From A Lover To Another 1

2.3

FLASHBACK

The drive to the Ezra household was relatively awkward, god bless the driver who was blasting music hoping to mute out the awkwardness.

Abbas and his assistant were arguing about some event later in the week, Hadiyeh's mother was typing something into her phone. Hadiyeh leaned her head on the windowsill.

She saw JJ's legs bouncing. A habit he had when he's uneasy.

"What's wrong?" She whispered putting her hand on his knee.

"Nothing," he shrugged, what did he have to say. I'm going to be meeting your father and I'm gonna ask for his blessing and seeing your family makes me want to shit myself with nervousness.

"Alright," she nods, she makes a mental note to chase him up about it later.

When the car finally pulls up to the Ezra mansion. JJ can't stop his mouth from hanging open. At least 20 people are wearing a black and gold uniform weaving in and out of the doors. This place looked more like a palace than a house.

"You're going to catch flies," Abbas chuckles seeing JJ in awe.

"Yeah, it's just that Hadiyeh had never mentioned it,"

"Because, darling, there isn't much to mention, welcome to our humble abode," Hadiyehs mother chuckled making her way into the house kicking her shoes off.

"HELEN MY SHOES!"

"Yes ma'am," a younger woman weaved through Hadiyeh JJ following behind, picking up the shoes that she had just kicked off.

"Zain, would you mind taking Hadiyeh and her guest's luggage to their rooms?" Abbas turned to one of the butlers who was supervising the kitchen staff emptying the truck from outside.

"Do all of the houses here have lifts?" JJ asks as he enters the elevator Hadiyeh by his side.

"In this area, yeah, probably," she shrugs as the elevator music plays quietly in the background.

"Is your house always this busy?"

"No, it's just tonight my dads probably hosting jummah dinner. After prayer, everyone just comes over to ours,"

"Oh fuck," just as the words fall from his mouth the doors open and a woman maybe a few years older than JJ comes into the room staring at Hadiyeh and JJ with a frown on her face. No one could blame her she was holding a baby boy on her waist as was holding a toddlers hand. She was a beautiful girl, she looked no older than three. She had big doe eyes, full lips and curly hair. A picture of what JJ imagined Hadiyeh looked like as a child.

The woman's frown quickly turned upside down as she grinned joyfully, "Hadiyeh, darling," the woman cooed a strong french accent seeping through her lips. Hadiyeh's sister had been living in Morroco since she was 18 and her husband was also part Parisian and part Persian.

"Nice to finally meet you," she smiles kindly at JJ who happily reciprocates the smile.

"Amira this JJ, JJ this is my sister Amira, and this is Asal and Arsalan." Hadiyeh introduces taking Asal in her arms.

"I thought you have three children?" JJ questions.

"Yes, that rascal is with his father," she chuckles.

"Mum is gonna need your help, I'll take care of Honey over here and you can go see what mama wants," Hadiyeh kisses Amira on the cheek.

"Hadhad!" The toddler squeals pulling on Hadiyehs scarf.

"Alright then, you take care, and it was nice meeting you, Mr Olatunji," and before JJ can answer she disappears behind the doors of the elevator.

"Olaf!" The toddler cheers leaning out of Hadiyehs arms reaching over to JJ who hesitantly takes the child into his arms.

"Olaf, huh?" She raises a brow at him taking them to their room.

"Olaf!" She claps her hand touching his locks carefully.

"You like it?" He asks poking her nose gently, putting his locks in her face making her laugh loudly.

She smiles as she walks behind them, one day JJ will become a father, not in the near future, but one day. And she knows for sure that he'll become the best father he can be to his children.

"Your room," Hadiyeh opens JJ's room and inside just as she had ordered was decorated in black and white with an essence of gold.

"Nice," he grins lifting his head to see past Asal.

"How about I watch Asal until you freshen up then vice-versa because we both need to shower," she states and he nods handing the little child over to Hadiyeh.

Not an hour later JJ is knocking eagerly on the door across the hallway. Hadiyeh smiles opening the door and letting him in.

"Where is Honey?"

"Sh," she scolds him pointing at the sleeping child, she had explained to JJ that Asal means honey and JJ had much prefered 'Honey' to 'Asal'.

"You can just sleep here if you want until I shower and that," she offers.

Hadiyeh's room was the same size as JJ's but clearly a bit more home-like. She had pictures hanging on all of the walls, she had her camera and all of her youtube related stuff on her desk and even a planning board above it.

She had a complete wall dedicated to music. Vines, from Micheal Jackson to One Direction, she even had some Arabic vines, that he couldn't understand but they were very vintage and valuable. She even had a vinal player resting on a small table next to a freshly made cup of cappuccino.

"Oh, so you get special service and I don't?"

"There's a coffee machine and fridge under my vanity, help yourself," she whisper yells poking her head out from the bathroom in her room.

He nods walking over to her vanity. As a child, his mother wasn't a strong believer in makeup. But now he truly does admire how women perform art on their faces as though it's a canvas blended so well that you truly think it's real. Tucked into the side of her mirror there is a family picture. Or that's what he'd like to hope. Because right in the centre of the frame is Hadiyeh kissing a guy on the cheek, and he looks handsome, he's dressed in a suit, his face had stuble just long enough to ensure the fact that he can grow a beard and only prefers not to. But his most recognisable feature was his piercing green eyes that were squinted as he was smiling. He looked like someone JJ could never be. Someone straight out of a fairytale and looking at the watch on his hand, he was rich too.

Written: 15/08/2021
Published: 23/08/2021

(A/N: I hate socialising with guests *sighs*)