Her brother threw her out of her own house after snatching her hijab off. Mary was standing outside. She was not covered and the only good thing in the moment was that there was no one on the road.
She was crying badly, trying to cover herself with her hands, but she failed. She felt naked while being completely covered in clothes. Mary was hurt and just then
Aaryan came
The two of them had a lesson with Amara together, and maybe he was just waiting for her.
The moment Aaryan looked at her he pinched his eyes close and turned around. Mary didn't want anyone to see her like this, no one, and what Aaryan did, made her cry harder.
He didn't say anything
A second later, Amara came out of the garden, probably both siblings had heard the voice when Matthew closed the door in her face. When she saw Mary, her face turned pale, Amara ran to her. "Mary," she called, and Mary broke down when she hugged her. Her heart was aching badly and she was unable to bear it
"Hey," she called, but Mary's words were all lost in cries. She was unable to stop the tears because the ache was heavy.
After a moment, she parted away. Amara looked around, finding no person she needed to cover herself from, and then she removed her hijab and covered Mary with it. Mary just kept on staring at the ground, she was still crying and then she heard a voice
"Come to my home." Aaryan said. Mary's mind paused for an instant but she knew she could not do it so she tried to deny "No I can't–"
"Where would you even go, Diamond?" That one word was enough for her to give up. Mary cried harder over the name and then she nodded her head up and down.
Amara supported Mary by placing a hand on her shoulder and assisted her in walking. Aaryan was looking furious, his hands were clenched so tight as if they would start to bleed. He was glaring at her house, his breaths were audible to her and she had never seen Aaryan this angry ever before
After a moment, he, too, moved, and the three of them entered the house, finding their parents in front. "What happened?" Yusuf asked in worry as he looked at Mary. Aaryan shook his head to the side, telling his parents not to ask any questions and they understood
•••
Amara took Mary straight to her room. She stayed there and cried for hours. She was in pain. This wasn't how a brother was supposed to be. This wasn't what he was supposed to do with her. He should have been protecting her, not being the biggest threat to her life. This pain was enormous and she was unable to bear it.
Mary didn't eat anything. Her appetite was lost and she felt like she would puke if she ate something. She just stayed on the bed and wept her ache out
When Amara came into the room, she didn't say anything for a while and just sat on the bed in silence.
After a moment, she started to speak "How about we continue our lesson, ditching Ryan?" She asked, behaving like nothing ever happened and Mary just nodded yes. Amara gave her a wide chubby-cheek smile and went to take the Holy Quran
When Amara started to read Surah Yusuf to her she forgot all of her pain because she was lost in the story of Prophet Yusuf (A.S). It was one of the most beautiful translations of the Holy Quran.
Amara told Mary about how Prophet Yusuf (A.S)'s brothers threw him in a well. Then how he was saved by a caravan and sold as a slave in Egypt. About how Prophet Yaqoob(A.S) waited for his child for years and because of depression and constant crying, he lost his eyesight. On the other hand, Yusuf became the Leader in Egypt after spending years in prison.
The most beautiful of the beautiful parts was when he met his father again. When she imagined it, it gave her chills because it was spectacular. This story taught her the lesson that no worry lasts forever, and even if the situation seems impossible, you just have to put your trust in Allah Subhanu Wa Ta'ala, and he will just make the impossible possible for you. Mary cried again but this time, it was because of how beautiful and painful this translation was.
She didn't realize how fast the time went by and it was already the time of Fajr. Amara told her to wait in the praying room and that she would be there in an instant but Mary did not know where the prayer room was. She did not want to disturb Amara as she seemed to be busy.
So, putting the hijab on, she went out to search for it herself. She was standing at the door when the door to the neighboring room opened, and Aaryan popped his face from it, smiling so brightly. "I won," he whispered, and she figured it wasn't for her as his face suddenly turned red and his eyes started to find a place to adjust.
Amara came from behind. "I forgot, you didn't know where the room is," she too, was whispering, and when she looked at Aaryan, she laughed. So, this win thing was something between the siblings, but Amara included her in. "You didn't, Mary won," She said in a low voice. Aaryan nodded, and with the same blushing face, he went back to his room.
Walking into the praying room, she saw his mother there. The praying room was filled with an amazing fragrance. It had some lights, and everything was white and peaceful.
Amina had set three praying mats on the floor, and Mary felt like being a member of their family. This was the first time she was praying with someone other than Dr. Sarah and she could not keep her teeth in.
Standing there side by side with his mother and sister, she truly felt loved.
This Salah was as beautiful as it always was and Mary still could not stop herself from crying whenever she prayed.
•••
After they were done praying, Aaryan and his father came back from the mosque and joined them in the praying room.
Last night, Amara told her about how every morning after Fajr, all of them read the Holy Quran and then share the words they like the best. Even though she had never been in any session before, she felt like today was different because every verse they all chose felt like it was for her or maybe it was just the Holy Quran who gave her hope at every moment.
Amina started "Surah Al-Anfal: 30 'They planned, but Allah also planned. And Allah is the best of planners' My daughter, remember if Allah Subhanu Wa Ta'ala is testing you with something then it's all planned by Him. Do not lose hope and trust his plan because He is the one to give you the trouble and He is the only One Who can give the ease to you" She said it to Mary. His mother was only looking at her while calling her daughter. The verse and her words were equally conforming
Then Amara read while looking excited. Amara's love for the Holy Quran was something no one can explain. She had memorized the entire Holy Quran yet she told Mary that every time she read it, it felt like this was the first time she had ever read it "Surah al-baqarah 2:153 'And Allah Knows, while you know not' Something that seems good to you and you want to have, could be bad, and sometimes a bad thing that you never want to have could be the best thing you will ever get. He will bless you with so much that you can't even imagine. We make our assumptions on the knowledge we have, but He is the One who is the Knower of the unknown, so who are we to question His plans?" Every verse was nothing but comfort for her heart. It was unbelievable, still so unreal how the Holy Quran knows. She was heartbroken because of what happened yesterday but now, sitting with this family made her feel loved
After a while of silence Yusuf began "Surah An-Nur (24:35) 'Light upon light. Allah guides to His light whom He wills. And Allah presents examples for the people, and Allah is Knowing of all things' He had guided you to the right path and in a world filled of misguided people, Allah Subhanu Wa Ta'ala guided you to a way that leads to Him. Remember, the path to heaven is filled with thorns, and it's hard to walk on the right side, but once you have traveled the hardship, there will be ease forever."
And then Mary got it. It wasn't the Holy Quran who knew everything. It is the One Who has revealed it. It Is always her Lord, it has always been Allah Subhanu Wa Ta'ala who has helped her and comforted her whenever she was devastated
Mary was told to read next and she chose the verses from the Chapter she read last night "Surah Yusuf (12:86) "He (Jacob) said, 'I only complain of my suffering and my grief to Allah, and I know from Allah that which you do not know" This inspired me so much. How Prophet Jacob was in pain after losing his child and when his sons told him to stop crying he just said, I am not saying anything to you, I am just talking to my Lord. It's just so beautiful how he kept his beliefs firm after everything he had been through and then, in the end, he met his son after years. He believed in Him and He blessed Prophet Jacob" The family was smiling at her widely and so was Aaryan. He looked as if he would just start to cry, listening to her reading the verses.
Aaryan was the last to go and he didn't explain like anyone else, maybe because it didn't need to be explained and Mary just got it as it was "Surah al-baqarah 2: 153 'Inna Allaha Ma Sabireen"
Surely, Allah is with those that are patient
Unlike yesterday, Mary didn't stay inside of the room but joined them all on the breakfast table.
Mary wasn't sure if this Pakistani family usually eats peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for breakfast or if they changed the menu just to make her comfortable. She didn't find the answer because she never asked.
While eating, they chat a little. One thing that she loved was how Amina was just pursuing her into eating one more and again one more in the cutest way possible. She just ate it all. Even though she was full, Amina was being so generous that Mary could not deny her and Aaryan was silently laughing as if he encountered this thing daily.
After breakfast, the family was sitting in the living room and having tea. This wasn't the normal tea Mary had taken but something spicy and so flavourful. She loved this new tea and they weren't calling it tea but something like chayee
"So we got no classes today, what should we do?" Amara asked Mary while appearing excited. Mary knew what she was going to do. She had made up her mind and had no plan on giving this sweet family any more trouble, so she said the expected "Nothing, I will take my leave." Hearing her, Aaryan stood up, his face lost color and he looked pale.
"What are you saying?" Aaryan asked, stunned, "I have already caused much trouble to you all, and I don't want to keep on doing it," she replied, silently staring at the table in front. "What do you mean by trouble?" He started to get angry. She knew Aaryan was furious at her and didn't want her to leave, but she had no choice. "I should go." Mary left the couch and took a step towards the door.
"Mary!" Aaryan shouted her name, his voice was thundering and it made her body go chill, and everyone stood up. "Keep your voice low, Aaryan!" his father said in a commanding tone. "But, Baba, what is she saying? I can't let her go there." Aaryan was horrified, and his voice was now feeble. "She is not leaving," Yusuf declared. Mary didn't want to leave herself but she didn't want to be a burden. She turned back "I can not stay here, Uncle"
"You don't have to feel uncomfortable, think of it as your own house"
The love she got from this family in one day can easily passed the love she had felt from her family her in years but still, she could not stay
"This is not my house," Mary said in the silence and then Aaryan said something that made sense and didn't make any sense at the same time "Then I will make it yours" Aaryan sounded like giving some sort of a proposal and his face just went from red from anger to something like blushing. He didn't look at her even for a second after saying it so easily
"Ryan, why are you scaring her?" Amina asked and Aaryan was unable to reply now. His voice was all gone.
Mary was not scared but confused. "Have a seat," Yusuf said, pointing at the couch she had just left, and Mary listened. "Mary, you don't need to feel uncomfortable." She was certainly not feeling so well now, but she nodded. "I will ask you a question and answer me, truly, without feeling pressured." Yusuf sounded highly awkward, and he was staring at Aaryan as if he had committed a crime. Mary moved her head up and down. All of them were sitting again
"Since Yahya is not with us anymore. I would ask this question to you as your father" Okay, she was scared– shy of whatever this was going to turn out as. Mary nodded anyway for another time
"Mary, do you want to marry my son, Aaryan Yusuf?" She anticipated exactly this. Mary looked at Aaryan, he was smashing his lips into each other so hard that they were blood red. Amara was too smiling and Amina was just looking at her with concern. Her words were so jammed that she couldn't pull letters out of them.
"It's okay if you do not want to answer my question right now. You can take time to think or tell it to Amina. We would accept your answer," Yusuf said, looking at her anxious face, but it was normal for her to get nervous as it was so sudden.
The time was enough for her to gather her words and when she answered Aaryan almost fell from the couch
"I do"