Journey to 'I do'

33 - Welcome Dinner

AISHA's POV

I hesitated for a moment, staring at my phone screen, before finally deciding to call Muhammad. The weight of recent events pressed down on me, and I needed clarity. As the phone rang, my heart raced, each ring echoing my uncertainty. When he answered, his voice was a mix of formality and curiosity.

"Hello?" he said.

"Assalamu alaykum muhammad we should talk, " I asked, my voice betraying a blend of nervousness and urgency.

"Okay Where do you want to meet?" he responded.

"You can come over" I said.

Muhammad arrived promptly, giving me a call as he pulled up outside. Opting not to keep things secretive, I invited him in, ready to show my parents a newfound openness about our situation. Stepping out of his car, he sported a black kaftan that accentuated his muscular physique – my weakness. His bulky Richard Millie watch gleamed in the sunlight, complemented by stylish black shades. But I couldn't ignore the tired look in his eyes, which distracted me from his good looks. We exchanged awkward greetings, and I welcomed him in. Mamma was at home, so we went to the dining room for him to say hello.

"Asalamu alaykum, Ina wuni," he greeted.

"Ameen wa alaykum Salam," Mamma replied, looking up from her iPad. "Ah ah, is this who I think it is? Our groom ka shigo mana," she said, smiling warmly at him.

After that, we went to the living room to talk privately. "So, what do you want to talk about?" he asked, and I chuckled dryly.

"I needed to talk to you about all of this," I began, my eyes reflecting a mix of emotions. "I accepted the proposal for the sake of my family, but I want things to be clear between us."

Muhammad nodded, signaling for me to continue.

"I don't want this marriage to be a charade. If we're going through with this, I need honesty and transparency. No doing things behind my back that involve me and not speaking to me about it. Can you promise me that, Muhammad?" I asked, my gaze intense.

He took a moment before responding, "I understand, A'isha. I promise."

"Do you have something to say?" I asked.

"Not really I'm sorry things happened this way."

"Why didn't you talk to me about it? Why the sudden urge to marry me after you clearly didn't want us to be together?"

"I didn't want us to be together?" He said giving me a mock smile before he scoffed.

"Yes. You walked out on me,"

"Do you remember all of the things you said to me?"

"I shared my fears about our relationship's long-term prospects, like your family not approving of me. Yet, here we are. You could've reassured me or at least reached out before your family came, but instead, you chose this path. Why?" I questioned.

"My family has no choice but to accept you," he replied.

"That doesn't answer my question."

"I have limited time to take over my father's company as CEO. The board isn't open to it if I'm unmarried. So, I had one month to marry someone I wanted or let my parents choose. It's simple," he explained.

I stared at him, blank-faced, unsure of how to react. After what felt like hours of silence, he ran his hand through his face and turned to me. "Look, A'isha, I hate how things ended between us, and I understand this situation isn't ideal. But we're both here trying to please our parents. Let's make it work. Smile for the pictures and to give them peace of mind. I'm not expecting you to do any wifely duties; you can do as you like."