HER

12. Besties and doubledates

"Hauwa can talk. A lot" Rahmat had said. "I don't want you to flip out. She can say a thousand words a minute and she talks even more when she's nervous"

She had warned him. She had. But why was he still shocked, he didn't know. Compared to Mai, her husband to be, Hauwa was a steam engine and Mai was like a mountain on a snowy day.

Exactly.

They had nothing in common. Nothing that he could see anyway.

Mai was skinny and dark. Hauwa was very light skinned and much curvier than Rahmat.
Mai seemed quiet and brooding, Hauwa seemed very outgoing and out spoken.
Occassionally he'd look over at Mai and he'd force a smile or sometimes just shake his head at the things that Hauwa was saying.

Richard felt bad for the guy. He wasn't sure of the guy was roped into this dinner like he was. Of course he wasn't really regretting it. Lord knows he'd do anything for Rahmat.

Hauwa talked about everything from wedding dates to bridesmaids colours to cake flavours and decorations.

Mai didn't seem like he was at all interested in any part of the conversation at all. Richard felt the need to drag him out of there.

Rahmat was listening intently to Hauwa, trying to understand what she was saying. The girl moved from topic to topic so effortlessly, Rahmat at a point didn't know what she was going on about anymore.

"Babe" Richard said looking at her.

Finally someone to distract her. She thought grateful for the interruption as someone had finally stalled Hauwa in her major rant of the year.

"I'm going outside to... A smoke" he mumbled in her ear.

"Okay" Rahmat said quietly.

"Mai. You want to... " Richard said gesturing to the door that led to the patio of the fine restaurant.

"Sure" he finally said getting up and following Richard .

Once they were not within an earshot Hauwa turned her attention to her friend.

"I think Mai is seeing someone else" Hauwa blurted out.

"What?" Rahmat squealed, "Why do you think so?"

She huffed, "I went to the bank.. Apparently he's been moving money without my knowledge"

"From the joint account?"

"Not only from there. His own too" she said, "He's been transferring money to an account every month for almost a year now "
"Do you know which account?"

"No" Hauwa sighed, "He's being evasive about the questions I ask. Especially when he has to do with the wedding"

Rahmat sighed, "He might just be nervous" she said.

"Or" Hauwa replied, "He has found someone else. Someone he actually loves. Not fat Hauwa that his parents are forcing him to marry"

"Hauwa," Rahmat began, "You are not fat. You're beautiful. Mai loves you"

Hauwa rolled her eyes and looked down at her food.
"Do you really think that? You don't think I should lose anymore weight?"

"Hauwa...." Rahmat said, "I've been your best friend for ages. I know you and you are happier than you've ever been. I don't want that to change"

"I don't know." Hauwa said and for once she was silent. "You're lucky, you know"

"How so?"

"Richard isn't a Muslim. Islam permits Mai to marry more than one wife. So he can decide to take a second wife and I can't do anything about it. I don't want to share him. I don't"