Let Me Be Yours

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

"Do you always clean up while making a meal?" Fauziyya asked from the stool she's seated on, feeding Zayn some baby cereal.

"Yes? What's up?"

"You'd definitely be on Ya Ali's fave list that is. He loves it when everything's spotless, his tidiness is almost OCD."

"Not only him, all of them." Abeedah voiced from where she was, chopping carrots.

"Yeah right, Farouq talked and talked but one thing I can't do is do the dishes immediately after cooking, I just hate washing plates and clothes, I'd rather do all other house chores a million times. The highest is just clean up and the maid will do the rest, abeg, marriage isn't a labour sentence."

"Labour sentence ke?" Amira smiled at her as she arranged the utensils in their respective places.

"Ehen nah, some men just feel like marrying a wife is a free ticket to a maid service. I heard from an acquaintance about this couple, the wife washes his clothes, cooks, cleans the house like what the hell, kana bori."

"They say what? Bautan aure. Your paradise lies under his feet." Amira said jocosely.

"You're also with that insight? Tabdi! Don't even start o before they feel like it's a must for you to do it. Men ehn!"

"But you also clean the house and prepare meals, what's the talk about then?"

"And you think I'm doing it because I must? Do you know Farouq even pays me for breastfeeding Zayn?"

Amira's eyes almost fell off their sockets. "What do you mean?"

Fauziyya chuckled. "Stay there make pant dey wear you. You know some girls just don't know their rights these days. As a wife the only compulsory duty on me is taking care of my home, husband and children. I have to make sure that everywhere is clean and presentable but that doesn't mean that I have to do it. Some men don't get that it isn't even compulsory for your wife to cook for you. Though that isn't why I made him pay for me breastfeeding Zayn."

"And the reason is? If it isn't too personal."

"He was absent when she gave birth and only appeared a day after she's discharged, I swear Ya Umar almost pissed his pants that day. She refused to feed the baby and everyone's begging I tell you. It's very funny." Abeedah laughed wickedly.

"And didn't he explain himself?" Amira asked, settling down to unwrap some seasoning cubes.

"Not till today." Fauziyya sighed exhaustedly.

"I'm pretty sure he has a reason for that."

"Which he isn't ready to share, just leave Farouq with his wahala abeg. So what and what did you decide to prepare?" She changed the topic. One thing about Fauziyya is she always dribbles away from talks when they start getting personal, especially when it comes to her husband or voicing out his flaws, she always backs out.

And Amira loves that about her. Abeedah isn't really a talker so you can't quite say.

"Fried rice and salad, chicken, red velvet cupcakes for desert, yogurt and some strawberry juice." Amira listed.

"And what's Ya Ali eating?" She asked.

"Curry rice?" She asked with a shrug, gazing at both ladies.

Fauziyya had called yesterday telling her that Ali will be coming home with some of his friends so she should decide what to prepare for them.

Funny that someone else has to tell you that your own husband is coming home.

Since the house helps had already left and she had none else to send to the market, she wasn't about to go there to shop for something she's sure he wouldn't even eat if she cooked it, she tripped to her kitchen and from what she had in stock, decided to prepare something good and welcoming. She heard there'll be five of them, then Umar and Khalil plus wives, the kids were left at home.