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2024-08-07 17:13:03
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Behind A Smile 125
Bilal maneuvered to where his car was parked. He fumbled for the handle, his movement jerky. Once inside, he slumped into the driver's seat, his chest heaving with ragged breaths. His palms were slick with sweat and his heart continued to race in his chest. Up until the moment, he still couldn't bring himself to believe that his father would actually go ahead with his threat to disown him. Bilal had always thought he always only used it as a weapon to get him to do whatever he wanted, but apparently not. Mr. idris hadn't exactly been a good father to Bilal by only providing him with material things. What he needed ever since he was just a child was his father's undivided attention and unconditional love. Bilal had yearned to get the love of a mother, who he wasn't opportune to meet, in his father. He has always wanted someone he could go to for advice but Mr. Idris had never been available. Although he hadn't been the ideal father to him, Bilal was contented with the fact that he
Last Updated : 2024-08-08Behind A Smile 126
"As salam 'alaykum wa rahmatulah wa barakatuh!" (Peace, mercy and blessings of Allah be upon you). The deep, familiar voice echoed through the living room. Ramlah's heart skipped as she recognized the voice. It was Mr. Aliyu. Her father was finally back! With a surge of excitement, she leapt from the couch and raced towards the door. "Dad?" She jumped up and raced towards the door and opened it. "Dad!" She threw her arms around him tightly. "Welcome home! I have missed you terribly." Mr. Aliyu chuckled, returning the embrace warmly. "I missed you too, but I missed my beautiful wife even more. How have you been? How's You look taller and plumber. What have you been eating?" "Dad," She giggled. "That's impossible. I haven't gained any weight." "If you say so," he replied settling onto the couch. "Where is your mother?" "She went to see the neighbors. She will be back soon," Ramlah responded. "Alright. Call Rashida and Omar. I want to speak to them." "They have alread
Last Updated : 2024-08-08Behind A Smile 127
"End stage renal disease is a severe, irreversible condition where the kidneys have completely stopped functioning." Zynah couldn't believe her ears. A tear slipped out of her eyes without her even knowing. "What...what do you mean by end...end stage?" she stammered. "It's the last stage of kidney failure," the doctor explained further. "If this condition had been detected earlier, medications may have slowed down the progression. Unfortunately, we've reached the final stage." Zynah's eyes glistened with unshed tears. "Are you saying he is not going to get better now? Is there no hope?" "Of course not," The doctor shook his head. "That's not what I'm saying. His life can be prolonged if he is put on dialysis or preferably, undergoes a kidney transplant. I have had this discussion with him before, and the transplant needs to be done as soon as possible." "Kidney transplant?" She asked, swallowing a lump that suddenly formed in her throat. She couldn't help but remember
Last Updated : 2024-08-09Behind A Smile 128
Bilal pulled over in front of the house and alighted from the car. He opened the backdoor and carefully carried a sleeping Adnan out of the car and into the house. Zynah couldn't bring herself to get out of the car. Her mind kept drifting back to what the doctor had told her. How was it possible to find a donor so urgently? Had she not donated her kidney to her son before, she would have offered hers without hesitation. She would have done it in a heartbeat. After all, he was still the father of her only child. After some minutes of being alone with her thoughts, she alighted from the car and walked into the house. She met Bilal lying on the couch with one of his arms wrapped around his stomach. She rushed towards him and crouched in front of the couch. "Are you feeling pains in your stomach? Let's go back to the hospital," she urged, her voice laced with concern. He tried to mask his suffering with a weak smile. "It's nothing to worry about...I...I will be fine." Zynah
Last Updated : 2024-08-10Behind A Smile 129
"Bilal...Bilal has end stage renal disease and it's pretty bad," Zynah said, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "His father also disowned him, because he refused to divorce me. He has no one, but Adnan now," her voice broke and her tears finally spilled over. "I don't want to take the only person he has left away from him. At least not while the time we agreed upon hasn't elapsed yet. I need to be here to support him through his treatment. I'm not doing this for any other reason, but for my son. I don't want him to lose his father. Please understand me, Dad," she sniffled a sob. "If you still want me to leave after everything I have said, then it's okay, I'll go with you," She turned around and began to walk away. "Zynah," Mr. Aliyu called, his voice softening. "Wait." She halted in her tracks, but didn't turn around. "Fine," he heaved a sigh. "You can stay, but as soon as the three month elapses, I don't want to hear any more excuses, okay? It's not your responsibility
Last Updated : 2024-08-11Behind A Smile 130
A week passed by in what seemed like a blink of an eye. Dr. Muslim had invited his parents over and the date of the wedding had been fixed to take place in the next four months. Without a doubt, Ramlah was excited for her upcoming wedding, but she couldn't help, but feel sad for her sister. In two months, all ties with Bilal would be severed. She would finally regain her freedom. But she couldn't imagine what would become of Zynah then. She would be all alone again. Would she consider getting married to someone else? Would she give love a another chance? Ramlah knew the answer was a big no. They had talked about it before and Zynah bluntly told her that she would never remarry. Ramlah was still lost in her thoughts, when her phone began to ring. She snapped out of her trance, and picked it up. A small smile curled up her lips when she saw the caller ID. "Speak of the devil!" she mumbled before receiving the call. "As salam alaikum, sis!" "Wa 'alaykum salam, Ramlah," Zynah r
Last Updated : 2024-08-11Behind A Smile 131
Immediately the doorbell rang, Zynah was already there to get the door. With a warm smile, she welcomed Ramlah. "Thank you so much for coming. Please come in," she ushered Ramlah into the living room. Zynah disappeared into the kitchen to get Ramlah a glass of water. She returned shortly after and served it to her. "I'm sorry for making you cancel your plans," she apologized, her voice filled with genuine regret. "I hope he's not angry." Ramlah shook her head. "It's fine. Really," she assured Zynah. "He understood when I explained to him. By the way, where is my baby Adnan?" "His father took him out," Zynah replied. A flicker of concern passed over Ramlah's face. "Oh! Just the two of them?" "Yes," Zynah confirmed, gazing sagaciously at her. "Is there a problem with that?" Ramlah but her lower lip, her gaze darting away. "I'm just worried he might...you know? Try to take him away." "Be rest assured he will do no such thing," Zynah's reply was almost immediate.
Last Updated : 2024-08-12Behind A Smile 132
"What have I done! What have I done!" Zaahida panicked, her breaths emerging in ragged pants, and her whole body trembled visibly. Her heart thumped harder against her chest at the sight of blood splattered all over her windshield.• For some inexplicable reason, Zynah suddenly felt uneasy. The pandemonium outside only made the feeling worse. She dashed out of the house, and her eyes widened in horror at the sight before her. "Adnan!" She screamed. "Adnaaaaaaan!" She screamed even louder. Beads of sweat formed on her forehead. She shook her head in denial. It couldn't be what she was thinking. "Zynah!" Bilal rushed to her aid just before her legs could give out. "Ad...Adnan.. Bilal, our son," She stuttered, tears brimming up in her eyes, as she pointed to the scene in front of her. "Zynah," Bilal called, tapping her cheek lightly with the sole aim of bringing her back to reality. "Put yourself together! Look over there, Adnan is safe. Our son is alright." With glossy e
Last Updated : 2024-08-13
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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
