ABOUT THIS BOOK
Description
From time to time, she kept checking the clock and sighing deeply. One look at her face and you could tell she was filled with anger.
Exactly at 9:00, she put on her hijab, picked up her house keys, stepped outside, locked the door, and stood at the entrance of the house.
She hadn’t spent up to ten minutes there when she heard the sound of a motorcycle. As she turned, she saw that it was indeed him, coming around the corner just as she had expected. She frowned even more, folding her arms across her chest.
Ali approached with a stern face and said,
“Maryam, if you’re not going to open the door for me, I’ll go back to where I came from!”
He said this after noticing she had no intention of opening the door, as she simply watched him. She shook her head and finally opened it. He went in first, and she followed behind him, locking the door.
He began complaining angrily:
“What kind of behavior is this? You keep saying you’re afraid to stay alone, but out of sheer disrespect, you come and stand at the gate, letting passersby look at you while you look at them. That’s pure disrespect!”
Maryam, removing her hijab, replied:
“Think whatever you like. But it will never be acceptable for you to leave in the morning and return late at night—and then still claim you don’t have time for me because you’re busy chatting at your gathering! You took me away from my family’s lively home, full of laughter and people, only to bring me here and lock me up while you go sit in your ‘assembly’? Don’t be surprised that I stand at the gate—honestly, the day you make a mistake and I find that your gathering place, I will show up there myself!”
He became angry and said:
“Well, go ahead! The road is right there. Wallahi, Hamza stays out until midnight, but because he has freedom, his wife can’t question him. Me, I return by 8:30, and you still won’t thank God?”
She smirked and replied:
“Maybe his wife can tolerate that, but me? The day you stay out till 10 p.m., just know you won’t sleep in this house that night. I swear, I’ll take a mat to your shop before you even come back!”
After saying that, she went out, fetched a bucket, poured water for his bath, and took it to the bathroom—still muttering:
“So now someone can leave me at home and return at midnight as if I’m some useless woman? Hmph!”
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