The Three Muslimahs ✔

Chapter Sixteen: The Abbas Elders

Wait-what is that? Is that a . . . *gasp* update?!

Chapter Sixteen: Nida and Mr. and Mrs. Abbas

Nida Ahmed was relaxing in her bed with a Vogue magazine in hand when she heard Jenna and her brother head out for the night. She didn't know what to make of their newfound tolerance of each other but decided not to think too much of it, as it didn't seem like they were going to be best friends anytime soon. Regardless, she decided not to spend her precious brain cells on such foolish topics. As she sat and sipped on her glass of cool water, she heard the sound of footfalls coming down the stairs-the Choudharys were also heading out for the evening, to have dinner at a family friend's place. A few minutes after they were gone, Nida was summoned.

"Nida," Mrs. Abbas called down the hall from the kitchen, "it's time for dinner, beta."

Nida sighed, slightly irked at being called beta, and rose from her seat. She was generally more irritated than usual and it most definitely had to do with her lack of visits to the outside world. A girl that wealthy and young should not be inside the house for so many hours. She vowed internally to go out the next day, with or without Little Miss Jenna and her cousin. Exploring on her own is definitely a better-sounding idea; she can have fun and let loose without feeling guilty seeing Imaan and Jenna and Husayn. When did all these self-righteous Moslems even enter her life?

Tossing her magazine aside, Nida made her way down the hall to the dining room, where the chinaware was set and in place, as usual. Today Nida was in a burgundy colored kameez with gold and white intricate embroidery done on the sleeves and down the length of the kameez with a green colored salwar. She placed her dupatta over her shoulders and went into the room.

"Oh, you look lovely!" Mrs. Abbas exclaimed upon seeing Nida enter.

"Thank you," Nida said coolly with a small smile. She knew she looked lovely in the outfit; she chose it. How else would she be looking so good in it?

"The burgundy suits her so well. Isn't that so, Salma?" Mrs. Abbas said, directing her question at Nida's mother.

"Oh, yes, lovely," Mrs. Choudhary said indifferently, glancing over at Nida for a brief minute before returning to the device in her hand.

Mrs. Abbas looked at her and frowned. Nida, on the other hand, ignored how hurt she was at her own mother's dismissal of her. She was still angry at her mother and father for blatantly declaring their love for Kamal was greater than their love for her. She knew she was difficult but that was only because wealthy girls are supposed to act that way; otherwise how do they get their title? Besides, whether she was difficult or not barely touches the surface of the mountain of issues Nida has with her parents.

Pulling out one of the ornamented chairs, Nida took a seat at the far end of the dining table, where she could sit alone with her thoughts (and farther away from her own parents). Mrs. Abbas took note of this and frowned even more but Nida could not make herself care about what she thought.

"Nida, dear, what would you like?" Mr. Abbas said with a large, friendly smile. Nida looked up from her empty plate and scrutinized the food. It seems Mrs. Abbas chose to cook all Indian today-Nida couldn't recognize much of the dishes, until her eyes fell on something familiar.

"I would like some of that, please," Nida said, pointing to the dish at the far end of the table as she handed him her plate. It was chicken breast with shaved Brussel sprouts, a healthy option that Nida was certain it was cooked for her. It didn't take long for the Abbas family to realize Nida was absolutely health-conscious; they cook separately for her because she refused to eat the dinner they cooked the first night she was there. Oil-filled, fat-filled rice with meat, known as biryani, and the smell of it alone made Nida want to throw up. Since then, the Abbas family had been completing her demands for healthier options.