand behind his back, but their positions remained unchanged. She stood in front of him, her eyes not moving from his face.

She gave a small, positive nod. "Are you hurt? Do you need to go to the hospital?" He asked softly as he reached up to fix the veil that had slipped from her head.

She nodded negatively

"Talk to me Jadwa" his tone changed this time demanding for her to speak up.

"It's my fault," she blurted, rambling as he listened intently. "I was so distracted that I left the turaren wuta under the curtain. I didn't know she had asthma! I would never have gone into her room with it there. And I'm sure Ya Ahmad is just saying she's okay to make me feel better."

In that moment, Muhammad almost resented his height. He hated how she had to keep craning her neck to look at him. "Let's sit," he suggested, and she followed him to the living room like a lost puppy. She settled onto the cushions, and he pulled a stool to sit directly in front of her. Her beautiful scent, a mix of bakhoor and something uniquely hers, filled the air.

"It was a mistake," he stated. "Right?" he added, seeking confirmation.

"It was" she said almost in a whisper,

"Maybe it happened for a reason, Jadwa. We don't know. As Muslims, we should always be grateful to Allah, no matter the situation. It could have been much worse, but she's in a great condition right now" He spoke calmly, trying to reassure her.

Her eyes darted down to her fingers, fiddling with the edge of her veil. When she felt his gaze burning into her, she looked back up. "Ya Imran" she began hesitantly, "did you talk to Ya Ahmad?"

"I did," he confirmed with a reassuring smile. "Ameerah is more than okay, I promise."

"Thank you" she murmured nearly inaudible, unable to hold his stare any longer. He noticed her gaze flit to her fingers twisting the veil again. He hid a smirk, then shook his head before rising.

"I'll head out now, do you need anything?"

The way she looked up at him as he spoke, Her eyes, wide and vulnerable, held him captive. He turned his entire body towards her.

"Or are you scared to be alone in the house?" he teased playfully, raising an eyebrow.

A surprised laugh, unexpected even to her, genuine and melodic, escaped Jadwa's lips. It was a sound he never thought he'd hear in this moment, and it warmed him from the inside out. "Why would I be?" she countered, a playful glint in her eyes. "And no, I don't need anything."

Her laughter was like music to his ears, and though he longed to stay longer, to talk or simply sit in comfortable silence, he knew he shouldn't. He wouldn't want another man alone with Lily in the house, so he wouldn't put her in that position either.

He nodded curtly and turned to leave. Jadwa watched him go, a small smile playing on her lips, before picking up her phone. Her shoulders slumped as she saw the message notification. "What do you want?" she typed, but just like yesterday, it was viewed and ignored.

A sigh escaped her lips, and a single tear traced a path down her cheek she brought her legs to her chest, she wasn't okay, nervousness enveloped her the more she waited for a response. when her phone vibrated, she picked it up quickly to check if it was the unknown number but It was Zara on a video call. Jadwa wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone, so she let it ring twice before declining. Another call followed, this time from Abdul. She picked up, forcing a cheerful conversation for a few minutes before finding an excuse to end the call and head to bed.

Alone in her room, Jadwa performed her ablution and changed into a comfortable sweatpant and loose fitting top. She donned her jilbab before laying out her prayer mat. As she prayed, tears streamed down her face in sujood. She felt suffocated, trapped, and only her cries to Allah offered a semblance of relief.

She remained seated on the mat, a notification from her phone breaking the silence. A picture sent by Amira on Snapchat, a huge smile while Ahmad made a goofy face brought a huge smile to her face before Ahmad's call came in. They discussed lunch options for Ameerah, finally settling on traditional brabisko and miyan yakuwa before she  slept off.

Despite the lack of sleep, she rose past nine, her mind already set on preparing lunch. The cook had set breakfast on the table, but Jadwa had no appetite. She made her way to the kitchen, ready to Chanel her nervous energy into cooking.

Every now and then she'd steal a glance at her phone, hoping for a reply from the unknown number but it remained stubbornly unresponsive.

The aroma of spices hung heavy in the air, she brought down the pots from the stove and asked the cook to help put Ameerah and Ahmad's separately to take to the hospital while she set the table.

A satisfied smile played on her lips as she admired the warmers and dishes artfully arranged on the table and the tamarind drink she perfectly set on table last. Just as she reached for her phone, the front door creaked open, followed by a burst of chattering voices.

Jadwa looked up, her smile widening into a grin as she recognized the playful melody of Zara and Anaya's laughter. "What the hell!" she almost shouted, though the surprise was quickly overtaken by warmth. "Did I surprise you?" Anaya asked, her voice laced with mischief as she surged forward for a hug.

Jadwa embraced her friend tightly. "Surprise? More like a shock! Are you people hanging out without me?" she teased, her hands instinctively going to her hips.

"Of course not!" Zara chimed in, already flopping down on the plush sofa. "We already made plans for today, actually. This is just another stop on our whole day date. Besides," she added with a playful jab, "when I called and texted you ignored me completely!"

Jadwa rolled her eyes, a playful smile tugging at the corners of her lips. She turned back to Anaya, settling her into a chair. The conversation flowed easily, catching up on everything from daily life to last night's incident. A mischievous glint sparked in Zara's eyes as she spotted the bakhoor burner.

"Ah, thank goodness," she declared dramatically, snatching a stick of fragrant incense. "You're not the one before you burn the house down again!"

Jadwa swatted playfully at Zara's hand. "Zara, how could you?!" she mock-shouted, grabbing a throw pillow and chucking it at her sister. The air filled with laughter, Anaya doubling over as Jadwa feigned offense.

"Lily, really? I thought you were my friend!" Jadwa exclaimed, shaking her head in mock hurt.

Just then, the doorbell rang, momentarily silencing the chatter. The door swung open to reveal Muhammad, his greetings echoing through the room. "Assalamu Alaikum," he said, a hint of amusement dancing in his eyes as he took in the scene.

"Wa Alaikumus Salam," the girls responded in unison. Jadwa instinctively adjusted her jilbab, a touch self conscious under his gaze.

"How are you all doing?" he inquired, his attention lingering on Anaya who rose to give him a warm hug. "Good, good, Alhamdulillah" Zara chirped, while Jadwa offered a small smile as she watched Anaya practically transform into a giddy little girl in her brother's presence.

His gaze finally landed on Jadwa. "What about you?" he asked directly. A simple nod preceded her quiet response, "Alhamdulillah."

"That's good. Are you all ready to go now?" His hands disappeared into his pockets, the simple kaftan he wore adorned with minimal embroidery.

"We're actually coming from the hospital" Zara interjected. "We took care of breakfast, now it's her turn!" she declared, pointing at Jadwa.

"Zara," Jadwa scolded.

"Zara, stop disturbing my friend" Anaya chimed in, adding to the lighthearted chaos. Jadwa couldn't help but roll her eyes at their antics.

"Jadwa iff you're ready, bismillah," Muhammad said, his gaze settling on Jadwa. "Uhh, no please, you should all have lunch first" she stammered quickly. "I'll just get ready and come down."

"What about you?" Zara asked, tilting her head.

Jadwa sent her a glare. The truth is, the delicious aroma of food from the kitchen had tempted her earlier, and she had a hearty portion before the girls arrived.

"I ate" she confessed sheepishly before walking away.

Taking a long, relaxing shower, Jadwa dressed up. Her hair was packed loosely with a ribbon letting her hair cascade down her lower back, the perfect frame for the layers of perfume a touch of vanilla mingling with a heady floral and gourmand blend. She slipped into a short sleeve, long white dress, the dress hugging her curves in all the right places. A satisfied sigh escaped her lips as she admired her reflection. Finishing with a silk turban that showcased her hair, she grabbed her handbag and headed downstairs.

The sound of  chatter filled the air as she reached the living room. The girls and Muhammad were huddled together, seemingly deep in conversation. "Wallahi, Ya Imran," Zara pleaded, her voice dripping with mock sincerity, "we brought it from home, and I actually made this! Should I tell you the entire process step by step?" Zara continued cooking up a false story.

"We did it together, I helped with cooking the Brabisco!"

Imran chuckled, a hint of amusement lingering in his eyes. "It's the best I've had in many years. You did a great job it's really delicious." He praised as Jadwa descended the stairs quietly, her arms wrapped around her chest.

"Ya Imran," Anaya chirped, " since you love it this much give us your card we want to have a girls' day out today!"

Imran's gaze flicked to his single card. "I have only one with me, and I'm going out later."

"Cash? Transfer?" she suggested with a mischievous glint in her eyes. Jadwa rolled her eyes, already anticipating the answer.

"Exactly" Zara pressed, while Anaya erupted in laughter.

Jadwa's scent, a unique blend of vanilla and florals, suddenly caught his attention. He looked up, their gazes meeting silently for a moment before turning to to the girls.

"Harda Wallahi?" (You even swore?) Jadwa exclaimed, her disbelief palpable lightly smacking Zara.

The girls groaned at Jadwa's  snitching. As they offered him apologetic smiles, Imran raised an eyebrow at them.

Imran, meeting their sad and hopeful gazes held up a hand. "There's no need for that. I'll keep my promise." He pulled out his phone, his easygoing nature evident.

"You are the best" Anaya got up and gave him a quick peck as he sent the transfer.

A collective sigh of relief escaped the girls, followed by a celebratory high five. Jadwa, however, stood frozen. The realization that these girls were about to have an amazing day because of her efforts without including her or giving her any credit.

Before she could voice her thoughts, Zara and Anaya excused themselves, disappearing upstairs  excitedly.

With the girls gone, an awkward silence descended upon the room. Imran stood up, his phone still in hand, and walked towards Jadwa.
He took the food basket she had picked from her grasp, their fingers brushing briefly.

As he did, his eyes scanned her from head to toe, a subtle flicker of something unreadable passing through them. "Get dressed, we're late" he said, his voice a low murmur that brooked no argument.

Jadwa stared at him, momentarily speechless. Dressed? What did he mean? Was he blind, or was she somehow invisible in this beautiful outfit? "I am dressed," she finally managed, her voice laced with confusion. "We're all set, let's go."

He remained standing there, his gaze unwavering. "No, we are not," he contradicted gently but firmly. "Go get dressed." The calm authority in his tone was laced with a hint of something else.

A knot of confusion tightened in Jadwa's stomach. A spark of defiance ignited within her. "Why? Aren't we going to the hospital ?" she demanded, her voice sharper than intended.

Imran's eyes narrowed slightly, he remained calm, his voice dropping to a low, and serious tone. "We're going to the hospital" he stated simply. "And you'll be appropriately dressed."

The words seemed to hang in the air, filled with unspoken tension. Jadwa's confusion and shock dissolved into a simmering fury.

" who's the judge of 'appropriate'?" she asked, her voice rising slightly.

Imran met her gaze with steely resolve. "I am" he responded calmly, his tone leaving no room for negotiation.

A charged silence enveloped them as he settled back on the sofa, his attention now absorbed by his phone. Jadwa stood her ground, a fire of rebellion burning within her, refusing to be extinguished.

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