Hussein's heart broke bit by bit as he watched his wife cry her heart out in front of him. Never had he ever seen her in such a heart wrenching state for the thirty years he had been married to her.

"Yasmin, please calm down," he said as he put his hand over hers.

"Hussein, my son. He is innocent."

"I know Yasmin."

"My Hisham can never...," she began but choked on her tears and he immediately pulled her to his chest not at all caring that her tears were ruining his expensive suit.

"I know Yasmin. Trust me I know. Please just calm down. I will fix everything."

"You didn't fix anything Hussein. Why didn't you get him out the minute he got arrested? Why did you leave him in there for so many hours?" she asked her head still on his chest.

"Trust me Yasmin, I tried but Hisham was the one who was pleading..."

"He is lying and so is Zulekha!"

"I know Yasmin..."

"Just how Hussein? Just how can my Hisham be guilty of all those things? Just how can a man who took his mother out on dates be a murderer?"

"How can a man who insisted on helping in the kitchen despite being horrible at it, be accused of physically abusing his wife? Just how Hussein? How?" she asked as she lifted her head to look at him with teary eyes and he quickly pulled her back to his chest and hugged her even tighter.

"And you yourself have seen how he helped me bring up Yasir. Hisham was literally like Yasir's second mother. He did everything that a mother does from such a young age, Hussein. Then how could such a boy grow up to become a murderer and an abuser?"

"It's all a lie Hussein. It's all a lie," she whispered and Hussein simply nodded his head in agreement.

"I know all of that Habibty. Isn't Hisham my son as well? Do you think that I don't know him? But it seems he and Zulekha were having problems...," he said but she quickly cut him short.

"Problems? What sort of problems? And even if there were problems then they all must be because of her. I know how I brought up our son and Hisham can never be the source of any problem."

"I know Yasmin but..."

"And what did she say? That he used to hit her? How could he have hit her Hussein, when he loves her so much? I have seen it in his eyes. He simply adores her. Have you ever seen how he dishes out the food for her whenever they come over? Have you ever seen how he always pulls out the chair for her at the dining table? Have you ever seen..." she said but stopped, her voice full of hurt.

"He does a lot Hussein. My son does a lot not only for her, but for everyone else as well and maybe that is his biggest mistake."

Hussein let out a long sigh not at all knowing how to comfort his distressed wife. He too had been deeply hurt by all that had happened, so he could only but imagine what his wife was going through as a mother.

"Yasmin please calm down. Your sons will get devastated if they see you like this, especially Yasir," he pleaded.

"Let them see me Hussein. Let them know how much it hurts us when they keep secrets from us," she said as she began crying her heart out once again.

"Yasmin please..."

He held her close to his chest tears threatening to stain his eyes as well. As much as he was a strong man, he was a father as well and he too loved his eldest son Hisham immensely and if his son was hurting, then he too was hurting as well.

"Hussein?" asked his wife after a while.

"Yes Habibty?"

"What did Hisham tell you after he got released? What is his side of the story?"

"Our son refused to talk to me Yasmin. It was almost as if a corpse was released from prison and not our Hisham."

"Then let me talk to him Hussein. I am his mother, he will..."she said but he cut her off.

"No Yasmin."

"But why?"

"Let Yasir be the one to talk to him. He will open up to Yasir, not to us," he said a sad look on his face.

"But Yasir is too soft hearted Hussein. He won't push his Akhi."

Hussein nodded his head in agreement but at the same time he knew that there was no other way about it.

Hisham was not himself at the moment. He was hurt, he was 'wounded' and if there was one person he could open up to, then that would be his younger brother...

Yasir.

The two brothers had always known how to share their tears and joys right from their childhood and...

He hoped that they would be able to do the same today.

*****

To be continued...