Story: A Midnight Prayer Chapter 11

By Alawiya Abdalla

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Bismillah

Asha

This day has turned out to be quite a revelation for me. I never expected in a million years to be enjoying the company of Hamid THIS much!
However, part of me is screaming at me to go home. I really SHOULD be going.
I must really make a move right this minute.
I shall look forward to my moving at any second now.
My legs are going to do what they do best__Walking.
One leg forward, and the other leg following right behind.

It is as simple as ABC.
Moving.
If Facebook were to ask me what is on my mind right now, I would say moving my legs.
Yet my legs are stuck in this spot, wanting to know what Hamid has to say next.
Hamid is a very endearing person. The way he talks about the ducks is very child like, I cannot help but envision him talking to his children in the same manner.
Okay, I am talking about children now so I'm just going to start making a serious move!

The guy is talking about ducks, and I start envisioning children who love ducks!
My kids__I mean his kids__Our kids__His kids with another woman__Why not OUR kids__
Yeah why not? What is wrong with me? Am I not good enough for you Mr?
Honestly what is wrong with me? I need to stop having imaginary fights with this guy, poor thing hasn't done ANYTHING to me__Yet.
Anyway, where was I? Oh yeah, the kids (Yeah, that is a safe word) THE KIDS could be ornithophobics or something. They could like have fear of birds or something. When birds fly, they can be pretty scary and stuff. All that showing off with the wings can do some serious damage to ones reputation you know.

"I best go now, Thanks for introducing me to the ducks" Thanks for introducing me to the ducks??
Seriously, I need to move faster.
"No problem" He replies awkwardly.
I start making a hasty retreat when I spot a very familiar tall person. He seems to be taking very long strides towards me!
As the person comes nearer, it becomes clear that this person is in fact my brother Ahmed!!!
Oh no!! He looks a bit angry.
Actually, he looks REALLY angry.
EXTREMELY angry.

Khadija keeps bringing Amira (one of her twin daughters) up to one side of Ahmed's face, while Mohamed brings the other twin (Halima) to the other side of his face. Ahmed has one twin on each side of his face basically.
Aw, they are trying to sacrifice their children to rescue me. I feel quite touched actually, and if I wasn't in such a hurry to run I would have totally shed some tears at the sight.
BUT NO TIME FOR THAT, I GOTTA RUN BOY.
Hamid looks surprised when I turn round instead of going as I intended, he was too absorbed with his quest to get the duck to behave according to his expectations to notice an angry Ahmed heading our way.

"Look, I don't want to alarm you but my brother is heading this way" I explain "Oh, and he looks quite angry, so I suggest you..."
I decide to run instead of wasting precious time explaining to Hamid that I've never seen my brother THIS angry before.
I mean Khadija is SACRIFICING HER CHILDREN!! Can't he see how mad he looks??
Of course he can't see how mad Ahmed looks! He doesn't know the guy, do you know what I mean?
"I suggest you run for your life, from the looks of things my brother will come to beat you up because he thinks we are here on a date" I decide to turn around to warn the poor guy as I run, he hasn't done anything wrong now has he?

I know it must have looked like we were on a date, but we weren't__WE WEREN'T!
My brothers always remind me about not putting myself in a position where it gives people a chance to talk about my honor, and I HAVE fulfilled that promise to them so far.
I have avoided being in an awkward position with a guy that tells me "He wants to get to know me" by meeting me in a park or a Cafe, I really have.
Now I go and ruin it by standing with Hamid IN A PARK, feeding the ducks! It DOES look bad! It really does.
"I'm not afraid of him! I've done nothing wrong!" Replies Hamid, looking a teeny tiny scared.
I run nonetheless! Men and their impossible need to show off makes me want to choke them, but this isn't the time or place to do it.

We are in REGENTS PARK, and we are acting like total freaks.
Ahmed stomping furiously towards me and Hamid.
Khadija and Mohamed STILL holding their children up to Ahmed's face.
Ibrahim trying to restrain Ahmed, by clinging on to his neck while Ahmed drags him.
Mum and Jawahir chatting to some girls???
MUM!!!
Me running away.

This isn't happening in Regents Park. It's just not happening.
Oh, but it IS happening and there is nothing I could do to stop it.
Nothing. Except run.
Oh look, a boat! They have boats here? Can we ride them?
One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, Ten, Eleven, Twelve people can get on it.
WE SHOULD TOTALLY RIDE THIS BOAT!
After we all kill each other of course!!

Hamid

"I suggest you run for your life" She says.
"My brother will beat you up" She says.
Me? Run from him?
WHY? I've done nothing wrong! I was here checking on my ducks, and yes I do know how sad that sounds thank you very much.
So I was feeding the ducks, and my COLLEAGUE happens to be in the same spot, what is wrong with that??
I'll tell you what's wrong? I enjoyed her company way too much, that's what's wrong!!

What am I doing?? I shouldn't___
I couldn't! I'm pretty sure she CANNOT marry me, because of my past.
Life was good before Asha decided to come to this lake, and feed the ducks with me.
I am not a happy man, and I would really appreciate it if no one bothers me right now.
Oh wait, too late. There is an angry brother coming this way to possibly beat me up and stuff.
I turn around to look where Asha has gone, and I see her looking at boats.

Oh cool, a boat?
They have boats here? Can I ride it?
One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, Ten, Eleven, Twelve people can get on it.
I should totally try it out by myself later, even though it would look rather sad.
Maybe when I get married, I could bring my wife and kids and take a ride on this cool boat.
And then me and Asha can teach our kids__
Me and Asha?? I meant me and my other wife__Who does not resemble Asha in any shape or form okay?
No way.

Not because I think she is not good for me, it is because I am no good for her.
Because if she finds out she will___
Okay, I am off the ground!
"What are you doing with my sister? Answer me!" Ahmed holds me from my collars, and he lifts me off the ground.
Hey, this is a new shirt dude!!
"I'm doing nothing, let go of me man" I try to wriggle his grip from my collar.

He keeps an even tighter grip, and he doesn't let go. Honestly, if he wasn't Asha's brother I would throw a punch and save myself dude.
"Ahmed let go please" Asha's voice comes from behind me.
He lets go of me, and I slightly wobble as he drops me.
This guy is tall dude!! I find myself calculating the difference between my height and his height automatically.
It's a guy thing, you ladies won't understand.
Yep, there is a huge difference and I'm once again not happy.
All her family are circling us now. Great, let's make it even awkward shall we?

"Ahmed, you are totally embarrassing us" The brother who was dangling from his neck earlier mumbles, as he looks at the people in the park who are watching this scene with great interest.
"Ahmed! He just happened to be at the same spot where I was. Nothing is going on I swear" Asha explains the mix up to her brother.
"It didn't LOOK like you just ran into each other, you two were laughing" He air quotes ran into each other. I hate it when people air quote sentences.
"Oh that? Hamid was just showing me a duck who was acting naughty that's all" Okay, maybe we need to lay off the word naughty for now Asha.
"Naughty?" Asks Ahmed. You see what I mean?

"You see the duck was supposed to obey Hamid's commands, but it was being naughty and it didn't" Asha chuckles as she explains, and naughty again? seriously?
She finds me funny though, I am quite touched actually.
"So you jeopardized your reputation for naughty?" I knew he would emphasize on the word naughty.
"Ahmed, it was just an honest mix up see?" Khadija tries to defend me.
"NAUGHTY DUCKS" Yells one of Khadija's kids, while pointing to a very innocent duck.
Ahmed seethes even more.

CAN WE ALL LAY OFF THAT WORD PLEASE LADIES?
"Look at those two girls mum is trying to fix me up with, they don't see it as a mix up" He points towards two girls, sitting on a grass where his mum is also present.
"This is what is going to happen. You will come to pay our house a visit, and you will propose to my sister InshaAllah" He literally orders me to come to their house.
"HOLD ON! WHAT?" Asha protests way too much.
"That is final, and if you're not going to show up I will find you. My sister's honor is not a game in your hands, do you understand? And then we will see what is going to happen next" He talks with such confidence, that my tongue has nothing to say for itself.

"Lololololeeeeey" Khadija attempts to make a celebratory noise, but Asha shoots her a glare that the noise dangles mid air.
"Ahmed this is absurd! I am not marrying him!" Asha protests again, but her brother walks away and goes back to his picnic like nothing happened.
"I am so sorry about this, you don't have to do ANYTHING he told you to do" Asha mumbles awkwardly, as she makes her way towards her family.

"Come to our house" He says.
"You have to propose" He says.
"Those girls are going to talk about my sister" He says.
"I will find you if you don't come" He says.

And what do I say?
Nothing.
If Facebook were to ask me what is on my mind right now, I would say
When my parents were young they___
Oh FORGET IT, I AM GETTING MARRIED!!!!
Gulp.

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Posted in: Alawiya Abdalla,Asha,Chapter 11,Hamid,Short Story,The Midnight Prayer