RUWAIDA ✔️

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

Mallan Mahmoud moved from his motorcycle and placed down the sealed bag of rice. He smiled a bit as he took it up and followed the back door to place it in the kitchen. He'd spent quite much on foodstuff these few days, but he didn't really mind. All he wanted is the Family of doctor Muhammad to feel honorably welcomed. One thing he'll hate is for them to look down on him on things he's very much capable of.

"Oh Alhamdulillahi! You got the rice," Barira washed her hands and dried them on her wrapper, stepping away from the sink to greet him. Barira tried to help him carry it in, but Mahmoud's nod held her back, and she stood silently watching him.

"Yes yes! and I bragged to Malam Musa this time, it's my daughter's sa rana so I'm buying a whole bag," He replied with a wide grin. "You need to see how quiet he was today, I've finally shut him up," He added and they both laughed.  The man sure knows how to blabber, having someone to make him speechless is another horizon.

"So, what time are they arriving tomorrow? Don't you think things are moving quite fast? What about her medications Mahmoud? How do we go about the chemotherapy," Mahmoud laughed heartily with a shake of his head. He made Barira sit on the wooden stool beside the stove and then, sat on the floor facing her.

"All this questions at ones!," he laughed again before he continued. "well, if the date is being set tomorrow Allah's willing, we will have to for the appointed check ups of January remember? And of course the wedding wouldn't be straight afterwards, I'll be able to pay for the blood test, the weight checks and InshaAllah the X rays too, before the chemo," Mahmoud replied, his voice a bit low as he remembered the expenses.

"Okay, May Allah help us through all this, it's really a testing time for Ruwaida you know, I wish we could make the chemotherapy as fast as we can,"

"Medications like that take time, I talked with The dark skinned doctor some weeks back, he called and reminded me of the check ups, I was so grateful because I sure would have forgotten if not for that," Mahmoud claimed, taking off his shoes. And then reached for his trouser pocket. "Oh! Here, you can please manage this and buy any other setup you might need for tomorrow,"

Barira beamed and collected the money. "I'll go to the market in an hour, I'll see what's needed, yanzu let me get dressed and you should also go in and eat," He nodded and and watched as she walked out of the room.

She went in to check on Barra when she found Ruwaida getting dressed. Instead of making a beeline to her room, she pushed the door open and walked in. She paused and then looked round the room, seeing it swept and Barra's washed clothes arranged attractively and placed on the bedside.

"Ruwaida,"

"Yes," she answered softly, taking up her Hijab from the bed along with her small handbag. She'd intended leaving the house without Mama knowing and since she might see Abdul outside, she'll inform him of her whereabouts, at least she'd save her self a lot of teasings.

"Who swept this room? And why are you all dressed," Ruwaida placed the bag on her shoulder and wore her red hijaab. She looked at Barra who sat on the floor with a bowl filled with mashed dates, and then up to stare at her mother.

By Allah she couldn't tell her she's going out with Muhammad, for the second time that week. When she came back from their first meeting after she'd almost yelled at him to bring her back home, he disturbed her with endless calls from the phone Mama had given her, leaving her wondering how he even got her number. But of course! With Zarah, everything's sure very possible.

"Em-I swept Mama, I woke up feeling very good so...,"

"What did I tell you about stressing yourself? Don't I sweep it myself? And who said you can do it just because you woke up feeling good?," almost without thinking, Barira reached for the broom and the Parker and moved swiftly to stand close to Ruwaida.

"I shouldn't see these close to this room again,"

Ruwaida nodded, relief feeling her heart to its brim as Mama totally forgot about her other question, picked up Barra and sauntered out of the room.

'I don't want to speak to you...please leave me alone Ya Turaad," She closed her eyes shot as she tried to block her insensible talk of the night before. Goodness knows she'd acted childish and she wouldn't want him to think she's naive for crying into the phone like she did. But she just felt a stream of emotions as he remained on his words of being in love with her. It was implausible! She brought out the phone from the bag and checked the time, seeing it's almost 12, she hastily placed all her drugs into the bag and marched out.

She saw his car by his favorite parking spot and she purposely lingered around their door, just watching him standing by his black MB E-Class, occasionally raising his left arm to look at his watch. She raised up her phone, and somehow, her fingers pressed on the message icon and she purposely opened it. "I'll pick you up tomorrow for a walk...please don't ignore this, 12 sharp,"

"You should stop reading that message," she told herself, closing the phone and gripping on it to compose herself. She'd never really had any such relationship with anyone before, and now she felt a surge of frightened ecstasy when she thought of her meeting with Turaad, which she was supposed to already moments ago, but she didn't. And with all honesty, her nervousness only intensified when she peeked and then he caught her staring.

He waved with a smile, she braced up and made her way towards him. "Assalamu Alaikum," Ruwaida greeted sharply, hoping it could wipe off the awkwardness.

"Walaikumussalam Malama Ruwaida!," he laughed as he moved from leaning on the car, to stand up straight.

"Sorry I kept you waiting,"

"Oh it was nothing really, the breeze is quite refreshing out here," he replied while he walked to open the door for her. She wouldn't say she loved the gesture, but treating her in such ways will only make things more hard for her.

"I thought this was supposed to be a walk, why are we taking the car," she raised expressive brows at Muhammad, reccing him strap the seatbelt around him.

"It is, but that will be in the park," he answered, turned to her and smiled. They drove in silence and reached the homely park, had a walk and then Muhammad drove back to drop Ruwaida home. He wanted her to be comfortable with herself and open up to her surrounding a bit. She'd already missed a lot in college and with her present state, much stress wouldn't do her good. So it is better for her to focus on her medications for the next two years then later, maybe if she's still willing, go back to college.

He parked but non of them made an attempt to speak, nor did Ruwaida step out of the car. She sat in silence and stared at her nails with absorbed interest. She really enjoyed taking a stroll with Turaad, staring at the trees that had scarce leaves due to the weather, and then the evergreen plants that said no to change. The children that had no worries as they jumped around the place, such a beautiful sight to behold.

She became aware of his gaze and she slowly turned to look at him. "Thank you," she said, simply. But she knew and he knew too, that the words meant a lot. A whole lot! But they rather, decided not to ponder over it.

"And thank you for also accepting to come," He said expeditiously, with an air of carefreeness he isn't feeling.

Another embarrassing silence befell them, Ruwaida not understanding why her legs refused to move out of the car. "I'll go now, sai anjima," she looked a little sheepish, but still sat down, and soon came to understand that she's indeed waiting for him to say something. It felt like there's something he's supposed to say, and she's desperate to hear him say it.

"Sai anijima, I'll talk to  you later InshaAllah, don't forget your medications," She nodded and opened the car. "Ruwaida," she turned and stared up at him. "I love you for the sake of Allah," Ruwaida bowed down her head and bit on her lower lip, and suddenly aware that she'll be doing something stupid if she didn't set off, she turned and slipped out of the car, leaving Muhammad to drive himself back home in glee and answer to his sister how his day went. Something she does these days...

Love_
SilentWriter 🦋