14~Broken friendship
"Mom, what the heck is Dad talking about?"
"Language, Faruk." His mother frowned. "And you don't have to ask me when your father is sitting right here."
Faruk turned to his father with a sigh.
"Dad, I've told you that Hanan isn't my girlfriend. So why are you suddenly insisting she attends our family dinner?"
Dad leaned back comfortably.
"I simply want to meet your friend. Is that a crime?"
"Dad..."
"Faruk, dear." His mother interrupted gently. "Just listen to your father. It's only dinner, and I would love to see her again too."
Faruk rubbed the back of his neck in defeat.
"Fine."
He exhaled slowly.
"I'll bring her tomorrow if that's what both of you want."
He paused.
"Is that all you wanted to discuss?"
"Not quite."
His dad folded his hands on the table.
"I heard you hired her at the firm without putting her through the regular interview process."
"I interviewed her myself."
"I see."
A faint smile crossed his face.
"Then I have even more reason to invite her. She won't just be coming as my son's friend..."
"...she'll be coming as one of my employees."
"Dad." Faruk replied firmly. "She earned that position. She's more than qualified."
"Who said she isn't?" He shrugged.
"I've heard enough about her already."
"The best graduating student from your university."
He let the words hang before adding,
"That title could have been yours..."
"...but, as always, you settled for being average."
Faruk's jaw tightened.
"Baban Faruk!" His mother snapped.
"Enough."
She turned to him with visible disappointment.
"Why do you always compare him to someone else? He's your son."
"And I'm tired of watching you belittle him every chance you get."
Faruk forced a small smile.
"It's okay, Mom."
"No, it isn't." She frowned.
He looked at his father. "I've accepted that I'll never be the son you wanted."
A heavy silence settled over the room.
"So, if we're done here..."
He stood up.
"...I'll head home."
"Good night."
His mother quickly rose from her seat.
"Faruk, wait. I'll come with you. You can drop me off on your way."
He nodded.
"Sure."
He glanced at his father one last time.
"Good night, Dad."
"Seven o'clock tomorrow." His father reminded him as they walked toward the door.
"And don't forget to bring Hanan."
"I won't."
With that, Faruk walked out with his mother, leaving his father alone in the quiet dining room.
"I'm sorry." Faruk's mother sighed as she watched him drive. "I know your father's words must have hurt you."
She reached over and gently patted his hand.
"Please don't hate him."
Faruk offered her a small smile.
"It's okay, Mom. Really."
"I've heard those comparisons for so many years that they barely affect me anymore."
Her eyes softened.
"I still don't like it."
She shook her head sadly.
"I don't know when your father will change."
"You've always been the greatest blessing of my life, Faruk. May Allah continue to bless you."
"Ameen."
He smiled warmly before lifting her hand and placing a gentle kiss on it.
"And as long as you're in my life, I don't care whether Dad changes or not."
"You'll always be the greatest blessing in my life too."
She smiled, her heart melting at his words.
After a brief silence, Faruk spoke again.
"Mom..."
"But why was Dad so determined to invite Hanan over?"
"I don't know..."
His fingers tightened around the steering wheel. "Something about it didn't feel genuine."
His mother chuckled softly.
"You know your father."
"He's always curious about the people around him, especially those who work under him."
"And besides..."
A teasing smile crossed her lips.
"She's the very first friend you've ever brought home."
Faruk smiled faintly.
"I guess."
"But still..."
"I feel like there's something else."
"We'll find out tomorrow." She shrugged.
"Oh, before I forget..."
"Najib stopped by today."
"Najib?"
Faruk instinctively turned toward her.
The car swerved slightly.
Tyres screeched against the road.
"Faruk!" She gasped, gripping her seatbelt.
"Subhanallah! Be careful."
"I'm sorry!" He quickly straightened the steering wheel.
"I didn't mean to..."
She exhaled deeply. "You nearly gave me a heart attack."
"I'm really sorry, Mom."
"I'll forgive you, but if you keep driving like that, I'll hire you a driver."
Faruk laughed.
"A driver?"
"I think I'll pass."
A few seconds later, his expression became serious again.
"So... Najib came to the house?"
"Yes."
"He came to see your father." She smiled thoughtfully.
"I was actually hoping you would run into each other."
"It's been years."
"He left for London..."
"You went to America..."
Life simply pulled both of you in different directions."
Faruk stared ahead.
"I don't think he visited without an agenda."
His mother frowned.
"Why would you think that?"
"It's probably something related to work."
"Maybe. But my instincts say otherwise." Faruk insisted.
She looked at him carefully. "You've become suspicious of almost everyone lately."
"Is everything alright?"
"Yeah." He nodded.
"I'm just learning not to trust people too easily."
She didn't press further.
"You know..."
"Ever since Najib survived that accident..."
"...people say he's changed."
Faruk remained silent.
"They say he's become completely devoted to work."
"And..."
She smiled sympathetically.
"...he's still searching for his ex wife."
"They say he's deeply in love with her."
"Love?" Faruk repeated quietly.
"Yes."
"You were abroad when they got married."
"And you were still away when they divorced."
"No one has seen or heard from her since."
"I've even heard he dedicates some of his projects to her."
Faruk barely heard the rest.
His thoughts drifted elsewhere.
If what everyone says is true...
If Najib truly loved Hanan...
Then why did he try to destroy her?
Why did he let her suffer?
Why did he kill their child and try to kill her too?
His grip tightened around the steering wheel.
No... This has to be another one of his lies.
"He's pretending..." He muttered under his breath.
"Hmm?" His mother tapped his arm.
"Were you even listening to me?"
Faruk blinked. "Huh?"
He laughed awkwardly.
"Sorry."
"I zoned out."
"I noticed." She smiled observing him closely.
"Never mind."
"So... Have you had dinner?"
"Yeah. I had noodles."
"Only noodles?"
"And boiled eggs."
She looked at him in disbelief.
"Faruk."
"That's not a proper meal."
He laughed. "It is."
"Not on my watch."
"I'll cook for you."
"Mom, please don't stress yourself, it's already past nine."
"By the time you're done cooking, it'll be too late for me to head home."
"Then don't."
She smiled. "You'll sleep over..."
"I don't own a five bedroom duplex for no reason."
"And if I can cook for the nation then why not for my son?"
Faruk burst into laughter.
"I surrender. You win, Mom."
Her smile widened as they continued their drive through the quiet night.
A steaming mug of coffee now Hanan's nightly ritual before bed time rested in her hands as she sat on the edge of her bed, replaying everything that had happened only a few hours earlier.
The day she had waited for so patiently had finally come.
Her revenge had begun.
But...
Did it bring her the satisfaction she wanted?
No.
If anything, it reopened harsh wounds that never healed in three years that has passed.
Everything felt painfully fresh, as though the nightmare had happened yesterday instead of years ago.
Something wasn't right.
She just couldn't put her finger on it.
Najib's eyes...
His voice...
The way he looked at her...
Everything about him felt different.
The gentleness in his voice when he called her name.
The softness in his gaze.
The emotions written all over his face...
"Gosh!" She covered both ears tightly.
"Would you just shut up?"
She shook her head repeatedly.
"He's still the same monster."
"Nothing has changed."
"Get yourself together, Hanan."
"You didn't come this far just to get distracted."
She emptied the remaining coffee in one single gulp before reaching for her phone, desperate to distract herself.
Just then...
The doorbell rang.
She frowned.
"Who could that be at this hour?"
She glanced at the clock.
10:00 pm.
Reluctantly, she walked to the door.
"Who's there?"
Silence.
Curious, she looked through the peephole.
"Amira?"
She immediately unlocked the door.
"You're here this late?" She asked with a warm smile.
But before she could say another word, Amira brushed past her, her face clouded with anger.
"We need to talk."
Her voice was cold.
"A serious talk."
Hanan closed the door behind them.
"Okay..."
"But first, let me get you some water. You look upset."
"I'm upset because of you."
Amira's voice cracked with restrained anger.
"Hanan, stop pretending you don't know why I'm here."
"Sit down first." Hanan sighed heading toward the refrigerator.
Amira grabbed her wrist.
"I don't want water."
"I want answers."
She let go and folded her arms.
"Why? Why did you do all that at my brother's wedding?"
Hanan sighed softly. "So that's why you're here."
"What exactly did I do wrong?"
Amira stared at her in disbelief. "You're seriously asking me that?"
"Hanan..."
"You dressed exactly like the bride."
"You insulted her family."
"You poured wine on her wedding dress."
"You turned the happiest day of my brother's life into a public spectacle."
"Were you even thinking?"
"I was." Hanan muttered remaining surprisingly calm.
"And no, before you ask... I wasn't drunk."
"You know I don't drink."
"I did what felt right."
"What felt right?" Amira repeated.
She laughed bitterly. "You're not making any sense anymore."
"What have they ever done to you for you to hate them this much?"
Hanan looked away. "That's a long story."
"Then tell me."
"I will..."
She pulled out a chair.
"...if you're willing to listen."
"I don't even want to hear your explanations!" Amira's voice grew louder.
"I came here for one thing."
"You owe Amina an apology."
Hanan blinked once. "An apology?"
"Yes, Amina thinks I invited you just to humiliate her."
"My brother is trying to calm her down."
"She's devastated, she is even threatening to leave their day old marriage."
"And all of this..."
She pointed directly at Hanan.
"...is because of you."
A small smile appeared on Hanan's face. "So... They're really hurting?"
Amira frowned. "That's your response?"
"If Amina is already questioning her marriage because of tonight..."
Hanan shrugged.
"...then that's something she has to sort out herself."
"I won't apologize."
"Never."
Amira's expression slowly fell. "You really mean that."
"I do."
"They destroyed my life first."
"They're the ones who owe me an apology."
"You don't even know what happened!"
"Then tell me!" Amira cried out.
"Help me understand!"
"I will." Hanan lowered her gaze.
Silence stretched between them.
Finally, Amira shook her head.
"You know what?"
"I'm done."
Hanan looked up.
"What?"
"I said... I'm done."
Tears gathered in Amira's eyes.
"You know..."
She laughed sadly.
"Someone once said people can go from people you know..."
"...to people you don't."
"I never understood that quote until tonight."
She swallowed hard.
"I don't know who you are anymore from the moment you began keeping things from me."
Hanan felt something inside her crack.
"It's okay."
She forced a smile.
"If that's how you feel... Then maybe you're right."
"You never really knew me."
Those words hurt her far more than she showed.
Her heart screamed at her to apologise.
To explain.
But she couldn't.
In the course of her revenge, she had sworn to go to any length to achieve it regardless of who or what got in the way.
Amira wiped away her tears.
"I can't keep a shitty friend then..."
"Our friendship ends here."
She turned and walked toward the door.
For a brief second...
Hanan wanted to run after her but her feet refused to move.
Her strong will for revenge had already cost her too much to give up now.
And it was just starting.
She slowly walked to the door.
"I guess..."
She smiled through trembling lips.
"...this really is the end of our friendship, bye."
Amira walked out without looking back.
The door clicked shut.
The moment it did...
Hanan collapsed against it.
Her tears poured uncontrollably.
She kept wiping them away, but they refused to stop.
"So this is what revenge costs..."
She whispered brokenly.
She hugged herself tightly.
"You'll be okay."
She repeated the words over and over.
"No regrets."
"No weakness."
"They never deserved you."
"Not Najib..."
"Not Amina..."
"Not Abdul..."
"...not even Amira."
She closed her eyes.
But somehow...
Those words hurt more than they comforted her.
.
.
.
***