Always at your side

Chapter 2 : An awkward meeting.

Sidra linked her arm around her mother's arm and looked around the shops, window shopping.

'Nothing interesting.'

They stepped on the escalator as they headed to the third floor. A shop with elegant and beautiful dresses caught her attention as she dragged her mother to the shop. The salesgirl showed them dresses with different styles and patterns which were so beautiful that she was confused which to select. She finally selected a few of them with amazing colour combinations and elegant designs as they headed to make the payment and with a huge grin spread across her face, she walked out of the shop, admiring the shopping bags in her hand.

While her mother was busy selecting saree for herself, she excused herself and headed to Forever 21. She was just soo in love with their modern yet modest collection.

She started with the left aisle as she looked around and noticing only females, decided to remove her Niqaab. She randomly walked to different aisle checking the new collection. Everything was so beautiful that she felt buying it all but she couldn't.

She grabbed a long maxi skirt which had this amazing design of small flowers in different colours. She held it in her hand as she went checking all the other designs as well. Walking till the end and checking everything, she had 2 maxi skirts and 5 long full-sleeve tops in her hand, all amazing with their variant and beautiful designs.

She was heading to the counter to make the payment when she halted in her steps and walked back to the aisle from where she was passing. She was awestruck at a cardigan which was white in colour and had navy blue colour flowers that made a flowy design begining from the end and moving upto the waistline. The sleeves had same pattern with same navy blue colour flowers.

'Pretty!'

She grabbed that as well and headed to make the payment.

"Ma'am." She turned around when she felt someone calling her.

"I'm so sorry ma'am. That cardigan is already sold. Sorry I placed it back by mistake." The salesgirl spoke pointing at the cardigan as her face fell. She handed it back to her, half heartedly.

"No worry. Do you have another exact like this?" She asked as she looked at the salesgirl with hopeful eyes but she shook her head in no.

"Can you tell me who bought it?" Sidra questioned her to which she pointed at a lady standing in a corner with a girl who was busy in rummaging through the clothes.

'Is there any chance that she will let me have it?' Sidra thought to herself as she made her way to the lady.

"Excuse me." She called out, standing behind her. Both of them turned to her and Sidra found herself shocked when the lady engulfed her in a hug.

"Oh my Allah! It's really you Sidra." The lady exclaimed. The clothes in Sidra's hand made the hug uncomfortable for her. She looked at the girl who stood beside the lady and both their expressions were the same of confusion.

The lady abrubtly broke the hug and pulled back, as Sidra noticed a flash of horror in her eyes as if she remembered something but she quickly masked her expressions, leaving Sidra in confusion as her forehead wrinkled.

'What's happening?' Sidra asked herself.

"Masha Allah Sidra, you have grown into a beautiful girl." The lady spoke, making her even more confuse as Sidra looked at her face and saw her glassy eyes. She scrunched her eyebrows at the lady's behaviour.

'Why will this lady be this happy to meet me??' Sidra thought.

"You didn't recognise me right?" The lady's statement came out as if she was assuring herself, her demeanor looked uneasy.

"Sorry I didn't." Sidra replied in a small voice. She can clearly see the look of relief in the lady's eyes before a huge grin spread across her lips.

"I'm your mom's best friend, Rukaiyya." She introduced herself.

'How does she know me when I don't even know her name?' Sidra was totally confused. She saw her expressions change from one of happiness to one as if she was afraid of something, making Sidra more confused with such behaviour of her.

"And meet her. She's my daughter Aaniya." She introduced the girl standing beside her, looking at the both of them as Sidra turned her gaze to look at her who looked a year or two younger than her. Sidra quickly shook her head to clear all the thoughts and gave her a small smile.

"Assalamualaikum aunty I didn't knew you so I was kinda shocked at first." Sidra spoke, already feeling uneasy talking to a strange, as she gave a smile to the girl standing beside the lady as well.

'Not exactly a stranger as she knows me but yeah a stranger coz she is stranger to me. Is she really a stranger or it's just me thinking that she's a stranger? Ugh! It's Confusing.' Sidra wanted to pull at her hairs in confusion but she tried her best to remain calm and not freak out.

"Walaikum Assalam. It's not at all your fault dear." The lady spoke, placing her hand on Sidra's head lovingly.

"You know I was here to buy gifts for you all, especially for you. I was planning to surprise your mom by visiting her tomorrow and what a coincidence I met you here. Please don't inform your mom that I'm in Mumbai." She requested.

"Actually au.." Sidra was cut mid - sentence when from behind her mother called her name. Her mother looked surprised by seeing the lady who introduced herself as Rukaiyya as she hurried towards them and squealed in joy giving the lady a bear hug but her happiness was short lived as she quickly pulled back from the hug and eyed between her daughter and her friend. Both their faces had worry lines and they both kept looking at Sidra with a reason unknown to her.

"Is something wrong?" Sidra asked, when she couldn't understand what was really happening.

"No no of course not. Everything's perfectly alright." Her mother assured as sidra nodded her head and gave them both a confused tight lipped smile as they smiled back at her.

They both talked for sometime as Sidra just stood awkwardly with them, not knowing what to do, glancing at the girl standing in front of her time and again awkwardly. She saw them looking at her frequently and she awkwardly smiled at them both whenever their gaze met.

"Ammi we are getting late." She interjected, when she couldn't bear that awkwardness anymore.

"Oh ya I lost the track of time. So Rukaiyya why don't you come with us to our place and we will continue our talk there. You know I have so much to tell you and you can see our new house also." Her mother offered. At the mention of the new house, both their faces mirrored the same expressions. Sadness?

Sidra felt something was definitely wrong!

"Actually Shaheen I was going to surprise you tomorrow by visiting you that's why I came shopping today to buy gifts." The lady explained.

"Oh I see. Then why tomorrow, why not today?" Her mother insisted.

"Sorry I can't make it today. I have to head to home because we haven't settled our house till yet, you know we have shifted back to Mumbai because Fazal had launched his new firm here. But I promise I'll be visiting you tomorrow." The lady tried denying politely.

"I'm buying your excuse this time because you're promising to visit tomorrow but no excuse will work tomorrow, you have to come. Ok?" Sidra's mother questioned and the lady nodded as she gave her a smile. They both hugged eachother and said their salaam and bid bye.

It was almost 5:30 when they exited the mall and hurried to home as they didn't want to miss Asr salah. After reaching home, Sidra hurried to her room carrying all the shopping bags with her and placed them on the bed.

She quickly made her wudu and stood on her prayer mat to offer Asr salah. She had finished her prayer and raised her hands to make dua. She was almost finished making dua when her mother entered her room.

She waited for her to finish with making dua, keeping all the clothes properly in the closet till then.

"Sidra can you please come home early tomorrow from college? I'll be needing your help for preparation as Rukaiyya will be here for dinner." Her mother requested.

"Yes ammi sure I'll come early. Don't worry." Sidra assured her.

"Oh Sidra thank you so much. I was worried about how I'll manage all these but I'm relieved now." Her mother gave a kiss on her forehead as she walked out.

'Oh my sweet Ammijaan!' Sidra looked at her mother's retreating back with a smile on her lips.

'Tomorrow will be a hectic day I guess.' Sidra thought.