Soiled #ProjectNigeria ✔️

Chapter Twelve: Visiting Sisterly

I've never woken this late. It's nearly impossible to find me waking this late in the morning; if my nightmares don't wake me, work surely would. Definitely today is one of those rare good days.

I unlock my phone and start answering messages. Rahma's messages are the ones I answer first, then I begin to reply work mails and direct messages.
A knock sounds at my door and I subconsciously ignore it. I ignore the knocks until the third time and calls too, if you are serious you'll call back. It's one of my biggest bad habits.

The knock sounds again, this time a hit and then a slam. I'm forced to get up. I walk sluggishly to the door, I peep. It's Mother.

"Good morning Mother."

She eyes me hard and I know that I deserve it. But, she doesn't ever come to this part of the house, I chose my room to be a far distance from hers for a reason and all those steps usually discourage her from getting here.

She walks into my room with a determined step and plops on my bed. Majestically, I have no idea how she does it.

"Since, you don't want events, I've asked Hajiya Sadia to ask a gyaryan jiki lady to come over later so you can start getting treatment for your skin." She looks me over and scrunches her face. 

I mentally roll my eyes and nod visibly to her. She looks round my room again, the colours are obviously muted to her. She's one of those people who think that girls should have their rooms in colors like pink or light green or some girly colour that represents their gender. Absolute nonsense.

"What colour do you want your room painted in? I've been talking to Adeel's mother and she says we don't have to decorate because the whole house is decorated. Just your room and a few things that need to be put in it."  I sit on the chest at the foot of my bed and cross my legs Indian style.

"I want the room painted in shades of grey. I'll select them later and tell you whatever I've chosen to be put in the room."  She looks at me with sympathy filled eyes and I'm suddenly wondering how come my mother is looking at me in that manner. She isn't one to show emotion, it's either she doesn't have any to show or she has tamped down her emotions.

She pats a space next to her and beckons me into it. I contemplate a bit and walk around to her side. Then she grabs my right hand. "I'm not sure you know, but I think being married will do you a lot of good. You've been alone for so long." 

I mentally raise an eyebrow to her words, alone for so long, marriage will do me a lot of good? What good?

I sigh and pat her hand. Then keep mum. I wait for her to finish speaking. "Afrah, be happy. Just be happy."

She stands up and walks out.

****

A few hours later, I'm at  Jabi lake mall, I pick out a few things, my up and down cart is full and nearly spilling over. Okay, a lot of things. But it is never enough for the people I'm taking it to.

I manoeuvre the cart out of the mall after paying and a staff takes it from me to push to my car.

"Ya Nabeela!!!!."

Who knows me enough to call me that. I turn to see Adeel's youngest sister and three other girls. She skips towards me and the other girls walk slowly behind her clearly used to her. That day at the dinner, she sounded like a chirpy little thing.

"Ya Nabeela, Good morning." I smile at her and look at her brows, It looks way better than the last time at Khadijah's wedding. Looks like she took my advice. All her friends are sporting the same eyebrows, done by her. Surely. The one in blue ankara doesn't need a curve, she needs a slightly straight eyebrow. It would go well with the face type she has.