07| Aareef
The prophet(Peace and Blessings be Upon Him) Said:"The one who looks after a widow and a poor person is like the mujahid in the cause of Allah,or like the one who fasts all the day and stands ( in prayer)all the night"
{Jami At-Tirmidhi}
Zahra's Pov
Being alone at home can sometimes be exhausting, I finished cooking dinner like 30mins ago, I am a lazy ass when it comes to cooking or anything that leads to me leaving my room especially my bed
Aareef arrived like an hour ago and thank goodness he helped me cut some veggies
§§§
I am now currently laying on a 3seater couch in the parlor playing cooking fever on my phone and Aareef seating on a 1seater couch playing PS on his phone
"Hey, lil bro can you get me water, I am a little bit thirsty" I said
He pout and threw his phone on the couch next to him before getting up mumbling something i can't quite decipher
"Aareef are you insulting me just because i asked you to get me water"
"When did i insult you" he said trying to depend himself
"Then, what were you mumbling lately" I yell as he is already halfway through the kitchen
He came out holding a bottle of water without a cup, like seriously did he want me to drink the water without a cup
"And where did you think you kept the cup, or am i using the bottle's top" I asked
"I swear......." he starts and pause,he turns to go back to the kitchen when i said
"You swear what Aareef, so now you are starting to disrespect me, just come and beat me up, in san ka riqa"
He went into the kitchen grab the cup and came out he sits closer to me pouting but i ignored him
"Look sis, I swear i didn't mean to disrespect you earlier, I am sorry please forgive me i won't repeat it again" he apologized on the verge of tears
I just can't ignore my little brother no matter what he did to me, so i keep the cup aside and abruptly turn to him giving him a side hug
"You know i can't be angry at you for long, after all you are my little brother, but don't try it again ok" I said
"Ok, I won't" he replied smiling
§§§
It's now 5 o'clock in the evening Aareef went to the Masjid and he is yet to be home, I wonder where he is
I heard a tyre screeching sound maybe it's dad or Ya Abdul and the door bust open revealing a tired ya Abdul
He said his salam i answered
"Thank goodness you are back, I have been lonely in this house" I said
"Where is Aareef, is mom yet to arrive" he asked
I sigh dramatically and answered "you didn't even ask how I am, all you asked is mom and her spoilt last born"
He sit in one of the seater's and replied "ohh kiddo, i see you are safe and sound, so, how was your day"
"You know, my day is so boring, and to answer your question Aareef went to the Masjid to pray asr, mom will not be back until before or after Maghrib"
"Why are you calling my name" I heard Aareef's voice standing in the doorway
"Wa'alaikum assalam warahmatullah" I answered his unsaid tasleem sarcastically
"Ohhh, I am feeling so kafir right now" he sigh dramatically
"Mind telling me where you are coming from" ya Abdul asked
"Ya Abdul good afternoon" he greet instead of answering the question
"Afternoon my foot, I asked you a question Aareef" he look at me, so I raise my hands in surrender shaking my head sideways
You know one thing about Ya Abdul is he is very calm but when he is annoyed or angry I am telling you, you go collect am
"I__I am f_from the Masjid" he stuttered
"From the Masjid since when, have you check the time, you went to the Masjid since 3:30 and it's 5 o'clock, leaving your sister all alone by herself in this house"
"I am sorry" he apologise
Ya Abdul keep on a ranting in calm yet terrified voice which can make a person shiver while Aareef sat on the rug listening, I can see he is on verge of tears, when ya Abdul is angry he will make sure you know you are wrong, but he is very lovely, overprotective over us, he usually plays the role of a father even though our father is still alive
He is the best brother you could ever pray for, he is my best friend as far as I am concern because we don't hide any secret from each other
"Ya Abdul he said he is sorry, so please" I chirped in
"Ok, but Aareef be careful next time, this is not a good habit so don't adapt to it" he adds
"Ok, I am sorry sis" he apologized once again
"Lemme go and freshen up, I won't come out until Maghrib" he said
"Won't you eat food" I asked
"I ate before coming home, and by the way Aareef don't you dare leave this house am i clear" I said
"Yes boss" we chorus at the same time he just laughs and went in leaving me and Aareef in the parlor
§§§
It's almost time for Maghrib and mom has arrived since 5:30 telling me how exhausted she is
Can you imagine i didn't ask her to go nor did she tell me where she is going to she just told me that she is visiting a friend and she is really complaining now
I just leave her with her son and went to my room, recited some verse from the Qur'an before Maghrib
After praying i descended down the stairs i met her seating with ya Abdul and Aareef
I said my salam and entered, ya Abdul pats the place beside him for me to seat and i reluctantly seat facing our tigress
"What did you cooked for dinner Zahra" she asked
"Umm......what" I stuttered i know what's coming my way
"You heard me, anyway lemme repeat what i asked earlier, I said "What Did You Cooked For Dinner" she asked emphasizing each word
"Umm.....i cooked fried rice with coleslaw" I answered
"Fried rice and coleslaw for dinner" she repeat
Can somebody just tell me what's wrong in cooking fried rice for dinner, this woman can be so dramatic at times
"Seriously mom, what's wrong with the food, after all even Aareef helps her in cooking today"
Just kill me already ya Abdul can really be the death of me, she did not even started about me cooking fried rice and now he is telling her that i let her son work in the kitchen
Actually when she is cooking Aareef will usually stick to her like a gum but she won't let him work he will just be telling her some jokes or what happen in their school
"Zahra" she calls
"Yes aunty" I answered, raising my head to look at her
"Is it true that you let Aareef work in the kitchen like helps you cook" she asked watching me closely
"Aunty, I was the one who insisted on helping her, after all i just cut some veggies I am old enough to be cooking by now" he said the last part winking at her
You know we are all so close to our mother but the fact that my father pampered me too much is annoying her
She sometimes says "for goodness sake Zahra is not your only child but you pampered her too much"
And he usually replies her by saying "but she is the only female child i have, or are you jealous of her"
We continued chatting with her, one thing with our mom is that when we are all at home she do call us to the parlor and chats with her
And she do asked us our problem logically and gives us a solution,especially me she usually tells me "when you have a problem don't hesitate to come to me, I am your mother take me as your best friend ok, if i have a solution i will give you and if i don't i will pray as hard as i can for you"
Indeed mother's are a blessing from God