Salam, for the early birds again 😃✌🏿
There was more than 50% votes in the last chappie but I need more engagement Sha. I'm an Oliver Twist you could say that, but newsflash, we all are.
Enough of my blabber. Chapter dedicated to @tamheck @atuuma @zainabyahuza
The thought of raw Tofu in the freezer got her tummy rumbling, she almost ran out of the room with the knee-length hijab she used to pray but changed her mind and took it off.
She set her foot in the kitchen and her hands reached to the digital switch, light from the sculptural pendant came up at the center of the kitchen illuminating the whole place.
Ya ilaihi, I can live my whole life admiring this kitchen, she said dramatically.
She took in the marble back splash and flooring like it was the first time she is seeing it. Opened the two door fridge and brought out the sealed Raw Tofu, she walks to the marbled center counter that enhouses double two electric, four gas stove standing side by side and on the other side a wide sink with two faucets.
Amnah sat on one of the six kitchen bar stools, three on each side at the end of the center counter and brought out a knife and chopping board from the triple gray toned under the counter cabinet and began cutting the Tofu into her desired shape.
A sound behind her almost made her breathless, she turns to its direction and her breath legit left her lungs to Allah knows where.
His Adam's apple moves up and down as he gobbles down the mineral water he is holding on one hand and holding the door to the fridge with the other.
He's dark skinned and heavily built, Amnah thought in her mind. Then her heart beats like a drum when their eyes meet for nanoseconds before she shifted her gaze, that was when she became conscious of the Mickey Mouse pyjamas she's wearing. There she was thinking she will leave the kitchen before anyone wakes up.
"Ina kwana?"
"Lafiya Kalau. Baba Mustapha's daughter right?" he mumbles with a deep smooth whisper-like voice his eye lids swiftly closing and opening like he's sleep deprived.
"Yes. Amnah", she finally got her voice but her heart is still on a wild chase.
"Use the air fryer", he directed to where it is and went ahead to fry the tofu. She thought he will leave the kitchen after loading in the tofu but it seems like he's hungry too as he proceeded to the gas stove with a pan.
"Up with hunger?", Mrs Williams smiles at the two as she enters into the kitchen and close her eyes inhaling the scent emanating from the stir-fry. "Tofu and sauce? Let me make chai for you".
That was when it dawns on Amnah that Arshad is making a stir-fry for her Tofu or should she say their? That's if the whole house doesn't wake up and it officially turns to breakfast.
From their first encounter Amnah can tell that Arshad is not a man of many words unlike his vibrant chatty Casanova brother. They have a striking face resemblance and both are tall with porcelain skin. While the eldest Tambari is meaty his junior brother is all bones and muscles.
Mrs Williams only took a single tofu which is also after much persuasion and emotional blackmail from them. Amnah saw the connection between Mrs Williams and Arshad from their exchange, if not because of the racial features she would have sworn that she is his mother. But then his mother is half Arabian and he has got her looks.
The chai Mrs Williams made was unnerving and soothing, though Amnah didn't do any work that makes her tired but she feels more relaxed now.
"Salaam Ya akhi wa ukhti", sweaty Aryan barged into the kitchen greeting them. So they are all morning fellas, Amnah thought.
Aryan took Amnah's tea cup and took a sip. Arshad gave Aryan an eye and Aryan raised his two brows and hands up "Why? It's not your own mister, so khalas"
Arshad pushed her his cup after filling it up with tea and added milk from its jar. She was amazed that he knows how she makes her tea, so he was also paying attention and she didn't even think he spared her a glance when they started eating.
See you, her subconscious reprimanded. What do you expect from someone as successful as him if he doesn't pay attention to the tiny things happening around him discreetly.
"Don't scare her off with your ooze", Arshad smirks which makes Aryan ball his eyes out "Go take a shower. I have a review to make before a business brunch date", Amnah has a tiny hope that he was saying it to her as a polite way of excusing himself. But who's she for him to do that to.
"does he have to specify the kind of date? We all know he's single. How can he even keep a woman when all he's thinking about is work, work work", Aryan said lowly hissing.
....
.
.
There was so much merriment in the house since morning and the only person that Amnah can ask of what the celebration is is out to Allah knows where.
Amnah doesn't know if it is her imagination or it is true that even the tiles in the house is sparkling more than any other day. The kitchen is buzzing with all the cooks doing different thing. Is there a party? Amnah wonders.
Mrs Williams just barks orders and saunter to another place to do the same but Mrs kabiru tambari was missing only her signature incense burning from different corners of the house.
Amnah strolls out of the main building to the lawn to breath in fresh air, AC was beginning to suffocate her. Although she's not a social butterfly like Zuzu but she seldom loneliness and boredom.
There was a honk and one of the security men at the gate pressed a remote making the electric gate roll down its trail making way for a white BMW with tinted glass to enter the house followed by a black Royce Rolls.
"Baba Kabiru", Amnah whispered to herself. She has not seen anyone use the Royce Rolls car since his trip that means he must be back.
She hurries to the car porch to welcome her uncle at least she will have who to gist with after dinner. But to her surprise she saw a fair skinned slender lady of average height with a baby across her shoulder. She gave her a full blown smile and Amnah's eyes narrows trying to recall where she knows the smile from.
"Ya laura", she spoke out as if testing the words on her lips and stretches her hands to collect the baby but someone from her side beat her to it. His woody scent hits her nostrils and sent her heart into an overdrive.
Arshad Tambari!
But she dismissed it thinking it is because she's meeting some of the tambari's for the first time. " You don't remember your Baba anymore" Baba's thick voice said and she ducks her head smiling. Just when she was about to go to him his Mrs came out of no where and gave him a bone crushing hug as if that was the first time they have been away from each other.
"U-Uum", a dark skinned teenage boy clears his voice and they all busted out laughing leaving Amnah out.
" Sorry my love, Ahlan", she gave him a hug too.
They all sauntered to the main parlour where there are variety of things to drink and they all helped themselves to it.
"Introduction time please", the teenage boy whined " I'm Aaban Tambari", he winks at Amnah and it didn't escape anyone's eyes.
"I'm Hilal, hernadi's twin", but there's almost no need for him to say that cause the only difference between them is the gender, they are so identical.
" Laura and my baby Safaa"
"Aisha Amnah Mustapha Tambari"
"Whoa! And I never know you? You're definitely an antisocial. Abdul and Ama are my buddies"
Everyone in the house knows Abdul and Ama and don't know her, how, she can't say but their families just reconciled.
"More like reserved" Baba said.
"Does it come with the name? Naaah all the other Aisha's I know talk a lot except you and her.
The tension in the air after the mention of "her" stopped Amnah from asking who her is.
.
.
.
In the morning, Laura literary drags Amnah out of the room saying something about going to Baba's room. Amnah follows her like a zombie with eyes full of sleep. She's an early bird but she slept late last night gisting with the Kabiru Tambari's except the first son who excused himself to do some work.
If not because Aryan has already let his relationship status out to Amnah she would have thought he went to talk to his girl but who knows? Maybe he has met someone and hasn't told his family yet because they are still getting to know each other.
" Madame Amnah", her subconscious mind calls her to order. And so what if he's seeing another girl, how does that affect you?
Baba kabiru's room is nothing like she has thought it will be. His wife's room has a Malaysian theme but his doesn't have that kind of sophistication.
To her surprise every member of the family was there, she thought they are that type of English family that only meet on dinning tables when there are special diners like most gossip pages point out as the life of the elites but the Tambari's differ in this aspect.
Laura was not hearing any of it when Amnah refused to follow her to the beauty parlour. She insisted she will look after Safaa at home. I'm not forcing you to do whatever you don't want to do, just come and have fun.
The only reason that Amnah obliged was because she doesn't want Laura to feel bad so she wore a lilac abaya and wrapped its veil around her head. She straps baby Safaa in the car seater and joined her at the back wooing and cooing to the baby while the mother is seated at the front.
One of the chauffeurs drove them to wuse 2 where The Beauty parlour is located and to say she was amazed is an understatement. How can two women in their twenties come up with such idea? But then it occurs to her that is not just two random women but two Tambari women.
And who the eff says a woman should down play her succes to attract a man? Newsflash! Hernadi have so many men flocking around her like bees and she's sure most of them want to show her off as their trophy.
She wish Khalifa Dunoma will be this proud of her not like she has something to outshine others other than her smartness and personality but who those ones epp? Khalifa from all indications will prefer those pemperimpe ladies not that he's ever complained.
The reception of the beauty parlour can pass as a photo studio on its own. Two uniformed ladies rushed to get their bags they greeted them and Laura asked them to take their bags to her office.
Safaa was peacefully sleeping in her stroller and her aunt is pushing it behind the mummy giving her a tour. The play pen for children was where they went first then a small tea room, Arabian spa where there's the modern day hamam (local steaming room), henna corner, hair, massage. Then to their showroom. A shop ranging from electronics, clothings, beauty products, humras, kabbasa, incense and other women beauty equipments both local and foreign.
Then a full equipped makeup studio where laura insisted they give Amnah a nude look which she agries after much persuasion and laura has it all taped, she even posted it on her Instagram page tagging Amnah and adding a caption of "Sissy" with blue heart emoji.
On their way upstairs where the offices are located including staff room, changing room, maintenance and Laura's office that they share with Hernadi.
Hernadi was coming towards the staircase in an electric blue silk Deola sagoe trouser suit with a matching turban and slingback clear heels looking like a cut out from Forbes magazine. A lady in a beige straight skirt and white chiffon top hurries to show her something in an iPad. She only looks up after going through it and nodding her head.
" Ukhtun", she gave them a lopsided smile, she gave them both a faux hug and air kiss. Amnah couldn't understand her anymore, its like she's bipolar or something. One minute she's being all friendly and the next minute is like she has never seen you in her life.
Amnah doesn't do anything first when it comes to Hernadi, she only reacts as she's been treated. Ahh, you cannot come and kill yourself on top someone matter.
Ramadan is about to start and Amnah is only waiting for her cloth from the couture to go home. She has missed everyone including the troublesome Abdul. Not like she didn't enjoy her stay in the tambari's but her personal person is travelling to the states where she stays with her husband and daughter. And Aryan has been busy trying to impress a Lady that was giving him a tough time.
Arshad the workaholic is doing his thing so also is the career woman, Aaban is back to school, Baba is always also in the complex or out of town for a business meeting, Hilal is busy flying people in and out of where they want to be.
Sometimes Amnah wonders why there's no Tambari airline where hilal will do his pilot thing and Aryan will also use it for his travel agency and khalas!
Don't ask of Khalifa Dunoma because he has gone MIA, out of anger and being fed up with his inconsistency, Amnah decides to delete all his contacts and unfollow him in all her social media but it seems like the guy doesn't care anymore because he didn't even feel the need to ask her why she did that and its not like he's not active.
She stalks him time to time and he's been doing his thing. Hanging out with friends and having fun, forgetting there's one Amnah Tambari he left hanging. Forgetting all those times they use to play husband and wife, all those nights they are chatting or talking about sweet nothings, all those times he paints their future in her minds eye, the colour they are wearing for their wedding dinner and where he would like them to go for their honeymoon. Men sha don't even know what they want.
Maybe he met someone better than her but that is nothing that is going to bug her because #wemove.
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Khalifa Dunoma misbehaving again? We need to call that guy to order. But then Amnah is checking someone else out, could that be the reason she's indifferent about her khalifa?
Who can guess who might be our new love interest?
And how many cliffhangers does this chapter have?