This chapter is dedicated to melophile01_01. Thanks for your genuine support, it means the world to me. The votes and lovely comments always have a way of putting a smile on my face. I'm glad that you found this book. Thank you so much, my dear friend.❤

*****

A QUIET PLACE

After a long day, Zayn finally came home very late. He entered the dark living room and locked the door behind him as the memory of him having a great time with Shifu and Omar lingered fresh in his mind. Making his way to his room, he halted when he saw his stepmother sitting alone in an armchair.

"Mother?"He called, making his way to Khadija as she smiled wryly at him. " What is it? What are you doing here alone?" He asked, concerned. "It is almost midnight, why are you still awake?"

"I couldn't sleep." She spoke softly, trying to change her position. "I wanted to talk to you about something but you weren't in your room, so I decided to wait for you here." Zayn was surprised but didn't show it, thinking why would his stepmother stay up late till past eleven, waiting for his return.

"What do you want to talk about?" He inquired, believing whatever it is must be very important.

"Zayn, it is your brother ooo." She stood up slowly and Zayn saw worry in her eyes. "It's like he has been possessed by a jinn. Come with me to his room." She suggested with a gesture of her hand. Zayn gave a quizzical stare before following behind her. 

"He hasn't been himself since we returned from the hospital. He was found crying, throwing things, and making a mess of his room." She explained as they walked together toward Imran's room. "I tried to speak to him but to no avail. He wouldn't open up to anyone. Maybe you can try reaching out to him."

Upon her words, Zayn knew it had something to do with the way Imran's demeanor had changed that morning before breakfast. He knew something was eating him up. It couldn't be a jinn possession. He shook his head at his mother's ambiguous assumption.

Once there, Zayn grabbed the door for his stepmother. Surprisingly, the door was opened when they got there. They both took quiet steps into the dim and chilling room, the mother looking at her son's sleeping form, lying pale on his bed with his face to the ceiling. She turned to look at her stepson with a glint of sadness in her eyes. As for Zayn, the boy in front of him was simply in denial. He was well acquainted with young adults and their antics, lucky for him he never went through such an absurd phase in his time.

He turned off the lamp on the nightstand because it was dim with blue light and then turned on the fluorescent bulb which gave off white light. 

Imran's gaze was instantly met with his elder brother's scintillating dark orbs and he knew why he was there. They both studied each other for a while with one appreciating the presence of the other as he stared with interest.

"Are you on drugs?" At last, Zayn broke the silence, noticing how his brother looked like someone who had been confined in a mental asylum. "You look like you just woke up in a dumpster. Look at your room." He gestured around the unsightly atmosphere he found himself in—Imran's room was a huge mess.

 "I'm interested to learn the reason behind this uncanny behavior of yours," Zayn said walking up to him but was stopped by a broken glass just near the bedstead. Imran turned to the other side of the bed to face the wall with his back to them. His mother's heart raced with panic upon his reaction.

"I can't talk in this garbage." When his reply was met with a reluctant silence, Zayn had no choice but to turn to take his leave, mostly because he was irritated by the state of the filthy room."Meet me in my room, fast." He said severely as he headed for the door.

"Don't you think you're being too harsh on him?" Khadija questioned, her voice filled with so much unease as she threw delicate strides behind Zayn.

"Stay out of this Mother. I can handle him, "He assured her. "I know what to do." 

"Should I come with you?" She asked from a close distance as she couldn't keep up with his pace. 

"It is past your bedtime, Mother, "He uttered over his shoulder as his eyes caught sight of Imran who had just stepped out of his room."You should go and sleep now." He added and Khadija nodded and turned to the direction of her room when her eyes fell upon her son. She decided to let Zayn handle the situation since he had managed to get Imran out of his room.

As they were about to saunter inside, Imran saw that Zayn was in a light mood and he took that opportunity to confide in him.

"Brother," He called from behind him when Zayn opened the door to his room.

"Hm, what is it?" Zayn mumbled, turning his head back to look at him. They entered his room.

Imran hesitated for a moment, unsure of how to put his thoughts into words. "I have feelings for a girl," He began saying, a little shy. "And well I was thinking about going to seek her hand in marriage." He quickly added.

 Regardless he felt like he needed to talk to someone about his intention. He had been thinking about getting married for a while now since he had come of age.

Zayn emptied his pocket, making sure he placed his phone and wallet on the table before gesturing for him to sit somewhere on a sofa.

Settling down on a couch across from him, he held his hands to his knees and faced down, allowing his brother's words to sink deep into his mind. Imran waited to hear his response but unfortunately, he had none.

"Brother, what is it?" Imran managed to ask upon noticing his older brother's sudden change of expression.  

Zayn was open to the idea that his younger brother had an interest in someone, but the marriage part was where the problem lay "You are too young. You can't."He declared, trying not to make it sound like a threat. The color of his eyes had changed.

"What?" Imran gasped softly and widened his eyes in surprise. His reaction was not unexpected but his words had the opposite effect."But why?" He had asked, thinking that he was on the right path, since his decision was upon the Islamic tradition. He had not defied any rules. 

"It is too early for you to start thinking about marriage when you are yet to complete your studies." And of course, Zayn had reasons for his disapproval—He believed that a man should attain independence before considering whether to settle down or not. As far as he was concerned, his younger brother was incapable of raising a family of his own. He was best suited to take refuge in his parent's abode, for the time being, pending when he was well established to have a woman under his roof.

"But it doesn't matter if I am a student or not as long as the union is Halal (permissible). Besides Islam permits that when two people are in love, they get married or else...." He trailed off, feeling uncomfortable to finish the sentence.

Zayn could almost see the unspoken truth in his words—His brother had joined the league of those who were racing into matrimony to avoid committing Zina (fornication). It was the reason why most young men of his age hurried to tie the knots.

"You haven't even answered my question."He deliberately ignored his brother's words. He didn't invite him here for a debate. "What was the meaning of that?" He asked, referring to Imran's bad temper. He was curious to learn why he decided to turn his room upside down. Was it because of a girl? "Is this the reason for your misbehavior?" He demanded, knitting his brows together. His expression darkened.

Imran stayed silent, lifting his eyes to meet his hard gaze, it lingered for a second and then dropped. His gaze remained fixated on the floor. Zayn took his silence for an answer.

Have young adults always been this stupid? Surely I was never like this. He could not help thinking as his lips tucked up in an unexpected smirk.

"I was furious..."Imran jabbered. He was about to explain the reasons for his actions which was because Hannan had not called him for almost a month and he was patiently waiting for her to reach out to him to know if she cared about him. Her absence drove him insane and the thought of her avoiding him made him desperate.

Imran was quite sensitive and short-tempered: a part of him that he never showed Hannan. There was more to him than she knew and maybe she'd never know most of them.

Zayn shook his head in disapproval. "Look, Imran, listen, let me make something clear to you."He raised his hands to interrupt him. " Marriage is not something you jump into just because you like someone, perhaps you are trying to avoid some misfortune. That's not the purpose of marriage. You have to wait for the right time."

"And when is the right time, Zayn?" Imran cut in, challengingly which caught Zayn off guard. He didn't know his brother had been so stubborn.

There was no need to pretend like he knew the answer to the question because he had no idea what to say next. He wasn't prepared for this argument and the last thing he wanted was ending his day in a bad mood. He had not even observed the last prayer for the night. He felt like he had sinned against God for delaying his prayer. He didn't have time for this child's play.  

He had no choice but to give his brother his support since he wanted to get married. After all, age is truly just a number. He hoped that it didn't serve as a distraction for him, career and education-wise, that is if he was mentally capable to take on the huge responsibility that awaited him at the end of the tunnel. If Imran played his cards right, things may fall into place well for him, quicker than he expected.

"So, who is the girl?" Zayn finally brought himself to ask just to know if she was from a reputable home."Do I know her?" His stony expression was now replaced with a calm one.

"Her name is Hannan, "Imran announced. "You've met her before."

"What do you mean I've met her before?" He furrowed his brow."Hold on." The name sounded very familiar." Hannan?" No, it couldn't be her, he disagreed with his thought. Mr. Saleh could never raise such a child. He mentally spat. Surely she would be a disappointment for a bride. 

And of course, he remembered their first encounter when she spilled wine on his exotic tuxedo suit. She seemed innocent and shy at the time. After knowing that she was Teslim's sister, he regretted his action and for a moment thought he might have misjudged her. But the moment he recalled how she opened her mouth, oozing garbage at him and raining curses upon Thomas, a man old enough to be her father. He no longer looked forward to meeting the mannerless little brat. 

"Yeah, she is the one that brought you a gift."Imran smiled, hoping that his last sentence would please his brother.

Zayn noticed how Imran had addressed her as the one that brought him a gift, rather than his friend from school which was how he had initially introduced her to him the night of the incident. He didn't even remember checking what was in the package she brought. He recalled tossing it inside his old stuff, which had been put away for years. There was a moment he wanted to smile at her effort to gift him something, at least she had some courtesy. She wasn't completely flawed.

"So, have you two agreed upon this?" He asked regarding his brother's proposal.

"Although I have not approached her directly. " Zayn noticed he was hesitant in his speech which made him think the question might have been too direct, perhaps he was too shy to speak up."There is a small problem." He said gently, stressing the last word.

"And what is that?" Zayn adjusted his posture, crossing one leg above the other as he waited for him to speak up, expectantly.

"Well...we haven't been on talking terms for weeks now." Imran trailed off, causing Zayn to raise a slight brow.

"What do you mean?" He leaned into his seat, placing his long, elegant hands on the armrest of the couch. Giving his full attention to Imran who was almost melting under his penetrating gaze.

"She is a wonderful person but it's like she is not attracted to me at all." He began saying. His words almost sounded foolish to Zayn's ears: how did he propose marrying someone who is not attracted to him."Part of me wishes she was because we get along great and she really understands me. I don't know, I think my friendship is more of an imposition on her. She tries to be nice and all, but she doesn't want anything beyond that. She said it herself."

"To you?" Zayn questioned, just to be clear.

"No, to one of her female friends." He came clean."The other day, I asked her to go to the movies with me, but she blatantly refused with no clear reason. This is the kind of attitude I get from her." He gesticulated in frustration, making Zayn cringe slightly. "Sometimes it feels like she isn't all there when I'm talking, but it's okay, maybe she needs more time to get used to me since we haven't been together for a long time."

"Maybe she needs space." Zayn's lips curled up in a crooked smirk, feeling sorry for his brother. Maybe it was the Almighty giving him a sign that he could never be with such a person. Imran was such a gentle soul while Hannan was just the polar opposite. He didn't know how to qualify her, but his first impression of her hadn't been a good one and he wanted to protest against her but he had to restrain himself from doing that. As much as he wanted to express his opinion about her, he felt that Imran didn't have to know. He wasn't the one to point out other people's flaws.

"How long have you known this girl if I may ask?" He asked, a bit thoughtful, considering whether to give the girl a chance to prove herself. He couldn't discourage Imran, especially now that he knew he was very serious about her, if not they would not be discussing her.

"I've known her all my life," Imran stated, relaxing his posture a bit now that he saw that his brother was all ears, wanting to listen to all he had to say. He hadn't thought that it would be so easy to get to talk with him about Hannan, considering the fact that she once said he didn't like her. Her opinion about him was wrong. Zayn was a great man if only she knew him better.

"No, I mean," Zayn wanted to be sure his brother wasn't delusional because his response didn't answer his question."How long have you been together?"

"I haven't approached her yet."Imran's voice was low. He looked down at the floor, abashed to make eye contact with his brother. Zayn didn't fail to notice that. Even he didn't feel comfortable engaging in such a discussion. He had been dumbstruck by his brother's sudden decision to get married at such an early age.

A small silence lingered in the air, in which Zayn almost told Imran about Omar's intention toward the girl, but he dismissed the thought because there was nothing to talk about there. He had to warn his friend to stay off since his brother was there first. He gave Imran his words of encouragement and promised to support him, after all, it was his responsibility as an elder brother.

"You don't have to worry about approaching her yourself, I'll help you talk to Mother about it." He assured him, knowing that traditionally it was the duty of the elderly women in the family to bring the news to the supposed bride's family on behalf of the potential groom.

Imran's eyes light up, surprised by his sudden change of heart. "I'll be very much grateful if you did that for me." He plastered a grin on his face and Zayn gave a short nod, followed by a brief admonition.

"Thank you, brother. It feels so good, knowing that you have my back."Imran added politely and Zayn nodded to it. He stood up and walked up to his brother with slow and graceful steps.

" Don't thank me for carrying out my duty."He whispered in his ear. "What kind of an elder brother would I be if I could not be of help to you? It's my right to make sure you are happy and safe. If this is what you truly want, then you have my full support." Zayn saw a glint of satisfaction in his eyes as he spoke. Then with the last word, he patted his back and left the room.

Somehow, he was kind of glad at the choice his brother made, beneath the disappointment and all. At least that would take the attention off his back, especially now that everyone was expecting him to get married soon, being the first child and the oldest grandchild of their family. He wasn't ready to embrace such a responsibility yet, but there was Imran, his younger brother who would gladly do it.  

As he walked into the bathroom, his conscience nagged him, making him feel guilty of selfishness and cowardice. He frowned upon himself for using his own younger brother as an escape plan. Looking at the bright side of things, if everything went well it was going to do both of them a favor: while Imran's desires are met, giving everyone something to Jubilate about, Zayn would live his life peacefully, free of prejudice.

He quickly freshened up and performed ablution, walked into his inner room, and cladded himself in a pair of loose-fitting black trousers and a blue hooded robe. When he stepped out of the room, he realized that Imran had left, so he went back inside to observe his Isha prayer which he deliberately missed, Astaghfurllah! (May God forgive him).

He stood tall on his prayer mat, facing the Qiblah, and then called the first takbir. The rest of the prayer session went on uninterrupted. As soon as he was done he sat there, making silent supplications to Allah to heal Teslim, his grandmother, and Yusuf.

Thinking of Teslim, the memory of their meeting earlier during the day played in his mind.

★FLASHBACK★

†Earlier That Afternoon†

†12:30pm†

After his lunch break at work, Zayn had requested to meet with Teslim at a nearby restaurant that was just a street away from the hospital. For the past two weeks, he and Teslim had been seeing each other concerning her health, but this meeting was different. That was why he chose a quiet place to have it: Kapadoccia, a luxury cave restaurant that served all sorts of intercontinental dishes. The place was busy at night and tranquil during the day.

He sat gracefully in his car waiting for her to come out of the hospital building. She had been in the fertility unit to collect her pregnancy test result. A few more minutes passed and Zayn was already running out of patience as he sat there collected amidst his tangled thoughts. He wanted to call her because he wasn't fond of waiting, but just then he heard a knock on his tinted window. 

Zayn lifted his head to see his best friend's wife smiling down at him apologetically. She seemed to be on a phone call with someone. "I'm sorry, I'll call you back." He heard her say as she hung up on whoever was on the line. Zayn winded down the window and signaled her to take the passenger's seat.

His eyes followed her as she turned around towards the other side. And finally, the door clicked open. "Assalaam Alaikum." She greeted him with a small smile as she got in the car.

"Wa alaikum salaam. You are late again." He teased and she grinned, putting her handbag on her lap.

"I'm sorry, I was waiting for my lab tests." She said looking at him as he was about to start the car. "The lab attendants were kind of slow today. How long have you been waiting?" She asked.

"About an hour." Zayn looked ahead, feigning a serious face. Teslim stared at him, but when she saw him breaking out of character she realized he was kidding. She smiled at his stunts and decided to play along.

"I can't believe I kept a gentleman like you waiting for such a long time." She taunted, tossing her phone inside her bag. Zayn could sense the sarcasm in her voice. They had been friends ever since they were young and it was like their frequent quips remained still in time. She never ceased to amaze him with her witty and sharp reply. She was the only one in their little cliche who knew how to put Zayn in his place

"I'm serious, you kept me waiting." Hiding a smile, he looked into her eyes and she glanced back at him.

"Your eyes don't lie." She chuckled. "Don't ever try that with your wife. It won't work." She added, teasingly.

"I'll keep that in mind." He laughed as he drove out of the hospital ground. They both remained silent for a long moment, in which anxiety began to tease at Teslim's heart.

She wondered why he had to take her out just to convey a piece of information to her while Zayn, on the other hand, was quite reserved, organizing his thoughts on how to break the news to her without creating tension between them. He had done that with many patients but as for Teslim, he felt she was too precious to be fated with such an ordeal.

"So where are we heading?" Teslim finally brought herself to ask him, noticing how relaxed he was in a black two-piece suit. It was only a few minutes into their ride.

"We are here," Zayn informed her as he turned left, and there it was the cave restaurant.

"Kapadoccia?"She asked, her eyes narrowed in surprise. 

"Well, as you can see," He stole a glance at her and saw her straight-laced demeanor. 

"I thought you said we were going somewhere quiet?"Her tone was a bit firm and her questioning eyes gave away the growing tension in her stomach. Teslim was not used to going out with a non-Mahram. She had willed herself to go out there without her husband's consent despite knowing that as a married woman, it was against her religion to do so.

"Well," He smiled."I didn't say we were going to the market."He responded humorously to put her at ease. His response took her by surprise. She sank into her seat as he parked the car somewhere.

Once at the restaurant entrance, they were met by an attendant who escorted them to the VIP lounge. They took a table for two near the far end of the room. The attendant kindly ushered her to sit on a cozy couch and Zayn joined her, taking his position across from her, on a chair crafted from fine wood. 

Teslims eyes scanned the place and noticed how finely furnished it was:  The beige walls were carved in what looked like limestone with lamps hanging down from the roof of the icy cave. The place was not crowded, Zayn was grateful that he could easily talk to her in that atmosphere. He followed her gaze and noticed her eyes settled on an aesthetic pot that sat preciously beside his chair.

"It's been a long time since I came here with my husband," Teslim spoke and Zayn tore his eyes away from what he had been gazing at, his full attention now on her.

"I'm sure you had a great time." Zayn asserted.

"Yeah, I did."Teslim came clean. "Coming here with him was nice but this one is different." She smiled with a tinge of humor in her voice.

Moments later a waitress came to take their orders. Zayn ordered Jasmine tea while she ordered yogurt and milky donuts.

When the waitress left, Zayn thought it was time to start the conversation. She had been looking at a couple that just arrived at the restaurant whilst his eyes were on her.

"Teslim," He called for her attention. She turned to him, all ears. "There's something I want to tell you."He began.

"At long last," Teslim exclaimed with a small smile. "I've been itching to hear it."Her posture was now collected in anticipation.

Zayn tried to send her a smile. "I spoke with your doctor, and he said your health is at risk. I'm sorry you may not be able to have the baby."

Her jaw dropped, her expression laced with terror. "What? Why?" She almost gasped.

"Because you are experiencing an ectopic pregnancy." He told her, not wanting to finish the sentence. Her pregnancy for some reason was a danger to her health and the baby's.

"What is ectopic pregnancy?" She asked, her expression relaxed as she saw the waitress returning with their orders. The doctors already found out she was pregnant through electron scanning before she went for the lab test. 

"It is a rare condition." Zayn began explaining. They both spoke hushedly when the waitress came to place their orders on the table which went untouched." where implantation of the zygote occurs outside the uterus, usually in one of the fallopian tubes. The zygote won't develop into a foetus and it may end up becoming a problem for you if the pregnancy continues." He paused and studied her face, she didn't look as terrified as he had expected.

"That is not the only reason I have invited you here." He sighed briefly because of the weight of the words that followed next.

"You were diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma, a type of blood cancer." He saw her expression change at once. Her body went cold. Finally, her worst fear had been confirmed, it felt like the world stood still. She was shocked and appalled by the news.

"I'm sorry to break it to you like this. I wanted you to be at ease hearing from me instead of someone else. I told the doctor to permit me to tell you myself because I know information like this can be quite sensitive and shocking and hearing it from a stranger is no help." 

She was no longer interested in what Zayn was saying. The only thing she could think of was the words of her father-in-law, telling the general that the disease ran in their family. She couldn't believe she had inherited it from her father, the same illness that killed him. The overwhelming pressure upon learning her fate made her want to break down right there, that was when her past rapidly flashed in her mind.

Six months after Teslim had Fahad she fell seriously ill and was placed on three weeks of medication for Abortus Fever, Ibrutinib, and Diclofenac for pain, but the more Diclofenac she took, the more pain and sleepless nights she experienced. It reached a stage where she could not stand straight independently. She felt like her vertebral column was unable to hold her torso. Whenever she wanted to move around the house, Ahmad would support her in his strong arms. 

 She was referred to a Haematology Unit of a renowned specialist hospital in Kano where some lymph nodes were extracted and tested. The lab tests and X-rays showed multiple lymph nodes but it was Non-malignant. That was the period when her father-in-law started to complain that she could no longer serve her purpose as a wife and he suggested that Ahmad marry the general's daughter, Hanifah. It was also around that time when she overheard his conversation with the general. A conversation that had somehow become her reality.

A few weeks later she was back on her feet again and healthier until recently when she had been feeling severe pains around her pelvis and joints, especially at night when she went to bed. A month ago she contacted Dr. Zayn who took pity on her and sponsored her medical bills which took three weeks of lab testing, a CIT Scan, an MRI, and a PET scan before the team of doctors led by Dr. Ali Khan, an Indian oncologist and a bone marrow expert determined her illness. 

"Teslim," Zayn's voice pulled her out of her subconsciousness after noticing that she was spacing out. "Listen to me, don't be scared. The cancer has not spread, it can be cured."He assured her and Teslim shook her head, looking as though she wanted to leave the place.

"There is no hope for me, Zayn. I'm going to die."She finally spoke with a shaking voice. He stared at her, trying to read her eyes which held unshed tears and a tinge of unexpressed emotions. 

"No don't say that, you won't die."This was the kind of thinking Zayn was trying to get rid of—it was easy to give up on life once she knew she was a stage two cancer patient. "Under the care of Dr. Ali Khan, I have high hopes that you will be well again once you finish your treatment."

"Don't raise my hope, please I beg you." She lamented at the brink of tearing up."I have no intention to settle for the option of chemotherapy and radiotherapy at an exorbitant price. I'm not that rich." She was mad at herself for her inability to help her situation due to some financial lapses. It was not like Ahmad could not afford her treatment but she didn't want him to know about her health and Zayn never thought of that.

"Don't worry I'll take care of the bills." He assured her and looked away quickly as he caught sight of her brimming eyes.

"You have spent so much on me already." She whispered, reaching into her bag to fetch her wiper.

"I'm not complaining."

"How can I ever repay you for your kindness?" Her lips curled up in a broken smile as she dabbed under her eyes with the wiper.

 "Please stop it, you are embarrassing me." Zayn made a sound in his throat as if attempting to speak clearly. He was somewhat grateful that their conversation was almost over. The only good thing about it was she accepted the news in good faith and looked forward to her treatment with strong conviction that she would win the battle that awaited far ahead.

"Please, I want you to do something for me." Teslim requested, almost pleadingly. He observed her disturbed face, her hesitant to speak up. He wondered what was the reason for that. "Please don't tell Ahmad about my health and the baby."

"Why is that?" He inquired, his brows knitted together in astonishment. He looked at her for a reply but she remained silent, staring at the glass of yogurt in front of her.

Seconds ticked by, and a grave silence hung thick in the air. Seeing that she took him as her elder brother they were always open to each other and Teslim found it normal to share her problems with him. Then, Zayn being the understanding man that he was, came to a conclusion and waited before voicing it out.

"Are you still planning to divorce him after all we've discussed?" He observed her. "I thought we've gone through this?" The disappointment in his voice made Teslim look up at him. Zayn had always seen her as the mature type, which was why despite their age difference he didn't mind associating with her.

"No, I've changed my mind." He stared at her for a good thirty seconds, trying to get the real meaning behind her words. "I'm willing to stay with Ahmad, especially now that I know that I can not go back to school in this unhealthy condition of mine." She added and the tension relapsed on Zayn's end. 

What he tried to avoid was finally about to happen. As soon as this meeting was over, he planned to tell Ahmad about everything that had been happening to his wife regarding her physical and mental health. He wanted to warn him to treat her with delicate hands and care because her life depended on it. But look at the position she had put him in, he was torn between keeping his best friend in the dark and meeting his wife's demand or doing the right thing. 

"Then why?" He noticed that question made her uneasy. "Ahmad needs to know for obvious reasons. You are going to terminate your pregnancy because your health is at risk and you can't do that without his knowledge." Upon his words, she shook her head and avoided his gaze because she knew she was on the wrong track here. What she requested of him was too grave and it may set their friendship ablaze if words got out. "And we cannot even commence your treatment if your husband doesn't sign the consent form."

"Zayn, please, I don't want any of my family to know anything about my health."She was unsure whether to tell Zayn her reason for not involving her family in a matter of such great concern. The truth was, she didn't have any valid reason for her decision, except that she didn't want the news to spread to the wrong ears, her father-in-law, her worst nightmare. Her mother, she knew too well, would die of panic once she found out. She could at least tell Hannan, but she didn't trust her to keep her secret, she had failed her once. 

" Who will stand in as your legal guardian, perhaps sponsor?" He interrogated, determined, and thoughtful. Teslim didn't know what to say. His question took her off guard. Who would she have run to if Zayn was out not in the picture? A terrified thought nagged her. She had to stop being insecure and bravely face her ill-fated reality.

"But you already stood as my sponsor." Zayn nodded without showing his annoyance. She was frustrating his effort. "Do I need another?"She asked wittily, and he just wanted to grab a damn remote and pause the time, using the opportunity to show her what he wanted her to see: he couldn't do what she asked of him. Meanwhile, he was running late, and he had to return to work in case of any appointments with his patients. " Let this be a secret between us, that's all I asked."

" Okay, I'll do as you ask." Zayn sighed deeply, feeling defeated because he didn't know if he was doing the right thing for her but if it would make her happy, then he was willing to do it. But she still hasn't told him why she wanted to keep it a secret, especially from a close family. "But on two conditions," He tried to hide the curiosity that rose in his chest.

"What's that?" She asked. It was her turn to frown. She knew she was being selfish but she didn't care. She had been naive all her life and it was time for her to finally stand up for herself and do what brought her comfort.

"You will follow through with your treatment and you will tell Ahmad the truth yourself once everything is over." He offered and she took a moment to organize her thoughts before making up her mind. "Do you promise to tell him?"

She nodded slowly in agreement."Yes," She whispered. It was time to take their leave. Zayn stood up and slid out of his table and she followed. After he finished from work, he planned to go home and change so he and Ahmad would go to her place later in the day.

*****

"Brother," A voice called, pulling Zayn out of his thoughts and he looked up to meet Aliya's gaze. "What are you thinking? My God, I've been standing here for a good two minutes." She exclaimed as she approached him, carrying Hanamy, his cat like a baby.

"I was thinking about you." He played, trying not to ignore her question.

"Oh please, if you ever take your mind off work you would spend that time worrying about grandma." He smiled at that. 

She came to sit on the floor in front of him, folding her legs in monk style. Zayn reached for Hanamy and she passed it to him gently.

"Gosh, it's fucking cold in here." She said, shivering purposefully in a playful manner.

"Mind your language, Aliya." He warned against the curse word."We have a kid in here." He meant the cat.

"Did it snow in your room?" She warmed herself, rubbing her upper arms. 

"I think there was an avalanche." He retorted snidely and she rolled her eyes at his sarcasm.

"Hey, what's up with the sweater?" He asked, noticing that she wore an oversized emerald green jumper that looked very familiar. "I can turn off the AC if you are cold."

"No, it's okay, I'm fine."

"You sure?" She nodded.

 His gaze swept her. Her hair was rolled up in a rough bun, making him realize that it was past midnight because that was the hairstyle she wore at night."So, to what do I owe this midnight visit?"

"I couldn't sleep." She complained. Zayn looked at her, worried that she was feeling unwell. "So I came to return your car keys." She handed it to him.

"Why are you having a sleepless night?"He inquired softly.

"I submitted my project today and I'll be finishing my exams in three weeks." She told him. The news warmed his heart.

"So, we can say you are a graduate already." He said, with a smile playing at the corners of his lips.

"I guess so, but that's not why I'm here." She said dryly. That bothered Zayn. 

"Aren't you happy that you are going to graduate soon?"

"I am," She shook her head. "But I want everyone to show up at my graduation," She  started fiddling with the rim of her jumper sleeve." I miss Dad." She finally said, making Zayn tense, lifting his head to look at her."It's been almost three years since I last  saw him."  The last time she did was at Mr.Saleh's funeral.

"So, you want to see him?"

"I fear that he may not show up on my big day and I want him to be there."

"Then your wish is granted."

"Really?"Aliya smiled. " I was anticipating this, I know you have been seeing Dad."

Zayn smiled back, running a hand over Hanamy's furry rear. "Yeah, I met him a couple of times." He paused with a quizzical look on his face. "How did you know?"

"I saw you in his study room and also I heard from Inna, that you two visited her at the hospital."

"We were together on the day of her operation."He came clean without details. Aliya did not know about the Oasis so there was no point telling her about their meeting there or even mentioning the place.

"So what was he like?"She asked, yawning in the process. He ignored her question.

"You are feeling sleepy, Aliya." He rose to his feet. "You should go and sleep now. " He instructed, passing the cat back to her. "We'll talk tomorrow." He made his way to his bed.

Aliya stood up too and started to head for the door. She stopped halfway and turned around as though she remembered something. "And oh! As for my graduation gift, I want a trip to Dubai or Haiti with you and a new Car." She said with a broad smile. "It's not too much to ask." She shrugged, meeting his gaze as he turned around to face her.

He knew she wanted something as always." What are you going to do in Haiti?" He asked as he made himself comfortable on his bed.

"My future husband lives there." She flashed him a smirk and he shook his head at her, thinking she was kidding. He tried not to make any promises to her. He was not ready to travel out of the continent any time soon.

"I'll think about it."He said, and she beamed before turning to exit the room. Zayn reached for the switch and turned off the light, making everywhere covered in pitch darkness. He was someone who enjoyed sleeping in a dark and cold room.

★★★★★

Assalamualaikum

I hope this chapter helps to clear a lot of misconceptions between Teslim and Zayn. Now that you know what is going on between them, I'd like to tell you that Teslim needs your support, she's going through a lot in her marriage.

As for Omar and Imran, we don't know if they are going to fight over Hannan. The love triangle, the unrequited love, the tangled feelings, jealousy, family secrets, betrayal of trust, and a lot more. I must warn you, this story is about to take a different turn, so sit back and anticipate.

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