My Emir ✅

Chapter 40- Home sweet home.

The weak cannot forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.
~ Mahatma Gandhi

Home.

It was warm and cozy, just as she had left it.

Mariya walked through the foyer of their manse with Zayn. His arms supported her at the small of her back. Not that she couldn't walk properly. He had insisted, so she let him.
The familiar scent of her favorite turaren wuta wafted through her nostrils as they entered the living room. She turned to Zayn wondering if he was the one behind it. Normally, she was the one who did that job.

As if he knew what she was thinking about, he smiled at her.
"It reminds me of you." He elucidated.

Mariya smiled back.

She settled on the nearest sofa in the room. The living room was dimly lit, and the curtains were drawn together.
Zayn settled beside her, taking her hand in his.

Fareed walked inside, hauling her suitcase behind him. Mama Aisha and Laura were right behind him, talking about something Zayn and Mariya couldn't make out.
Emraan had already left for the firm, Nazeera and Sayida had left for the hospital where they worked, and Eskander and Saratu also had a meeting that they were to attend.

" Should I take your suitcase upstairs?" Fareed questioned Mariya when he closed up to them.

" No, there's no need," Mariya replied.

" Sure thing."
Fareed placed it beside the sofa opposite them and settled there.

As usual, one would leave it up to Mama Aisha, to peel the curtains off the windows to allow sunlight to seep into the room.

" Now that's more like it," She uttered and settled beside Laura on a three-sitter sofa.

Sultan Lawal and Farooq walked in with someone least expected. It was Hamza. Mariya didn't know what he wanted from her. She looked away from him and shot Sultan a small smile.
It seemed like Zayn also wasn't expecting the visitor, but as long as he came with Sultan, there must be a tangible reason.
Sultan had asked to meet them, and she kind of had a hunch of what it was about.

After all of them were settled, Mariya offered to bring them something to drink__ anything. Nonetheless, they declined the offer politely.

" You should be resting, shouldn't you?" Sultan shot at her.

Yes, she was asked to rest, but she needed to know what was going to be said in that meeting. It seemed like Sultan had asked her to rest as an excuse to keep her away from the meeting.

" Toh." She got up and headed to their room upstairs. Already, sleep was beckoning her. She would just ask Zayn what they talked about.

Back in the living room, Zayn's head hung low, his eyes staring down at his intertwined fingers. Fareed was seated next to him, and he was pretty much in the same posture. A question had been thrown at them, and answering it was quite difficult.

" You were asked a question," Sultan spoke, Zayn shot his gaze at him. "When did all of this start? I mean, everything that happened with Hassan and Mariya. The main reason that led to the termination of their engagement. And your qualms with him."

" Just imagine the gravity of the situation," Laura marvelled. " And you all thought it was best to keep us out of it?"

" We are sorry." Fareed apologized.
" We didn't want to bother the four of you. I mean, you already had a lot on your plate."