burden of time

Samia glanced at her watch: half past two. Strange, it wasn't like Nabil to be late without telling her. She had barely finished her thought when the doorbell rang. She rushed to the door. It was Suha. "Did Aunt Aziza bring you?" Samia asked, hoping she'd say something, even just a word, to ease her worries. Finally, she got busy preparing the girl's food before taking Tariq's temperature, and now she was pouring a bowl of soup for her sick son. She thought, "It's unbelievable that Nabil would be late, especially since he's the fourth one, without telling me." Anger surged through her at her absent husband. She picked up the phone and dialed his office. A female voice answered, "Can I speak to Nabil Daqdaq? Who wants him?" "For you." Then there was a long silence. Samia looked at her watch: half past two. Strange... it wasn't like Nabil to be late without informing her. She barely thought this to herself when the doorbell rang. She rushed to the door. It was Suha.
"Did Aunt Aziza bring you?" Samia asked, trying to say something, however trivial, to ease her anxiety. She then began preparing food for the girl before checking Tariq's temperature, and served her sick son a bowl of soup. After the children finished eating, she glanced at her watch and said, "Nabil can't possibly be out until four in the morning without telling me." Her blood was boiling at her husband's absence. She picked up the phone and called his office. A woman's voice answered.
- Can I speak with Nabil Daqdaq?
Who is asking?
His wife.
Then there was a long silence.