"Where are we going?" I asked as I closed the bottle of water I just drank from.
"You'll see" he said.
I sighed as I relaxed back on the seat, we had just left my father's house and he was driving somewhere, i couldn't recognize the road.
We arrived at a cute plaza and he drove in, it was quite busy.
We found a parking space and he parked before exiting the car, I followed him.
I kept looking around, following him until we arrived at a shop, an empty one, a lady inside opened it for us.
He walked in and they exchanged greetings.
Could this be...
"Welcome to your bakery" he said as he collected the keys from the hands of the woman and he dropped it in mine.
A smile took over my features as I looked around the place, it was so spacious.
I walked passed them to walk into the three other doors, I took my time looking around, for somewhere that's empty someone might wonder why I took so much time looking at it, but I was just taking it all in, I couldn't believe this was mine.
I walked back into the main space and the both of them looked at me with smiles on their faces.
I later realized they were both mirroring mine, I didn't even realize that the smile was still on my face.
"This is Nawal, shes an interior designer, so the both of you can work together to create what you want" he said.
I walked forward and I outstretched my hand towards her.
"Hello, it's nice to meet you"
"It's nice to meet you too! How are you?" She asked.
I and Nawal conversed as he walked out to take a call.
I liked her already, she seemed really lovely.
She looked through her iPad to show me something and I used that opportunity to walk up to him by the sliding door when I saw that he was done with his call.
He saw me coming and he smiled.
I placed my palm on his arm "Thank you" I said "it's very beautiful"
"It's empty" he chuckled.
"I know, but it's still beautiful, thank you very much, this means a lot to me"
He smiled, a genuine one.
"You're welcome Afrah."
I blinked at him as I removed my hand from his arm.
He realized a second later than me.
I immediately look away from him, awkwardly patting my palms on my dress as the lady thankfully calls my name, saying she has found the picture.
I walked up to her and she shows me the designs on the iPad, but she might as well have turned it off because I was looking but I wasn't seeing anything.
Afrah? Is that what he sees every time he looks at me? Her?
It could be just a slip of tongue.
It wasn't. He had that look on his face, that genuine one when he said that, it was there whenever he was sweet to me, when he hugged me, when he gave me a kiss, was that only because he sees her in me?
Am I overreacting?
I'm not.
But it's fine...it fine. It's ok. I mean there's nothing much I can do about it, I mean what can I do, he can't help how he feels.
And neither can you.
I can't lie I'm hurt, I didn't like the thought of being in someone's shadow.
But what can I do? I'm the second choice. It's fine, it's ok.
That is the mother of his kids, his first love, of course he still loves her, so him calling you her name shouldn't bother you.
But it does.
"Are you ok Manal?" She asks.
I blinked at her "I-..yes? Yes, yes I'm ok"
She smiles a little "alright, uh I asked you what you think of this? I was thinking maybe we should go marble instead of wood?"
"I-..we can go with whatever you see fit, I mean you're the professional."
She smiles as she shows me other photos.
I dared to look at the door to see if he was still there... he had left.
"Ok that's just what I wanted to show you, I can come over to your place or you can meet me at my office so we can discuss further later this week? Anyone you see fit" she says.
I managed to nod back at her with a smile as I bring out my phone so we can exchange numbers.
We walk out of the space and I lock it with the keys in my hands.
We walk downstairs and I escort her to her car, she drives off before I look to the direction he parked wondering if he's still there.
Thankfully he was, I went into the car and I put on my seatbelt.
He drove out of the plaza with neither a word from either of us.
A few minutes into the traffic he broke the awkward silence "She's good at her job, Nawal"
I nodded in agreement, from the looks of it she is "she's nice too"
He hummed.
I looked out the window next to me.
Silence took over the air.
I kept my eyes on the window until we reached back home, however I felt his gaze turning to me 90% of the time.
I looked away from the window "the twi-.."
"The driver picked them up" he said.
I nodded before picking up my handbag and I went out of the car.
I didn't even fully open the door of the house and I heard their screams.
"Maama!"
I laughed "Na'am!"
"Where you go?!" Alina asked, still in her white dress.
I wasn't surprised, Maman Bala was too old for these kids, one scream from Alina and she has given up . It always cracks me up.
"I was with daddy" I said as I held their hands, dragging them into the house.
"I wake up, Maama nowhere" Alim said, looking at me in utter disappointment.
I laughed again "I'm sorry my baby, it won't happen again"
He smiled at me.
"Daddy!" Alina squealed, rushing to him when he came into the house.
Alim followed after her.
He picked them up at the door and he walked in with them in his arms.
"Wanka" I said to the both of them and they immediately scowled.
I rolled my eyes and Alina did the same.
"Alina!" I scolded
She giggled.
Alim saw that and he also rolled his eyes, they both giggled at the same time.
"Innalillahi, Yaran nan! Stop, it's wrong" I said.
"But Maama do it" she said.
"It was a mistake, I won't do it again so don't do it again, ok?" I said
They both nodded "ok!"
And guess what they did? They rolled their eyes at the same time immediately after that.
Wallahi yaran nan sun raina ni.
Their giggles erupted the room.
One look from their dad and the giggles seized.
Alim closed his eyes with his tiny palms to run away from the look and Alina took one for the team and she apologized "Sorry Daddy, Sorry Maama"
It's so intriguing how he's always playful with them but he knows how to make them behave with just a look.
He removed Alim's hands from his face "sorry Maama, sorry Daddy"
They're way too cute!
"It's ok! Now let's go shower"
He put them down and they rushed to me and I held their hands as we walked towards the stairs.
We went into their room and I bathed Alina first, then Alim second. After I finished dressing him up I went to my room to take a shower myself.
I changed into my pajamas and I went into the room.
Only to see the two little creatures sitting on my bed with crossed legs waiting for me to come out like adults.
I laughed "why are you here? You were supposed to eat dinner and go to bed, maman bala bata baku abinchi ba?" I said as I walked to the dresser to mosturize my body.
"She did! We ate tuwo!"
"Miyan kuka!" Alim added.
One thing about these two they love tuwo.
"Oya! Time to sleep"
"We sleep in daddy's room today" Alina said.
I nodded "ok Toh, goodnight, come let me give you hugs"
"Noo, you come"
"Me come where?" I asked.
"Daddy's room, we sleep daddy's room" she said blinking her cute little eyes at me.
"No Alina, I'll sleep here, Maama will sleep here" I said.
"No, Maama come" Alina pouted.
"No baby, go sleep in daddy's room, if you listen to me I'll make you guys cupcakes tomorrow, deal?"
"Deal!" Alim answered for them.
I laughed.
Alina however didn't look convinced as Alim held her hand and he attempted to drag her out of the room, I stopped them and I gave them hugs before quickly reciting the duas I usually say on them.
I released them and Alim dragged Alina out of the room.
I sighed before shaking my head in amusement, as long as those two were in this house there's no room for boredom.
I picked up my phone and I laid down on my bed, refusing to let the events of earlier play in my head when his text came in.
Ya Muhammad:
Manal, ki zo
What now?
I adjusted my cap before standing up and leaving the room, I knocked on the door first before poking my head in.
Alim was laying on his father and Alina was squatting by the chair in the room doing God knows what.
"Na'am?" I asked.
"They insist you must sleep here tonight" he said.
I gave the two kids a bored look "I thought we had a deal?"
They giggled.
I let out a sigh before opened the door wider and walking in.
This room lowkey gave me PTSD, it reminded me of that day.
Alina left her position from next to the chair and she ran to the bed "Maama you sleep here!" She patted the other side of the bed.
I walked towards the other side as Alim crawled towards me.
I sat on the bed before laying down on my side and leaning my head on my palm, facing them, fixing the top of my shirt.
"Toh I'm here, bachii"
Alim laid next to me and Alina laid neck to Alim with her dad on her other side.
He stood up and he turned off the lights of the room, leaving only the bedside lamp next to him on.
He sat back on the bed as he picked back his phone.
I patted their heads until their eye lids started to fall.
They did want to sleep, it was just their shenanigans.
The way Alim's breath evened out let me know he had fallen asleep so I turned my focus to Alina.
Under a minute she was fast asleep too.
Now what? I was a bit sleepy yes but it would take a while, so before that how do I cope with his presence?
I removed my hand from Alina's head, bringing it back towards me, he looked away from his phone to look at me.
I was fighting for my life to keep eye contact, he kept on staring at me.
At the end I failed, I looked away, whispering a goodnight to him before turning to face the other way.
-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-
Yikes 😣
Chab😭 Anyi slip up 🫣I don't even know what to say 🤣
It was bound to happen Amma gaskiya ba daddi 😭😂 but it's Okayy😔
I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter!
See you on the next one!
Love, M ❤️❤️