Diary on The Shelf!

Chapter 34

IN THE small partition she used as her kitchen, Lorna worked her culinary magic at the stove, the enticing aroma of sautéed vegetables filling the air. Halima sat on the bed, captivated by the scene, the soft notes of background music creating a cozy ambiance. The simplicity of the moment brought them contentment.

"How about kids?"

"I want them, about four, two girls and two boys if possible. I also kind of want to carry one." Lorna stirred the vegetable mix. She tapped the pot with the wooden spoon and then placed a lid on top. Turning to face Halima she asked, "Do you want kids?"

Halima pulled her earlobe continuously, her eyes darting from Lorna's to the pot on the stove. The pillow she leaned on suddenly felt uncomfortable as she turned it. "I'm not sure I want kids, at least not so soon."

Lorna smiled softly, "That's okay, "  She paused briefly, "You can always wait until you're ready. I think for me it's more of wanting that motherly connection than anything. Like watching my child grow would be incredibly fulfilling."

Halima couldn't help but smile, her heart swelled with contentment, and she propped her palm beneath her chin, smiling. "That's beautiful, Lo."

Lorna sighed a small smile on her lips, her heart racing. She gulped, "Yeah," She cleared her throat and returned to stir her pot.

Halima laughed, shaking her head, she was never getting over Lorna's blushing state. Her thoughts clouded her mind but one stood out, moving in with Lorna. Still scared as hell for that, but it didn't mean her mind couldn't wander. If this was a glimpse of it then she would gladly do it if Lorna asked her right then. Just watching her move about in her small kitchen, her muscles flexing as she chopped the vegetables. Her small ass, tight in the blue shorts she wore. It was truly a sight that had her insides turning and her heart racing.

"Hey doll, do you wanna try this?" Lorna held a smaller wooden spoon with beef stew towards Halima.

Halima, lost in her thoughts, had her gaze trained on Lorna's legs. Lorna chuckled and walked to the bed. Halima snapped out of it and watched Lorna stick the spoon in front of her mouth, her cheeks reddened. She leaned forward and tasted it, "It's really good, but the salt's not enough."

"Let me add some more."

"How'd you learn to cook?"

Lorna added a pinch of salt and stirred for a bit then let the beef stew warm. "From my dad."

"Really?"

"Yeah, he's actually the head chef at Skylark Residency, he does most of the cooking at home while my mom helps where she can. She can't cook to save her life." Lorna chuckled, shaking her head.

Halima laughed. "That's incredible! What does your mom do?"

"She owns a second-hand clothing business, she started it four years ago. Before that, she was a stay-at-home mom. Sometimes it's good, other times she wants to give up, but at least she has something of her own." Lorna half-filled a pot with water and left it boiling on the stove. She sat next to Halima, one of her legs propped on the bed, the other on the carpeted floor. 

Halima placed her chin on her propped arm, leaning forward, her eyes gleaming staring intently at Lorna. "My mom grew up in the village, like deep in the village, she didn't even go to school. She lacked the opportunity. But she was so determined to get a better life, so when she turned eighteen she asked her dad to get her some money to move to Nairobi. We had no family in Nairobi back then, so she had no one when she moved here. She struggled at first, especially with the menial jobs she did. Living hand to mouth, was homeless for a year, and then she got back up. I'll tell you the full story one day. Anyway, when she met my dad, she was truly at her lowest point, but he could only see her will. He came from a decent family, helped her get back on her feet, and has been her anchor ever since." Lorna smiled warmly.

She had never once told anyone about her mom, albeit a few details, but that was still a lot. Not even Victoria knew about it. "Even though they have a hard time fully accepting me as I am, I can see them trying. Anywho—" She trailed when the lid on the pot tipped over as it reached its boiling point.

She grabbed a packet of maize flour and a wooden spoon to cook Ugali. "-I would probably be doing Culinary right now if it weren't for my mom insisting on Accounting and Finance."

Halima laughed, knowing she did the exact opposite, a career path her mother wasn't pleased with. 'We don't have connections in the media industry; how will you get a job?' She had said once.

"My mom wanted me to do Medicine; I didn't. Obviously." She laughed. "Almost everyone from her side of the family practices medicine so she wanted one of us to do it. Ifrah studied Fashion & Design and well, me Communication which disappointed her to no end but I believe it suits me well and I love the coursework, I know I'll love the actual job even more."

Lorna laughed softly, "What matters though is that you love what you're doing, and I'm certain you'll do amazingly in the field."

Halima grinned, "I think so too."

"How about you? How did your parents meet?"
Halima's grin faltered; she hadn't thought about them for hours, and the mere mention of them seemed to twist her mood. It had only been a few days, and she hadn't heard from them, not even her dad, who seemed more worried when she left with Ifrah. Maybe they were done with her, just like they were with Ifrah. If only she could take back calling off the engagement. But no, it didn't have to be like this. If only her mom wasn't so difficult to please. If only she would understand her point of view. It didn't matter now.
Halima's internal turmoil churned, a storm of regret, uncertainty, and longing. She absentmindedly twisted the ends of her hijab, the weight of her decision pressing on her. The room felt stifling, and she wished she could escape the suffocating thoughts. A deep sigh escaped her lips, betraying the inner turmoil she struggled to conceal.