Short Story: MY PANCAKE HUSBAND CHAPTER 10 (FINAL)

By Alawiya Abdalla

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Bismillah

Ibrahim

Okay what just happened

One minute I wanted to tell my wife that I love her, and the next minute she was pushing me out of her way

And now she left the house

What happened

I was so shocked, I remained still at my spot

To be honest with you, I thought she was joking or something but it does not look that way now

I did not wanna upset her, that is why I stayed in the kitchen. I thought she was going to lock herself in our room, but she just left

Maybe she is just gone for a walk and she will be back after a while. I mean it is only 3 O’clock! She will be back Inshallah__ I am sure of it

Mohamed told me that pregnant women can be quite emotional for no reason sometimes.

Maybe I had bad odour or something

I smell my under arms and__I smell quite alright actually

So what made her upset? She has been bursting into tears now and then, but this seems so much bigger than just a “pregnant woman emotion overload”

I will remain calm until she comes home Inshallah. She will come home Inshallah

I will call her mobile to check if she is OK, if she does not answer I will text her. I go back to the living room to get my mobile, and I call hers. I wait for an answer, but all I hear is a faint ring tone coming from the kitchen

I follow the sound, with my mobile placed on my ear not wanting to believe what am about to see.

Jawahir’s mobile ringing in the kitchen___I do not know why, but that is when I panicked

Oh Jawahir where have you gone

I hope you are safe my love

___7 O’clock____

Hi, it is me again

You wanted it to be Jawahir talking to you guys, right? Well, she has not returned yet

I am starting to really panic now Where has she gone????

Where is my wife gone

An important piece of reality totally slipped off my mind! Jawahir got upset AFTER she read something on her phone; I saw her holding her phone before she tossed it aside

I quickly retrieve the mobile to see what was in it. I check her messages and nothing__ I check her voicemail and nothing__ OK now my palms are sweating, and the phone starts getting slippery

THINK IBRAHIM__THINK

Before I locked her phone, I remember seeing her Facebook page being open

I quickly grab the mobile, and I open her page__Sorry Jawahir, but I had no choice

She had no notifications, which means she had already opened them before she left__Subhanallah, if I was not a teacher I would have been an excellent detective

FOCUS IBRAHIM__FOCUS

I open her inbox, and I instantly see a message from Hamadi

What does he want from my wife

I swallow my anger AND pride once again, as this brings such bad memories for me

Oh please Jawahir do not do this to me

I read the message and my face changes from an angry face to a shocked one in a matter of seconds

WHAT

THAT IS SO NOT TRUE

LIES

OH MAN I AM VERY ANGRY RIGHT NOW, I COULD STRANGLE THIS IDIOT

I WISH HE FELL OFF THAT BOAT AND DROPPED IN IN IN___ICELAND___YEAH ICELAND

The author would like to thank the person whom she stole this idea from, please DO continue to comment and provide such great writing material

THAT IS what made her angry

And who would not be?? He made it sound so bad

He made me sound like I felt sorry for her, and that is why I asked her to marry me

And the whole “I want to be your pan cake husband” did not help matters I am sure

Oh Jawahir, why did you not give me a chance to explain

Where are you now? 

__The next day__

OK THAT IS IT, I AM CALLING THE POLICE

My wife has been missing for a whole day now. It is time to call the police! I barely slept a wink last night, and I probably look like a zombie right now

Good thing it is the Easter holidays and we do not have school, otherwise EVERYONE would have known something is up

I was also suddenly aware that I am by myself in our flat

I hate being alone

In a flat, all by myself

I remember telling Jawahir this piece of information, and I also remember her promising me that she will never leave me alone

The fridge has a life of it’s own, and that is scaring me

What scares me the most is not knowing what happened to my wife

I will call the police and see what they say Inshallah.

But first, I must grab my prayer mat and pray__Recently I have started to pray regularly, thanks to my wife. She never gave up reminding me of my prayer times, even when I refused to pray next to her. Oh how I would love to turn back the clock, and see my wife standing behind me__Praying, like we did on our first night after the wedding. That was the best feeling in the whole world

I was scared, because that is when I realized the power of praying together with your wife. That is when I felt something strange inside of me, bubbling it is way from the pit of my stomach__Working it’s way to my heart__I did not understand it back then, but now I know__I have loved Jawahir since that day

Not the day Salwa sent me that email__Not when I felt my insecurities and doubts escape me as Salwa apologized to me__Not when I felt the sudden urge to tell my wife I love her__Oh no. It was from day one__ I have loved her all along, and I was an idiot for not realizing it

WHERE IS THE PHONE SO I CAN CALL THE POLICE

Jawahir

Erm, Jawahir does not feel like talking right now. Sooo, I guess we have to go back to Ibrahim’s version again

Ibrahim

The police have left the flat 5 minutes ago, and they were pretty useless as usual

“Sir, this seems like a little tiff between you and your wife. You need to sort it out yourself. Call us again, if you haven’t heard from her within the next 72 hours”

WHAT

I sooo should not have shown them the email from Hamadi man

Great! Now they think it is a lover’s tiff, they will not take it seriously

And then it hit me

She must have contacted Asha or Khadija. I must go there

I just pray to Allah that Ahmed is not there He will absolutely KILL me this time! Inshallah he will not be there, and I can solve this problem before he even gets the chance to hear about it

__Back in my family’s house__

“Asalamu Alykum Ibrahim, come in come in” Says AHMED, as he opens the door to let me in

GREAT

“Wa Alykum salam Ahmed, how come you are gracing us with your presence today? No work for you today?” I feel my throat dry up as I pretend to be cheerful, I do not want him to notice my sweaty palms you see

WHAT? Ahmed scares people when he is all serious. He has this “aura”

“Not feeling very well today, plus I could check on the accounts while am here Inshallah” He looks over my shoulders, to check if Jawahir is present with me but no one is obviously there

But he does not need to know that

“Is Asha around?” I ask him, pushing my way back in so he will not get the chance to ask me about Jawahir.

“Yeah she’s in her room, and mum is in the kitchen” He replies, STILL sticking his head to check if she was there

Dude, you can stop now SHE IS NOT THERE

I take big steps towards Asha’s room, before my mum notices my presence

“IBRAHIM MY SWEETHEART, COME GIVE YOUR MUM A HUG” Mum swings from the kitchen, gliding with a big spoon in her right hand

“Hi ma, I’ll be back in a sec Inshallah” I kiss her hand, before I leave her standing there__With a big spoon still placed in her hand, while she yells__“WHERE IS JAWAHIR??”

Yeah, I do not think it is a great idea telling my mum about Jawahir’s disappearance while she is holding that spoon

I make my way to Asha’s room, and I totally forget to knock

“ASHA HAVE YOU SEEN__” I don’t get to finish my sentence, as I spot Asha peering at the next door neighbour from behind her bedroom curtain

She ducks down and says “Shhhh, he might see us! Get down”

I do as she says, and I do not even know why

Then I find myself crawling towards her! Not wanting to ask what in the world is she doing SPYING on our next door neighbour like that

“I wasn't spying on our next door neighbour!” She obviously LIES, but I have no time for Asha’s nonsense right now

“Well I wasn't!” She continues to lie, thinking I'm believing this nonsense. “Then WHY are we talking about it, UNDER your window?” I ask her, STILL staying in a crawling position next to her

“I was just making sure___HEY YOU DIDN'T KNOCK!” She changes the subject, hoping I would fall for it but it just does not work with me__I really do not have time for this right now! I’ll grill her later, when I find my wife Inshallah.

“Did Jawahir call or text you?” I ask her, anxiously waiting for a yes

“No. Why? Did something bad happen??” She asks, looking at me accusingly__STILL sitting in the crawling position

“What is going on here?” Asks Ahmed, as he spots us in our position.

“Erm, IBRAHIM AND JAWAHIR HAD A FIGHT AND HE CAME TO ASK ME IF I'VE HEARD FROM HER!” Asha stands up quickly, and starts pointing at me

“No need to point at me, he knows where I am!” I stand up, and look at Asha angrily

“What has happened?? Where is your wife Ibrahim?” Asks Ahmed, with concern written all over his face.

Oh dear

“The thing is__here’s the thing. You know how things go__when all things decide to go in directions and then you wonder what the thing was in the first place?” I totally overuse the term “thing” which evidently makes Ahmed MORE suspicious

“Ibrahiiiim?” I hate it when he emphasizes my name like that

“OKAY! JAWAHIR IS MISSING SINCE YESTERDAY!” Because I always end up confessing like a fool

I demand a lawyer next time

“WHAT??? TELL ME YOU’RE KIDDING ME? ANOTHER DIVORCE COMING IBRAHIM?” He starts shouting at me as usual

“What is going on here??” Now mum decides to join the interrogation as well

“Erm , you guys are STILL in my room. Just thought I’d let you all know that fact” Asha shares her obvious, yet UNIMPORTANT piece of information at the wrong time as usual

“Everyone goes through a rough patch, I'm sure we’ll get back on track as soon as possible Inshallah” I try to reassure them, but it does not work!

“You divorced your first wife after 3 MONTHS! And it’s 3 months into your marriage now! COINCIDENCE??” 

Okay now I need to punch Ahmed! How dare he mention my first marriage

“You better take that back or else!” I feel anger forming in the pit of my stomach, as he mentions my first marriage.

“You spoilt brat! Have you got ANY idea how much your weddings cost? I have to work extra hard to make the best possible wedding for you! Have you ever thought about your sister for a change??” Ahmed rewinds the same old tape he plays to me every time

“Erm, no need to fight on my behalf bro. I'm totally Okay with that” Asha REALLY needs to shut up

“Mr hollier than thou shows off again!” I yawn and look at Asha for support, but she looks at the ceiling and starts whistling instead

And that’s when Ahmed decides to PUNCH ME

NA AH__HE TOTALLY TOOK ME BY SURPRISE

I jump on him, and take him by the neck

This is SO ON

“STOPPPPPPP!” Shouts my mum over our punches, and Asha’s whistles WHICH went louder as we started to fight

We both let go of each other, and my mum grabs us both from the arms to lead us outside the room.

She sits us down in the living room, and she orders us to apologize to each other.

I am A GROWN MAN, NO ONE ORDERS ME AROUND

“APOLOGIZE!” Orders my mum__Again

“I’m sorry” I apologize first.

“I’m not sorry” Replies Ahmed

“Ahmed!” My mum looks at Ahmed in a motherly, yet stern look.

“Mum, he keeps on costing us and you ALWAYS let him off. How is he ever gonna learn??” Ahmed tries to make mum see his point of view.

“Your brother is hurting. I have faith in him this time son, Jawahir is not like his first wife. She is not a cheater. So hug it out with your brother” She tells Ahmed about Salwa’s cheating

She knows

She knew all this time and she never mentioned it to me

Oh my sweet mum, you never made me feel inadequate because of what happened

Now I understand why heaven lies under one’s mum’s feet

Ahmed’s face changes from anger to soft in a matter of seconds. “I I I__I didn't know! I'm sorry Ibrahim” This is the first time I see a soft emotion from my brother, other than seriousness and disappointment.

“I don’t want you to feel sorry for me! I'm fine OK! I just need to find Jawahir” I don’t feel comfortable with his sympathy

I would rather have him punching me again

“Right. I don’t think she’s at her mum, because she would have called ages ago. If you were Jawahir, and you didn't want anyone to find you. Where would you be?” He asks me, totally respecting the fact that I do not need sympathy. I work my brains off, and that is when it hits me!

I know where she is

Jawahir

Okay, I need to go back to mum’s house now

I do not feel comfortable here

I am at Saeed’s house, and I totally thought it was a good hiding place for a while but now I do not think so at all

Saeed’s parents argued all night, and I could not sleep a wink

Mona let me sleep in her bed, and she went to sleep in Saeed’s room. She was the one who opened the door for me, and she did not ask a single question

Her DAD on other hand, was HORRIBLE with his words

“I knew it! those boys are raised by a mother only, no wonder they choose so horribly and fail all the time. Especially that Ibrahim, no offence” He so kindly said

This whole day has been a disaster! All I want is to go home back to my husband

I do not know if it is my pregnancy, or a temporary loss of insanity but I wanna go back

But my pride is refusing to co operate

What Ibrahim did is wrong

And I am hurt and mad at him, but cannot I be mad at him in OUR house. I thought about it all night, and realized that I did not even give him a chance to defend himself

To tell me HIS side of the story.

And Luul__I did not even give her a chance to defend herself__Her honour

Oh how could I have done that Alhamdulilah I did not speak to either of them when I was mad. I had some horrible things to say to both of them

I think I will just swallow my pride, and return home Inshallah and never EVER do that. I grab my coat, and get ready to go. I just need to find Mona to tell her. I find her teaching Saeed how to use scissors

“Mona I just wanna thank you for letting me stay, but I think I'll go home now Inshallah” I bend down and give her a hug. “ I'm so sorry about last night” She apologizes, looking embarrassed

“That’s OK hun, you’re doing a fantastic job with Saeed. Keep doing what you’re doing and block out the rest” I take her in another hug.

I make my way downstairs, and I feel relieved that Saeed and Mona’s parents are still sleeping. I open the door, and there he was.

Not my fly___My husband

I've never been so happy to see, I want to cry

OH WHO CARES, I cry anyway

I step outside and close the door behind me, so Saeed’s parents will not hear us and wake up

“Please don’t cry! What Hamadi said was NOT true Wallahi. He twisted the whole thing, because he was jealous. Please you must believe me! I love you” He utters the words I so wanted to hear for a long time

“Do you mean that? or are you just saying it to me because you feel sorry for me?” I ask him, hoping that he actually means it. “That’s what I wanted to tell you right before you suddenly left. I wanted to tell my wife I love her, but she left before I had the chance” He looks me in the eye, and it seems like he actually means it

“I hate pan cakes” I should have said I love him too, but I am feeling shy all of a sudden. He laughs and wraps his arm around my shoulders as we stroll back to his car.

“I will never EVER mention pan cakes in your presence AGAIN. EVER. And from now on, I will pray with you, read quran with you and if I do not do any of that I give you permission to throw a bucket of water on my face” He tells me cheerfully

“Really! Well in that case__” I sign language I love you to him

WHAT? I am still not used to saying out loud

“What happened to your eye?” I notice it, as we were about to drive off

“Oh that. Ahmed punched me! AND we need to keep an eye on Asha, she thinks I forgot about her little stunt. I haven’t of course, I was just busy trying to find you” He tells me too many information at the same time

“Ahmed punched you?? And what stunt is Asha pulling?” I ask him eagerly. He tells me, and now I'm intrigued

Are you??? 

__7 months later__

The Abdalla family are gathered for their daily weekend feast__

“Hold up hold up! I have something to say” Yells Ibrahim for his family’s attention, as they were all talking over each other as usual

They all stop what they were doing__Asha peeks from her room__Khadija tries making her baby to stop grabbing Ahmed’s nose

Mohamed comes out of the kitchen, with a plate of Lasagne that mum made especially for him__As usual

My wife tries to sit up straight, but she fails miserably since this is her last month and all

“I just wanted to say Alhamdulilah for my wife, and my family. You have all put up with a lot from me, and I just wanted to say thank you for your patience. Especially mum and Ahmed” I try to hold back the tears by swallowing

“Mum you are an amazing human being and I love you so much. Jawahir words fail me to express how much you mean to me wifey. Ahmed you are more than a father figure to us, all of us couldn't have made it through without Allah first and foremost and then YOU bro. Thank you so much for taking care of us” A single tear escapes from my eye!

Great

“What a baby!” Says Asha, as she wipes the water fall escaping from her eyes

“This ceiling is just amazing isn't it Mohamed?” Khadija tells Mohamed, wiping her tears with Mohamed’s shirt sleeve

“It really is” Replies Mohamed, wiping his tears with his son’s t-shirt while his son looks on bewildered

“Erm, it’s summer and I'm allergic to dust. I need to go find my allergy medicine” Ahmed excuses himself to go fetch his “allergy” medicine

“This is just___” Mum does not finish her sentence, as she starts wailing

We all go and try to give her a hug

May Allah bless my family always Ya Rab

I love every single one of them

Alhamdulilah

Meanwhile in a house not faraway a girl opens her laptop__

Stretches her arms for a couple of minutes, then she opens her Facebook fan page that she created 5 years ago__The fan page dedicated to the Abdalla brothers___Every time she tries to talk about how happy Ibrahim is with Jawahir, she stops and___Starts writing about Ahmed__Her one and only love

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Posted in: Alawiya Abdalla,chapter 10 (Final),Ibrahim,Jawahir,My Pancake Husband,Short Story