Handsome Devil ✅

Thirty

Zayyad had managed to survive the first week of his bondage. He felt as though he was caged and chained to Noor. She was there in the kitchen and then in the living room and then beside his bed. He concluded that was what being a wife entailed. He had put the resentment he held for the marriage because in spite of all he does, she was there ready to please him. She made his breakfast before he goes out and served him dinner like a king that he was to her.

Beneath the cacophony of life, Zayyad had always got a minute or two to think about Layla or if he was being honest, his child. It was a reality he had accepted and could feel the danger of it lurking around in a shadow that kept coming closer until it was a part of him.

Going out to see her was the last thing he would think of doing yet he wanted to know if for some miracle something had occurred in his favor.

He watched as Noor kept walking up and down to arrange the house. She was so eager to please him and if anything it annoyed him more.

Noor who wore a comfy top and sweatpants came to serve his breakfast. It amazed Zayyad how she had gone from the hijabi sister to a care free human. She seemed interesting yet he barely had enough time to take in her look talk more of touching her hands. She sat across him and he got to realized the good things he had been missing while wallowing in what he couldn't change.

Noor had decided to let her groom have the time of his life. She had promise her parent to be a good wife and build her own home and it was too early to start complaining and if she was being sincere she was helplessly in love with him that she kept on believing they would eventually understand themselves and sort out things.

After her epic first night experience alone, she thought he would make up for what he did. She kept hoping and when night fell he curtly said goodnight and move to his room locking the door as though she was an intruder. She took that as a cue to go to her own room too. It happened again and again till she decided when he was ready to take her in he would say it. Meanwhile, she perfected her culinary art and was busy with everything that they say makes a man happy which was futile. He was immovable.

Stealing glances at him as he made to open the bowl of liver sauce she kept, she could feel her heart flipped as a smile crossed his lips. He had the most beautiful lips she had ever seen.

She kept fantasizing about him and was surprised when he complimented the food. She was awestruck when he asked her to join him knowing this was one of the things she had been long waiting for. They finally sat side by side so close she could feel his warmth. It was a dream come true for Noor.

*****

Back at home, Layla had recovered in what was really a surprise speed. She ate robustly and had enough to feed her baby. Gwoggo bath the baby everyday. Alqasim had came to see them and he couldn't take his hand off the baby. She was so cute and beautiful. There was a nagging question that he wanted answered. Where the hell is the father of the kid??

Surprisingly, it was Alqasim Gwoggo called to whisper the Khutbah into the baby's ear. On the sixth day of the birth,Gwoggo gave Alqasim money to buy the ram for naming. It was among religious instruction and she couldn't deny the baby that even though her mother had gone ahead to call her Rahama.

On the seventh day, the ram was slaughtered and to Alqasim utter surprise, nothing was mentioned of the father of child. The mother was not even enthusiastic about it too. She was just a mother loving her child with no care. Curiosity rose in him and he was lucky to meet Gwoggo in the kitchen.

He stood by the door looking at her and wondering what she and her niece were doing.

"Hamma, what's the matter?" She jolted him from his thoughts. He moved in closer to her whispering in a low voice.