She held her cheeks and sobbed harder as another set of fresh tears were freely streaming down her soft now turned pink cheeks. Her eyes have deformed and were red and sore. What makes her cry even more was the fact that she was never slapped before, not from anyone and never from her parents and that broke her heart even more.

It was just yesterday he helped her dressed her wound and today he slapped her. She just couldn't fathom what goes on through his mind so she let it go.

When there were no more tears left to cry, she carried herself to her room. Washed her face, performed ablution and prayed.

After that, she changed into her nighties. Instead of her to go down and wait for him so she could open the door for him when he comes back, she stayed back in her room and locked up herself. That's how she fell into a deep sleep.

*****

The sun hitting her eyes made her scrunched up her face. She let out a yawn straightening her hands before she reluctantly opened her eyes. Setting them on the wall clock above her made her flickered them opened. It was already past eight, meaning she has been sleeping since after praying Fajr.

she abruptly stood up and went to the bathroom. Coming out of the bathroom, she went down to the kitchen to prepare something for herself to eat.

She hadn't set her eyes on Fawwad since the last night incident and she was more than glad because, after that, she doesn't want anything to do with him.

She didn't care if he had his breakfast or how he entered the house last night. She just didn't want to see him.

She ate the last bite of her noodles and washed it down with a cup of fresh milk. She went back to her room and took her bath. She came back to the sitting room and switched to her favorite TV channel.

******

"Bring it to my office" and with that, he hung up his office landline.

A few minutes later, a young woman clad in her suits walked in.

"Here is the file you requested for sir," she said as she handed him the file

He went through it and dismissed her.

He was on his wireless desktop, but couldn't concentrate. He kept thinking of the last night's incident. He knew where to go when he's disturbed so he left all his undone work and moved out of his office.

He knocked once and entered. when he was finally seated he spoke.

"Hussein, can we talk?" he left out a sigh.

Hussein dropped his pen and gave his friend his full attention.

"What's it Fawwad?" He looked concerned. One look at Fawwad's face you'll know that he's disturbed and he pitied his friend. He was really going through a lot lately.

After what seems like forever and Hussein thought he'll not say anything, he spoke

"It's Walija" and that made Hussein gasp

"Oh my God! Fawwad don't tell me you've done something funny. Is she alright? What have you done to her?" He panicked. Through the past few months, he seemed to not understand his buddy; he was trying to be low key with him.

"Whoah!" he said as he threw both his hand up in surrender "easy man" he left out a humorless chuckle.

"Don't mind me. I don't seem to understand you myself lately. Just making sure" he chuckled but immediately wore back his serious face because the way Fawwad looked wasn't funny.

"I... last... well... uhm" he stammered.

"Tell me" he gave him a reassuring look.

"I slapped her last night" and he buried his head in his hands.

"Innalillahi wa'inna ilaihi rajiun(from God we are and to him we shall return)" Hussein's hand flew to his mouth "what happened Fawwad?"

"I don't even know" he hissed and scratched his head "she was being stubborn"

"Oh my God! but you shouldn't have done that"

"I didn't know what to do at the moment but she really got on my nerves," he huffed out some air "and I couldn't control my anger"

"Okay, I don't know what she did to you and I'm not asking. This is marriage and no third party should be included. But whatever has happened between you two that made you do that shouldn't happen again. You're the man and you should know that women are sensitive. You need to have sabr(patience) please Fawwad" he sighed "pity the girl, please. Both of you are forced into it, so please don't torture her"

Fawwad has his head bent low and when he looked up he smiled. A smile that carried many emotions which only Hussein could decode.

"Thanks, buddy. But you of all people should now that I'm already going through a lot and she adding salt to my problems isn't helping at all"

"I know and that's why I told you to have sabr, insha Allah everything will work out. It's just a matter of time"

Fawwad nodded and silence prevailed which Hussein broke.

"Mind for a cuppa?"

"No thanks. I'll have my coffee in my office"

"Sounds great" he grinned which Fawwad was worried he might hurt his mouth. That made Fawwad laughed really hard.

"Okay! fine, you can come with me and please next time, don't grin like that" Fawwad couldn't control his laughter and for once in months, he laughed heartily. He wished he could freeze time cause he had forgotten all his worries at that moment. Hussein joined him and laughed. Just then Hussein realized how much he had missed this side of his friend he's seeing, he wished he could take away all his worries for him. Yes, they're that close.

They left to Fawwad's office. Hussein flopped on the single couch in the office while Fawwad prepared the coffee.

After two minutes, he joined him on the couch with two steaming cups of coffee.

"You know what Fawwad?" And Fawwad turned his full attention to Hussein.

"Uhm..."

"You should open a coffee shop. It will be huge" he said as he sipped his coffee

"Oh my God! Hussein, you'll not be the end of me" he laughed cause that's how Hussein will go on blabbing whenever he's taking Fawwad's coffee. He once told him that he should open a coffee making company and whenever he does that Fawwad will just laugh it off.

"I'm serious you know"

"Hussein! Don't you think you're overrating my coffee?" Fawwad chuckled cause he finds it really funny.

"Whatever, that's how you'll waste your talent" he playfully shrugged.

That's how they continued talking until it was closing time. As usual, they drove out together. Just that Hussein didn't bring up c which Fawwad detests. He had noticed that a lot is going through within him, so he doesn't want to add more to already his messed up mind today.

😿

❤