An Eid With The Prince

XIE XIE ZARAH

                            23

A/N: Xie Xie means thank you in Chinese. Enjoy!

~(Day four, charity foundation.)

Yusuf was unwrapping something that looks like bread, while Zarah stood in a quiet conner—sulking in her own sorrow; making sure her identity stays hidden.

Zarah noticed if she keep on with the attitude he might find out. "Should I start making the syrup?"

Yusuf's attention was drawn aback and he smiled. "Yeah sure, make sure it have an aroma of strawberries and blueberries!" Yusuf said in his usual Chinese accent.

"Oh kay..... Strawberries and blueberries? " Zarah confusingly stare at the melting sugar; there is no way she can do that, she have no chance with an international chef. Zarah boiled sugar and gradually it started melting and it became sticky. She added a strawberry flavor powder and also added blueberries fruit juice in the syrup—hoping Yusuf didn't see her. She poured rose water in the sticky sugar.

"Whoa this smell reminds me of the pancakes I made for my daughter and my darling wife!" Yusuf remembered as he stopped working and allowed the dark cloud of thoughts whisk him away.

Zarah was feeling a bit guilty, Yusuf still love her and little Safeenah, "your daughter will be like your world right?" Zarah questioned.

"Yeah, I love my little Safeenah," Yusuf said as he was at the verge of tears.

Zarah spotted their basic—normal  wedding ring on Yusuf's  finger; despite he is rich now, he didn't change the fake ring. Even though he can afford a diamond ring. "You're still wearing that?" Zarah said.

"Wearing what? "

"Never mind." Zarah sighed with much guilt than vexation.

Yusuf sliced the fluffy and lumpy bread—Zarah still wonders if that food can be enough to feed thousand of people; if not thousand then hundred. The charity organization she gradually changing to a fun arena for rich food tycoons.

He cut the breads in the shape of little pyramids and he let them in the oven which was powered by the solar plants, reducing the heat from 120° to 60°.

"You've got the same name as my ex-wife, Zarah!" Yusuf said still cutting bread.

"I'm sorry I reminded you about your ex-wife, did she died?" Zarah asked even though she knew she didn't. She just wanted to hear Yusuf's point of view about their vague divorce.

"No I died to her, I was a jerk; I was so stupid to let her go like that, I thought I'll never hit it big," Yusuf paused with a regretful scoff, "why am I even saying all of these to a random stranger?"

"Because this stranger cares." Zarah says the same thing Uthman said to her.

"I think the syrup is sticky enough, give it to me." Yusuf said and Zarah did as she was told.

"Xie xie Zarah." Yusuf thanked her. Zarah smiled and for once, she miss Yusuf so bad; his aura, everything.

"Done!" Dave and Maryam screamed as they finish what they've been making. Maryam started taking photos—uploading them on her moments, (talking about social media freaks) "wow, you can cook Arabian traditional food?" Maryam asked in great astonishment.

"Well a good chef must be good in making any dishes!" Dave said in his usual Rio accent.

After the adhan was heard It was already time for iftar finally; the workers all rushed to the masjid for their salah, meanwhile Yasmin and Maryam couldn't stop chatting away their time—sharing their boring royalty lives. Zarah walked pass them, even though she was in niqab, Yasmin recognized her. 

"Where is the hypocritical niqabi coming from?" Yasmin asked song singly.

Zarah was too weak to utter a word, she ignored her and she was walking away and what she heard afterwards broke her heart.

"Useless orphan!" Yasmin said, Zarah turned and in shaky voice she questioned.

"Who told you that?"

"Your lab partner?" Yasmin said; since Zarah admitted she and the Prince's got chemistry, they are officially lab partners. Zarah quickly dashed inside the restroom to let out her hot and agonizing tears.

"Why would you say such? She is also human!" Maryam corrected Yasmin,
(Thank Allah Maryam is not a jerk)

"Don't even try to act like a saint, we all know you are the queen of pranks in high school, so have fun and watch." Yasmin reminded with a playful nudge.

"Yeah, I admit that, and that was the darkest stage in my life, I prayed my lord forgive me, lemme give you some tips about pranking; see if you're the only one laughing, it's not a prank anymore, it's called bullying and beside you don't know what the future holds, she can one day be your helper." Maryam advised, even though she new its impossible for Yasmin to need Zarah's help in the nearest future.

Or can she?

"Since when did you join the '#Anti bullying program? Maryam chill, it's just to teach her a lesson and let her know her place; Abubakar is mine."

"No one is denying you of him. We all know he is marrying you soon."

"And, FYI. I can never need anything from her, my dad's net worth is up to 6.1 billion, so what can ever go wrong?" Yasmin bragged as usual. "Just forget it, I need to check up on her!" Maryam said and walked towards Zarah, 

"Don't tell me you're now like her, oh please don't treat me like I am the villainess here, she is, right?" Yasmin said trying to assure herself she wasn't a psycho.

* * * *

Zarah could feel someone watching her from the restroom door.

"Just come in!" she said as she wipe her tears under her niqab.

"Why is the best chef in Dubai crying?" Yusuf asked in his usual Chinese accent.

"You know I can't cook, so stop rubbing it on my face." Zarah said a little bit annoyed.

" I'm sorry, that wasn't what I meant, why are you crying? " Yusuf asked concerned.

"I'm not, thanks for caring." she said wiping her tears,

"I heard what she called you earlier, useless orphan? Wait are you useless?" Yusuf asked.

"If you say so!" Zarah sighed.

"Nope, that was not what I meant, you see, I sucks at motivation, that was why I choose cooking as a career." Yusuf said and Zarah burst into laughter. "Mrs Insiya, you are not useless, if you are, you wouldn't be here, working with three international chefs. You are the most responsible lady I've ever met in my entire life," Yusuf admitted. Zarah's head was flooding with memories that hurt, not in a bad way but in a good way. She wished she could just say it; 'I am your wife' but it was easier said than done, she was still glued to insecurity.

"I think you're awesome!" Maryam's voice was heard—Zarah stared at Maryam, she was surprise.

"I know you're surprise, I mean I am a celebrity. I should be rude, but Mrs Zarah, I would never do that. Not all billionaire are jerks." Maryam added and Zarah remembered what the Prince told her.  "Not all royalty are jerks"

She smiled as she remembered the Prince, "yeah you are amazing, even if we just met. I felt a strong connection, me and you are related!" Dave said barging in the conversation.

"So connection huh, is it a Wi-Fi connection, cause I want the password also." Maryam joked, Zarah couldn't hold her laughter, she started laughing out loud as all of them joined her. They laughed out loud.

"Thank you guys, Shukran!" She said after she was done laughing.

Best day ever!