53.

Days rolled into weeks and weeks turned into an entire month. Zeenah and AbdulRasheed had been married for a month, and yet nothing had changed in the way they were living. They were two strangers pretending to be a couple. It was almost as though they never shared an intimate moment. As the days rolled by, AbdulRasheed had totally ignored Zeenah as though she had never existed.

Saying he was hurt at their last encounter was definitely an understatement. He had been stung by her reaction towards him. Had she assumed he was like those men who batter and abuse their wives? What had made her think that way about him? He hadn't given much thought about it, but now that he did, something must have triggered that reaction from her. 

She had resumed school, and on most days before he even left for work, she would be out of the house already, leaving his breakfast on the table and a note like she always does. The note was always short, simply w