It was only Shekyra and Abdul at the table for breakfast. Tabitha went upstairs and said that she'll eat later,
They were having oatmeal. Abdul liked wheat bread with his oatmeal, as a complementary item.
"Did you do Mr. Schpit's math assignment?" Abdul asked his wife.
"Oh, I forgot. I never do those." Shay exclaimed.
"You're totally gonna flunk." Abdul said.
"Nu uh. I don't have to get all A's or B's. I just have to pass. I told you I'm not going to college."
"Oh yeah that's right. Allah has been merciful to you."
Shay looked at him for a minute and said nothing.
"God na KAREEM! He loves to give."
"Is that so?" Shay asked.
"Absolutely! And He is One, Waahid. That's amongst one of His 99 beautiful names. He has others."
"Like..."
"Raheem, Ghafoor, Ghaffar, At-Tawaab, Azeem, Aleem, Aliy..."
"What does At-Tawaab mean?"
"It's one of God's names which denotes to His Willingness to accept your repentance. He will forgive you if you repent Shay! I swear He will!"
Abdul continued "But that's only if you do the first step and actually repent. A lot of people get a misconception that Allah is just obligated to forgive you without repenting, that's not true at all. Don't fall into that trap of the shaytan."
"Yes sir." Said Shay.
"Good girl."
"What about you Abby? Are you gonna go to college?" Shay asked.
"I told you not to call me that. Most likely not."
"Why not?" Shay asked.
"I don't plan on furthering my education. I wish to just focus on my religious studies."
"Are you serious?" Shay asked between bites.
"Yes." Abdul responded.
"What are you going to do for money?" Shay asked.
Abdul thought for a minute. "Allah will provide."
"Huh?"
"I'm going to freeload off you." Said Abdul.
Shay nearly choked on her food as she laughed out loud.
"No, you're not!"
"You're gonna get a job like everybody else." Said Shay.
"I don't want to." Said Abdul.
"Why not?"
"Because... I don't care foreal foreal."
"You don't care about nothing Abdul."
"I care about you."
"Aww!!!" Shay said as she blushed
"Do you care about Granny?" Shay asked.
"Of course." Abdul answered.
"You guys are my new family."
Shay gave a thin smile. "What about your old family?"
Abdul fixed his gaze on his wife. "They don't care about me."
"You don't know that." Said Shay.
"Oh, but I do!"
"How?" Asked Shay.
"Have you ever read 'The Five Love Languages' by Gary Chapman?" Asked Abdul.
Shay thought for a minute, the name sounded very familiar.
"That was one of the books that Granny made me read when I was younger." Said Shay.
"Okay, I'm glad your familiar with it. In this book, Mr. Chapman talks about five separate ways people experience and express love in relationships. Those five ways are 'acts of service, receiving gifts, quality time, words of affirmation and physical touch." Abdul said.
He continued. "My immediate family hasn't portrayed to me any of those ways aforementioned. Well, except for physical touch. My father used to beat me and my siblings when I was younger. He even used to beat my mother! Do you know what it feels like to watch another man beat your mother and you're not able to protect her?"
"I'm sorry." Said Shay.
"You don't have to be sorry, it's not your fault. I'm just glad I'm finally out of there." Abdul said.
"And you never have to go back. You can stay with us indefinitely. But what about your baby brother and sister?"
"I'm not worried about them. Right now they are still under the custody of my father and stepmother. When they get older, they can seek me if they wish."
Shay said nothing and stared at Abdul in silence for a few seconds.
"Omg that's so sad!" She finally said.
"It is what it is" Abdul replied as he delved his spoon in the bowl of oatmeal.
"Don't you think about them?" Shay asked.
"Not really." Abdul said.
"Do you pray for them?" Asked Shay.
"Of course."
There was a brief silence as they both stared at each other.
"Do you like the oatmeal?" Abdul asked his wife, breaking the silence.
"Don't you miss them?" Shay asked instead asked.
"I don't know what that means."
"Abby!"
"What? That word is arcane to me." Abdul said.
"So what do you want most?" Shay asked.
Abdul thought for a minute. "I wanna be happy."
"What makes you happy Abby?"
Abdul shrugged. "My Religion, food, weed, you."
"How do I make you happy?" Shay asked.
"I love when you laugh and smile. Your happiness makes me happy. I'm very fond of you." Abdul said.
"Awwww."
Abdul then stood up and walked to where his wife was seated. He held her hand and looked her in the eye.
"I'm gonna keep it a hundred thousand with you, no cap." He said.
"You're the most important person in my life and I truly love you."
"Aww really?"
"Yeah, and I'm never gonna leave you. You're the prettiest girl in the world." Said Abdul.
"There are prettier girls out here." Shay stated.
"But none compare to you honey love." Abdul retorted.
Shay blushed. She wanted to believe in Abduls' words but something was holding her back.