Barakah Muhammad

In the morning, I wake up to Hoor’s cries downstairs, still complaining about school.  I join her and mommy on our family prayer mat. But I notice that aunty Rose is not with us. I hope she didn’t leave in the middle of the night.

“Oya.” Mommy says, standing.

“What of aunty Rose?” I ask.

“She said she’ll pray in her room.”

I frown. Why?

“Oya.” Mommy says sternly, and we pray.

***

The minute the bell rings for break, I rush out of the class to find Aliyah. I need to tell her about her mommy. Before we left for school, I saw mommy asking aunty Rose what the problem was, but she refused to say anything, only that she wanted to go home. She also said that her family didn’t know of her whereabouts.

Why is she lying? I wonder as I walk to Aliyah’s class. Why are they trying to protect a wicked person? I’ve tried to understand but I can’t. I have heard of domestic abuse before. Brianna’s mommy is a divorcee who left her husband because he always beat her. Brianna has even shown me and Tinu some marks on her body from the first time her daddy beat her. That was when her mommy left the house.

I haven’t really thought about what to say to Aliyah, but I need to see her. Even though we haven’t talked this week, she’s still my friend. If mommy can help aunty Rose even though she isn’t her friend, then I should help Aliyah too, even though she doesn’t want it.

I reach the class and stand by the door. There’s someone on Aliyah’s seat, a boy. I look around for someone I know. Joe is not around. But I still wait.

Someone pushes me from behind. I turn and see one of those two girls from last week. She smiles at me. I wave.

“Looking for your friend?”

I nod.

“She didn’t come today.”

I nod, somehow, I’m not surprised. But I know I’ll come back tomorrow.

Later in the evening, after Islamiyah, I meet mommy and Hoor singing the PJ Masks song in our room. Hoor succeeded in staying at home after school. If daddy was around, he wouldn’t have allowed it. He would say that if we can spend seven hours in school, why can’t we manage just one hour in Islamiyah? And it’s funny because daddy is Hoor’s favorite, but he can be stricter than mommy.

“Assalamu alaykum,” I greet them and jump on my bed.

Mommy shouts “Ke!” at the same time Hoor shouts “Yay!”

I ignore them and just press my face inside my bed sheet.

Mom’s phone begins to ring. I hear Hoor run out of the bathroom to pick it.

Before I can stand up to collect it, she answers the call. “Hello?”

Mommy comes out, rubbing her hands with a towel. “Who is it?”

Hoor gives her the phone, “She’s crying.”

Mommy looks at the screen, “Hello? Rose?”

I rush to her side. Did something happen?

“Aliyah? I can’t hear you.” She turns around, bending her head. “Wait, where are you now?” I hold her hand, praying that everything is fine, or not too bad.

“Okay. Okay, just calm down. I’m on my way. Try to get a cloth to stop the bleeding.”

Bleeding? I gasp. Who?

Mommy ends the call and turns to us. “I’m going to Rose’s house. Stay with Hoor.”

“Bu-“

She places her hands on my shoulder, “Stay with Hoor and wait for me.” Then she leaves.

Hoor moves to my side. I hug her. Now that mommy is involved, everything will be fine.

***

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 See you next week, in sha Allah (Ameen)

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