Maryam stared at the buildings, through the window, resided at the passenger's side of the car, while Iman drove silently replaying the last events in his head.

Maryam on the other hand, was still bewildered by Noorie's behavior, and her mother's who had successfully topped the notch on her drama scale. She tried really hard to reminisce about their childhood, so she could outline how she had ever offended Noorie fro that immense amount of hatred she had showcased earlier.

She had assumed Noorie's vile behavior towards her would remain in their childhood, and may a few years of the adulthood. She had created excuses for Noorie, believing she's just an attention seeker who would turn the whole world down if things did not go her way. What she did not understand, is how Noorie had escalated a childish hatred to a full blown mortal enemy scale.

As far as Maryam could recall, she had always been the one suffering from Noorie's antics, she's never ever retaliated, or even attempted to beat the living daylights out of her. Infact, she's always looked the other way around. Yet, Noorie had encrypted an image where Maryam is the villain in her head and had used it to act.

"Why would anyone slit their wrist out of anger?" Maryam thought out loud, but before Iman could answer she continued. "I've mistakenly cut myself while slicing onions multiple times and I promise you, the food turns sour in my mouth every time. How does she just picks up any object and drive it through her skin like some maniac?" Maryam yelled the last part. She inhaled loudly, and turned to Iman for an answer.

He peeked a glance at her, she was waiting expectantly, for him to provide an answer for her questions. He smiled a little. He had no answers to her question, but coming outrightly to say it, would only frustrate her more. So he said,
"I believe your sister is suffering from a mental illness or the other. The doctors would definitely conclude that, help would be found for her very soon. Don't worry your little head about it"

Maryam sighed softly. That is the only explanation that actually works. Noorie is definitely suffering from one crazy illness or the other.

Meanwhile, at the hospital, Alhaji Matazu and his second wife sat in front of the doctor as he explained Noorie's diagnosis. Alhaji Matazu was more concerned about when Maryam's grandmother is planning on telling him what she had done with his real child, so he kept zoning in and out of the doctor's speech.

"So, you're calling my daughter a mad person" She had yelled out, startling Alhaji Matazu who was busy creating scenarios in his head about his missing child's whereabouts. He sighed softly knowing this conversation will definitely take a violent turn at this point.

"That's not what I am saying. You people knew she is fragile, yet you dropped a knife close to her. And it's so obvious, the guest from before riles her up, why did you leave her with her?" The doctor countered making Maryam's mother clap her hands mockingly, as she laughed.

"That person is her sister. We are not professionals like you, how on Earth did you expect us to know who her agitator is, even at that my daughter Noorie is not mad" she concluded with a huff. She resumed tapping her feet on the floor.

"Hajiya, your daughter is not completely mad, but she will be if you do not adhere to my rules and regulations. It's obvious you don't like me because I brought forth the truth about her real identity. But that is the bitter truth whether you accept it or not. That child is neither yours not your husband's. She shares a totally different DNA from you, and it's better you start asking questions. This girl is unstable, maybe try finding questions so you would know where you got her from. She will turn out dangerous if nothing is done...."

"I will not hear a word of this your nonsense. Excuse me" she had interjected. She banged the door loudly as she left. She found a spot by the doctor's office and started sobbing really hard. She picked up her phone, so she could call her mother.

The phone rang twice and there was no respond. She slowly slid into a bench and continued sobbing. She needed somebody to talk to, anybody at all. Her greatest fear was how to break this news to Noorie. What mother could look her child of over a decade, and tell them you did not birth them. How? She had thought ignoring the fact would make it all go away but that darn doctor would not drop it. It's like he enjoyed rubbing the fact that her child is not hers.

She groaned tiredly, thinking about how the home her daughter once knew will become a hell hole. Mama and her children will definitely antagonize Noorie. She knew Noorie is not anyone's favorite, she did things with no care in the world. When this comes out, it will definitely serve as a pay back for what she's been doing to her siblings.

Wait!

Why was she actually considering the fact that the girl is not her child?

Never!

Her phone started ringing snatching her away from her rebellious thoughts. It was her mother.

She clicked on the answer button with shaky hands. She greeted her mother who sounded just as miserable as she did. After exchanging pleasantries, her mother informed her that she was at home awaiting her return. Maryam's mother knew this was no casual visit. She knew she was about to find out where her daughter came from.

Her memory about Noorie's birth is still fuzzy, she knew the person in the room with her while she struggled with the labor pains for hours was her mother. She remembered how her mother kept weeping by the corner as if something was wrong.

She could remember breathing deeply before the child finally left her body. The one thing she knew was, she did not hear her child's cry, even as the doctor held the child, peering at it. The child had not cried before she lost consciousness. If anything should have happened to her child, then her mother would be the best person to explain.

As she headed towards the exit, to go hear what her mother had to say about Noorie, her husband caught up with her. He held her arm halting her steps. She turned to him with a mighty frown but he did not react.

"Let's talk" he said, commandingly.

Maryam's mother snatched her hand from his grip. She eyed him angrily, he wasn't fazed by her irritation.

"If you're here to talk to me about Noorie's paternity, by all means save it. You and I know I would never cheat on you......"

"That's not what I want to talk about. And I promise you, the thought of you cheating on me did not even cross my mind" he stated trying to calm her down.

These past few days have been hell for him. Other than Mama's support, his younger wife has done nothing but try escalating matters that did not matter. After the revelation of Noorie's DNA, she has been on the edge. She would flare up at circumstances that did not warrant the loss of energy.

"Then what is it?" She snapped, making a passerby glance at them questioningly.

"Let's talk by the car" he had said after smiling at the passerby politely. The woman did not move an inch, not until Maryam's mother smiled a little at her.

When they got to the car, Maryam's mother stared at her husband, waiting for him to explain what he wanted to talk to her about. He sighed tiredly, arranging the Babban Riga, for a man who is rich, these past few days have changed him.

"That girl, she's sick and you know it. Amina told me that the signs were always there. Ummi, let's do the needful. Let's send that girl to rehab while we try to find our own child"

Maryam's mother gasped in disbelief, as if he had uttered a blaspheme. She shook her head in disbelief, she could not believe he had called Noorie that child. She could not believe he already believes that she's not theirs. He even had the audacity to use Mama for reference, as if Mama could ever utter any good thing about her and her own family, as if he did not know Mama hated her and would dance triumphantly to the current problem she's going through.

"You called Noorie that child! The child you held in your arms and named, the child you proudly showed off to your friends as yours. How can you just discard her as if she's nothing? How can you just cast her away because she's not your blood. Listen to me, that girl is your child and you will do right by her, even if the blood flowing in her belongs to someone else" She started walking away but stopped. She turned back and walked right to him. "Tell your wife to clean her nose off my family affairs or I will forget she was my mother's friend, I will disrespect her"

Maryam's mother walked away, leaving her husband speechless. He stared at her retreating figure. She got into her car and drove off recklessly. He sighed softly, then he headed back to the hospital, to arrange for Noorie's psychological help. Unknown to both husband and wife was Ya Tahir and Tanzeel had overheard the conversation. They now know that Noorie is not their biological sister. And soon the whole family will find out, because Tanzeel was never the type to keep her mouth shut.

Meanwhile, Maryam sat quietly in Iman's car, awaiting the time for the test. She thought she might miss it, but it turns out that the invigilator was running a little late.
"Stop staring at me that way, I am trying to revise everything I've learnt about the course. Your undivided attention is proving bothersome" she stated making him chuckle.

He stared ahead, consenting to her wish but just for a moment, soon he was staring again.

"Muhammad Iman" she drawled making him turn away immediately. She grinned. Just then she saw the invigilator rushing to the venue. She thanked him for the ride, then bade him farewell. He promised to come visit later at night so they would talk.

Maryam understood him. She knew she needed to talk about Noorie and her new found obsession. Iman on the other hand did hear about Noorie's threat and how she had openly told Maryam how much she hated her. The fact that Noorie was smitened by him is clearly established. What he did not understand is why Maryam's mother had decided to blame Maryam.

How exactly is Maryam at fault? If Noorie decided to fall in love, was Maryam expected to stop her. He sighed softly as he watched her enter the hall. He reversed the car and headed straight home.

When Iman got home, he found his father in the living room, tapping his feet slowly. It took everything in him not to groan loudly. He greeted his father with little enthusiasm, nonetheless his father answered.

He attempted to go find his mother, then further lock himself in his room, but was stopped on his tracks by his mother who came in from the kitchen holding a jug. Iman wondered silently if they had reconciled, because his mother did not look angry as she always does when his father comes to visit.

"You're back, come sit down" she had said and Iman cocked a brow but he obeyed. He sat on the sofa opposite his father and he waited patiently for them to tell him why he was needed.

She poured the chilling water into two cups, handing Iman one. He collected it skeptically, but her expression did not give anything away. He wondered what wrong he had committed, or what good thing he might have done. He had done neither, yet why was she treating him delicately.

"Mom, is everything okay?" He asked slowly. His mother looked at his father, and nodded. His father gulped down the water without a word. And Iman had to watch them exchange supporting glances. "For God's sake if someone died, just tell me. This suspense is actually scaring me" He whined, glaring at his parents.

They shifted uncomfortably again, making Iman groan softly. After a few seconds that felt like forever, his father finally spoke up.

"Iman, Maryam's father called of the wedding" he stated quickly, preparing for Iman's outburst.

"Whose wedding? The sister that got her Lefe a few days ago?" He asked with a bored expression.

"No silly, yours and Maryam's. He said it's better you find someone else, that he's immensely sorry" Iman's mother chirped in, supporting her husband.

Iman smiled, and soon he was laughing. He did not notice they weren't joining in the laugh. When he was done, he shifted his glance from his mother to his father with cocked eyebrows.
"Next time, try saying it quicker. The delay gave this joke away" he had said starting to stand up.

His mother turned to his father looking alarmed. Infact, she had quickly placed her hands on Iman's shoulder to keep him from standing up.
"Listen, it's not a joke okay. He called your father moments ago, and broke the news to him. He mentioned something about having a family crisis. We are serious" she stated and Iman felt as if he's been doused with a bucket full of cold water when he saw the alarm on his mother's face.

"I just dropped Maryam in school and before that, I had seen him and we exchanged pleasantries. He did not mention the cancelation of our relationship, and he seemed warm enough. What could have happened before I got here?" Iman asked the last part rather quietly, definitely asking himself.

"Maybe something happened" his mother butted in making his frown deepen, he had just said that for crying out loud.

Iman stood up tiredly, and without another word he headed to his room. He locked himself in, and laid on his bed with a nagging thought bothering him.
"Is this how he would live with Maryam, with her family butting into their lives?"

Meanwhile, after Maryam's test she headed back to the hostel to meet Zarah pacing in their room. Maryam was already smiling, thinking Zarah was reading for a test or something. She would always find new methods of reading during tests.

"Tell me you don't have a test and I'll ask what Bash has done this time around" Maryam teased removing her veil. She folded it and placed it in the laundry basket. She started peeling the clothes she was wearing with the sole intention of dropping it in the laundry basket too. But Zarah's incessant pacing wasn't stopping. "This is funny" she had commented unzipping her skirt. As she was about to remove the skirt when Zarah stopped.

"Noorie is not our sister" Zarah blurted out, and Maryam stiffened. Her expression made Zarah realize she knew all along. "You knew?" She screeched accusingly. "You knew all this while and you've never said a thing?" She yelled louder than the first time.

Maryam sat on her bed, leaving the pool skirt in it pool on the floor.
"The conversation did not come up" She defended lamely making Zarah cock a brow. With her hands akimbo, she stared at Maryam in disbelief.

"I tell you every single thing, how could you keep such away from me?" Zarah asked clearly hurt that Maryam sidelined her with this information.

"It's not that easy to say okay. I only found out recently okay. I can not just come up and tell you, the sister you've known forever is not your sister. I felt you would stumble across this information yourself soon......"

"You're not even sorry about this. Maryam, hell broke out at home. Apparently, the baby your mommy gave birth to died. Your grand mother could not take it so she decided to go get one for your mother. Maryam, Noorie is some bastard a person picked up on the streets and sold it to your grand mother" Zarah narrated making Maryam's heartbeat accelerate.

She did not know this information. She had not idea. She had assumed Noorie might have been switched at birth or something.

"You did not know this, did you?" Zarah taunted and Maryam nodded absentmindedly. "See, your mother was screaming the whole house down. She accused your grandmother of being the reason for all her problems. Infact, every single child in that house knows the story now. Nobody could calm her down. She kept screaming for as long as she could. Your grandmother ran out of the house crying" Zarah added and Maryam's eyes became Misty. She knew her mother's relationship with her own mother is just a reflection of what she shares with her mother.

A tear dropped, and then another. Soon afterwards, Maryam was sobbing. An act that irritated Zarah more.

"You haven't even heard the rest of it and your crying in pity for a woman who has decided to be a stumbling block in your happiness...."

"What do you mean?" Maryam asked after a hiccup left her mouth.

"Maryam, your mother had Baba call Iman's family. Your future wedding to Iman has been cancelled" Zarah announced and Maryam could not hear a word of the rest of the things Zarah was saying. Just a long beep sound and anger. She put on her skirt and carried her  veil and purse ignoring Zarah calls.

She was going home and she was going to deal with her own mother for the very last time.

🥺🥺
I don't even know what to say to you guys. Forgive my on and off behavior. I don't have an explanation for it. You guys would have to manage oo.
Hope you're all fine though.
Thank you for reading.
Have a wonderful Ramadan.
May Allah accept our act of Ibada💞