Tell him Raidah come on, he loves you he won't be upset. Tell him,tell him...

I couldn't .

I'm too used to being his obedient daughter.  Khadeeja calls me from the room to help her sew the skirt she's going to wear next time her in laws visit.

"After this is done we have to go to the groceries and also get a pair of new pants for myself"

Khadeeja said engrossed in getting the stitch straight.

We wore our abayas and I called Janaziah.

"You guys leave I don't wanna join"

She muttered

"Why?"

Khadeeja asked.

"I feeling too lazy, just get me a taco on your way home"

I rolled my eyes and we left. Is Baraaq that bad? He's all nice and godly, what else would I need... I don't like his family if I complained about that Khadeeja would be angry. She's too good to see the bad... She packs in some groceries and leave for the mall. Can everybody in this world please stop staring girls in niqaabs, it's 2016 we're listed enough in the newspapers to know we are popular as humans and not aliens so please pass guys,pass!

"Creme or white Raidah?" She asks.

"Creme because that is such a dirty white, I won't come along if you'd wear that"

Her phone rang.

"It would be mum I texted her awhile back asking if she needed a--"

Her words hung with her jaw dropped.

"Who is it?"

I asked.

All of sudden we heard the crowd groan! What is happening??? The voices grew louder and suddenly all of the hoard rushed at the nearby exit. What is happening??? We got squeezed between the rushing and running mob, we were holding hands and she was pulling me to her but the force pushed me away; my hand got caught in between and my wrist twisted, I moaned in pain but nothing could stop them from pushing me out. I kept screaming for Khadeeja. The fear of falling down and the suffocation was making wrenching the life out of me. And finally I wast grown out in the open on the road. It was a merciless stampede. I breathlessly looked for Khadeeja and kept screaming her name across limping.

"Khadeeja !" I yelled.

I could see her nowhere, where is she?! I rushed to get in the mob again but couldn't enter. I tried to get inside again but the people would just push me out again. Just then I heard someone calling my name! Khadeeja!!!

I hugged her so tight and couldn't help the tears falling down,oh it was scary...it was so scary...

"I thought I lost you!"

She breathed between her sobs.

We heard someone calling Khadeeja's name..

Qahtan!

He ran towards us and stood breathing heavily, he closed eyes and supported his knees with his hands.

"Are you alright?"

He asked panting.

"Yes we are alright, please breathe"

Khadeeja turned towards him in worry as her hand automatically got placed on his shoulders.

Awwh Khadeeja, a love like yours please.

They had their moment and then we Carried out to the car. He sat and drove at a little distance and his phone rang so he had to halt.

"Yes I found them Khadeeja is fine"

He spoke.

I coughed.

"And ugh Raidah too, I am heading home"

Khadeeja smiled at me.

"What happened?"

I asked him.

"The hotel building had a accidental blast,they thought it was terrorist activity however what caused the stampede was a collapse of the roof on the west Part of the mall,people panicked"

"We heard nothing"

Khadeeja said.

Maybe it was the loud music in the clothing department.

"Are you okay?"

He looked at Khadeeja with his eyes intensely drawing her.

"Yes I am fine"

She answered not taking her eyes off him.

I hand hurts but I curb the pain.

We got out of the car and entered  the house and in the hall was Ibrahim. Ibrahim? Ibrahim!

Khadeeja widened her eyes at Jana.

"Salaam"

He said awkwardly.

Qahtan immediately hid his surprise and anger both and greeted him.

"What.is.he.doing here Jana!?"

I scowled at her.

"Ugh...he was passing bye and he thought if he could ..say...I mean he wanted to see Dad"

Khadeeja glared at her,this is death now,she is going to kill Jana,she is so so mad!

I leave to the kitchen.

Qahtan and Ibrahim sat there talking. Mum came and the story telling continued till we met exactly all the people in the family. Frankly I was bored of the tragedy now but Alhumdullilah we were safe. Mum however couldn't get over.

Baraaq drove mum and Aunt, they too were out shopping for us. Dad sent Qahtan to us and he was glad that all of his son in laws saved their day however it was two of his son in laws, the third one was lying that he came to see if we were safe,not a good thing to start with Ibrahim.

Everybody had dinner together and we finished our work and I joined Jana behind the flower curtains. I would steal off this happiness if I let out of my decision, he looks so happy,a proud father in law with Baraaq and Baraaq he at once rushed to see if mum would be fine,what else are you looking for Raidah...he's enough...he is all--

"I wanted to talk about something for long time but I couldn't find a way to say it?"

Baraaq started.

I was just accepting you Baraaq! What now!

"Mr. Al-Saaqaf I wished for a simple wedding,our prophet and Allah loves a simpleton. I would love you to only bless us with your sincere duas and I never have and never In shaa Allah have had any more  expectations from you. I know you want to gift her things but I have no place to accommodate anything and I don't want you to feel abducted of your dreams but don't feel the need to if you feel that I am unable,Allah is with me and she will get her rhisq with her"

Oh...

Baraaq that is so caring and  I like your pride,I hope I deserve you because you're something else and I am not worthy....I only respect you,I always had and I always will....I don't know if I can love you?

"Son I am a very proud father in law, Indeed I saw this humility and your faith the time when you first worked for me,don't embarrass me; I never have thought of you unable but very eligible for my daughter,may Allah bless you son.."

Dad said proudly inhaling the proudness.

May Allah Bless You Baraaq.

Ibrahim at the side shifted uncomfortably and cleared his throat and gathered his eyebrow. He leaned in and joined his hands and said.

"Same,whatever he said,same"

....

We bursted out in hysterical laughter and so everyone out in the hall. Soon the men composed themselves while Ibrahim laughed at his own embarassed state. Oh Ibrahim you're cute as Jana.

"Yes son,I am a proud father in law of all three of my beloved sons"

Dad corrected.

"Yeah like I can take care of Jana myself, I'll get whatever she wants"

He said dusting his bluff off.

"Oh you could all have told us earlier, Baraaq so what do we sent to your house now?"

My brother said in light humor.

"Only Raidah,she is all, enough"

He said smiling.

"No dad said never give away undesirable things to the others"

He spoke teasingly but low enough to not let dad hear it but close enough to me to hear it.

He smiled. This isn't that bad,he is nice.... For the first time this sentence is putting meaning to the words for me.

Ibrahim is so bored he looked at my brother and said.

"Sent only Jana"

"Sure"

To which he replied.

We had a good meal,laughed and felt like a complete family. I felt secured now. A little anxious still but mostly I felt fixed over all.

They all left and Khadeeja couldn't stop smiling at my face.

"What!" I asked at last.

"I see something different, somebody's blushing"

She poked me.

"Nobody's nothin',alright!"

I left.

I can feel my heart race,is it possible to not feel things for someone at first and then one day to feel a little... I've been seeing him for years I never had a cell in me move for him but now like the whole blood is rushing to my head and cheeks are turning hot and red. Am I in love?

No,not yet...likeness? Maybe. Perhaps we have started...

He use to work with dad was he was a fresh man in college years back and we frequently would have him fetch things from home to office or to the second office,I alternately would bump into him and he meant nothing to me. Just another guy who worked for Dad. But back then as well Dad had a fine place for him in his heart, forever would we hear his loyalty praises and how Dad could always trust him. Funny how destiny has matched us together years after. Should I just open my arms to him now?

What's stopping me?

My brothers were sitting chatting with Jana,Rumi and Khadeeja and joined in.

"So we just give them trash for free,I pity your men"

He's on.

"You'll so so miss us!"

Jana pulled her tongue out.

"Okay! Jokes apart, should we shop for the grooms clothes or you all want to?"

Our eldest brother Fateh asked coming to the room.

I looked Jana's finger crossed, Khadeeja would anyways tell him to shop,who's gonna be the shameless one to --

"I will"

Khadeeja said.

Our jaw dropped open. Did she just?

My brothers stared her for a brief minute.

She just kept smiling ear to ear.

"Okay I'll transfer some money to your account, shop for Baraaq and Ibrahim as well"

He said before leaving shocked and leaving as shocked.

When Zahid my elder brother left, he popped our eyes to her!

"I can't believe this Khadeeja you just--"

Jana exclaimed.

"I always see things at the shops and wonder if I could buy them for Qahtan and now when I can dress him to my choice,I can't leave the chance"

She spoke in excitement.

"Wow Khadeeja that was very brave"

I pat her shoulders.

She raised her eyebrow and said.

"You can all shop for your grooms too"

"You did me a favor,I don't know if can get Ibrahim anything better than he dresses in"

Jana dropped her confusion and then we all ended the conversation and went to sleep.

The next day felt really bright,clear skies and happy sounds or maybe I just wasn't troubling myself with my foolish thoughts.

We planned on going for shopping for the grooms,everybody was excited somehow we excluded mum from the plan and got permission to buy things by yourselves cause wouldn't it be embarassing to have her especially when Jana said that Ibrahim's biceps would look better in tight T-shirt, no mum I cannot let you witness Jana in her mental mode of Ibrahim.

I was excited too,it's like feelings have switched and I am happy and excited to shop for Baraaq,he really wears the most disgusting shirts I've seen,new one's, we need new one's!

We hurried in every work we could and sweeped and cleaned everything,Rumi helped Jana cook quickly and we started to get ready. We opened the closet and got our Abayas and just then the door bell rang!

"Assalamualikum"

Our cousins greeted.

I can tell when the greetings come on the time when you don't want to come they do not sound like a greeting but like a curse inviting you to kill the greeter.

We greeted back,nobody wanted to.

"Going somewhere?"

Aliyah asked.

"Nope just putting these to laundry"

Jana lied.

Sometimes you have,If we don't she'll accompany us and then she'd start her impositions of her opinions on us,we don't want it ,we have ours. But all that apart we need to keep this as personal and private as we can,we excluded mum!

_-_-_-_-_-_

We were snacking,forgot the shopping thing now we're hearing everybody else's sad and happy and in between life,rumours and gossips and some near truth and false alarms.

And then suddenly Tahira asked.

"Who do you think is the most handsome of them three?"

She was asking us all.

"Qahtan of course"

Khadeeja said without a doubt.

Jaws dropped,getting big huh girl!

"Ibraheeeeem"

Stressed Jana.

"No"

Was khadeeja's sassy reply.

Nobody in this room has seen this side of Khadeeja.

"Who are you!"

I asked pushing her.

She laughed.

"Excuse me, my husband has abs and Brother Qahtan is fat"

Jana politely retaliated.

"Fats? Fat? It's a cute little tummy"

Khadeeja said so cutely.

We all laughed at her,she is adorable.

"Are you drunk Khads?"

Rumii asked and she nodded.

Well maybe she is,she is drunk in love.