Chapter: 8

Last night was a very emotional one full of anger, pity, hatred, and love.

Noah and Alaina couldn't stop crying, he took both of them to his room and consoled them till they both fell asleep, then he came back to the parlor,

he had instructed Yasmin(mum), Hanan, and Hanifa to wait for him to be back, "we need to talk" he said.

when he came back, he sat down and started talking,

"I need all of you to give me an attentive ear please, Hanan? he called her

"yes daddy" she replied

"Hanifa" he called her too

"Na'am (yes) daddy" she also answered

"have I ever discriminated, between any one of you, in any way"? he asked them

"No daddy you haven't" they both said

wiping up the tears that were rolling down their cheeks,

"then why, are you giving your mum a hundred percent support in the way she's treating your sister"?

"Daddy we are sorry," Hanifa said

"I just never expected this anymore, I thought we talked about this before I traveled,

I know Alaina and Noah are closer to me more than the both of you, but that does not mean I love you any less than I love both of them(Alaina and Noah)?

there are the youngest amongst you and that's just the reason, I show more concern towards them,

I am highly disappointed in all of you, you all promised to change your bad ways to a better one,

what has the poor girl done to you to deserve all this hatred?

why? why do you treat her with so much contempt?

what will it take from you to show her affection?

Hanan and Hanifa, Alaina is your blood, she is your sister,

you won't get anything good from helping your mum with her wrongdoings but regrets,

but instead, help her to realize that no mother in her right senses treats her daughter like that"

with that, he stood up and left the parlor.

Hanan and Hanifa regretted what they have done, but they swore to turn a good leaf and never treat Alaina bad ever again,

they both were having the same thought,

they will love her and cherish her like elder siblings treat their younger siblings, that's a promise they made.

mum, on the other hand, was just angry with Noah, she sees no reason why she shouldn't treat Alaina that way, lots of reasons she sees

and she has caused her to lose the love and affection her husband had always shown her,

she feels he loves Alaina even more than himself talkless of her.

they all left the parlor to their rooms to retire to their beds.

she changed into her pajamas ready to go to bed, she tucked herself in her bed close to Hashim, he was lying still, so she thought he was already asleep,

But how was he going to find rest, after all, he heard today, and that's not even all, he knows there's a lot more that happened in his absence.

"Yasmin we need to talk before you sleep off," he said sitting upright,

"What more do you want to talk about, please today is a stressful day already, let's just talk tomorrow," she said adjusting her sleeping position,

"I can't sleep, so for me to have a little rest I have to get this off my chest, please sit up let's talk"

she sighed a little and got up, to listen to what he has to say, she knows he will keep insisting, so it's better she just hear him so that she can sleep.

"Yasmin, I want to ask you again for the last time, is it because of that phone call that you are still acting this way towards Alaina?"

"yes it's still because of it, isn't it obvious?"

"But why won't you believe me, I told you that call was nothing you should worry about or think it's Alaina I was referring to, I don't know what has gotten over you,

I am telling you again, you will regret your actions one day," Hashim said pointing his index finger at her.

what more do you want me to tell you so you will believe? why will you just conclude it was Alaina, why not think it's Hanifa or Hanan?

"Just answer my questions then if you want me to believe you, she said looking at his face

who were you talking to that day? and what is it that I can't find out? what will you take to your grave? what did you regret doing Hashim? who's trust fund should be kept till she is getting married? why have you hidden it from me if she truly is my daughter?

all these questions hunt me every day in my dream, why do you love Alaina differently, why does she look more like you than the other children who take resemblance from both of us? why, why why?

I need answers, since that phone call I don't see that girl as my daughter anymore, and we have never really been close, she was clingy to you, till you give me answers to all these questions, I will keep Alaina out of my children and treat her different,

as soon as she finished, she draws her blanket to her chest and lies down, turns her back to him, she knew he wasn't going to answer because this not the first time they have had this argument.

he wasn't surprised At all her questions but it's an Amanah(trust) he had to keep it till when the right time he should tell her comes,

he sighed and said " All these questions, I wish you can be more patient because I can't answer them until it's the right time for you to know,

and that I pray Allah to spare my life to see the regret on your face that day because if you don't change, you will surely regret every single harm you afflicted on Alaina that day,

And I will tell you this for the last time, Alaina is your daughter, your blood,

the baby you gave birth to, after lots of difficulties, you were unconscious immediately you gave birth to her, we almost lost you that day, and you went into coma for three days,

you should love her more than all your children not hate her, I hope you change your ways and positively see things."

with that he lay down too to sleep but, as he close his eyes no sleep seem to come to his eyes,

so he stood up and went to the toilet, he performed ablution, came out, spread out the praying mat,

and faced the 'Qibla' (direction Muslims face to pray) to cry out his problems to his Rabb, he knows he is the only one who can ease his affairs.