JIDDA

Her whole body began to tremble when she saw Umma raise her hand to slap her. She knew how painful Umma’s slap could be—it was as hard as a man’s, without mercy. Her body shook violently, the basin almost slipping from her hands.

Umma’s hand was already close to Jidda’s face when she noticed Abba approaching. Panic seized her, but with her cunning and quick thinking, she immediately improvised.

She burst into a forced laugh, and the hand meant to slap Jidda instead gently touched her cheek. She held Jidda’s chin and said:

“May Allah bless you, Jidda. May He grant you a good husband with whom you’ll find rest. May He grant you children who will take care of you just as you take care of me. May Allah have mercy on your parents.”

These words startled Jidda. She quickly opened her eyes, confused—she had been expecting a painful slap, not prayers.

Jidda swallowed hard in disbelief, realizing she had escaped the slap. Abba, who had witnessed Umma raising her hand, was shocked and confused at first. But Umma’s sudden change reassured him, reinforcing the good image he always had of her—her kindness and her apparent fairness between Jidda, whom he had taken in, and her biological daughter, Aliya.

He let out a deep sigh of relief. Then he greeted them cheerfully.

Umma responded warmly, releasing Jidda and saying, “Go on, Jidda, take the bowls to the kitchen.”

“Okay,” Jidda replied, still shaken, as she headed to the kitchen.

Umma then turned to Abba with exaggerated warmth, collecting the bags from his hands and showering him with praises and prayers:

“Welcome, welcome, brave man. A good father to his children, a good husband to his wife. May Allah grant you long life and fruitful years. You’ve returned from your hard work, striving to provide food for your family. May Allah guide and ease your path.”

She kept praying as she led him into his room, while he responded with, “Ameen, Lord of the worlds.”

After he sat on the bed, she welcomed him again, then brought out the groceries and handed them to Jidda to put away properly, instructing her to wash and cut the fruits. She brought water to Abba in the bathroom for his bath.

When she came out, she exchanged a fierce glare with Jidda, who was washing the fruits. Umma hissed loudly, turned away, and went into the kitchen to prepare Abba’s food, arranging everything neatly.