BY ZEE ASLAM
CHAPTER TWENTY ONE
It was a cool and autumn night. October’s weather had begun to cool down.
Farida stood by the window in thin clothing as she finished talking to Khaleel on phone.
He wants to introduce her to his family the next day so he had requested they meet in a boutique not quite far from the company. It’s one of the most expensive brand store in the city.
She nervously dressed up and took a cab there. When she arrived she saw his car parked outside but he wasn’t in sight.
Before she could call him, his call came in.
“Where are you”? She asked as she picked the call.
“Take few steps to the open gallery and the security there will direct you to the VIP area” he replied and ended the call.
She looked round thinking he was close by but he wasn’t. She did as instructed and soon was at the VIP session.
“You look good” a deep but pleasant voice sounded from behind. It was Khaleel who had been waiting for awhile.
He was wearing a dark blue suit which wrapped around his alluring muscular body. He looks confident and poised like an emperor from a painting.
“The reason I brought you to this particular store is because they have a high degree of confidentiality and also I want my fiancee to look her best when meeting my family for the first time” he said and winked at her.
She smiled and bent her head down. She was beginning to feel free around him.
“Okay after you”, he said gesturing her to go into the change room.
Her heart felt warm, she was surprised that Khaleel’s thoughtfulness would go this extent. She had no doubt he had already prepared ahead of everything.
Behind the partition, she could see the dress on the mannequin’s body, her eyes looked stunned.
“Go try it on”, he said to her and left.
Her hands trembled as she removed the clothes from the mannequin. Married to a billionaire, she had worn so many expensive clothes and jewelries yet this particular gesture was one in a million.
This was a champagne colored abaya, it was embellished in bright and elegant pearls.
On her body, it appeared soft and graceful making her look like she had just come straight out of a painting.
She stood speechless in front of the huge mirror. She admired herself and giggled.
She was about to change when he knocked at the door. She simply opened the door and saw the look in his eyes.
He looks more calm and confident than an aristocrat.
“This is perfect, isn’t it”? He asked her.
‘Yes it is, thank you’. She said and he placed his finger on his lip “ssshhhhh”.
“I will be outside”, he said and headed out.
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She quickly changed into the cloth she wore there. The receptionist came in and packaged the dress for her then led her out running her mouth as they passed through the lobby.
“Ma’am you are so very lucky to have purchased this dress, this is the only one of it’s kind here. To tell you the truth it was specially made for you”.
“Hmmmp” Farida scoffed.
She stepped out of the building and headed to where his car was packed. He has laid a bit on the car with his eyes shut but opened them when he heard her footsteps.
He went into the car and opened the door for her from within like a gentleman would. She hopped in and he drove off.
The ride home was a quiet one. There was silence in the car. The only sound was coming from the Quran recitation booming in the car.
“Location please” he finally broke the silence.
She described for him till he located her house. She alighted and peeped into the car through the window thanking him once again.
‘The driver will come pick you up by 10am tomorrow’. He said to her.
“May Allah spare our lives” she prayed and he murmured ‘Ameen’.
He watched as she opened the door and went in before he started wondering why he always feel awkward when she is around him. There is something about her that always leave him in awe.
When she got into the sitting room, she threw her body tiredly on the sofa.
Sufyan came running to her shouting “happy birthday mami”.
She was dumbfounded. ‘Happy birthday’ she repeated surprised.
“Who told you it’s my birthday”? She asked him looking at the direction where the nurse maid was standing.
“I know today isn’t your birthday but tomorrow and she told me”. he replied pointing a finger at the nurse maid.
‘Then why the birthday wish today’ she asked curiously.
“Because it’s just few hours to your birthday and my friend said, if you want to be the first to wish someone on their birthday, then do so by 12am and I know I won’t be awake by then so I decided to wish you before going to bed”.
She was stunned as he explained in detail. How can a little boy be this clever. She pulled him over and hugged him passionately.
How she so wished he was her son. Whether she placed him in her heart as a son or not, the fact still stands that he is her brother.
“Okay now, it’s time to sleep”, she whispered to his ears. He raised his head and stretched his neck to place a kiss on her cheek. She also pecked his forehead and they both smiled.
‘Goodnight’ he said waving at her and ran off to his room.
Farida blushed then lay on the sofa and soon she dozed off.
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By 10am, the next day.
The weather was accompanied by drafts of cold refreshing air.
Farida wore her dress and stood in front of her dressing mirror, she was looking elegantly beautiful.
The abaya wasn’t showing her slender figures so she wrapped a tiny veil over her head and stepped out of the room.
Sufyan had gone to school and the nurse maid was doing the cleaning.
Not long have she sat down on the couch that she heard horn blaring outside the gate. ‘It must be Khaleel’s driver’ she thought.
She was not a makeup freak but her face shone like a star. She picked her bag and came out to meet him.
They exchanged pleasantries and she hopped in then he drove off.
Few hours later, the gate to the royal home widely opened and he swiftly drove in.
Farida stared at the alluring, magnificent and mind captivating palace in awe stuck…..
