Concluding her zuhr prayer, Najah decided to video call her husband to know if he had arrived. She was a tad worried because typically, he would have called her to let her know.

A smile curled up Najah's lips as Jameel's face filled her screen. "Assalamualaikum."

He returned the smile. "Wa alaikum salaam warahmatullah wabarakatuh."

"How was your journey?" Najah asked. "I can see you've arrived at Hajiya's. I was worried for nothing."

"I'm sorry, Najah, I didn't get the chance to call you or Afrah because I have been catching up with Hajiya. We have been talking since I arrived."

"I trust Hajiya," Najah laughed. "When exactly did you reach?"

"About an hour ago, I guess."

"I hope you've prayed."

"I have."

"Is Hajiya close? I want to see and talk to her."

"Hajiya is—"

"I'm here!" Hajiya's voice could be heard from the background.

"And she's here." Jameel chuckled and gave the phone to his mother. 

"Okay."

"Hajiya!" Najah squealed as Jameel's face was replaced with Hajiya's on her phone screen. "Good afternoon, Hajiya."

"How are you doing, my daughter?"

"I'm fine, Hajiya."

"That's good to hear. You look pregnant, are you?"

"Hajiya..." Jameel muttered.

Najah's cheeks heat up. She had no idea what she was supposed to say so she kept mute.

"What?" Hajiya asked Jameel. "I'm just curious."

"How can you tell a woman is pregnant by merely looking at her?"

"I just asked her a question. I didn't say she is." 

"Hajiya, you're making Najah uncomfortable. See, she isn't talking anymore."

Najah mentally thanked Jameel for putting it out to Hajiya. She was really dying of embarrassment. Hajiya's intense gaze was making it even worse.

"Don't mind me, Najah, this is me being impatient. Can you blame me for wanting this?"

"Not at all, Hajiya, but you should know that these types of questions make people uncomfortable. When it happens, you're going to be the first person we are going to tell."

Jameel's words were soothing. So soothing that Najah couldn't hide the blush on her face. She felt like jumping for joy.

"I wasn't talking to you." Hajiya's words were for Jameel. "the question was for my daughter. Stay out of this."

"Hajiya," Najah suppressed a chuckle. "He just arrived and you're already casting him aside?"

In an attempt to show her displeasure for taking Jameel's side, Hajiya squinted. "I'm giving the phone back to him."

"Hajiya, so soon?"

"Seems you're dying to talk to him. I'm off to my room. Call me on my phone later."

Najah smiled. "I will, Hajiya. Bye."

Jameel's face returned to Najah's screen.

"Is Hajiya gone?"

"Yes," Jameel replied. "You want me to call her back for you?"

Najah shook her head. "I'm just going to call her later on her phone. Right now, it's you I want to talk to."

Jameel's lips broadened. "You want to talk about what Hajiya said?"

"No!" Najah was quick to respond.

"Why?" There was this mischievous glint shimmering in Jameel's eyes.

"Just." She replied. "You haven't told me how your journey went."

"It's boring. Nothing much happened." He lay down on his bed. "I'd rather continue Hajiya's discussion with you."

In the period they have been married, Najah already knew exactly how Jameel's mind worked. He was only trying to tease her because he enjoyed seeing her tongue-tied and shy. She didn't want to give him that satisfaction but there was little to nothing she could do under that cute gaze of his. It made her completely vulnerable.

"I spilled hot porridge on myself this morning," Najah revealed, changing the topic of discussion.

"How did that happen?" Jameel asked, sitting up. "I have told you countless times to stop touching the pot while it's hot."

The concern on his face didn't go unnoticed by Najah and that touched her heart. "I'm okay though."

"No burns?"

"Slightly."

"Show me."

"It's on my—"

"Show me, Najah."

At the tone he used, goosebumps rose all over Najah's body. He was resolute in his command and wasn't going to take no for an answer.

"Now." He added.

Coyly, she kept her phone against the headboard and lifted her shirt for him to see the reddish mark printed there.

"Looks painful. Does it hurt a lot?"

Najah gave a closed-lip smile. "It's nothing I can't endure."

"Get an ointment from a pharmacy and apply it so it won't leave a scar."

"It won't," Najah chuckled. "I'm sure it's going to go away in a day or two. It doesn't even hurt that much anymore."

"I still insist you get the ointment." There was a little pause before he added. "If not for yourself, for me."

With how widely she was smiling, Najah feared her cheeks might snap. She still couldn't believe Jameel could be that caring towards her. For the first time, she felt she may have created a space in his heart for herself. "Are you worried about me?"

"I am." His reply was so swift that Najah could feel the authenticity. "So do as I say."

Najah nodded.

"And please," he beseeched. "Learn to be careful next time. You're not a kid. I shouldn't have to tell you these things."

Najah smiled in response.

"I'm scolding you," he pointed out. "You're supposed to be sober."

Najah wished she could tell him just how much she loved it and wanted him to continue. She couldn't remember the last time she was scolded by someone who actually had her interest at heart. It felt nice. Extremely. "I'm sorry." She apologized whilst trying to suppress the smile.

"Please take what I just said seriously or I'll have no choice but to report you to Hajiya."

"Noted."

"You look tired," Jameel observed.

"I should be the one saying that to you...I wasn't the one that drove for hours. Have you even had time to freshen up?"

He shook his head.

"Please do. You will feel less tired."

He nodded. "And Afrah, how are you two doing?"

"I think we are getting along fine. She's been nice to me. By the time you come back, we'd already be best of friends."

"I like the sound of that." Jameel grinned. "I really hope so. I can't wait for it to happen. I'm going to be the happiest man alive."

Najah became even more determined to make it happen. For Jameel's sake. "I assure you that it's going to happen soon."

"Thank you, Najah. I don't take your efforts for granted."

"I know."

•

Najah was surprised when she opened the pot and realized it was as she left it. She wondered if Afrah had had something to eat.

Just as she closed the pot and was about to make her way to Afrah's room to know if there was something she needed so that she could help her with it, Afrah walked into the kitchen. 

"I was just about to go to your room," Najah informed.

Without looking her way, Afrah asked. "What for?"

"You haven't eaten, have you?"

"That's why I'm here."

"Should I microwave the porridge for you?"

"That won't be necessary because I'm not eating that."

"You haven't even tasted it, I'm sure you're going to love it beca—"

"Oh, please," Afrah cut her off and sighed. "I don't feel Ike eating porridge. I'm craving noodles."

"Noodles?"

Afrah furrowed her brows; her face all scrunched up. "Noodles," she confirmed. "Any problem with that?"

"I—"

"No, just tell me. Is there a reason you want me to eat the porridge you made so badly? Did you put poison in it so that I can miscarry my baby? I want to know."

Najah couldn't believe her ears. "What?"

"You heard me. I know you're actually angry that I am going to give birth to Jameel's first child and you are doing everything you can to make me lose the baby. Do you think I am daft? I know you hate me just as much as I do you. There is no way you'd like someone your husband loves. No way! I'm just surprised by how you can keep up this act for a long time. Don't you get tired? Isn't it difficult?"

Najah had forgotten how vile Afrah could get with words for she didn't see them coming. It hit her like a speeding truck.

Hate?

"Afrah..." Najah's voice trailed as she was completely lost for words. "How can you say that? I, for one, don't hate you. I'm shocked to hear you utter these words. I thought we were getting along."

"Well, I'm sorry, I'm not a pretender like you. I tried but I couldn't keep up with the act. I'm not cool with you, I don't like you, I don't want to be your friend. In fact, I don't even want to see your face. Your name triggers me. Are you satisfied now? Uhm? Stop trying to make me like you because it's never going to happen. Oil and water don't mix. I know your agenda."

"I'm doing everything that I am because I want us to be on good terms. That's it. I will never wish for anything bad to happen to you or the baby. That's Jameel's child.

"And your stepchild. Have you ever heard of good stepmothers?"

"I know all this is coming from a place of anger, so I'm going to apologize again; Afrah, please, for Allah's sake, forgive me for luring you into this marriage. It wasn't my intention to deceive you, I only did that to reunite the both of you."

"To reunite the both of us, you say? Ironic how you're trying to steal that same man from under my nose."

"Jameel isn't an object that can be stolen. If he was, I'd have stolen him long before he met you again. Jameel loves you a lot." As difficult as it was for Najah to say it out loud, she still did for she knew there was nothing on earth that would change Jameel's feelings for Afrah. She lived with him and witnessed how he longed for her day and night. Najah saw how much Jameel respected and adored Afrah and she didn't see that ever-changing. "If you hate me because you think I'm going to replace you in his heart, then you're only wasting your emotion on me. It's never going to happen."

Afrah laughed out loud. "I have seen manipulators, but you over here, is a discovery. I'm smarter than you are. You can't fool me because I'm familiar with your game."

"Free your heart from hate. It destroys."

"And who are you to tell me that?" Afrah questioned, standing daringly in front of her. "You don't know me. Don't you ever act like you do. Stay in your lane and I will stay in mine. That's all I ask for. Leave me the hell alone. Stay away from me. Friendship is not by force. I don't like you. Not even a tiny bit."

Najah shook her head in total disbelief.

"And I know you are pained and bittered because I'm pregnant."

Najah could see how hate had clouded Afrah's heart but there was nothing she could do to help her out of her misery. She could only watch her rant in silence.

"This is my final warning to you, the next time you cross your boundaries, I'm going to do away with my decorum and beat you to a pulp. This isn't even an empty threat, I'm going to do it." With that said, she turned around and left the kitchen.

"Wow!"

•

Don't forget to vote and let me know what you think❤️