A Cold Day In Hell-ON HOLD

ch> 3

JAWAHIR'S P.O.V

"Saif , pull over here" I instructed as soon as I saw our driveway coming into view.

"Why wouldn't you let me meet your parents" asked Saif.
"Saif let's not talk about that right now" I deadpan.
"Dear, I don't expect this from you, giving you are modern in every way, or is it that you are ashame of me.." said Saif .
"Oh dear please don't say so, if I was ashame of you I wouldn't go driving across town with you" I said honestly.
"Even though my parents are modern they still"... I was about to say out my mind when I think twice and manipulated the conversation.
"Saif I thought you understood me all this while, and you behaving this way just says it all" Saif huffs.
"You don't trust me now,
Do you" I crossed my hands.
I could see how Saif's eyes widen, he was shuck at my sudden out burst.
"Jawahir you know I do trust you, it's just that you are making things harder for me,
What If your parents choose a suitor for you to marry not knowing you are in love with someone else" Saif threw the bomb at me.
I smiled trying to frame my answer in other to say the right thing.
"Saif kasan ina sonka kuma (saif you know I love you and) I won't let them do that to us".
Could I? .
I have never thought of it that way , but he's right.
If I don't tell them the truth they will ambush me someday.
"Insha Allah I would let them know about you next year when am ready for marriage " I hum .
"Hmm, that's my queen"..
"I wished it was today " says a less disappointed saif.
I gave him the I am lost look.
Saif smiled and then answered my unasked question.
"The day I will wed you" says saif.
"Awwn, I can't wait to see that day I've always dream of it, too saif".

With that we parted happily with the thought of one another.

#####

Jawahir who was that , mum asked jumping at me from no where.
I close the door behind me and wince in before answering her.
"It was oum kulthum" in my sing song voice.
"Don't you dear lie to me" mum says scornfully with a straight face.
How could mum have seen saif, I made sure he dropped me a house before mine.
And I know my parents hadly stay out.
How did she know it wasn't oum kulthum, my heart skipped.
A thousand question arose , for the first time I was caught in my lies and was getting defeated.
"Am asking you a question mum " she hollers getting agitated.
"Oh mum, that was a friend from collage, we went out for coffee after college and she dropped me off" I said out of no where emphasizing the she.
"Ok" says mum getting relieved.
"And why did she dropped you there and why didn't you invite her in".
Gee, mum is acting over protective .
She would make a great detective with her interrogation and all.
"It's so unlike you " she adds.
"Mum it's zeemus, and you know how she is ,
always occupied" I said bored.
"So she left rapidly" I add eager to be off the hook. Zeemus is one of my few friends from college.
Mum nods, giving into my lies.
I winced towards my room when mum stoped me.
"Oum kalthum came to pick something and says that she's mad at you , that she won't talk to you today " said mum.
That explain why mum was doubtful
Because she had talked to Oum kalthum earlier.
"Ok mum" I shout.
"Is everything alright with you and Oum kalthum" mum asked worried.
"Nothing is wrong".
If her declaring she's mad at me counts then yes.
"We had a little hassle thats all, now don't worry she would come by".
"Ok , it better be".
"You have to get ready, tomorrow we would be having diner with the ubaid's" Mum squirms.
The ubaid's are Oum kalthum's parent very conservative, old fashion and traditional. I wonder how I would dress for the diner, am not a fan of traditional wear.one wonderful thing I do love about the ubaid's it's their kanuri culture,very rich and captivating and how they embrace it unlike my family does to their fulani culture. I bet my parents have forgotten everything about their culture because am a living proof to that

"Ok" mum I replied her finally .

●●●●

The next day as usual I spent most of the day after college with Saif , I had apologised to Oum kalthum for ditching her the previous day and she gave me a gift.
I was about to unwrap the gift back home ,
When Zeemus called.
"Hey what's up babe "I said after picking up her call
"Hmm, baza ki yarda ba (you won't believe this), I had a reading earlier and it's says you would meet the love of your life" says Zeemus and squirms.
:What nonsense " i yelled over the phone.
"Please listen up, you would meet the love of your life today at a restaurant".
"Mstwchh". ..I hissed and hung up.
What nonsense is she talking about.
she clearly knows about me and saif.
I mean who doesn't , expect mum and dad.
I do know Zeemus believes she's some sort of clavoyant.
But she should had kept her stupid readings to her self.
She should know better than to anger me.
The beep coming from my phone drag me out of my thought.
It was a text from Zeemus and it went as follows.
Zeemus:: hy jawahir am sorry for making you angry earlier.
It's just a reading and besides you don't believe in it.
so why take it personal.
If I had known you would react this way , I won't have border telling you.
pls reply ASAP...xoxoxo
Me: it's Ok. I do get you.
I felt relieve knowing she's remorseful and all my anger evaporated in a sec.
I opened the gift from Oum kalthum and it was lifaya (kanuri's traditional wear).
It's pretty I smiled.
I wonder why all this fuzz just because Bukar is back.
I went straight to the bathroom, took a shower and then dressed In black jeans and a black shirt then wrapped by lifaya over my body just as Oum kalthum taught me.
The lifaya was maroon with black dots over it.
Masha Allah , I look quite breath taking.
I texted Saif and told him about my dinner plans with the ubaid's .
I made sure I sent him a few pictures I had taking with the lifaya on before I
went down steps where Mum and Dad are waiting for me.

Welcome to royal tropicana says the valet and Dad handed the car keys to him as we headed inside.
Oum kalthum and her family had already arrived and sat at the reserved table.
What I saw caught my attention,
I was shocked and couldn't believe my eyes so I wince my eyes.
I could still see it..
My mouth suddenly made an O.

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~with lurv
Carltumee 💋