Entwined by Destiny

Chapter Thirty

On Sunday,exactly a week after the conveyance of the two brides,Mummy stopped sending them food,telling them to fend for themselves from then henceforth. As such,they all woke up early and after helping Iman attend to her babies--both pigeons and fishes,they set to work cleaning the whole house together as they have been doing since that first day.

After everywhere was squeaky clean and smelling nicely, the three of them all trooped into Iman's kitchen to prepare breakfast as Walida insisted that it was Iman's girki (turn to cook and cater for the husband's needs)since she has exhausted her own customary seven days.

Though Iman had laughed at the notion of having a girki turn in her pseudo-marital home,Walida had taken her 'Adda' stance and insisted.Pouting and stomping her feet in frustration,Iman had solicited Mahmud's help but being the annoying introvert he is,he just shrugged his shoulders and said to her,"What concerns me in that?It is between the two of you so resolve it within yourselves."

Having no other choice, Iman reluctantly gave in,afterall the so-called girki turn is just a sham;hers is just to cook only and nothing like 'catering for husband's needs'.Moreover,her part in the cooking is just to give a helping hand as Walida is the real chef.

And so that was how they ended up in the kitchen together and amidst jokes,banters,teasing,laughter and lovey-dovey activities (between Mahmud and Walida),they finally came up with a sumptuous breakfast which they ate in harmony before dispersing to go and freshen up.

Since they were all departing the following day (Monday)--Iman back to school while the two lovebirds on their honeymoon, they decided to pack before it was time to prepare lunch.

Iman had always been the one to pack Mahmud's suitcase whenever he was travelling in the past and likewise now,she was the one he placed in charge of his packing.But being a female, Iman wisely included Walida since she was the real 'wife' afterall.After the suitcase was filled up and ready for take off,Iman followed Walida to her room to help her pack,with a mischievous smile on her face.

Despite being the clothes' expert,Walida drew aside watching in amusement as Iman loaded her traveling bag with clinging,figure-hugging outfits mostly English wears with Abayahs to cover up on outings,sexy inner wears,night wears and suchlike. She couldn't help but gasp when Iman picked up a very revealing lingerie and waved it in the air,wiggling her eyebrows as she said,"Aww...someone is gonna slay her hubby in this. Oh,I wish I'd be there to see his eyes!"

After making sure she had put in enough wears,Iman then turned her attention on cosmetics. She took Walida's large make-up bag and put in many perfumes--both traditional (humra and suchlike) and foreign. Extending the bag towards Walida she said,

"Now you can put in all those your make-up stuffs. At least I've done my part of putting in the most important items. Items that will make the baby go all ga-ga over his Maama .Items that can make the honeymoon a real honeymoon !"she concluded, laughing with a wink.

However, her laughing mood came to an end when it was her turn to pack her clothes for school. Mahmud took it upon himself to inspect her packing and adamantly refused to let her pack her beloved abayahs and jilbabs.He insisted that since she was portraying a married woman's image, she should change to wearing long hijabs instead, preferably floor-length ones like Fateema's.

He said that once she sticks to wearing them,guys will more likely back off,unlike if she wears abayah or jilbab with a veil tied round her face like most unmarried ladies do.So despite her pouting and protests,Mahmud himself packed her suitcase, consisting mostly of peplum ankara blouses with straight wrappers and long floor-length hijabs.