Al Qulub Haris

Fourteen

Murtala looked at the front door then at the staircase, he sighed and turned to Maryam.

"Go talk with your father" she said before leaving the room. Her sentence left him more confused than he was already, he wondered who she meant by his father. He sighed again, looked at the front door then at the staircase. His mind was made up, he swallowed hard and went left.

"Assalamu alaikum" Murtala said on entering Sahabi's office where he found him looking out the window. A smile formed on Sahabi's face before he turned around, not letting Murtala see the smile.

"What are you doing here boy?"

"Abba I-"

"Go talk to your father"

"Okay. Thank you" beneath Murtala's years of anger was his curiosity. He always longed for the day his 'father' would come for him, ten years ago he would say a prayer every night before going to sleep for his father to come for him but he gave up after years of asking Maryam why his father didn't love him, why he never visited him or at least call.

"You never called" Murtala said to the man seated next to him at the back of the all black SUV.

"Your mother-"

"Don't put this on her" Murtala interrupted, his eyes burning with rage.

"I have plans for you"

"I am not a toy that you can just control. As for your plans, I heard them and I will take no part in any of it"

"Son, I didn't mean for you to find out that way. If I knew you were standing there I wouldn't have blurted it out that way"

"You can't justify your actions. If this was why you've been asking to meet with me I want you to know I'll take no part in any plan of yours"

"I am your father and you will do what I say" for the first time since the conversation began Murtala turned to look at Adam, laughed and faced forward.

"I have a very successful career here which I will definitely not abandon and I am definitely not getting married to whoever it is you have in mind" Adams grip on the door handle stiffened, a little more squeezing and he would have pulled it off the door "So I suggest you go back to wherever it is you came from"

"Like I said son, you will do as I command" Murtala turned to look at Adam again his fists getting tighter by the second, his jaw clenched. Adam had the same look in he eyes, the same look he knew sixteen years ago.

Flashback

"What nonsense is this!?" Adam said at the top of his voice to the shivering woman standing before him "why can't you ever do what is right?" He got on his feet, towering over her.

"I'm sorry" she stuttered.

"Sorry? You always do the wrong thing and all you can say is sorry!" He finished his sentence as his hand landed on the poor woman's face, a loud scream echoed round the house followed by crying as Adam rained beatings on Maryam who was on the floor begging for forgiveness.

"Leave her alone" came the voice of the four year old boy as he ran to his mothers aid but was flung across the room by Adam. Whenever Adam went on rampage Murtala was always there to try and protect his mother, every time his father pushed or flung him away he would either sustain an injury or pass out.

Maryam managed to get away from Adam and ran towards her son who was holding on to his arm in tears. She carried him, quickly walked to her room and locked the door. She dropped Murtala on the bed and started tending to his wound "Mami there's blood dripping from your nose" she quickly wiped it off and smiled "its nothing" she made him lay down "get some sleep".

Maryam took a hot bath and massaged her body with a hot towel, she performed ablution, prayed Magrib and dozed off on the praying mat only to be woken an hour later by a constant banging on the door.

" What do you want?"

"Come out"

"No"

"Maryam by Allah if you don't open this door it will be the end of your marriage" She was about to let it end but she knew her parents would kill her if it happened. She slowly unlocked the door and opened it a little, Adam looked at her an evil smirk appeared on his face.

"Let's go" he commanded

"Where?"

"You know better"

End of flashback

Murtala opened the car door to step out but turned back to look at Adam "Don't even try anything funny besides, I'm sure you have other sons why don't you go mess with them?" With that he got out and banged the door shut.

✊✊✊

Zahra checked the time on her phone as she continuously tapped her foot on the ground, Haidar was supposed to meet her in the library an hour ago. She dialed his number again and this time he picked.

"Where the Jahannam are you?" She half yelled/whispered.

"I'm kind of busy, I can't make it I'll call you later" he ended the call before she could reply, she looked at her phone mouth agape and blinked a few times just to make sure she was awake and well. Haidar never used the word 'busy' on her before.

"Son of a b***h" she mumbled to herself. She closed her books in annoyance and stormed out of the library completely ignoring a few people who waved at her.

She got into the car not waiting for Andrew to get the door for her "Let's go home" she said in an unusual tone. Andrew and Usman shared a glance and both looked forward as the car zoomed into motion.

"What's wrong little one?"

"Stupid Haidar"

"Do you need us to break his bones?" Andrew asked wiggling his eyebrows at her which made her giggle, that was why she cherished Andrew, he could always make her laugh. Zahra felt her phone vibrate and she checked to see who was calling.

"What" she sparked into the phone.

"Sorry, I was with Halima"

"Good for you. I just wanted to tell you the test was moved from Thursday, its tomorrow"

"Shoot! Do you have the materials?"

"I don't know" she huffed.

"Zahra mana..."

"When you stood me up at the library, its good anyway I got to read without any distraction"

"Zahra where are you?"

"I don't know"

"Zahra..."

"I just got home"

"I'm coming over"

"No"

"I'm sorry mana"

"Whatever" she ended the call, a playful smirk appeared on her lips. She wasn't even mad at him, it was just funny how he lost his mind over his little reunion with Halima.

xoxo hairanumar