After Agony...

|Thirty One|

He hesitated for a minute before replying her.

"Don't be faster than your shadow,when they come,you'll get to see them,okay?"

She sensed something odd,but the moment,he landed her a peck on the cheek,she knew that their conversation was over.

"Sweet? Let's leave Mammy to finish cooking" he said as he picked Maya up and strode out of the kitchen.

A part of her was trying to sniff out what was wrong,but she did not want to push anything further,so she let it slide. But that didn't mean it was over.

As all the pots were on the fire,she decided to clean the kitchen before the food was ready so as to reduce the chore later on. It took her not less than fifteen minutes,and she was done. Fortunately for her,when she had finished cooking,it was just ten minutes past eleven,meaning she still had enough time to clean herself up alongside Maya. The moment she stepped her foot into the living room,the sight before her melted her heart as she found the father and daughter duo asleep on the sofa as Imam's broad chest housed Mays's tiny figure. Slowly and silently,she picked up Maya and walked up to her room. She laid her on the bed and quickly left to take her bath before the little girl wakes up with her daily dose of tantrums. Just as she had predicted,twenty five minutes later she heard Maya's wailing and took that as an opportunity to also bathe and dress her up.

*****

Huda was arranging the dinning table with all forms of delicacy she had prepared when she heard voices coming from the living room.

"That must be the guests" she thought.

She immediately readjusted her veil and braced herself. She was adorned in a brown and sapphire atampa sewed into a flay gown with pockets on each side,simple and elegant.With a deep breath,she entered with a Salam to which they all answered simultaneously.

"So we finally get to meet the bride you've been hiding from us"his friend teased.

Huda simply smiled as she tried to place where she had seen the woman,but unfortunately she was not able to do so.

"Is this Maya? Look how she has grown,Masha Allah" the woman who she assumed was the man's wife said.

Bingo!

She is Sophie's friend. The lady who came some few months ago.

The woman noticed Huda's gaze on her and simply smiled.

"May we?" Imam said as he led the way to the dinning area.

Huda was still in shock as she served their guest which consisted of rice noddles with grilled salmon and a chicken salad.

"Imam I would like to once again thank you for what you have done for us,only God can reward you" The lady spoke.

"You don't need to thank me,really" Imam insisted.

"But still-" the lady's words were cut short when Huda appeared from the kitchen with a tray that housed soft drinks alongside acrylic cups.

Huda stared from her husband to the woman seated opposite her suspiciously,something is definitely fishy. After that,no one spoke as they all dived into their food,well expect for Maya who was seating on her father's lap,she would whine when he fed her something she disliked.

"Wannan" she would point with her tiny finger to the plate.

Occasionally,the woman would catch Huda staring at her,and when their gazes meet,she would lower her gaze. Eventually,they finished their meal with an awkward silence lingering in the air.

"I must say the food is delicious,Imam now I see why you always reject us coming to your house" His friend teased which earned a few chuckles from the ladies.

The moment Imam and his friend stepped out for the mosque,Huda took it as an opportunity to talk to the woman after she had prayed in her room,but fortunately for her,she beat her to it"

"You must be wondering"

"Huh?"

"I know you have so many questions running through your mind right now" the woman said.

Huda sighed defeatedly.

"I'm sorry for making it obvious,it's just that I've seen your face before..." she replied hinting for further details.

"Yes,indeed you have! I'm Sophie's friend."

"But how do you know my husband?I'm mean that's a silly question but you guys seem to have... I just... whats your relationship with him if I may ask?"

With a deep long breath,she started.

"Well my name is Huda,your namesake" she said trying to ease the tension with her failed attempt of a joke.

"Like I said I'm Huda,but you can call me Ummi. I am Sophie's friend,but few months ago when...it's a long story might I add" Ummi confessed.

"I've got all day" Huda insisted.

"My relationship with Imam goes way back. We use to be lovers,or rather I use to like him,I took his kind gestures as an acceptance for my love. I use to know him long before he knew Sophie,I liked him so much,but I was never able to say it. We were really good friends,but unfortunately he always called me his sister ,but to me I was long gone in love with him.Then one day I introduced him to Sophie..."

Flashback

Ummi and Sophie were seated in a restaurant waiting for the guy Ummi could not stop gushing about.

"It better be worth it,he's twenty minutes late" Sophie complained

"Don't worry,he'll soon be here I know maybe he's just stuck in traffic" Ummi replied.

And true to her words,a tall,handsome man walked in with his gaze everywhere trying to spot someone. The day being a Friday,he was dressed in a grey waganbari which made him ten times handsome than he was,with a Rolex watch adorned on his wrist,his face was clean shaven and he looked ravishing. His feet were clad in an Aldo shoe.

"Here he is!" She exclaimed as their gaze met,he strode with an aura of confidence oozing from him.

"Assalamualaikum,my apologies for keeping you ladies waiting" he said in a deep husky voice which immediately caught Sophie's attention which was on her phone.

"It's ok-"

"We actually thought you were not coming"Sophie said with a smile as she accessed the young man before her.

He glanced at her for a second flummoxed.

"Oh,this is Safiya my friend,Safiya meet Aliy Imam" Ummi interjected.

"It's nice meeting you" he simply said.

"The pleasure is mine,but I prefer Sophie"

End of flashback