ENSHROUDED

30

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Turning to the other side of her bed, she felt the burning sensation of the morning sun as it shone in her room. She groaned and softly opened her eyes. There stood her stepmother, who was a Sudanese. No matter how she tried to detest this woman, she could not. She felt a certain feeling of happiness slowly seeping into her soul and she smiled weakly and sleeping at her. "Good morning, Ilham. Thank you for disturbing my sleep, may Allah bless you."

Ilham softly smiled and walked over to the window and closed it back. She knew the best way to wake her was by setting the sun directly on her face. She often said whenever the sun shone on her skin, it felt as though a punishment from Allah for all she had committed. That's why she hardly ever gone out during the daytime.

"You should come down soon, Daddy is leaving for Cairo and he wants to see you before he left." It had only been a year since Daddy got married to Ilham, she had been their maid for all the years she could remember. When Daddy told her that he was getting married to Ilham, she was furious that she left the house and it took him days before he located her. But after the marriage, it seemed all good.

She sighed dreamily and got down her bed. The coldness that seeped through her legs was the kind of coldness she felt in her heart, always. And it had always been like that for all the years she grew up to be herself. Only that her coldness was turned to warmness whenever she was together with Ilham or Daddy. She knew it was expected of her to call Ilham with a name more respectful, but she couldn't find herself too. And Ilham was fine with that as well.

She briskly had her bathe and got ready in a swift, if not Baba, no one will ever make her do that. She got down the stairs and met him there. Seated on the dining table as he sipped his morning coffee while he read the daily newspaper. She smiled at herself and rushed towards him, she hugged him from behind; closing his eyes with her warm palm.

"Who's in the garden?" He sang, dropping the newspaper as well as his cup of coffee on the table while he laughed.

"A little fine girl." Ilham sang together with him as they set the table with one of their maids.

Daddy laughed as he sang the next line, "Can I come and see her?"

She giggled as he turned her to his side while she fried his eyes, "No no no no!" she sang and he laughed while taking her into an embrace.

"My princess is looking all lovely today. Had a goodnight, Aisha?" She looked warm from the warm and nodded her head like a baby while she sat down on the chair beside him.

"Daddy, I had the best night yesterday. All thanks to Ilham, she gave me one of her Sudanese massages until I fell asleep." She said, and they flashed Ilham a loving look as she came out of the kitchen.

"Daddy, you should eat. Humaira is bound to making you miss your flight numerously, and you said this was the only flight to Cairo, right?" Ilham looked at Humaira and smiled at the glare she sent her way.

"Ilham, why are you doing this to me? Daddy, won't you stay a little while for your Aisha? I promise to be a good girl and not cause any trouble. I won't be in a fight with anyone and I'll make sure I dodge the police. Deal?"

Both Ilham and Daddy laughed while they shook their heads. Humaira would never change, that they were sure of. She was always either in a fight with people on road, at the police station because she caused a chaos or anything sort of a crime. Because of the number of times Daddy had bailed her out, he even got an acquaintance in the police that now acted as her father whenever she was taken there and she would be brought back by him home. And then, Daddy would take over.

"Aisha, you should eat. I'll have the driver take you around anywhere you want before I come back. And also,  one of my bodyguards will have to stick by your side. Ilham, make sure she never gets out alone." Humaira looked at him and wished she can scream out her annoyance, that bodyguard of Daddy he always stocked her with was one of the most boring men she had ever since. And no matter how Humaira wanted to outsmart him, he was way smarter than she had ever thought.