The Trust She Broke

26. Another 'Yes'

26.

Enjoy.

***

The last few days for the couple since they returned from their honeymoon had being nothing but full of happiness, joy, fun and every good thing that comes with marital life. Though the honeymoon ended on a somewhat not so good note, the rift ended even before spending ten minutes on their journey back home.

They decided to resume to their respective work days after and on a Monday morning they both did. Ilyas decided to be the one dropping Ruqqoyah off at work since she still can't drive.

"I will miss you damn much." Ruqqoyah whined, pouting the moment Ilyas parked while holding on to his right hand as the other was on the steering.

"I will miss you too. Especially since today is the first day we will spend apart since our nikkah." He replied using his thumb to caress the back of her hand.

"I know right, maybe we should just go back home and shun work for life?." She suggested teasingly.

"I would have said yes to that idea, but I love my kids and they must not suffer." He answered.

"You are no fun." Ruqqoyah humphed.

"I know." He raised her knuckle to his lips then placed a feathery kiss on it. "I've got to go, take care babe."

"Love you too." She pecked his cheek before alighting from the car. She stood waving at him as she watched him zoomed off.

"Salam alaykum." She teslimed as she entered the boutique.

"Waleakum salam." Fatima and Labiba, their sales girl replied in unison.

"Welcome back ma." Labiba said.

"Thank you, is Samiah here yet because I don't see her car?" Ruqqoyah asked.

"She's here, her car is faulty." Fatima replied her.

"Alright." She replied as she made her way to their office.

"Salam..." She was about to say the teslim but Samiah was already on her neck before she could finished.

"Amigoooo" Samiah screamed, engulfing Ruqqoyah in a bone crushing hug.

"Easy boy or I'm just gonna die days after my wedding." Ruqqoyah said, pushing Samiah away.

"Oh, hope I didn't injure anything or anyone rather?" Samiah asked wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.

"You almost injured me." Ruqqoyah replied, pretending she didn't catch meaning to her gesture.

"Who's talking about you, I'm talking about..." Samiah was about talking further but Ruqqoyah cut her off.

"How can you be this energetic on a Monday morning?" Ruqqoyah asked, shaking her head as she took a tissue from a bag to dust her seat.

"That's being cleaned already." Samiah said. "I don't know, I guess I woke up on the right side of the bed." She shrugged.

"Right side of the bed?" Ruqqoyah said trying to raise an eyebrow but she failed, as always.

"Stop doing that, you look like a dying cuckoo." Samiah said laughing at her own joke.

"Na you sabi but seriously why are you all laugh and smile on a Monday morning?" Ruqqoyah asked again, setting up her laptop.

"Well, that's a gist for later when the hippo gets here." Samiah stated.

"Is Becca the hippo by chance?" Ruqqoyah asked.

"Of course, don't tell her though." Samiah said whispering the last part.

"I will tell." Ruqqoyah replied.

"Tell her na, shebi I will call you something worse when the time comes." Samiah grinned evilly.

***

"How did you know zero is his favorite number?" Becca questioned.

It was lunch time, and the trio were having their lunch on a spread out mat inside the office. They were feasting on the food Becca brought along in a picnic basket when she joined them. She had called the gathering an office picnic. Whatever that means.

"I just guessed, I was surprised when he wrote zero as well." Ruqqoyah said, an answer to Becca's question. She was narrating their two weeks honeymoon at Cloud Nine as they won't stop probing her about it.

"Does anyone actually have favorite number?" Samiah said before making a disgusted face at Becca who was practically shoving food down her throat.

"What? Never seen a pregnant woman eat before, a very hungry one at that?" Becca said with a mouth full of food.

"I'm just seeing one and I will soon see another." Samiah said pointing her thumb at Ruqqoyah.

"So, what about that gist?" Ruqqoyah asked, ignoring what Samiah said.

"What gist?" Becca asked looking lost, and Ruqqoyah pointed at Samiah as an answer to Becca's question.

"Uhm..." Samiah cleared her throat while the others have an expectant looks on their faces.

"I got a marriage proposal." She stated.

Four saucer like pair of eyes and two wide opened mouths stared at her in return. It is the perfect definition of speechless, until they screamed like a banshee making Samiah covered her ears with her palms.

"Cut it down, we are in an office." Samiah whisper yelled.

"What's your reply?" Becca said eagerly waiting for the answer.

"Well, I said yes." She replied.

"Woooww, who is the extremely fortunate guy?" Becca questioned returning to her food.

"Uhm..." She cleared her throat again. "Bilal." She whispered.

"Oh my gosh! Congrats sugar." Ruqqoyah said leaning in for a side hug. "Why I'm I just hearing this now? Does Ilyas even know?" She queried.

"I'm sure Bilal would have informed him by now." Samiah answered.

"Can't wait to best you." Becca said grinning placing her plate into the picnic basket, the rest followed suit.

"Looking like that, abeg no come spoil show for me o." Samiah said earning a death glare from Becca.

"When will the nikkah be?" Ruqqoyah questioned with eyes glinting with shear happiness for her friend.

"Probably in a month or two?" Samiah shrugged. "We are yet to decide." She added.

"Wow, I can't wait for the big day." Becca said grinning.

"Then run." Ruqqoyah replied her and earned a death glare in return.

***

"Did Samiah tell you about Bilal?" Ilyas questioned.

It's a little something after ten at night and Ilyas was in bed to retire for the day. Ruqqoyah on the other hand plead not tired and was watching some movies on her laptop.

"Yes she did." She paused the video and turned to face Ilyas. "I'm so happy she said yes." She added.

"Who would said no to us" Ilyas replied laying emphasis on 'us' flexing his shoulders.

Ruqqoyah rolled her eyes. "You don't know how lucky your friend is for having her." She countered.

Ilyas yawned. "Yeah...yeah whatever makes you sleep at night." He yawned again. "If you are not sleeping, I will." He adjusted the duvet and switched off the bed side lamp.

"Sweet dreams, don't forget to pray o." Ruqqoyah said resuming her paused film and Ilyas replied by nodding his head.

Just then, Ruqqoyah heard a ding from her phone indicating a new message. She picked it up and opened the message which was from an unknown number.

"I'm watching you."

She cast a quick glance over her shoulder before pressing the delete button with shaky finger.