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Behind A Smile 096
Angrily, Ramlah stormed into Rashida's room with the intention of confronting her for the terrible thing she did to their sister. But on getting into the room, she met Rashida seated on the floor - at the foot of the bed crying. She cleared her throat, making her presence known. Immediately after Rashida felt her presence above her figure, she wiped her tears and raised her gaze. "Please leave the room, Ramlah. I want to be alone." "I came here to talk to you regarding what you did to Ya Zynah. That was very wrong of you and believe me, if she curses you, it's definitely going to affect you, because she has been oppressed by you. Why would you do something like that to her? What has she ever done to you, apart from being nice?" She questioned, her voice laced with anger. "It's none of your business, so kindly stay out of this." She wiped a lone tear that suddenly escaped her right eye. "You're both my sisters - my older sisters, so I have the right to interfere. I respec
Last Updated : 2024-07-20Behind A Smile 097
Bilal's jaw dropped as he stepped inside. Zaahida had rearranged the house. It was sparkling. "Please make yourself comfortable in our home," Zaahida ushered them in, a smile plastered on her face. Without a doubt, Bilal knew she had something up her sleeves. Zynah's lips curved into an awkward smile. "Thank you," She said, taking a seat on the couch, and patting the space next to her—a silent invitation for Adnan to sit close to her. Zaahida smiled. "Don't mention it." Then, her gaze then averted to Bilal's grip on the suitcases. She quickly collected the small one from him. "I will help you take this to the unoccupied room." "No, it's okay. I can do it," Bilal said, reaching for the suitcase. Zaahida moved back a little and pursed her lips. "Billy! I get you're worried about me, but this isn't even heavy." Blankly, Zynah stared at them. Bilal had indeed change. In all the years she had lived with him, she didn't recall him ever trying to help. He was never a consi
Last Updated : 2024-07-20Behind A Smile 098
"As salamu' alaykum," Bilal mumbled as he pushed open the door, gently with one hand, the other one, holding a small tray. "Wa' alaykum salaam," Zynah responded as he walked in. His gaze darted to Adnan who was lying quietly nestled in Zynah's arms. "Is he alright?" He asked, his voice laced with worry. "I guess he is missing home already," She responded. Bilal set the table down and crouched down in front of Zynah. "Superman," he called playfully, but got no response. Bilal looked up at Zynah seemingly asking for her help. Zynah only shrugged. "I think he is mad at me instead," Bilal said, then looked at Adnan again. "Are you mad at me? Do you still want to go to the park?" "Yes!" Adnan shrieked, jumping off Zynah's laps. "Careful," Zynah cautioned, a smile playing on her lips. "Let's go, daddy!" Adnan said, excitedly, tugging at Bilal's trouser. "We will, but before that, you will have to have breakfast." "Okay, daddy!" Adnan replied, his enthusiasm bub
Last Updated : 2024-07-21Behind A Smile 099
"No," Zaahida said, shaking her head firmly. "You got it all wrong. I'm not deliberately telling you all these, because I want you to leave. If that was the case, I would have told you upfront. I don't really like beating about the bush." She defended herself. "Alright..." Zynah trailed off, unconvinced by her defence. "You seem like a good person," Zaahida continued. " I'm just concerned for you. I don't want you to suffer more here. I'm a girl's girl." "I appreciate your concern," Zynah smiled. "it's just that I don't feel comfortable talking about these stuff, especially with...with strangers. I'd really appreciate if you stopped meddling in my affairs." Zynah offered a smile, strained at the edges. "Noted. I'm sorry. I should leave you to rest." She stood up, and without glancing at her, ambled out of the room. Zynah gaze trailed behind her. She sighed and rubbed her temple. "Was I too rude to her?" She face palmed. "Maybe she was only trying to start a conversati
Last Updated : 2024-07-21Behind A Smile 100
Bilal's stomach lurched. He knew his father would never take the news of Zynah's return well. The thought of facing his anger, especially in front of Adnan filled him with dread. Just as Bilal drove out of the compound, his phone, which was in Adnan's hands, rang again. Bilal didn't have to check, he already knew who it was. He instinctively reached for the phone, but Adnan was faster. With a mischievous grin, he received the call and placed it on his ear. "Hello?" Bilal quickly pulled over and collected the phone from Adnan. "Dad." "Who was that?" Mr. Idris demanded. "I'm almost there. I will explain things to you when I get there," Bilal replied, his voice tight. He ended the call and averted his gaze to Adnan. "Who permitted you to receive my call?" He didn't want his voice to emerge stern, but judging by how tears instantly welled up in his eyes, he realized it had. "Hey! I'm not angry. It was just a question. Next time, don't do that again, okay?" He stated, trying to
Last Updated : 2024-07-21Behind A Smile 101
Zynah couldn't put her mind to rest. It had been more than three hours since Bilal took Adnan to the park, and they hadn't returned. She had tried calling him severally, but her calls weren't going through. "Please be fine, Adnan," She muttered underneath her breath. Right on cue, she heard the screech of car tires coming a halt outside the house. Relief washed over her as she bolted from the room, her heart thumping hard in her chest. "Mummy!" Adnan's voice could be heard even before he burst through the doorway. "Mummy!" he lurched himself into Zynah's waiting arms. A smile graced Zynah's lips as she held him. "My baby," She whispered, smothering his face with kisses. "I've missed you so much. Where did daddy take you?" Before he could answer, Bilal walked in, two leather bag in his hands. "I just saw your calls earlier. I'm sorry I missed them." "I was just calling to know if Adnan was alright," She informed. "Nothing else." "Yeah, I know," He responded. "I didn't
Last Updated : 2024-07-22Behind A Smile 102
Early the next morning - not long after dawn prayer, Omar arrived in Nigeria. Ramlah's eyes widened when she opened the door and saw her brother in law. They had expected him, yes, but not so soon. "Assalamu'alaykum. Good morning." He greeted, his voice cutting through her surprise. "Wa' alaykum salaam. Good morning, ya Omar." She returned the greeting. "We had no idea your flight would be landing this early." "I couldn't bear staying away even for a minute more. Where is Rashida?" He inquired, his voice laced with worry. Ramlah managed a small smile. Despite everything, her sister had found a man who loved her immensely and unconditionally. "She is in the room." "How... How is she holding up?" Omar asked, his voice quivering a bit. "I tried calling her sever times but she didn't answer any of my calls." "It's been really tough for her, but I believe she's beginning to accept what happened," Ramlah replied. "Mum and dad, are they around?" "Dad hasn't been i
Last Updated : 2024-07-23Behind A Smile 103
Zaahida tossed and turned throughout the night, haunted by the image of Bilal leaving Zynah's room late at night. Dawn finally arrived and her anger still hadn't lessened. "That bitch!" She hissed, gnashing her teeth. The facade of friendship was already beginning to suffocate her. She was tired of playing miss goody two shoes. She wanted nothing more than to be able to teach her a good lesson for deciding to come back into Bilal's life just after he had moved on. She heaved a sigh of exasperation. The only person she could think of for an advice was Nazmeera, so she dialed her number. On the second ring, Nazmeera picked up. "Hello, sister-in-law!" Zaahida rolled her eyes. "I'm frustrated. I need your help, please." "What is it this time?" Nazmeera asked, the exasperation in her voice glaring. "That homewrecker is currently living with us!" Zaahida exploded. "Bilal brought her back here! Can you believe that?" "What!" Nazmeera exclaimed. "When? How did that happen?
Last Updated : 2024-07-24
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Behind A Smile Author's note
I'd like to start by thanking every single one of you for being with me throughout this journey. Thank you for the love and support. The comments 🥺, the gemssss 🥺, the gifts 🥺. I don't take it for granted at all 💞 This book has come to an end, so I'd like to hear your thoughts about it. Did you enjoy it? Did you cry at any point? Did you laugh? Were you disappointed at certain turn of events? I bet it was an emotional rollercoaster for you. Please leave a review and rate this book :) Support me more by sharing and recommend the books to your friends and family. Thank you once again, and expect more interesting stories from me ❤️❤️💕💞🥰😌🫠 deey_jah
Behind A Smile 197
Zynah rolled her eyes. Just who would prefer to be lied to? "Yes," she replied, her voice a soft whisper. "It's true," he replied, his voice deepening. "I came for some work, and..." He drawled. "To make use of the opportunity to meet your family." "To meet my family?" She asked, surprised and totally oblivious to the fact that her mother was still sitting in the same room as her, listening to her conversation. "The kids," He clarified, his voice filled with amusement. "They are your family, aren't they?" "Oh! Okay," Zynah replied, recoiling a little. "Where are you right now? I will send you the address or have someone show you the way." "I don't really know. I will ask around and text it to you," With that, he ended the call, leaving her heart racing as usual. Zynah's lips stretch into an unknowing smile. Realizing what she was doing, she slapped herself on the face. "Who was that?" Mrs. Hafsa asked so suddenly, her voice sharp, catching Zynah off guard. "And why
Behind A Smile 196
When Mrs. Hafsa opened the door, she did not expect to see her daughter and grandchildren. Her lips spread into a smile and she hugged Zynah first, her arms wrapping tightly around her daughter. Then, she crouched and showering many tender kisses on Adnan's face then picked Bilal Jr, showering just as many kisses on his face, he had to pull away, slightly disgusted. "What a pleasant surprise," Mrs. Hafsa exclaimed, her voice filled with excitement. "Why didn't you inform me that you were coming? Come in. Come in, my babies." Mrs. Hafsa ushered. "The kids must be exhausted. And you too." Zynah smile, her eyes crinkling at the corners. "If I had told you, then it wouldn't be a surprise anymore, would it? I didn't want to ruin the surprise. I wanted to make it a special moment." "I'm so excited!" Mrs. Hafsa said. "Rashida and her family are also coming to Nigeria to spend the Eid with us." "Really?" Zynah asked surprised and excited at the same time. "It's about to be a full ho
Behind A Smile 195
Adnan!" Zynah hollered, her tone a mix of exasperation and impatience. "Where are you? Hurry up, otherwise, it's going to get dark before we get to Kaduna." Zynah could not stop glancing at her wristwatch. "Yipee! We're going to see granny and grandpa!" Bilal Jr jumped up and down, excitedly. "Yes, sweetie," Zynah replied, her voice softening. She smiled, reaching down to caress his chubby cheeks. Her mother, Mrs. Hafsa had been requesting to see them for a while now, she figured it would be a good idea to surprise them a day before Eid al-Adha celebrations. "Are you excited? You're also going to see your cousin, your aunties and uncle Muslim too." "Yes, Mommy!" He squealed, his laughter infectious. "I'm going to see all of them." "Yes, you are," Zynah said, kissing his forehead. Then, she stood upright. "Adnan!" She called, her voice rising again. "What on earth are you doing in your room? I'm going to leave you behind, and I mean it." She threatened. "You're the one we're w
Behind A Smile 194
Khalid waved a hand over her face, snapping her from her reverie. He cleared his throat before speaking. "Are you okay?" In that moment, Zynah wanted to speak to him, to tell him what his sister in law came to discuss with her, and most importantly, to tell him that she didn't feel the same way about him if at all he had any feelings for her. But something held her back. What it was? She had no idea. "Why would I be?" She asked, finding her voice. "What do you want?" "Easy!" He said, lifting his hands in a gesture of surrender. "I'm not here to fight with you." Realizing that she had indeed been rude for no reason, Zynah swallowed. Then, she face palmed. "I'm sorry about that. I just... Woke up," she lied. "It wasn't my intention to be rude." "Alright," he replied simply, his voice laced with understanding. "Are the kids inside?" A surge of protectiveness swept over Zynah. "Yes, why? Where else would they be if not at home?" "School?" Khalid questioned, his brows furrowing. "The
Behind A Smile 193
As soon as Aysha left, Zynah walked back into the house, her heart heavy. She picked up her phone, her fingers hovering over Ramlah's number. As if sending her intention, Ramlah's call came through. Zynah heaved a sigh of relief before answering. "Hello, Ramlah, how are you doing? I was just about to call you." "Really? That is to say we're thinking about each other. I'm fine. How about you? How are the kids?" "They are both fine, Alhamdulillah. How's my little princess doing? I'm sure she's as impatient as we all are to see our little prince." Ramlah chuckled. "I also can't wait to hold him in my arms, ya Zynah. It's taking too long." "Three more weeks and your wish will come true," Zynah said, a smile spreading across her face. "You're right. Thank you for always lifting my spirit with your words. I want to visit Mom and Dad soon. How about we go together, with the kids?" "That's a good idea. The kids haven't seen one another for a while now," Zynah reasoned. "It'd be fun."
Behind A Smile 192
Zynah's tears escaped her eyes and ran down her cheeks. All she could imagine, was the pain she must have gone through before she finally gave up the ghost, how hard she must have fought to save her unborn baby. "Ho...how did it happen? Was she the one driving?" Aysha nodded in affirmation. "She was returning from the hospital, after finding out the gender of their baby. I guess she must have been overly excited," Hajara wiped the corner of her eyes and took a moment of silence, before continuing. "She called Khalid to inform him of the news. That was when...when she ran into a trunk. It was terrible. I wasn't there at the time it happened. I had not even met his brother then, but when he told me this story, for a whole day, I cried. I felt affected. It was like I had known her my whole life. I have seen pictures of her, heard only good things about her. I sincerely pity Khalid. Since her death, he prefers to be in seclusion. We've all done everything in our power to make him move o
Behind A Smile 191
Zynah's eyes widened as if they were about to pop out of their sockets. She knew Adnan liked Khalid a lot but that was the last thing she expected him to say. She couldn't even imagine herself being with anyone else. Bilal still resided in her heart. She couldn't see anyone replacing him anytime soon. "No!" she exclaimed, her voice rising. "Why are you even asking me that? Where did that come from, Adnan?" "Are you mad?" Adnan asked, his voice quivering a little. "I didn't mean to make you mad, Mommy." Zynah breathed, trying to calm her racing heart. "I'm not mad at you, Adnan," she reassured. "I just want to know why you asked me that. Do you feel I'm not enough for you? What have I not been doing right?" Zynah asked, a pang piercing through her heart. What if it was the case? She would understand, but it wouldn't reduce the pain. Deep down, she thought they were doing just fine, but apparently, Adnan wanted a father. He wasn't okay having only a mother. Adnan lowered his he
Behind A Smile 190
While Bilal Jr was busy playing with other kids his age, Adnan walked up to where his mother was seated on a bench, and sat beside her. He always did that whenever he sensed she was deep in thoughts or worried about something. The little boy had slowly become her confidante, her best friend. "Mommy," he called softly, his gaze fixed intently on her. "Are you fine?" He asked, his voice filled with worry. Zynah reached for his delicate hands and caressed them gently. "Of course, darling," she smiled, and placed a lingering kiss on him on the temple. "I'm fine. What makes you think I'm not?" "Because," he began, his gaze still on her. "You've been sitting quietly over here for a while now. It's unlike you. You didn't even notice when Jr fell off the swing." Zynah's heart jumped, her eyes widening in apprehension. "What? He fell? When?" she stood up, ready to rush to his aid, but Adnan was quick to stop her. "How didn't I notice?" "...wait, Mommy. He is not hurt at all," Adn
