BY ZEE ASLAM
CHAPTER TWENTY SIX
Later in the evening, Farida arrived at royal hotel’s restaurant. The meeting or rather the dinner was casual and fun.
Her manager still remembers her mumu buttons. They also discussed about the way forward and the company that had offered to sign her in.
She was amazed, her manager sure had everything planned. A comeback wouldn’t be that tough anyway.
She left there and went home retiring to bed early. She has an interview scheduled early the next morning as she would be featuring in an award winning company’s magazine cover page.
Boss man went home very late, he had stopped by khalid’s place and the brainwashing continued. Now he was having mixed feelings.
He regrets supporting Farida to do this, on the other hand, he don’t want to interfere in her personal life.
He met his parent in the sitting, probably they had stayed awake to await his arrival.
“Boss man, come sit here”. His mother said. Without hesitating, he did as he was told.
His father looked straight into his eyes as he spoke, “Boss man, I want this marriage to take place as soon as possible”.
Khaleel looked at him and nodded affirmatively.
“I don’t want to keep you in the dark any longer, my health condition is becoming worse”, he added and coughed.
Khaleel felt a tear left his eye. His father looks physically fit all this while, who would have thought he was fighting against this ailment, it’s like everything happened overnight.
Hajiya didn’t say a word again, she only leaned on her husband’s shoulder as he spoke.
“Death does not knock at our doors nor does he use an amplifier to announce his arrival, we don’t know who will answer the call first but I have a feeling my days are numbered.
Khaleel was beginning to get scared, his father’s words are too heavy for his ears.
“Daddy please stop saying all this, you will live long In Sha Allah”! he finally said.
“My son, in everything you do, always remember death. Here we are today, tomorrow we might be no more. Am at ease knowing the son I begot. You are a fearless lion”.
“Never do I want it to be like, ‘fire begots ashes’ you are not an ashes, you are a raging fire” his father concluded calmly.
A strange and calm aura swept through the sitting room. The atmosphere harbors hidden motives.
Hajiya used her veil to wipe off the tears that soon filled her eyes. Will they still hold onto the truth and keep hiding it from the children!..
She and Alhaji were in the hospital some months back and it was confirmed that his prostate had really gone bad, he could no longer manage without a surgery and so they booked him for the operation to be in a month time.
*
*
*
*
*
Khaleel is the eldest and needed to know what was going on.
“Hajiya don’t worry, he will pull through In Sha Allah” Khaleel said to calm her down.
His father opened his hands wide to receive him and Khaleel ran into his embrace. It has been quiet awhile so he felt like a new born baby, like he was feeling good in his embrace for the first time.
His mother joined and the trio maintained that position for some minutes. He left after seeing them off to their room..
His father’s words occupied a permanent space in his brain.
The next morning, Farida ran into an old friend after her interview, she was a course mate and a close friend back then in school.
Then had parted ways and lost contacts when she left for the states.
They had alot to talk about, the old time memories, the school days and even the recent lives. Farida learnt Zarah is married with two kids.
They rekindled their friendship once again and decided to make the best out of it.
Zarah was actually going for shopping, it’s her husband’s birthday and she had decided to organize a family party for him.
“In as much as I know you don’t attend parties, am pleased to invite you to my husband’s birthday party” She heard Zarah said to her.
“It’s not a big deal, I would be there” she said and Zarah laughed saying, ‘look who has changed’.
They went for an extravagant shopping for the birthday. Farida stared in awe, Zarah was spending more than she could imagine. Isn’t it just a birthday, what difference would it make!
After the shopping, they were both exhausted. Zarah drove them to her house since her husband was at his workplace and it’s going to be a surprise birthday party.
As they sat among the shopping bags and sipped chilled drinks, Zarah noticed her friend was despondent.
She nudged at her. What is it? After all the fun we had today, you look sad to me this afternoon. She asked concerned.
There was a long pause, Farida tried unsuccessfully at a smile, she told her friend about her past marriage escapades and she getting married again soon.
“I really don’t know, I seem to have a déjà vu feeling. One minute I feel ecstatic, then like a pain killing drug, the ecstasy would wear off leaving gaps cracks and dark places”. She added.
******************************
Zarah laughed hilariously and said, ‘this is what is called marriage jitters, my friend’.
“But this is my second marriage, why do I have to feel this way now”? She asked as her curiosity arose.
“It does not matter if this is your second or tenth marriage, it is still the same, marriage jitters is marriage jitters”. Zarah convinced her.
Farida did not say a word about it again.
They decorated the house and did the cooking.
Few hours to the birthday, Farida went home and had a change of cloth then came back.
The surprise birthday party turned out well. There was alot to eat and drink. The guests in attendance had fun.
Farida noticed a familiar figure among the guests. Behold it was Khalid whom she later learnt is the celebrant’s younger brother. He made advances at her but she avoided him.
When it was getting late, she called it a day and went home only to find Khaleel sitted comfortably on the sofa in the sitting room waiting for her.
Sufyan was attending to his assignment when she came in, he gave her a bad stare and left her presence. She watched as he went into umma’s room.
