CHAPTER THREE

                                    

                                          
THE VISIT 
                          
The sweet smell of lavender, hit Jalilah nasal it was her mother in-laws perfume. It brought her out of the kitchen, squatting to greet her in-laws,  she offers them the lemonade she's made earlier “ miyetti my daughter, thank you.  How's everything? ”  her father in-law ever so chatty ,whenever he's around he looks for things to say “ Alhamdulilah, fine Abi ” she mumbled through her niqab “my daughter why are you wearing a niqab?  Are you still shy ? After 5 years of marriage.  Common that's odd.  Please remove it ” her mother in-law, she was a peaceful woman at least she's never complained about her not having children like other mothers do all she needed was to be respected and as a matter of fact she believed that only Allah gives children. 
“ let's go, your food might get cold” she lead them to the dinning room and slid into the kitchen while they sat and waited for her to bring in the snacks. 
The door dinged and the tray of samosa she held fell with great force “Ya salaam,  Jalilah I hope you didn't hurt yourself?” her mother in-law asked worriedly as she grabs her shoulders to help her up.  Jalilah on the other hand winced.
“Are you alright? ” she asked again,  this time she got eyes full of tears for an answer.  She knew the poor girl was in pain “what happened to you? Tell me ” she asked quietly so those in the dinning area don't hear them. 
“I fell, mama I fell. ” she replied “alright then please be careful next time ” with that she sighed and carries the tray of spring rolls to the dinning. 
The table was bubbly with laughter here and there Hameed ate to his fill , his parents especially his mother noticed the awkward glares he was passing his wife.  Well on a usual note she wasn't supposed to be eating with them on the table her place was on the cold tiled floor beside the kitchen door and she only had scraps from her husbands plates. 
The speakers to the masjid blared with the ahdan for isha prayer and the men left for the masjid leaving only Jalilah and her mother in-law.  Mama went upstairs to Jalilah's room to pray while she worked on the dishes in the sink “Jalilah!” the house resonated with Mama's voice .
She walked gently to her room saying salam as she steps in “ Mama, do you need anything? ” she asked,and  the woman nodded“ I need you to come sit here” she points to the cushioned chair kept in the middle of the room.  She sat and the next thing Mama did was to remove her niqab,  then her jilbab,“don't stop me ” she ordered as she pulled her jalabiya off. Mama cried as she sights her now turned purple bruised face to her bruised shoulders “he did this to you? ”by now her tears were uncontrollable .
Jalilah hated to be pitied “ Mama please let me go I don't want him to return and find me here,  it'll anger him the more” fear was evident in her voice.  It was obvious she was afraid of the husband she agreed to marry willing “don't worry,  let me treat your wounds,  they won't be back that soon” she squeezed the towel gently to rid it off the warm water as she presses her swollen body. “worry not child, I'll put a stop to this. Ok” she said nodding but was held back abruptly by a hand “Mama , I believe this is what was decreed for me. Please pretend as though you have no idea, I promise you Insha Allah I'll pass through this with Sabr.  I'll survive Mama ” Jalilah was trying her best to stop the tears tingling her eyes.  All she wanted now was Mama's  assurance that she'll  not utter a word to a soul and she got that “I'll pray for you my child, sometimes I  wonder if he was the loving boy I raised” she hugged her sons wife so hard that blood oozed from her open wounds. 
        The door dinged notifying the arrival of Hameed and his father they said salaams  as they didn't meet anyone in the sitting room .  An already dressed Jalilah followed by Mama  walked down the stairs to welcome them “Mama  why did you ask us to buy so many bukhours and sprays for you? 
                          
Hameed was curious because they got that message when they were already in front of the gate about to enter the house.  It was the reason they hadn't returned on time and mama had a word or two with  Jalilah.  “well I guess it was a little token for my darling daughter in-law here for feeding me and my old husband delicious food ” Mama did sound sarcastic “I'm not old”Yasir replied feigning hurt “says a man who can't lift a small bag of wheat” Mama had made sure the whole house roared with laughter.  She needed to lift the tension and prevent Hameed from suspecting anything. Meanwhile Jalilah looked pale under her niqab,  she prayed silently that Hameed will learn to be a little nice from his father .
She keeps the last ceramic plate on the rack,  she was done for the day.  So very tired that her aching body went numb, after wiping her hands with the kitchen towel she makes her way upstairs to the bedroom she opened the door to see a snoring Hameed, Ya Allah he looked so  at peace if only he had a good heart,  after washing up and changed into neater clothes she strolls to the bathroom to perform ablution then she tried opening the door only to find out that it's been locked from outside, she tried several times but it was obvious she was locked up “please open the door, I need to perform salat ” she banged the door twice “if I were you I'll keep shut and go to sleep,  you think because my parents are sleeping over you can do whatever you want.  You want to get  your stinking self in my bed, you must be dreaming ”she could hear his voice at the other side of the door. She was defenceless and hurt. 
Mama tiptoed back to her sleeping husband in tears she's been eavesdropping on Hameed and Jalilah's  conversation and she prayed silently for an iota of humility in her son's life. 
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  This is the first longest chapter, there many more to come and we have a lot to unravel.  
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Love Zarah 💞