"Oh my god, Laila I am such a jerk aren't I. I'm so sorry, here I am dumping all of this on you when I've been absolutely terrible to you for years."
Abruptly hugging her, she apologised profusely.
"I know I said it was all to impress my mother but using her isn't what I should be doing. I'm sorry, I'm so so sorry."
Laila was stunned, not by the hug but by her words. All these years and she'd never noticed but the family had never actually said they were sorry for what they'd done. Water welled up in her eyes and she clutched onto Judith's back, hiding her tears in her shoulder. Judith carried on, soaking a small dark spot that was barely noticeable on Laila's niqab with her tears.
"Everything I did was entirely my own fault, I chose to do that all and that doesn't mean I deserve to be treated like I didn't just because I'm bringing my mother into this. You don't need to forgive me, I won't ask that of you, I'd just like you to help me change. I'd like to be better to you."
Releasing her, she looked her in the eye, softly pressing on Laila's niqab to wipe away the tears. The eyes looked up at hers and then drifted down again, her voice fading.
"...Are you asking me to do this just so that I'll help you to wear a hijab and then ignore me in front of your mother again?"
The words dripped like acid, corroding her lips as they slipped off and stung Judith. There was a moment of silence, her mouth opening and closing as she struggled to speak.
"...no. I'm asking you to do this because I admire you and would like to openly refute my mother in front of her eyes."
Determination flared in her eyes, surprising Laila, who had expected an awkward confirmation.
"But. It will… take some time. I'll need to pretend to be mean to you I think, until I'm ready…"
Nodding, the other showed she understood. The time for tears was over and so she wiped the wetness off her face under the fabric, curiously asking.
"So does this mean you're interested in becoming muslim?"
Judith's eyes widened and she shook her head vehemently.
"Oh no no no, of course not!"
Before Laila could shoot her a deadpan, a strange look scuttled across her pale face, an anxious expression baring her teeth as she rubbed the back of her neck.
"Well, not yet anyway - that's much too big a jump for me. But small steps first, I don't need to be muslim to wear a hiijab do I?"
Glancing at the worried face of her sister, Laila smiled, her eyes crinkling with the grin as she shook her head.
"No, I've heard of non muslims wearing it. Besides, nuns do too and jewish women wear a tichel I believe. Now, let's start."
Standing up, Laila fumbled around for something in her drawers as Judith sat on top of the bed to look in the mirror across it. Holding a bandanna like cloth in one hand and golden scarf in the other, Laila's grin gleamed through her wooden iris like shiny polish. She talked as she sat beside Judith and redid her messy bun to a newer, neater one.
"Luckily for you, buns are ideal for hijabs. It's a lot easier. Now I'm gonna start with a simple style and guide you through it but you can experiment when you get the hang of it."
Humming as she worked, she showed the other the steps. First folding the scarf to around 3 quarters of its width to keep the hijab small. Then tying the bandanna over her forehead, pushing it up to the hairline. Gently, she laid the scarf over Judith's head behind half the bandanna, one side hanging long nearly to her waist and the other lying next to her left shoulder. She pulled the shorter length to Judith's other shoulder and then wrapped the longer length twice around. Keeping it tight but breathable, Laila held the fabric to her head as she got a long pin. Upon seeing the sharp pin, Judith stiffened, eyes widening.
"That… looks sharp."
The other took notice of this and replaced it with a safety pin, a black onyx gem decorating its back. She chuckled as she softly pushed it in, taking care not to hurt Judith.
"Of course it is. Don't worry though, I have my finger beneath the layers next to your temple so I can make sure it doesn't hurt you. There. Now you're done."
Judith blinked, gazing at herself in the mirror.
"Done? Already?"
"Yep. Hijabs aren't too hard after all."
Honey coloured eyes met their match in their reflection but struggled to process the golden patterned fabric wrapped around her head.
"Woah… that's me?"
Judith gasped and joy burst its juices into her face, her dimples deepening as she beamed full of sunshine.
"Oh!! I love how it looks! The scarf matches my eyes!"
"I know, I picked it so it-"
Laila was cut off as Judith jumped up and wrapped her in a hug, bouncing.
"Thank you thank you thank you!!"
The next thing she said stunned Laila as she had never expected to hear it for years.
"You're the best sister ever!"