When he got to the sitting room, everyone was seated and waiting for him. Immediately he entered the room, Mami looked up at him with a questioning look and he just smiled and nodded. From the way he looked, she knew things have worked out. Fawwad saw her muttering Alhamdulillah and he widened his smile.

Only Fawwad and Mami knew what was going on so, he looked like a lunatic smiling all alone. He didn't realize everyone's eyes were on him until Hafsat's voice came up.

"What's good ya Fawwad" she tried to suppress her laughter.

"Huh?" He asked having pulled out of his little trance of joy.

"Ever since you'd entered the room, you have been smiling to yourself" she said.

"Let's all pretend we didn't see anything" he replied smiling.

"Huh?" She asked confused.

"Stop asking questions ya Hafsat. We didn't see anything" Maya said before she turned to Fawwad "right ya Fawwad?"

"Yes" he laughed.

"Was I talking to you? Why are you so stubborn?" Hafsat said annoyed with her sister's stubbornness towards her.

"Maya, what did I tell you about talking to your sister rudely?" Mami scolded her.

"But Mami..." Maya began but Fawwad cut her off.

"No buts, she's your elder sister, you have to give her the respect, okay?"

"Yes" she pouted.

"Alright," he sighed "are we good to go?" He turned to Walija and she just nodded.

"Thank you very much for everything..." Walija started but Mami cut her off midway.

"Do I have to always repeat the fact about thanking me?" She chided.

"I'm sorry Mami" she bowed her head smiling. She still wonders how can a person can be so kindhearted. She's her daughter-in-law but she treated her like her own daughter unlike how all those wicked mother in-laws treat their son's wives with hatred. But Mami was the total opposite of them as she loved Walija dearly with one heart.

"It's alright" Mami heaved a sigh and said "just one thing please" she turned to Fawwad "come and sit" and he did as instructed before she turned to Hafsat and Maya "Hafsat, you and your sister should go take Walija's stuff to the car" she dismissed them cause she only want to talk to her two children.

"Alright" she heaved a sigh "I just want pass a little advise to both of you as a mother. You see, this marriage you're seeing, it's just like an institution where you learn a lot of things from each other. Bare it in your mind that marriage could lead you to Jannah(Paradise) or Jahannam(hellfire) so, you need be extra careful with what goes on between you two.

Throughout your stay in this house, I'd noticed the relationship between you two and it's so heart wrenching" after hearing her last statement, Fawwad and Walija quickly exchanged glances but Mami just shook her head and smiled before she continued.

"I'm not going to ask you what is going on between you. I don't want to know and whatsoever it is, you sort it out between yourselves. Sabr (patience); both of you need to exercise it. I don't need to tell you that marriage isn't a bed of roses. You all are grown-ups, you should know that.

Even me and your father do use to have our own misunderstandings"

"You do?" Fawwad asked surprised cause he had never seen his parents even arguing throughout his stay with them. But Mami's sudden confession left him baffled.

"Yes, we do but whatever misunderstanding we have, we solve it within ourselves and never let anyone know what goes on between us and that's including our families.

What I'm simply saying is that you should please set your differences aside and live as one. Have patience and support each other. Try these and you'll thank me later" she finished smiling.

"Insha Allah Mami we'll try our very best" Walija said with her head still bowed low. She felt all ashamed of herself that Mami knew what was going on between them.

"Insha Allah Mami" Fawwad smiled.

"May Allah bless you both" she prayed.

They stayed there for some few minutes until Maya showed up. "We're done Mami" she said and went to sit near Fawwad before Hafsat walked in too.

"Um..clingy cat, get off him they're leaving" Hafsat said when she found Maya clinging to Fawwad.

"She's jealous ya Fawwad" and they all laughed except Hafsat.

"Huh?..jealous of what?" She asked puzzled.

"If you sit and watch this two, you won't be able to leave today" Mami said and they all got on their feet laughing.

They said their goodnight to Mami and Hafsat and Maya escorted them to the car.

*****

When they arrived at the house, Walija was more than surprised. The house was neat and smelled good. She was still at the foyer when he walked in with the gateman carrying her luggage.

She didn't know she was blocking the way until he cleared his throat.

"Um...sorry" and said and moved out of the way.

The gateman dropped the luggage and walked out closing the door behind him. She went ahead to carry them to her bedroom but he stopped her.

"Let me help you with that" he offered to help her.

"Don't bother, I can do it" she simply declined.

He just ignored what she said and went ahead and carried the luggage. He doesn't want to disappoint his parents again so he vowed to never get angry no matter what she does to him. He wants their marriage to work out because even though his parents didn't tell him, he knew that would make them happy and proud of him again.

He left her standing in the middle of the room confused. She let out a sigh and dragged herself up to her room.

When she got to the room, he had already left. It was already time for Isha prayer so, she got into the bathroom and performed ablution. Coming out of the bathroom, she slid into her long hijab and prayed.

She wasn't hungry so, she just got into the bathroom. She took a long refreshing shower before she came out. She wore her nightie and prayed before she turned in for the night not wanting to think about anything. She just wanted to have her rest.

*****

She got down from her room early in the morning to prepare breakfast as it was a Monday and Fawwad would be going to the office. Mami insisted on giving her a maid to help her with some of the house chores but she refused saying she can do it all by herself.

She entered the kitchen and what she saw left her flabbergasted.

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