Something lived, Something felt

CHAPTER 23

"Stop being modest its soo not you" Amna said and got a glare in return.

"I have never passed a cap"

"Oh, don't worry, I will show you all the tips there are to it" Jidda said excited and somewhat proud. "Finally I'll have some granddaughter woollen time" she shared a smile with Zinar.

Ahmad smiled seeing how things were going. They had accepted her and that was all that mattered. He knew if Jaddo was ok with her then everyone would fall in place, at least eventually. If his family back in Canada accepted her and Jaddo that was good enough for him but he wanted her to be happy, have a family there.

He was pulled out of his daydream when he heard his name.

"Taste this, its Ahmad's favourite," Jidda told Zinar. She got a little of it on her plate before taking a spoon out of it, it was one of the tasteless ones. She smiled as she munched it away.

"You don't like it" he whispered to her. He saw her expression when she was eating the first spoon and that was the only bite she took.

She looked at him with a childish smile "it tasteless"

"Try it with the yoghurt" he served her and it tasted better. She tasted a bunch of other dishes that were served. There were many dishes, she was sure it wasn't their typical dinning, it was too much. Maybe it was all part of welcoming her she thought.

Ahmad headed to Zinar's room. They had barely talked since they got married. He didn't like to admit it but she made him nervous. He said salaam before opening the door. He went inside and she was on the floor beside the bed talking on the phone. She was laughing and free. He couldn't understand a word she was saying since she was speaking in Hausa but he loved the view of his wife being herself. He was sure she was talking to someone back at home. He excused himself giving her some privacy. He went to his room. He called mamma, they were living for Canada that night. They spoke for a bit and she promised to call him when she was less busy with people. He checked and replied to his mails from the office and social media. Some part of him still couldn't believe he was married to the girl he couldn't stand or that it took them almost three years to get there. It felt so surreal, he was sure he made the right choice. He hadn't really given much thought to the kind of woman he was going to marry except the fact that she had to be of good character and background and was Arab which Zinar had checked all except that she was Nigerian.

He checked the time on his wrist, she should be finished by now. He knocked the door once again and he heard her voice from the other end telling him to get in. He opened the door and she was still at the same spot he left her with her phone on her lap.

"Zinar" a familiar male voice echoed the room from the phone. She disconnected the call after telling him she would call him later.

"Hi" she smiled at him as he moved closer and sat next to her on the floor. He felt her shift slightly. He turned and smiled at her. He had so much to say but didn't know how to start- so he decided to wing it. He saw he was making her edgy by the way she was tapping her hand on her laps. He held them in his hands feeling every jolt of electricity that fired through his nerves. Her eyes were slightly wider. She was having a similar feeling except it was because she was not use to being that close to a man that was not her brother or cousin. She felt so awkward.

"I got you something" he took a white paper bag that was sitting in the bedside drawer and handed it to her. She looked at him and then the bag like she wasn't sure. She collected the bag and opened it. It was a wrapped box, which she thought the sheet was pretty tasteful.

"The sheet is pretty"

He gave a short laughed "I hope you like what is inside". He watched her as she unwrapped the box and slowly opened it as if she was afraid of what she might see. She stared in the box and a smiled wondered her faced.

"Wow," she breathed. She traced the content of the box. She loved it. She was starting to feel bad. She had never gotten him anything.

It was a ring and a bracelet. They were very casual yet elegant and it also had their ship name on it. "it beautiful, thank you I love it" she said genuinely. "And the ship name" she laughed, "not bad after all". He didn't think she would wear it immediately but he was glad she did. They were silver but the name was written in gold. She substituted it with the ring and one of the bracelets she was wearing.

"You look beautiful," he said when she had worn them. She managed to thank him sounding cool. She picked the wrap sheet and the rest of the things all the while feeling his gaze on her, making her self-conscious. "Do you like it here"

"So far so good. I see where you all got your charms". They talked about each other's family, getting more familiar with each other's origin, home, culture...

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These are the ship name suggestions,
ZIMAD from TheOmoope ,jiddahabbas23
ZAHMAD
AHNAR
ZINAD
So please which one sounds better and am still open to new suggestions. Will edit the chapter and add the name when it's decided...
Thank you for the reads and suggestions 😘