Narrated Abu Hurairah (may Allaah be pleased with him): The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “How wonderful is the case of a believer. There is good for him in everything. If he is granted ease of living and he is thankful, it is good for him. If he is afflicted with adversities and he perseveres, then that is best for him.”

–Saheeh Muslim
 
*         *         *

The voice calling out to them in the dead of the night sounded quite close—too close that it demanded them to overcome their initial shock right away.

“Wasiq, beta, what are you doing here?”

The anger that had clouded her thinking capacity wavered for a split moment. With a racing heart, Rida realised that it was her uncle calling out to that guy. Her uncle—her very own uncle—was using an endearment for the guy who she wanted to throttle so bad. Things just didn’t seem right. Tell me I’m not dreaming.

The footsteps of her uncle echoed in the silent hallway. Rida spun around on her heels, watching her uncle saunter towards them with wary eyes. Her heart beat excessively loud—loud enough for her to hear its beats without any external aid. She looked at him, trying to read more of his face when she noticed that his eyes were not fixed on her but at something behind her. That guy!

Displeasure was painted all over her uncle’s face, and Rida quickly took a step behind as it dawned upon her that she had been standing with a male who wasn’t her mahram in a darkened room. What’s worse? In the middle of the night! Panic arose in her chest wondering what her uncle would start to assume after having seen what he had. Ya Allaah! What is he going to think now?

Rida felt unease settling within her. She bit her lip in anxiousness. Her uncle was close to any sort of parental figure she presently had in her life. It was only natural for her to not want to disappoint him. Her records had been clean until now. She had had no such thing against her that would have made him feel angry or ashamed for having taken her in. Her grades had been up to par, and her teachers always had good things to say about her. She hadn’t gotten into any fights nor had there been any snide rumours passed about her in their family circle. She was what any parent would want in their child, and she wanted to maintain it that way till the end.

As she watched, her uncle stepped forward. He closed the distance between them, not at looking impressed with what lay in front of him.

“Nothing, Phupha. She came down to get water, and the bottle cap slipped from her hands,” Wasiq answered, raising his hands confidently to show her uncle the bottle cap that she had dropped.

That sentence along with the stutter-free tone and the sight of the cap visibly calmed her uncle. His stance relaxed and that gave Rida instant relief.

“I suppose the girl is clumsy. Couldn’t even close a bottle properly,” Wasiq continued, clearly taking advantage of the situation and enjoying it a little too much for Rida’s liking.

“Clumsy?” Her uncle let out a bark of laughter. “Rida is anything but clumsy. She is such a smart girl, you know. Runs a math tuition center and excels in it, mind you. You would know how difficult it is to teach math. Moreover, I think anybody can drop a bottle cap by mistake. They needn’t necessarily be clumsy to do it.”

He slipped his arm around Rida’s shoulder. “She is a brilliant girl, my Rida. My pride.” The declaration startled Rida. Her throat constricted when her uncle gazed at her lovingly; and, even though she wanted to hug her uncle for that, she willed herself to not become emotional in front of Wasiq.

He already has enough things to laugh at behind my back.

“But the cap doesn’t explain why you are here, Wasiq,” her uncle voiced out his thoughts. “What are you doing here at this time of the night? Why aren’t you sleeping?”

Wasiq looked around uncomfortably and started to scratch his chin. “The guys were snoring loudly in that room, and it was disturbing.” He grimaced. “I’m not used to sharing my room, Phupha.”

Spoilt child of rich parents. How very typical!

Rida’s uncle laughed again. “Not used to sharing, huh? Perks of being a spoilt child.”

She  felt smug when Wasiq squirmed in embarrassment. After tonight, I love you even more, Uncle.

“Phupha,” Wasiq groaned, sounding embarrassed.

“What? It’s the truth. You’ve got to learn to adjust if you want to lead a successful life. How else would you take over your father’s business?        

“By the way, Rida . . . that friend of yours who is a lawyer, what’s her name?” her uncle directed a question at her, simultaneously shutting his eyes and rubbing his head, trying to recall what he couldn’t recollect.

Rida winced knowing where the conversation was heading. She couldn’t tell her uncle that she had already met Wasiq there. In a very awkward manner, nonetheless. “Shakeena,” she supplied, bracing herself.

Wasiq flashed her a grin; and she looked away, not wanting to add on to his ego. Creep.

“Right. Shakeena actually works in Wasiq’s father’s firm.”

“Technically mine, Phupha. I have already taken over that branch; and, after a  few months, my father is considering handing over the entire firm to me.” Stuffing his hands into his pockets, he rocked on his heels. “Would be the boss soon.”

Rida scowled at that. Conceited much?

“Right. So if we need any help regarding documents or law or any other legal formalities for the center, he will help us for free, won’t you, Wasiq?” Her uncle teased.

“Yes, it’s free. It is always free for the family, Phupha. I’m sweet just like that.”

Help? From you? I’d eat my hijab before I approach you for help, you creep!

“Uncle, let’s go get some sleep now. It’s very late,” Rida intervened before Wasiq could show off more or before she could act upon her urge and slap him right across the face. “What will people say if the bride’s father looks dull or has dark circles tomorrow?” She looped her arms in his and steered him out of the place with her talk. She didn’t want this conversation between her uncle and that arrogant creep.

Let the creep go to hel—go wherever he wants. I don’t care.

*         *         *

The next morning arrived with a truckload of anxiety for the bride’s family. Everyone was running about, tending to the last minute preparations, and the noise was deafening. Rida became a one-woman army, and she held her ground in the kitchen while other odd jobs were left to her cousins.

She prepared breakfast and tea for all, which meant food for fifty people, not including the ten kids in the house. There was no choice left for her but to move around like a whirlwind to cope up with their demands.

By ten in the morning, her back throbbed in pain. She would have liked a nice long respite; but since everyone was busy in their own chores, she ignored the pain while going about with her work. Her body’s pleas were disregarded as she stood doing the dishes in the kitchen, determined to have them done by the end of the hour. Other things, too, she told herself, awaited her attention before the function could commence that day.

Sometime later, she heard someone clear their throat behind her. Without turning around to check who it was, she knew that it was Wasiq. He was the only one in the house who hadn’t woken up until now. The rest had all broken their fasts.

“Breakfast is on the table, and tea is in the flask,” she replied, her back still facing him, not the least bit inclined in engaging in any kind of small talk.

“Tea? I don’t drink tea. I want coffee. Make me one.” The tone was plain domineering.

A burst of anger shot through Rida at that. Who on earth was he to come order her around in her own uncle’s home? Screw politeness. She won’t bear him. She was not obliged to. Rida breathed in deeply, trying to control her anger before turning around. “If you don’t drink tea, I don’t care. I’m not your maid, and I won’t be making you coffee,” she stated in a controlled voice, making sure to drag each word to get it into his thick skull. “Have tea or nothing.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.” She was not going to have him order her around. Not in her uncle’s house. Not in a million years.

“I wonder what Phuphu has to say about this. Denying the guest and insulting them.” He gutted. “Bad hospitality. Very bad. Phup—”

“Shut up, creep.” Rida stopped him as soon as he started to call for her aunt. She didn’t want any issues for that day. Desi people had a bad habit of exaggerating things and creating problems during occasions simply because they felt they weren’t treated right. She didn’t want any such episode during her cousin’s engagement. “I’d make you one.” Coffee, huh? It will be the last coffee of your life, I promise.

In the next few minutes, Rida made him his coffee and poured it generously into a rather large cup before walking over to him and placing it on the table with a thud. Soon, she was sure he would know that she didn’t take orders, especially not from someone like him.

“Now, that’s like a good girl.”

“What did you say?”

“Me?” He blinked innocently at her. “I didn’t say anything.”

“Despicable!” she muttered.

Wasiq caught the word. “Me? Despicable? So I’ve been told.” He shrugged it off, taking a large swig of his coffee and immediately ended up spitting it out. He started to cough, holding his throat as if it was going to melt any second now.

“You added salt instead of sugar.” He ground his teeth.

“If I remember correctly, you told me yourself that you’re very sweet. I couldn’t add sugar and risk you developing diabetes, now could I?”

She turned around and walked off, leaving him completely baffled. “Oh, don’t forget to clean up the mess you’ve made.”

*         *         *

She was tending to the potted plants on her terrace when she heard a loud resonating crash. She paused halfway through digging the soil and looked up to see her broken window. Almost instinctively, her body spun around, her searching gaze resting on the spot where she expected the troublemaker to be. Sure enough, he was standing exactly where she had expected with his sheepish smile on display.

She narrowed her eyes at him. He grinned in reply. His two front teeth were missing while the rest glinted in the sunlight. “Hi, di!”

Her tool dropped. “What’s this, Nadhir?” She stood to her full height and fixed him with a glare, trying her best to look intimidating.

The two-foot-something little boy gave her an adorable pout. “Um . . . I dunno. Pweese get me my bwall.”

“No! It’s the fifth time your ball flew here this month; and this time, it even broke my window! I’m telling my father.”

His lower lip jutted out. “I’m sworry, didi. Pweese don’t tell uncle. Get me my bwall.”

Zahra hummed. “Let’s see . . . you want your ball?” One perfectly arched brow rose. “In return for your ball, I get to be bribed then, okay?” She spread her arms. “Jump!”

The little boy brightened up instantly. He climbed over the small wall that separated both their terraces and came barrelling towards her. “You can kwiss me, but only one twime. Okay?”

Feigning anger, Zahra placed her hands on her hips. Her lips turned downwards in a frown. “Naughty boy! You first break my window and then make demands of me, huh?” She then proceeded to scoop him off the ground and tickle him as he wiggled, trying to break free of her hold. “Hey. Haha . . . No! No! Pweese! Haha . . . Haha . . . Wokay, okay. I’m swowwy.”

Zahra ceased her tickling attack. “I’d let you go, but what would I get if I do?” She set him down on the terrace floor and knelt down before him to match his height.

Nadhir’s countenance was a perfect representation of the innocence of a six-year-old. He looked thoughtful for a moment, then proceeded to turn out his pockets. “Bwat I don’t have no money.” He shook his empty pockets in order to prove his truthfulness. Sadness laced his tone, his crestfallen appearance tempting Zahra to hug him and kiss his chubby cheeks until they turned bright red with her assault.

She suppressed her thoughts and hid her lips behind her hand. A giggle still escaped. “I don’t want money but . . .” She put her finger to her cheek and pretended to think. “Ah! I know just the thing!” she exclaimed. “I have seen the bookmarks that you make! They are so good! If you want your ball, I get a bookmark made by you. What do you say? Deal?” She stretched her hand for a shake.

He broke into a grin upon hearing her and enthusiastically grabbed her hand. “Yesh!” He jumped up and down. “Bwat now, I want my bwall.”

“Right away, sir!” Zahra mock saluted him and marched off to the room located at a corner of her terrace. It was more of a storeroom where they stacked tools, unwanted furniture, and such. It wasn’t used much except for when it needed occasional cleaning. The rest of the time, it stayed the way it was—closed.

Reaching out for the keys that were hung on the corner of the door frame, Zahra unlocked the room and stepped inside. A cockroach meeting that was interrupted on her entrance got dismissed at once, and the participants ran in different directions, trying to find cover. A squeak was heard from somewhere in the room. She turned around and warned Nadhir to stay out, not wanting him harmed in any way following which her gaze swept around the room for the ball in vain. She lifted a few items to aid her in her search. The ball was nowhere in sight. She inspected the broken window, but the ball wasn’t anywhere near it either. By now, the neighbourhood cat that often prowled around had appeared. She stood by the entrance and purred her arrival.

Zahra greeted her as she normally did. “Wait for a while, would you? I need to get the ball before you catch your prey.”  She proceeded to crouch down and started to search beneath all the furniture that were stocked inside the room. With the help of a stick, she felt beneath the almirah, behind the shelves, and amidst the stuff thrown on the floor. With Nadhir urging her from outside and the cat impatiently purring away, she started to rummage quickly, leading for her to hit her arm on a chest that was settled above a large table. She staggered and shoved the chest aside while trying to right herself. It fell down and rattled open, drawing her attention to it.

 At first, she couldn’t make anything of it, but when realisation settled in, what she saw there made a jolt of shock pass through her body before she went numb—completely and utterly.

****