Zohra
Three hours later the lots landed in Muscat, I met with Harees and my son on the runway, one year old and a halve Zishan ran all the way to meet up with me,
I squatted and opened my hands wide to receive him in my motherly embrace, "that's my prince, do you miss me, i missed you" i said carrying and showering him with pecks,
"Mama back Mama back Mama back" he chanted, yeah Zishan has made alot of progress with speech and am ever proud,
"Where is Nuaimat" Harees asked after our hugs and pecks exchange,
"Would you Believe she had to stay back for reasons no one knew" i said,
"You are kidding" he said chuckling and was looking round expecting her to appear, now why will i kid with something like that,
"Am not kidding, she is back in Qatar, she will be here tomorrow" I said
"You are not kidding" he asked looking at her, i shook my head, "damn" he sweared
"Not infront of the kid" i reprimanded, because Harees swears alot and i don't like it when he does that infront of Zishan,
"Sorry, but how on earth......wait am not telling Zaid this story, because it took lots for trouble for him to be stopped from coming here to get her back to the palace, not to talk of the eager faces of the hosting family awaiting with some festivals on the bride's arrival"
"Well the deed has been done she is back in Qatar, i don't wanna hear anymore" i said and turned to enter the car he came with,
Already Nuaimat's lousy partenal family were already inside other cars, only Aunt Faduwa and Sabeera will be going with us in my husband's black Acura MDX,
Aunt Faduwah and Sabeera reached us, "welcome Mother" he said as he bow a bit for her to kiss his forehead,
She smiled as she pulled him into a hug, she was glad to see her only son,
"Ya Harees" said Sabira also hugging him, you see now the three have more understanding among them unlike before, and am happy with that, even Uncle Hamood has become this sort of a cool quiet Uncle and it surprises me to see how dearly he is fond of Zishan, thou i find it very uncomfortable to be in his presence,
Don't think off about me, he murdered my father, what do you expect from me.
We drove to the Oman royal palace and damn it's a beauty to behold, between our royal palace and this i don't know which one is better,
Right from the entrance girls and boys were spraying flowers and hitting drums in welcoming the people coming with the bride, oh that means us and HELLO there is no bride, now who will break the news, certainly not me, not to Zaid nor anyone, cause i have no answers to questions they will ask.
On parking in the entrance four elderly women dress in Arab dressing robes came up to our car, "they knew i will be coming with the bride" said Harees as we went out,
I put on a grimace as one of the women came up to us, "oh Allah, you look alot like her" she said
"Her who" i asked Harees through my closed teeth and my grimace, "the fair white Queen" answered Sabira, wait come to think of it, i, Zaid, Nuaimat, Muayad, Harees and Sabira are the direct descendants of Queen Naeemah, so i looked at Sabira who spoke,
You know i once heard some Aunties gossiping that Sabira and Nuaimat look much alike than i and Nuaimat, and that is the resemblance to our great granny,
"Wait till you see the bride" said Aunt Ikram as she reached us and hugged each one of us well excluding Hareee,
"Where is she" asked a girlish voice Aunty whom i don't doubt she is another member of the royal family here in Oman,
"I am so......."well the bride is not here" Aunt Qadar broke the news interruptting the girlish voice Aunty,
Within the seconds of breaking the news the Whole crowd outside consisting of our relatives in Qatar and the Omani royals all stood mouth agape, don't say i lied but you can drop a needle and hear it's sound, i kept on my grimace as all eyes fell on me, why me, am gonna kill Nuaimat "wait what do you mean" asked another woman i don't know,
"She...she had to stay back.....
"Stay back" asked another Aunty
"The bride, who gave her that authority" asked another Woman
"Well she is 24......so she is....
"This is an abomination" yelped another Aunty,
"Are we sure she is the descendant of the late Princess" squeaked another woman,
Their mutterings and they interrupting was driving me mad,
"Enough" i yelled, and again the attention was on me,
"The bride to be princess Nuaimat, will be here tomorrow afternoon by Allah's will, she had to stay back for some important stuffs, don't ask me what is it, but know that she won't choose to arrive here late for something silly, so now kindly show our guest the way in, and happily await her arrival" i said, my words seem to register because they all turned away to enter the house and some of the Omani elders came forward to usher our guest in,
"Well that seem to be well" i said beaming, and the rest nodded,
Up in one of the wing we were hosted, i was in my towel and wrestling with Zishan to put on his pants, he was laughing as i now wrestle to grab each legs,
"Momma not strong, Momma not strong" he sang and laugh, just when Harees came in,
"Thank God, can you" i sighed and threw the pants to him, "sure put on a robe, Zaid wants to see you" he said on catching the boy's pants,
"No way" i said and ran towards the door to the toilet, but Harees cut up with me,
"He just wants to talk, thou he seems agitated" he said
"Is that suppose to make me feel good" i asked disturbed
"Hey don't worry, is not like he wants to lash on you, he won't, just talk and brave off" he said as he put on my robe for me, i pouted
"Yeah more like it, be yourself" he said and patted my cheeks making me loose the pout,
We heard Zishan's laugh, i and Harees exchange a look, "atleast you will be dealing with someone mature"Harees said mocking a shudder, i chuckled and then gave him a slight peck on the lip and headed to the door, "Momma Momma me kiss me not" Zishan wailed but i knew it was fake, i shook my head and gave him a peck on the lips too, i saw him give his dad a smirk and Harees scowled, well welcome to my world of Harees and Zishan competing for my attention,
I went out of the bedroom and saw him going to and fro and hearing me come out, he turned "is it, is it true, she is back in Qatar" he asked me, i nodded wearily
"Ya Allah, did she say why" he asked trying so hard to calm himself
"No"
"Damn, i messed up, again" he snapped and smashed a flower vase with his hand,
"What" i asked not minding the flower vase that was smashed but what he just said,
"She is eloping from the wedding, and it's my fault" he said his eyes were now red due to anger,
"Wait what did you do" i asked,
"We....we had a fight, over the phone a day before yesterday in the night" ,
Holy smokes, i have heard of runaway brides, but i never knew Nuaimat will be one, if that really is what is happening
"A fight, a fight on the week of your body Ua Zaid what is wrong with you" i asked clearly shocked,
"What now" asked Khalisa coming out of another room her and her husband are sharing in the same wing with us, and her husband Thauban followed just when Herees and Zishan came out, Zishan quickly ran to Thauban and Khalisa's 8 months baby girl, their second child, (Aiman is their first song) "Baby Ameera down come" he said at the baby who was excited to see him,
"No Zishan, i don't want her crawling around" said Khalisa, "no down down baby come down" he wailed, Khalisa sighed and gently place her daughter on the rug, as Zishan place himself down near her,
"Is it about Nuaimat" Khalisa asked,
"Yeah Ya Zaid had a fight with her a day before yesterday" i said
"Oh my God is that why she refused to come" asked Thauban,
"Does that mean she is eloping the wedding" asked Harees,
"This can be good, cousin Zaid what did you do" asked Khalisa
"We had a fight over the phone " he said,
"A fight, a fight, a fight about what and why" demanded Harees,
"Wait a minute" i said and they all turned ti me, "can we call Nuaimat and asked her if that's the reason she stayed back, before making unimaginable conclusions and pry into their fight" i suggested because i don't like the imagination in my head that Nuaimat just eloped from the wedding,
"She isnt picking, i tried several times" he said
"Call her again" i ordered, he dialled the number and some seconds later he said "switched off" he then gave a loud groan and threw the phone which hit the wall and smashed, Zishan and baby Ameerah looked up probably scared of their uncle's outburst,
"That temper" i murmured,
"Switched off" said Thauban waving his phone,
"I can't loose her, she can't subject me to this punishment" he said now going to and fro,
"What was the fight all about" i asked with a sigh, Zaid kept mute,
"Seriously dude talk, so we may know what to do" said Harees,
"It's about the invitation"
"What about it" i asked
"i heard she sent a card to the Tanisha's father"
"What" the rest chorused except me, yeah i knew about it,
"Wait the guy that inseminated her" asked Khalisa with disgust,
"And i freaked out, she said now the two of them had an understanding, so it will be nice to invite him, and then..." he kept mute clearly ashamed
"You flared up and probably called her names, or even worse accuse her of having feelings for the guy and say what, you may have dragged Tanisha into it" i asked more like a conclusion, look i know my brother's style when he is in temper,
He looked away from me, "complete it" said Thauban
"Zohra is right, i accused her of seeing him behind my back and even said i am wondering if he really inseminated her and if she really was unconscious, and that she should think if Tanisha her daughter will ever forgive her, " he said
"Over the phone" asked Khalisa and he nodded
"You said all this to her, to the girl who loves you, to the girl who forgave you for trying to steal her daughter from her, to the girl who chose you over Uzair who saved her life, to the girl who you claim to love" asked Thauban
"Zaid are you alright up there, why" asked Harees
"I was jealous and the temper took the better of me" he said now like a small child caught doing something wrong and ia being told off,
"Well hello that temper has gotten you into this tension" said Thauban as he sat down,
"I.....(smash).....dont.... (smash)....wanna.... (smash).....loose...(smash).....her....(smash) (smash)...(smash).....(smaaaaaasshh)" he shouted, as we stand in a mess up room with broken glass frames, flower vase and other breakable items, Khalisa looked scared and has moved some steps back,
Harees was too, but i stood with my hands akimbo with a sober face and mixed feelings, pity for him and the same time annoyed at his temper.
Already our kids have seeked sanctuary behind Thauban and were crying, Thauban pick the two up and head out, just when Jameela, Jameena, Nora, Maha, Mabad, Kashan and Wakeel came in,
"Ba..d timing" said Nora and quickly went out,
"Is it about Nuaimat" asked Jameena
"Ofcause what will agitated prince Zaid if not the absence of his bride to be" said Jameela and sat down undisturbed, naturally thats how Jameela is unbothered nor undisturbed,
"Is that why this" asked Mabad motioning Zaid's mess,
"He thinks Nuaimat eloped from the wedding" said Harees
"Wai..t wait, why will he think of that" asked Wakeel,
"They had a fight" said Khalisa
"Fight" yelped Maha "what did you do" .
"Zaid what did you do" asked Kashan,
Great ,everybody knows what Zaid can do,
"He made some accusations, and he thinks that might have gotten to Nuaimat and she backed off" said Khalisa
"Oh my God, i can't Believe this, what will we tell everyone" asked Jameena
"Wait we are not even sure if that is it.....
"You know her, she is too sensitive, if not tell me why she refused to confind in us nor even Zohra on why she is really staying back" said Maha, i shook my head, look i won't just Believe its real, Nuaimat loves my brother, she won't do this to him,
"Can we call her again" i suggested,
"Here" Kashan offered his phone to Zaid, who haughtily collected it and dialled her Number
"Hello you've reached Nuaimat Nudrat, kindly drop a message and i will get back to you, good day", Zaid let out another groan and smashe Kashan's phone on the wall,
Everyone was mouth agape,
"Dude you were suppose to drop a message" said Kashan clearly hurt picking up his smashed i phone,
"And say what" asked Zaid just like a kid, innocently, "seriously" inquired Wakeel giving him the don't be ridiculous look,
"Fine let me drop a message" he said forwarding a hand for another phone, but no one made the move to give him,
"Use mine, and if you break it, i won't take it like Kashan" warned Mabad forwarding his phone,
Zaid scowled and was dialing her number again, "hello Ya Mabad" she answered, we all sighed and came close to him due to curiosity, "ya Mabad" she called again
"It's me, where are you" asked Zaid trying to be calm,
"Shit" she exclaimed the call was ended, we were shocked as he dialled the number again but it went through voicemail "Hello, you have....Zaid raised his hand to throw away the phone when Mabad caught the hand and grab out his phone from Zaid's clutch,
"That was......."a prove she is not coming" yelled Zaid interrupting Khalisa
"Now what will we do" asked Jameena and everyone turned to me, why me, Nuaimat i will kill you,
"The best thing is that we wait for tomorrow, like she said she will arrive, if she doesn't show up, then we plan something while giving thanks to the ill tempered prince of a brother we are blessed with" and turned to enter our room as i felt him shooting daggers.
We waited anxiously for Nuaimat's call or arrival but none came, even the next day her phone was switched off, Ya Zaid was going crazy, and i heard he smashed al almost all breakables in their part,
I won't lie even i am worried,
Today around 12 pm we all waited in another sitting room, i, Muayad Harees, Zaid, Maha, Lawisa, Jameena, Jameela, Khalisa, Thauban, Mabad, Kashan who still glows at Zaid for his phone, Wakeel, Sabira, Usayd, Sani, Tasneem, the rest were outside trying to keep the host calm and out of suspicions,
Zaid kept on walking to and fro, groaning and silently blaming hiself, when ever a phone rang, he will quickly turn to the owner and when he is given a negative response, he will groan and return to his to and fro, "let me call her" he said forwarding his hand to Sabira's phone which just and she said it wasnt Nuaimat,
"I will do the honours" she said taking her phone out of his way, and that made me chuckle, "Hello you've reached Nuaimat Nudrat, kindly drop a message and i will get back to you, good day", Sabira gave me a look and i nodded,
"Nuaimat its me, this is the fifty something message we've dropped, what is going on, please call back, we are worried sick, please call back" said Sabira and ended it,
We ate lunch there , prayed and other stuffs with the constant dropping by of our Aunties and the host, and we will quickly pretending to be having a good time,
I sometimes go out to stay a bit with our long time friends and then come back, and o will receive the no news mood,
"I messed up, she is not coming" cried out Zaid that was around 8pm, i was
now worried, questions arose in the palace, tomorrow the wedding starts,
"She said in the afternoon, now its past evening" said Muayad calmly but worried,
"Maybe something happened,or she got stuck" suggested Lawisa,
"I happened, it was me" said Zaid,
Just when a phone rang, and it was mine a number was calling me, i hissed and picked it up, "hello" i said after i shook my head at Zaid,
"Zeeeee" shouted Nuaimat's voice, i stood up,
"Aima" i called and everyone crowded around me, i put her on handsfree,
"Dont ask me a thing, just come to the airport NOW" she shouted,
"Owkey, are you alright, where are you" i asked,
"AIRPORT NOW" she insisted and ended the call,
"Am going to pick her up" said Ya Zaid
"Am coming with you" almost everyone chorused, he shrugged and headed out hurriedly, just when Khairiya came in,
"Good Kay, alert the whole house, the bride is in the airport we've gone to pick her up" said Sabira, Khairiya did a victory dance and dashed off.
In five minutes six cars were heading to the airport, Zaid taking the lead, we reached the airport in 20 minutes and on parking Zaid entered and we followed, and there we saw her in the arrivals waiting hall through the glass wall alone, standing backing us,
Zaid almost ran to her and on entering she turned and he more like pulled her to him, and hugged her tightly, she was shocked and more shocked on seeing us entering,
"Can..t..cant breath Zaid, can't breath" she said and he let her go but still held her hands
"Ow...key, what....is happening" she asked looking at us wearily,
"You happened" said Maha,
"Ya Zaid threw a tantrum" said Jameena, he scowled at her,
"He thought you have eloped the wedding" i said
"Eloped" she asked taken aback
"Due to your fight" added Harees, she sighed and turned to him, clearly hurt
"Why do you think so little of me, how and why will i do that because of some silly fights" she asked
"What i said.....
"What you said were between us, but i won't just abscond because of that, i will hurt you, hurt them and even hurt myself" she said tears welled up in my eyes,
"He even smashed my phone" said Kashan, Zaid scowled at him,
"You insisted on arriving late, alone and you didn't tell anyone what kept you, i called on Mabad's phone, when i said it was me you said shit and hanged on and we couldn't reach you" said Zaid,
"When i saw ya Mabad's call, i was in the mist of an angry crowd flying to brazil, i picked up and before i could hear anything, someone pushed me down and i think i swore and my phone was throdded on before i could stand up and get it, i regretted being alone, i was in the airport in Doha since morning, but i couldn't a direct plane till 6" she said,
"Am sorry" he said sadly "but what kept you"
"I ordered for something to be made and i will give you as our wedding gift to you" she said,
"Seriously, all the smashing Zaid, you need to check that temper of yours dude" said Kashan and almost all of us chuckled while he groaned,
"Sorry ya Kashan, and all of you we sorry, am sorry for what i caused, and he is sorry for the smashing and the yellings" said Nuaimat with a smile, she then turned to ya Zaid, she place both her hands on his chest and said
"just because we had a fight, you shouldn't think that way, we are grown ups, grown ups fight and say words they don't mean to eachother,
"i .....
" when you said those words i was hurt but not that hurt for me to abscond the wedding Zaid" she placed a palm on his cheek
"because no matter what, you are the guy i want to spend the rest of my life with, cause you loved me at the time i was no one and had no family"
She then hit him gently on the chest
" and to hear you think that way of me, it hurt me because it's like you still doubt my love for you Zaid" tears welled up in her eyes
"Am sorry, i wasn't thinking straight, am sorry for all the accusations, for this" he said wiping away her tears with his thump,
"i wouldn't hurt you that way Zaid, i wouldn't hurt my family that way" she said as tears ran down her cheeks,
"Am not that stolid and heartless and not that stupid to let you go" she was punching him lightly on the chest,
"And if you ever think of such again, i will never forgive you"
he nodded and pulled her to his body,
"I love you Aima, i love you so much" he said with a crack voice,
"I love you too Zaid" she cried,
"Owkey, alright, if we are through with that can we go, i bet the lights are on for the bride's welcoming" said Wakeel, with that we all set to our cars,
Zaid was holding Nuaimat's hand and pulling her box with the other hand, as they reached the car he came with,
"You said you weren't stupid to leave me, am i that charming and irresistible" he teased before starting the engine
"Shut up and drive before i change my mind" she ordered
"You wouldn't dare" he smirked
"Really mister"
"Yes Mrs Zaid"
"Am not a Mrs, am still the single lady, and have the right to do what a single lady does for to night" she said, Zaid laughed and started the engine
"I heard you cry" she teased, he frowned
"I like seeing you cry, it makes me wanna cajole you" she added with a smile,
"Remind me to always cry when we are married"
"and at the same time makes me feel am the boss" She added, he frowned again and said "shut up", she laughed as he drove on,
He also smiled and took his eyes off his weakness, who on earth will Believe the mighty might prince Zaid's weakness will be the thought of loosing Nuaimat, he chuckled lightly at himself and drove on.
Like Wakeel predicted the entrance to the palace was lit up with lights and almost everyone was there to welcome us, as we came out of the car, it was one of our king's wife that came up to Nuaimat and mock lashing at her with her hand, Nuaimat gave a sorry face and she hugged her, the childish shirll voiced aunt who is by name Dunia a princess of the Omani palace and also happens to be a gynecologist gave a out a loud cheer "THE BRIDE IS HERE, THE GROOM HAS FOUND THE BRIDE"