Marriage Transaction.

Interaction 17: Jealousy.

"Why is Abdulhamid behaving weirdly?" Aisha asks when she closes my bedroom door.
"I don't know. What did he do now?" I ask.

"I just went to get water in the kitchen but the moment he saw me he left the kitchen. Is something wrong? I feel like a pest"
"I'm sure it's nothing but I'll go talk to him"

"Then why aren't you standing up?"
"Fine" I walk out.

Coincidentally I meet him coming out of his room.
"Can I talk to you?"

"Yeah. Sure darling" he says with a smile.
"Why are you behaving weirdly towards Aisha?" I ask him.

"Really I am?" He asks. I roll my eyes.
"Come on Abdul, you're making her uncomfortable".

"Oh my bad!" he says sarcastically. "But I'm also not comfortable in my own home because of her. She's here because I love you and that's it but—"

"So why are uncomfortable?"
"Everywhere I go I see her, like I'm being spied on"
"Are you someone important? No. So why would she spy on you?" I joke.

He smirks. "Let's leave it that way. You're right I'm not important".
"Please stop. She'll be leaving tomorrow anyway. No need to make her regret coming here in the first place".

"Fine" he walks back inside his room pouting like a child.

::

I wake up alone. Aisha must have woken up already.
I come out of my bedroom and walk to the main parlor upstairs.

I saw her lying down on the couch with Abdulhamid sitting on the couch beside hers, they were talking and laughing like they've known each other for years.

I sat there looking at Abdulhamid who kept laughing at her jokes, I've only ever seen him laugh like this with Ihsan and no one else not even me and yet here he is enjoying my best friend's company.

"Maybe it was all just to get you riled up so don't do anything yet. If you do then you will be giving them what they want" Aisha says to him.

"You think so?" He asks unsure.
"Ofcourse i am. No doubt about it. My brother recently opened his own office, he's a lawyer he tells me these stuff"

"Recently? Then how is it possible he has already come across all this"
"By recently I mean two years back. It's recent compared to your 40year old company"

"That's right. So what does he tell you exactly?"
"The law firm he worked for are trying to kill his firm because when he resigned most of their clients decided they preferred my brother as their lawyer. The firm hated that and now they are trying to ruin his law firm"

"Okay. That's sad but if you talk to him and he wants it, he can come over to my office. So we can talk through a few things"
She sits up excitedly.

"Are you Seriously serious?" She asks.
"Sure" He says back coolly.

She stands and they tap hands.
"Thanks. He's going to be so pumped"
"That's flattering"

"So..where is Ihsan?"
"In her room sleeping" I say coming in.

They both smile at me like what I just witnessed was something completely normal.
I sit beside Abdulhamid and I notice him give me a questioningly look.

"So what were you two talking about?" I ask.
"Nothing much just getting to know each other" Abdulhamid says back.
"Really? That is all?" I ask trying to pressure them to see if they would really tell me.

"Of course. You were the one who complained about me being weird" he says.
"No actually Aisha did" I say defensively.

He looks at Aisha and smiles. "It makes sense. No one really likes being uncomfortable especially in their own home" Aisha says.
"Aha!" He says back.

"So? What are we having for dinner?"I ask excitedly trying to change the tensed atmosphere.
"We already ordered Pounded Yam" Aisha says. Abdulhamid sat back calmly using his phone with his right leg on top of the left.

"I hate pounded yam. Why didn't you consult me?" I ask.
"When did you start hating pounded yam? We always order it when we are at the hospital. Even yesterday"

I stay quiet. Why did I say I hate it? What made me say it?
"You know what? I'll just have my dinner alone in my room since it seems you two want to talk about some—stuff" Abdulhamid says standing.

"You don't have to it's—" he cuts me off.
"It's my house I know but I prefer eating there plus I have a Skype call to make and I also have a few things I have to take care of....company stuff" he says and walks out.

I turn and look at Aisha. She continued watching but I was boiling inside. What is she trying to do? I know she is the type that gets along with people and makes friends with anyone but this isn't right? Or am I just exaggerating?

"What the hell?" I ask.
"What?"

"Before we slept you were complaining about how weird Abdulhamid was behaving and by the time I wake up you two are besties? What?"

"It just happened wallahi. When I woke up I was very thirsty so I came downstairs to the kitchen were I found your husband unable to peel apples. I helped him and he thanked me. As we made our way upstairs he asked me what you were doing and I told him you were still asleep and that I was going to go and watch. He complained that you haven't been able to sleep lately and any sound would wake you up so I decided to just watch in the parlor. I was lying down watching when he and Ihsan came in. She and I started conversing and then somehow the next thing I knew you were there. I didn't even know when he and I started talking or when Ihsan left. You know how I get when I am chatting with people. Sorry if it wasn't..right"

I look away feeling stupid.
"It's fine"

We stay quiet until Aisha speaks up.
"But I'm curious about something though"
"What is it?" I ask.

"Are you sure Abdulhamid hasn't been too stressed lately?"
"Why do you ask?"
"Because it seems his memory about the past is a bit foggy and it's common when you're stressed"

"What do you mean?"
"He doesn't remember how Fatima died"
What!? They talked about Fatima? He hates talking about Fatima with people! Or maybe just me.

"So?" I ask irritatedly.
"He loved her and she died. How did she die?"
"Car accident"
"But he doesn't remember it"

"Maybe He was just teasing you"
"Nabila i spent 2years studying psychology. I know the human mind Nabila. You and I both know it. I might not be a professional but I know what I'm saying".

"Well it's true. He has been off lately. He forgets our conversations a lot and so we argue almost everyday. I didn't take it to be anything I just thought he was using it as an excuse to undermine the things I ask of him"
"You should take him to a hospital"

"You're right"
She was right. I have to make sure he's fine but thinking back...I can't forget that he actually talked about Fatima with Aisha but not me.

Girl's Weekend Over!