BEING YOURS

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

Ali couldn't explain how he felt the next morning, afraid? Jittery? Regretful? He should have never done that. Crap!

He hardly mustered the courage to go wake her up from sleep that morning to have her bath and pray and had to carry her to the bathroom cos she's sluggish.

Did I hurt her badly? He kept thinking to himself.

To take his mind off things, he decided to make them breakfast. Actually he got them some foodstuff since he intended for them to spend the night.

He made them a quick fruit salad before making the scrambled eggs and hot chocolate. Amira came in just as he's rounding up and leaned on the door jamb.

"Good morning." She greeted and he turned to the wall, was speechless for a beat.

"Hey." He said, couldn't take his eyes off her. She's dressed in his thawb, y'know how she looked? "You look like a floating angel in that."

"I couldn't find anything to pray in, only this covered me up."

"And you're comfortable in it?"

"Not really. I just wanted to check on you, give me a sec." And she disappeared.

Ali noticed he wasn't the only edgy one.

He finished the meal and took it to the living room since there's no dining table and she met him there changed into one of his long sleeved t-shirts.

"This place is really beautiful, I never believed there'd be a cabin in Nigeria." She said as she admired the cozy living room.

"Wanna stay longer?" He sank his hands into the pocket of his shorts.

"That'd be lovely. When would we be leaving?" She glanced at him.

"I guess Dad asked us to stay longer for the dinner but I don't know if he has other plans. Should we make other plans?"

"Look at you saying that," She chuckled, continued toward what captured her attention. "You look cute even when you_" Her words came to a stop as she took the gauzy clothing off the easel.

Ali wanted to see her facial reaction but still restrained from going in front of her and stayed behind waiting for her to talk cos she would talk.

"What," She stammered, her laughs breaking. "Wait is... is this me?" She faced him.

He looked at the painting, shrugged slowly.

"Goodness it's me! It's... a naked me. When did you do this?"

He couldn't place a name on the emotion in her voice but she's smiling, that's all that mattered. "Well um,"

"Last night? This morning? C'mon tell me when?!" She jumped on her feet and he couldn't understand why she's so excited.

"No um, it's been here for about three months or so."

"Three months?! You did it?"

"I guess." He scratched his nape, nervousness taking him over.

"Wow it's beautiful." She sighed dreamily, faced the art. She couldn't understand how Ali got to depict her like that. She's standing backward and bare, except for the sheer clothing floating halfway down her butt and one hand was clutching her boobs. She was looking back, smiling and she doubted if she really looked that breathtaking. "How did you do it?"

Ali wasn't sure if she's expecting an answer cos she didn't seem like she meant the question.

"But wait, what were you thinking when you painted this? We weren't so close three months ago. Wait where were you three months ago?" She asked all together and her brows pulled together in thought. Her eyes brightened up instantly and he guessed she found her answer. "You mean when you left back then, you came here?"