Their Fate

chapter 11

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Despite Ihsan's age, she is still young in her soul. Her personality is cheerful and childish. Just like her beautiful exterior, her inside is too, beautiful.

She had initially thought to introduce Hairah to Ibrahim after she is satisfied with everything with hairah and her family. But now she decided on a rather oh-awkward-is-my-god meet-up with Hairah and Ibrahim.

She had asked Hairah to pick her and Ali in her street. Then she plans to go to brunch, then just as casually, she'll call her brother to come and pick her up. Hairah will know nothing and Ibrahim too will know zero. Eventually, they'll meet.

An amazing caught-too-vulnerable-you moment.

Exactly like her plan, Hairah, in her black SUV arrived to pick up her and the little one in her hand. She had decided to take her little one, Inaya, but she had fallen into a cute slumber. This brunch plan will end soon so she decided otherwise, in the end.

A playful and cunning smile appeared on her face as she greeted the other with a salam.

Hairah, on the other hand, without knowing anything replied innocently to her salam. "Masha Allah, Ali is looking extraordinarily cute in that trousers," Hairah said looking at Ali's khaki tiny trousers which covered only his knees.

"I know, right?" Ihsan replied as she fastened her seat belt. Hairah smiled and continued to drive their way to their brunch place.

"You should have taken your daughters," Hairah told after a moment of the speechless ride. Ihsan was trying her best to not laugh at Hairah's nervousness.

"Yeah, I should have. But then this brunch will turn into a babies' brunch day. And we will return home with a massive head to plop." Though she exaggerated a bit, it was true, they alone can not manage three naughty kids.

They laughed at the comment. Again a blanket of silence covered them with a bit of awkwardness. Ihsan mentally was planning the scenarios and the possible reactions of both her brother and Hairah.

Ihsan chuckled silently as an image of Ibrahim's gaping mouth flashed in her vision. The sight is something to be seen.

But a negative thought was lingering behind the funny reactions. What if her brother gets angry? What if Hairah gets angry? Nonetheless, she looked forward to it.

A fresh giggle brought both adults back to reality. They looked at Ali, who was still giggling looking at Hairah. It was as if he understood the anxiety oozing from her.

Hairah sheepishly shrugged it off. Even a child could easily predict her emotions.

---

"Yeah, that's all we need, thank you." They gave their order to the waiter, who then made his way to the kitchen.

Ali was sitting on Hairah's lap and Ihsan watching them attentively. It seems like Ali has found a liking towards Hairah and it relieved both women.

"So, what about the Waleed thing? It's the same proposal, right? The one that got canceled?" Ihsan asked impatiently. She could no longer lag about this. Maybe this question got Hairah off guard.

---

Listening intentively to what Ali is mumbling and trying to understand at least half of it, I have already forgotten the reason I'm here for.

But when Ihsan asked rather straightforwardly, my throat went dry instantly. Whatever speech I contemplated, I could see them float away.

"Waleed is my grandmother's nephew. We heard their part of the story and I want to hear yours." Ihsan stated. What must have they said? I don't have an idea what story they said.

I muster up the courage to ask her, "what did they tell?" I look Ihsan in the eyes but I kept my hands busy by ruffling Ali's hair.

I hate my heart, I wish I could yell at it and order it to stop beating so wild. It felt as if it was a staring contest. My gaze screwed through Ihsan's.

And then Ihsan starts to laugh. I blink at her in confusion. Don't tell me, she called me here to humiliate me. Automatically, my eyebrows raised in concern.

"Allah!! You should have seen your face, Hairah! It was priceless!" And again a laughing spree. My face? Ya Allah, was it that obvious? The tint of embarrassment colored my cheeks, I can feel it.

I smiled a very modest smile. Yes, a modest one. As if I was not just embarrassed a moment ago.

After stopping her laughs, she decided to speak and her face become serious, "They told us that, just someone, a girl called them and said something about you, like you being a playgirl or something?"

I can see that she used every word carefully. The weight on 'a girl' clearly shows that they doubt me as the girl.
Okay, let's get this done, " what you heard is true. I mean a girl called and said that but I am not a playgirl, Ihsan."

And then I tell her everything, including the part where my cousin messed up.

"Allah! I knew it, you are not a playgirl. I am good at judgment but Wafa was... Anyways, what did your parents tell?"

My parents? How can I tell her? "They are also looking forward," I say smiling except they weren't at the beginning.

Ihsan gets a call interrupting us. She answers it and says something very low. I busy myself with Ali. Just as she finishes the call, the waiter gets us our order.

I don't ask her about the call, it's none of my business, anyway. We eat our brunch silently. I occasionally put food in Ali's mouth.

Suddenly, we hear a "baabaa" from Ali looking ahead. We both follow his gaze and I stay there shocked to see the person a few feet away.

Ibrahim.