Chapter 7 — Hello

"Something happened in this house yesterday that I'm totally not impressed with" Ramadan huffed and continued. "I was silent about it yesterday because I don't like talking in anger" He said.

It was a Sunday morning, we had just finished eating breakfast in the dining room when Ramadan asked Amirah and her brother, Najib to excuse us. I was very happy, my face had that mischievous smile that made both Amirah and Najib to look so disappointed. 

I was smirking when my mum asked me to leave as well. I became disappointed, thus Amirah and Najib derped me with a "duh" as they were leaving. I only glared at them and gently left the dining as well... to my mum's room. There I began eavesdropping on our folks' conversation through the door.

"I say this with so much pain in my heart that, I'm very disappointed in you, Zubaidah..." He said as she cut in,

"Me?" She squealed. "I always knew you love Balqis more than me, you don't like blaming her. Every blame is on me!"

"Yes, because you wanted it that way!"

"How, Ramadan?"

"Your kids, what they are doing in this house isn't good at all" He shook his head and continued. "And they are here because I don't want my daughter, Umaimah to be lonely. But if this is what will keep happening, then I suggest you return them back to their grandmother in the village as soon as possible!"

"Koh?" She groaned. "Haka kace koh?"

"Yes!" He nodded.

"Fine, but you should know that this isn't fair. You're treating them differently, which is very bad. You are supposed to treat them the same as Umaimah, after all none of them is your biological..."

"Yes, ofcourse! None of your kids are my biological children but Umaimah is!" He quickly intercepted her and pointed his index finger at her, more like a warning sign. "Mind your tongue, Zubaidah or else I will not hesitate to do what even Allah hates!" He groaned.

"Seriously?" She stood on her feet.

"Yes, and I think I made something clear to you before we got married which is the secret of this house. I told you to watch your tongue but somehow, out of selfishness, you managed to attempt unveiling everything to my daughter's virgin ears yesterday" He said as he stood to his feet as well. "If I was to follow my mind I would have divorced you yesterday but I decided to be calm. This should be the last time you would ever try spilling that out or else I will not only divorce you, but imprison you. I have every right to do that. And talking about loving Balqis more, all I know is I love you both!" He said and swiftly headed to her apartment.

"I am so sorry, Ramadan. It won't happen again, I promise..." she kept imploring while trailing behind him.

My mum heaved a sigh and summoned nanny Safiyah to help her clear the dining table. Thus, I gently shut the door off in order not to be spotted. Satisfied with how Ramadan interacted with Aunty Zubaidah, I smiled and headed to the toilet to ease myself. Gosh, I had drank too much tea in the dining table!

***

Hours later, my mum and I were in the room watching ZeeWorld when someone knocked at our door...

"Yes, come in" My mum said.

"AsSalama Alaykum" The person gently pushed the door opened. It was Aunty Zubaidah, she was wearing a smile.

"Wa'alaykumusSalam warahmatullah wabarakatuh" My mum responded.

"Please Umaimah dear, can you excuse us? I want to talk to your mother" Aunty Zubaidah said in the nicest tone ever. 

I turned to my mum and wrinkled my brows, more like asking for her permission. Thus, she nodded and I left the room with my Kiddy Pad to the living room. Ramadan was watching news, how bored? I hated news! So I walked out to the compound. There I met both Amirah and Najib playing my ball roughly. I only laughed at them while watching the whole thing...

Amirah was so cruel, she kept running with the ball preventing her brother from ever touching it. To her, football was all about strength and power but Najib showed her how bravery works too. He pretended he was injured, and when she paused to check him out he stood and ran to the ball. Amirah suffered before she got the ball back because he picked it and began running with it. "Foul, foul..." She kept yelling but he never listened until she got him. I couldn't laugh less, my tommy was already aching me wallahi.

"Hello Umaimah, come and join us!" Amirah squealed from a distant.

"Me?" I puzzled.

"Yes!" She said.

"Okey" I huffed and joined them with my Pad. I thought I wasn't good at ball but when I held it none of them was able to get it from me. I used to play it with my big brother, Mahmud...