The Red Necklace

Chapter 28

Two years later

It's a Tuesday morning and it's dawn and I have just offered my Fajr and am standing by the window sipping on the strong black tea staring outside at the picturesque waterfall that I still find amazingly breathtaking. Jalajit has become my home now. And it's people my family. I live in Bilal bhai's house who have rented me the upstairs portion. Bilal has a wife but no kids so it wasn't difficult at all to rent out the part of their house which was in no use to them.

Bilal is the same man who's heart I had broken on the very first day here by not praising his soup. It turned out that he was the owner of that little restaurant called Delicious Delights and he served his customer by himself to make sure his customers were satisfied. When he saw me the next day he was just plain cross. He wouldn't talk to me and told me to not come here again because I had highly insulted his food. Not only because I didn't drink the soup but because apparently I had paid two bucks more than the soup cost. He thought that I would rather pay extra to get rid of his food then drink it.

So yeah.

It had taken a great deal of convincing from my side that I was really sick and I just couldn't drink it. To prove my point I had to drink 2 huge bowls of his soup before his wounded ego was slightly aided. Then I asked him where I could find the manager of that restaurant. He looked taken a back and then had told me that he owned it , there was no manager in there. I had told him that I was looking for a work to do to feed myself. He had asked me about my family and I had stayed quiet which he had respected and had not asked further. I was really grateful for that and for once thought he actually had some sense and feelings.

He had asked me what kind of work I could do. I had told him anything that's honorable. He had asked me if I could cook. I had said yes. He had said he would try me out and then decide because he couldn't take someone who had no experience and ruin his reputation. I did understand and was really worried about the decision he would make although I had no doubt on my ability to cook the best food but if I would be able to reach up to his standard was all my worries.

Next day He took me to the kitchen in the back and I was given a chance to prove my abilities and work my magic. And that was what I did. I cooked lamb with raisin's fried rice and sauce. I also dared to make the tomato soup Mama used to make back home. When I was done I was lead outside the kitchen and was told to wait there. After about what felt like forever but which was only half an hour Bilal had come out and my heartbeat quickened when I noticed he was furious. But on closer notice I had realized he had tears in his eyes. He had stood in front of me and his lips had quivered when he spoke.

 " Where were you this whole time ji? This restaurant needed you for as long as I can remember. I try everyday to please the customers with my talking and try to make them believe the food is as good as I say. But really ji, I don't think we ever had hands who could make so much in such less time and that tastes so heavenly. Please ji , you have to work for me sister. " He had said. Although I was probably his daughter's age he had opted to call me sister for reasons unknown.

So I had been working for him ever since. When he found about my pregnancy, let's just say it was a grueling situation. His mind was not ready to even consider that a girl like me, who prayed five times and then prayed Tahajaad in addition, who fasted in odd days and never lied about anything, who covered her face with a veil could be pregnant prior to marriage.

His wife Sana, who had become like an elder sister to me had asked me about it and I had told her that I was ditched. Nothing else. She had stared at me for a long while and then had said one thing, " Sometimes Allah does strange things to bring His man on a straight path." This sentence echoed for a long while in my ears and I found myself thinking that how right Sana was.