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With a mind full of doubts and hesitation, Big Brother (Babban Yaya) headed toward Oum’s section of the house. It was almost ten o'clock at night, and Maanal had still not returned to her own quarters. Meanwhile, AA's condition had stabilized, and they had just removed another intravenous drip from him. Finding the living room empty, he walked straight to her bedroom. He knocked and offered a greeting; she answered, granting him permission, and he stepped inside. Seeing her sitting there with a face heavily weighed down by anxiety made his heart skip a beat, even though he knew part of her worry was due to Auta's current illness.
"Oum, are you not feeling well?" he asked, deeply concerned as he walked over and sat close to her.
She simply stared at him. No matter how hard she tried to smile or ease her tension, she failed completely. Instead, a few silent tears welled up in her eyes. Seeing this, Big Brother panicked even more.
She grabbed his hand and shook her head. “Look, calm down. It’s really nothing.”
“Come on, Oum, how can I believe that? Look at how clearly the worry is written all over your face. For God's sake, if this is because of Auta’s illness, stop upsetting yourself. Everything will pass as if it never happened, *in sha Allah*. In fact, he is sleeping right now, and I took off the drip because it finished. His body isn't hot at all anymore. From the way he is sleeping, you can tell—*Alhamdulillah*—that there’s no major distress like yesterday and earlier today. Actually, I came here because of Maanal. I thought she was going to spend the night over there tonight since she is feeling a bit better too?”
Oum’s frustration flared up visibly on her face again. She said, "That is exactly why your father upset me, Fadeel. He says she isn't moving back there for now—not until after the Eid celebration—so he can teach Ajwaad a lesson. What lesson does that boy need to be taught beyond what he has already endured? Leaving aside the grueling illness he suffered years ago, just look at the state he fell into over the past few days and where he is right now. Everyone in life has their own temperament and destiny, but your father refuses to understand that. He fails to realize that Ajwaad is naturally guarded and keeps things deep inside. Given how important Maanal is to him, I don't think he needs to open his mouth and say it explicitly before people believe it. Does he want me to lose my son just because of this rigid stubbornness of his?" She ended her sentence with her voice trembling, on the verge of tears.
Even more panicked now, Big Brother shook his head, his own eyes shifting anxiously. “For God's sake, Oum, calm down. Let me go talk to him right now. Or better yet, you can call Baba or Abba and let them intervene...”
“So, does that mean I am no longer master of my own household, or what?”
Both Big Brother and Oum turned sharply toward the door. Abah had fully walked into the room. Showing intense irritation, he continued, “Just to satisfy your mother's whims, my own parents should be called to reprimand me? Wow, Fadeel, well done. I said well done, do you hear me!”
“Please forgive me, Abah, that wasn't what I meant. But Oum is...”
"Young man, stand up and go to bed. Goodnight." Abah cut him off sharply, his anger flaring further. Big Brother looked at Oum, his eyes wide with anxiety. She nodded gently, signaling him to just leave. So, he simply stood up and headed for the door. Abah watched him leave, shaking his head inwardly and thinking, *(When it comes to their mother, everyone else can drop dead as far as they are concerned; they don't care about anyone else).*
Aloud, he shifted his gaze to Oum, who had turned her head away, completely ignoring his presence in the room. She then made a move to stand up. Knowing exactly what she intended to do, he spoke in a strictly commanding tone, “Sit back down.”
She sat back down. Then, she raised her eyes and looked at him directly for the first time. In response, he hardened his facial expression and threw her a sharp glare that forced her to avert her gaze before he uttered, “Oh, so now, just because I made a proper decision regarding your son, you are holding a grudge against me? You even summoned your eldest son, laying it all out to gangan up on me, as if I lack the authority to dictate how things should be run?”
Oum squeezed her eyes shut briefly, then opened them to look at him. She opened her mouth as if to speak, but stopped herself as tears filled her eyes. He looked away, knowing that if he kept looking, she would soften his heart. This time, however, he was determined to stand his ground, no matter what. He had to discipline Ajwaad, if only to make him truly realize Maanal's worth. It couldn't be that he got her hand in marriage effortlessly, and they just handed her over to him on a silver platter.
As Abah turned to leave the room, Oum finally let the tears she had been holding back stream down her face. In a crying voice, she said, “Do you all have to kill him before your minds can be at peace, Gadanga? Is the lesson your younger brother gave him not enough for you to forgive him?”
Abah, who had stopped dead in his tracks the moment she started speaking, let out a soft, mirthless smile. Then, his face hardened again as he turned around to look at her from where he stood. "Rafeeq did not discipline your son. It was a fair competition for her hand, and out of the goodness of his heart, he stepped down for him. If I had known he was going to do that, I would have stopped him." He finished his sentence, turned on his heel, and walked out. A heavy lump of frustration tightened in Oum’s throat. Her heart fiercely urged her to just take Maanal back to Ajwaad’s quarters herself, regardless of the consequences…
The sounds signaling his arrival made her stop her restless pacing. She sat down smoothly at the edge of his bed, adopting a calm demeanor as if she hadn't been pacing at all. She picked up his prayer book from the bedside drawer and began reading it. Initially, Abah, who had walked in visibly irritated, didn't notice her. It wasn't until she looked up and spoke in a deeply soothing tone, saying, "Welcome back," that he looked at her.
He muttered a low response. She quickly stood up and walked over, asking softly, “Is everything alright? You look upset.”
He sucked his teeth loudly in frustration, tossed his phone onto his bed, and sat down, rubbing his forehead with his hand. “Fateema is deliberately trying to ruin my mood, Kamila.”
Mamy hid a secret smile. Outwardly, however, she adopted a look of deep concern and said, “Oh, come on. Maybe you just misunderstood her. I know she wouldn't intentionally upset you, sir.”
“Suck a sound! You wouldn't understand, Kamila. She never gets tired of making trouble when it comes to her children. She's been throwing a tantrum ever since the rule I set yesterday about Maanal returning to Ajwaad's quarters. Just now, when I went to wish her a good night, I caught her sitting her eldest son down, complaining to him. And he was actually advising her to involve my parents against me!”
Mamy sat up straight now, gently taking his hand into hers with an affectionate touch. “Please don't be upset. I will go see her so we can talk, and I'll make sure she understands. Because honestly, Ajwaad deserves to be taught a lesson before that girl is handed over to him—if only out of respect for her parents, who overlooked everything that happened in the past and gave her to him again without raising an issue. That boy's stubbornness is just too much; he needs to understand that you can't be stubborn about everything in life...”
“That is exactly what I want her to understand, Kamila! But she refuses to calm down and listen to me. I want to break him of that habit, if only because of the stark contrast between his past and who he is today.”
“Don't worry, she will understand, *in sha Allah*. Give her some time to cool down now, and then we will meet and talk to her. If necessary, Maanal can even move into my quarters to stay with me for the time being. Because if we don't do that, he won't care at all.”
Abah went quiet for a moment, then nodded his head in deep satisfaction. “You actually have a point, Kamila. If Maanal stays in Fateema’s section, it changes nothing. Her son will just move right in there with them, meaning he won't feel the weight of the lesson at all.”
"Exactly, that's exactly how it will play out," Mamy said, a profound wave of triumphant joy washing through her heart.
Abah, entirely oblivious to her underlying motives, added, “Well, I will handle the situation. Let him get fully well first.”
“May Allah grant you the strength. I am behind you one hundred percent on this decision. Because if we follow their mother's wishes, she will just hand the girl over to him on a silver platter, giving him the freedom to keep doing whatever he pleases—since she and his siblings have completely spoiled him. They've made him feel that whatever he demands, he gets, no matter how unreasonable.”
Mamy's words resonated deeply with Abah. He felt an intense sense of alignment and satisfaction with her perspective, far more than she had even hoped he would understand......✍️
*(Mamy😏. Mamy☹️. Mamy😮💨. This woman though🤔. Hummmm😥.)
The next morning, up until around twelve noon, Abah had not set eyes on Oum anywhere in the house. From this, he understood that her anger was entirely genuine. It actually amused him, so he decided to give her space as well. By evening, he still hadn't seen her. He held out until after the Maghrib and Ishaa prayers before finally heading to her quarters. The entire place was pristine and filled with a pleasant fragrance. He found her maids in the downstairs living room chatting; they greeted him respectfully, and he responded warmly before walking past.
Oum was sitting on a long couch, and Maanal was lying down with her head resting on Oum's lap, both of them with their eyes fixed on the television. Abah's greeting made Maanal sit up immediately. Keeping her gaze lowered, she welcomed and greeted him. With a smile on his face, he responded and asked about her headache. She answered gently, “It has stopped, Abah, *Alhamdulillah*.”
“Masha Allah, that's exactly what we want, your father's blessed daughter.”
Manal offered a wide smile, then stood up quickly. She walked over to the dining area, fetched a bottle of water from the fridge, set it down in front of him, and tactfully retreated into Oum's bedroom.
Left alone with Oum, Abah stared at her in utter amazement, noticing that ever since he walked into the living room, she hadn't so much as raised her eyes to look at him. Instead, she sat there looking incredibly sullen. For a second, he felt like turning around and leaving her quarters entirely. He actually made a move to turn, but stopped. He picked up the water Maanal had left for him, took a drink, and then looked at her intently.
In a slightly firm tone, he said, “So the grudge is still active? Just because I withheld your son's wife from him, you are pulling this stunt on me and ignoring me the entire day, Fateema? Am I really that irrelevant that I cannot establish a rule and be understood? Why are you so incredibly selfish when it comes to your children?”
For the first time, she snapped her head up to look at him, her eyes brimming with tears. With a trembling voice, she said, "What is selfish about this, their father? Even if only because of the grueling state that boy fell into, he deserves to be forgiven and understood. Yes, I admit he made a mistake. But even if he didn't openly voice his love for Maanal, the trauma he went through was answer enough. Yet, you insist his wife won't be given to him until after Eid. Come on, Gadanga, understand the situation! He is unwell; he needs someone close to care for him..." Tears began streaming down her face before she could even finish her sentence.
To Abah, the display was almost amusing. Just because he said Maanal wouldn't move in until after the Eid prayers, she viewed it as a catastrophic mistake and sat there weeping. *Oh Lord, his Fateema was truly the queen of drama.* He simply shook his head and turned to leave without saying another word. He knew he had to remain firm so that both she and her son would realize he wasn't playing around.
Quickly, she called out, “Gadanga!”
He stopped and turned slightly to look at her. In response, she simply burst into a heavier sob. He hurried out immediately. Whenever she pulled these dramatic episodes, he knew he needed to put distance between them; otherwise, she would melt his resolve and make him cross lines he never intended to cross.
From Oum’s quarters, he went straight to AA’s section to check on his health again, as the young man had spent the entire day bedridden and hadn't even gone out for prayers due to the profound physical weakness he was still battling. In the room, he found Big Brother and Fawzan keeping him company. AA was fast asleep while the other two chatted quietly. They greeted him with deep respect, and he responded warmly while touching the forehead of the sleeping AA. His body wasn't hot like the day before; from the peaceful nature of his sleep, it was clear he was recovering well, *Alhamdulillah*.
Abah let out a soft sigh of relief, then looked up at Big Brother and Fawzan. “Alhamdulillah, the fever is completely gone now. You boys should go get some sleep and rest. I'll stay with him tonight.”
Fawzan's eyes widened in surprise. “Oh, come on, Abah, you? Oum will literally skin us alive!”
Abah laughed, and Big Brother smiled too, adding, “No, Abah, we've exempted you; please go on back. Fawzan is right, Oum might actually beat us.”
Abah simply smiled at that. He sat down, and they discussed AA’s health briefly. Ever since they arrived from Kano two days prior, his recovery had been slow. Despite his usual high pain tolerance, the illness had completely laid him low this time. To make matters worse, he stubbornly refused to go to the hospital, forcing them to have a doctor visit the house to examine him.
After Abah bade them goodnight and stepped outside, Big Brother quickly hurried out after him. Abah stopped and waited for him to catch up.
“Is everything alright, Fadeel?”
With deep politeness, Big Brother said, "Yes, Abah. It’s just regarding Maanal’s move. For God’s sake, please have mercy and let him have his wife. Allah knows I hate seeing Oum in such deep distress. It's too much load on her—dealing with Ajwaad's illness on one hand and this issue on the other. Abah, I swear I can see how much weight she has lost just today." Big Brother finished his plea looking as though he might cry himself.
Abah smiled, let out a slow breath, and said, “Look, Fadeel, we must also be fair to the girl and her parents. Frankly, if I had known Rafeeq was going to step aside and orchestrate this outcome, I would have stopped him. I still stand by my word: Ajwaad must swallow his pride, come forward himself, and ask me for Maanal after explicitly seeking her forgiveness. If necessary, he needs to tell us the reason behind his stubborn behavior.”
Big Brother nodded deeply in agreement. “I understand your point, Abah, and I completely support you. But that won't stop me from begging you to show mercy and forgive Auta. You know how deeply guarded he keeps his emotions; maybe there is a side to this story we know nothing about. But I swear, we are witnesses to the fact that Ajwaad loves Maanal with all his heart. I believe that once a man and a woman are married, it is up to Allah; letting them be together might be exactly what allows them to settle their differences, if only because of the deep love they both share for one another.”
“Humm, what love, Fadeel? If he loved her, would he dismiss her entirely and act distant the moment he saw her again? What is the point of that arrogance? Is marriage a game? Let them remain separated for now; he will feel the sting of this discipline far more than the alternative you are envisioning. I want this to serve as a lasting lesson to change his character, especially since he is a family man now and will be starting a family of his own soon.”
“Of course, marriage is no joke, Abah, and we will always submit to whatever judgment you pass. But when we look at the sheer trauma he suffered out of fear of losing her, it’s worth analyzing. On some level, I worry that her father's relatives might have done something spiritual to him back then, since their grandmother openly opposed our marriage to Shaheedeh’s lineage. Abah, you know she would use any means to get her way, and spiritual manipulation (*asiri*) is a reality.”
Abah stared intensely at Big Brother, his mind turning over the weight of those words. However, he made no comment on the matter, simply turning toward the exit and saying, "I will think about it, but for now, I stand by my decision that she will not move in yet. Keep nursing him until he is back on his feet." With that, he departed.
Big Brother simply watched him go. Their younger brother’s situation was deeply upsetting and confusing to him as well. But regardless of the hurdles, the marriage had ultimately been solemnized; whatever challenges lay ahead would be manageable, *in sha Allah*…
Mamy let out a wide, satisfied smile. She had overheard every single word of the conversation between Abah and Big Brother. She was ecstatic at how easily her plan had influenced Abah. She hadn't expected him to take her advice so seriously, given that when she initially suggested it, he acted entirely indifferent, as though her words hadn't resonated at all. *So that's why his little golden child was still looking miserable; her plans had been thoroughly disrupted once again.*
Another broad grin spread across her face, baring her teeth. She quickly composed her expressions, adjusted her demeanor, and walked fully into the living room, calling out a greeting.
Fawzan and Big Brother both looked up at her arrival and returned her greeting. Adopting her usual reserved and modest posture, she accepted their pleasantries and inquired about the patient. Displaying the immense respect they always gave her, they assured her he was doing better and was currently asleep. She simply nodded, and without another word, walked straight into AA’s bedroom. He was indeed still asleep, his face pale.
A fleeting, cold smile touched her lips. She knew without a doubt that her affection for him was entirely unique among them. From carrying him in her womb to giving birth to him despite the intense hardships she endured, he held a uniquely special place in her life. For a second time, she smiled, then sat down close to his side. She reached out and stroked the thick, messy hair on his head. She spent several minutes silently offering continuous prayers for his recovery before standing up and exiting the room.
Slowly, AA—who had actually awoken the moment Mamy stood over him—opened his eyes and watched her leave. Only after she closed the door behind her did he let his eyes drift shut again. He lay still for a long time before opening them once more, though they felt incredibly heavy with lingering sleep. He attempted to sit up, but the room spun violently, forcing him to close his eyes and sink back down. Sleep quickly reclaimed him, pulling him into a vivid dream about Mamy. The mere sight of her standing over him lingered heavily in his subconscious; though he knew she hadn't done anything malicious, his heart held onto the image
