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Behind 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 : 2024-08-13Behind A Smile 133
"You said you wanted to be alone, didn't you?" Zynah rolled her eyes. "Let go of me, please. I don't want to do this with you in front of Adnan." "Zynah..." His voice trailed. "I'm sorry for the way I spoke to you. I...I didn't mean what I said. I always want you to be wherever I am. You know this. I need you always. I'm just..." he heaved a deep sigh. "I'm so worried for Nazmeera. I don't want her to die, Zynah." Zynah turned around and her lips curved into a small, reassuring smile. "I understand... I just didn't expect you to snap at me like that. I wouldn't have even be here with you if I didn't care. I also want her to be alright." Bilal nodded in agreement. "Thank you so much, Zynah." His gaze then darted to Adnan. He crouched down in front of him and cupped his face, his fingers caressing his cheeks affectionately. "You didn't get hurt, did you?" He nodded, showing him his bandaged elbow and bruised knee. Bilal cringed. "Does it hurt a lot? show me." "Yes,"
Last Updated : 2024-08-13Behind A Smile 134
"So he's coming back?" Bilal asked, ignoring her question deliberately. "Yes," Zynah replied, unperturbed. "He just called to inform me." "I didn't know that you still keep in touch with him," he said, leaning against the counter. "You must be very happy that he's returning." Zynah gazed incredulously at him. His words were accusatory. "I do talk to him. Sometimes," She added the last part to make the issue seem less complicated. "You must be happy he is returning," He repeated, meeting her gaze. "He is the reason you want to be divorced, right?" Zynah heaved a deep sigh. "To be honest with you, I don't know how to reply this." It was obvious Bilal wanted to argue again but she was not in the mood for a fight. "There's nothing between the both of us. I..." She trailed off, heaving another sigh. "Can we please not talk about this now?" "Fine then," He shrugged. "Where's Adnan?" "I guess he is in his room." She responded. Then, she remembered Nazmeera. "How...how is
Last Updated : 2024-08-14Behind A Smile 135
Bilal was seated in his room, in deep thoughts, when Zynah walked in. She took a seat beside him on the bed and handed him some tablets and a glass of water. "It's time for your medicines," she said, her voice soft as always. Bilal took the pills from her, his fingers brushing hers in the process. "Thank you," He said. Then, with a swift movement, he put the pills in his mouth and pushed them down with a gulp of water. "You're welcome," Zynah replied with a smile. "How is Nazmeera doing? Any improvement?" "No,"He shook his head, his voice heavy. "She's still unconscious." "May Allah grant her a quick recovery," Zynah prayed, her voice filled with sincerity. She still felt extremely grateful to Nazmeera for saving her child. "Ameen," He responded, his voice barely audible. Without warning, he reached for her hand, intertwining his fingers in hers. Gently, he began to caress her skin. "I know Nazmeera has done a lot of bad things to us in the past," he began, his
Last Updated : 2024-08-16Behind A Smile 136
"Zaahida has been caught!" Bilal announced, his voice laced with gratification. "Really?" Zynah asked, releasing a long breath. "This is good news! I have been so scared, thinking she would come for Adnan. When did they catch her? I mean...where did they find her?" Bilal shrugged. "At their house. Apparently, her mother was hiding her. She was also taken into custody as an accomplice. Anyway, I came to inform you that I'm going to the station to see and make sure she gets punished for her crimes." Zynah came forward. "I will go with you," She declared. Bilal shook his head. "Adnan will be all alone here. It's not really safe. You should stay home," He suggested. "What are you going to do there anyway?" "No," Zynah, too, shook her head, adamantly. "I also have lots of questions for Zaahida. She'll have to answer to them. Adnan is asleep right now. We will be back before he wakes up." Bilal, knowing there was nothing he could do to change Zynah's mind, yielded. "Okay, y
Last Updated : 2024-08-16
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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
