Layla’s POV
The first place I ordered the driver to take me to was my home.
Yes finally I am going home. I can’t deal with sulayman’s arrogance and bipolar attitude. I am in the car with zenith.
It wasn’t easy with sualyman when I told him two hours wasn’t enough for me to get ready. He can’t continue to order me around like a puppet.
moreover if I am to leave, I won’t be able to say a proper goodbye to mrs kyla. I banged my door close and locked the knob. He stood there for some seconds before leaving with a heavy footstep and slamming his own room door which was as loud as a thunder clap.
I fanned myself with my hand pacing around my room. I feel so hot, not the kind of heat but the hot that you feel when you just escape a ghastly accident. I looked down at my palm and It was all sweaty, I rubbed my palms, walking slowly to the bathroom to wash my face.
Sulayman is really driving me crazy, I shed a tear in between the water I gushed to my face. My stomach hurts like my organs are having a twist party.
I got back into the room and knelt gently beside my bed.
I cupped my hands together and raised it slightly above my head. “ya Allah please forgive me I am sorry” a tear of guilt rolled down my as I felt the connection with my lord. “ya Allah please forgive me for deceiving my parents and everyone who has been kind to me thinking this marriage is real, ya Allah forgive me, forgive me”. I cried harder letting the tears fall freely on my soft cheek. “please spare my life till the end of this seven month so I can ask for a truthful repentance, ya Allah I did this for my family please forgive me” I fell on my back, guilt stinging my heart. I cried a lot trying to connect to Allah, I didn’t bother drying up my tears when it flowed uncontrollably.
I choked on a cough and stood up to take a mug i placed beside my bed earlier. I poured myself a half filled glass of water and gulped as my hands shaked tremendously. I dropped the cup and went back to my kneeling position. for the first time after this marriage, I feel very much guilty for taking such a decision and deceiving everyone. I rolled my back on the brown towel rug and drifted off to sleep with my lips reciting astagfurullah.
Maybe it was an hour or two but the intercom kept buzzing beside my bed. I stood up wiping my dried tears with my scarf.
I feel so relieved and satisfied that Allah has forgiven me.
Allah said to the prophet to tell his servant to call on him anytime. Alhamdulilah I can trust Allah to the end.
I knelt on my knee picking up the intercom, I cleared my throat. “yes?” I breathed into the telecom.
Sulayman’s voice came over the telecom “can you reply your text messages?” his voice filled with command.
I rolled my eyes. “okay” I said and dropped it.
I stood up weakly, searching the bed for my phone. I slumped in bed and clicked on five text messages from bluzy when I found it under the pillow.
(2:25pm) Bluzy: hey!
(2:27pm) Bluzy: hey!
(2:50pm) Bluzy: hey!
(3:05pm) bluzy: hey!!!!!
(4:50pm) bluzy: hey!!!
I arched my brows looking at the time interval he sent those messages. I hissed in annoyance as I don’t see what reply I should give his message. I clicked on his contact profile and edited bluzy to sulayman, I clicked on the save icon and went back to reply.
I don't know why I changed his contact but I sure know that things have definitely changed in whatever relationship we have.
Me: hi!
He replied almost immediately.
Sulayman: what where you doing?
Though the question has become a norm in the past two weeks when he would ask me every time about how I wanted to spend my day or anything but this morning, he has made me to understand we should mind our businesses and I just can't pull up with him being nice this moment and the next he's all angry or anything. I just want to mind my business and be fine till the end.
I pray I survive it to the end!!!!
Me: none of your business! Why?
Sulayman: see Layla, sorry I over reacted earlier, I just get pissed when people interfere with my business.
Me: ok!
Sulayman: common! are we cool now?
Me: I don’t know what you mean by cool but if you mean hope we won’t get into each other’s business anymore then yes we are cool
Sulayman: ok that’s better.
Sulayman: I postponed the traveling. so what about next week.
Me: no! Tomorrow is fine.
I can’t imagine spending an extra week alone with sulayman. never ever!!
Sulayman: Why?
Me: I just wanted to say a proper good bye to mrs kyla.
Sualyman: If you say so!
Me: Yes.
*****
I walked into the kitchen two hours after the chat with sulayman. I feel so sick as my stomach twist in pain for food. I opened the microwave and put in the soup I brought out from the refrigerator while I boiled rice in the cooker. I opened a nutella jar and forced a spoonful of in my mouth. Atleast that would hold my stomach till dinner is ready. I sat on the small dinning watching the cooker. I closed my eyes feeling superbly happy as the chocolate dissolve in my mouth.
Coughs
I turned back to the direction of the sound and saw sulayman standing close to the kitchen door. I flinched a bit in surprise, I wasn't expecting anyone around the kitchen this time. He orders food most of the time and never gets in the kitchen. I ignored him, standing up to check the cooked rice, I removed the soup and start serving myself.
he moved into the kitchen and tried starting a conversation. “can I get some?” he asked in a friendly tone. I looked back at him as I saw him digging a new spoon in the nutella jar.
I avoided his eyes and turned back to what I was doing. “yes”. I put my plate of served food in a tray and left him in the kitchen.
I walked up the stairs and ate my food in silence. I feel so angry but very anxious to leave here.
*****
This morning before we got to the airport for our flight. I hugged Mrs kyla deeply and we both shared a moment of joy, telling ourselves we would call up to check on each other.
For the past two weeks, Mrs kyla has been a part of me. She is one of my mentors now. A very strong woman who fought through so much struggles but yet you would never see anythin except a welcome smile on her face.
Subhanallah her children even left her after all her sacrifices, yet she remained strong and worked diligently. Only if she was a Muslim, thou I tried teaching her little things and started explaining about the prophet and his messages from Allah but she looked a bit confused but I have a feeling and also praying that by Allah's will some way, some how, Mrs kyla would be a muslim.
The car came to a halt in front of my house and I felt like it’s been years I lastly came here. When we drove into my street, I popped my head out of the window surveying everywhere. Nothing has really changed here but in front of my house is a new street lamp. I looked at zenith happily and she gave me her warm smile.
I got out of the car telling the driver to pick me and zenith the next day.
Zenith looked at me with surprise and I nodded my head as I held hands with her. I pressed on the door bell waiting. No one knows am going to be home, not even bhaiya that I spoke to two days ago, aishah would be so delighted. What a way to give everyone a surprise.
The door flung open and in front me was bhaiya. He widened his eyes in shock, his faced mixed with a happy and over whelmed grin. I released zenith’s hand and rushed to give him a big brotherly hug, he engulfed me back lifting me up with his strength. I chuckled as tears fell from my eyes. I broke the hug and we hugged again.
“oh my little champ” he teased, breaking the hug the third time.
I turned back swiftly when I remembered zenith and the driver who held a box of our luggage.
I grabbed the box from the driver and dismissed him which in turn zenith collected the box from me bowing a little.
Bhaiya opened the door wider for us to come in.
“you know this is the best surprise I have received from you so far” bhaiya said with his eyes crinkling in a smile, leading us through the passage. Things haven’t really changed when I looked around. I just slumped on the sofa in the living room. I really miss home, ummi’s cooking and everything in general. I closed my eyes for three seconds taking in all the memories.
Zenith stood beside me and I just told her to sit and remain comfortable. Bhaiya served us a cup of chilled water and I gulped down in happiness still raising my eyes to scan the place I love the most, my stomach jumping out of joy.
“where’s everyone” I said, removing my headscarf and flinging the big jacket I wore to the marble tiles on the floor.
Bhaiya shook his head, sitting in front of me like he was going to give me one of his lectures. “firstly, you need to learn you are married and can't leave things scattered around”. Zenith chuckled lightly and kept a hand over her mouth to prevent her from bursting out. I narrowed my eyes at him for scolding me in zeniths presence. “they went to the grocery store” he replied after a scoff.
I motioned for zenith to follow me up to my room and we sorted out the thing I bought for aishah and deliyah. I took a shower and changed in to a pink longsleeves top and a baggy jean, I rolled my scarf over and went outside with zenith to aisha’s residence.
I hid beside a flower pot and instructed zenith to ring the bell on the door.
“yes how may I help you” she said to zenith who in turn told her she's lost. I laughed holding my stomach from getting hurt and stood up with my hands on my waist and a grin. Zenith pointed towards me and aishah ran out.
“no no” I grinned loudly, shifting back as she bounced her weight on me.
We both fell beside the flower pot and I had a scratch immediately and a little cut on my wrist but that didn’t stop the joy we shared.
Ummi, abbi and deliyah came back a little while when myself zenith and aishah conveyed back to my house. Ummi and I bonded hugging and shedding tears of joy. I really love being here with my family. everything I bought for Aisha fit perfectly well except a long black abayah and we gave that to ummi. Deliyah jumped happily trying on everything I wore and cried because she didn't want to pull it off.
I introduced zenith to my family and then to aishah and she was so pleased, we talked mostly about the random things and tried so much to leave my marriage out of it. Zenith opened up almost immediately, laughing and joking as we planned to have a girl’s night.
"Aishah can you get chocolates in the refrigerator" i asked Aishah. We are lying on our back in my small bed but there's enough space for the three of us, I quite know Aishah won't deny chocolates. She looked at me with the corner of her eyes and stood up, taking a pink scarf.
"Get four" I yelled, when she was about to close the door.
Zenith sat up. "Why four" she looked at me then Aishah.
Aishah grinned and came closer, mischievous written all over her and delighted to reply zenith.
"No no don't tell" I pleaded, sitting up.
"Layla would ask me to get three chocolates, one for me, one for her then the last one for Sulayman which she would fantasize feeding" she smirked and laughed walking out and shutting the door.
A feeling of embarrassment slapped me, my cheeks turning pink. "She's just lieing you know" I said, trying to bail myself. I placed my hand on my cheek and looked away.
She chuckled, I crossed my legs and covered my face with my palm then. Even with all this, how could I have told Aishah to get a spare chocolate for him. I have forgotten he's no longer a crush but now my hateful husband.
Zenith removed my hands and I looked at her in the eye, her dark green eyes. The eyes I never noticed made her beautiful, if she wasn't a maid and took good care of herself more, she would fit for a modest model.
"I like you and young master" she started. I just smiled, nodding my head and tried to change the tensed atmosphere, I already feel tensed, I don't want to discuss Sulayman with zenith.
He's always her boss and she would pick him a hundred time over someone she just met less than a month.
"Zenith where do you come from" I asked, Aishah rushed into the room, shutting the door with her back and panting. She remained there looking at us like she's seen a ghost. Zenith and I exchanged a look and I stood up, walking to her.
I touched her head and she pushed my hand off, I laughed sarcastically then i looked down at her hand. I frowned "where's the chocolates?". She just kept on resting her back on the door, looking away.
"Ridwan" she finally said, leaving her position and bouncing on the bed.
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