A Promise From My Heart

Chapter Twenty-Eight

I stared at the disaster cooking inside the pot. I groaned grimacing as the thoughts of what Amatullah would do when she sees what I had cooked ran through my mind. I had tried to make breakfast for my wife and me but it turns out to be a disaster. The jollof rice was no difference from jollof tuwo shinkafa which I have never seen or heard about and I know it does not exist. The difference was the rice was seasoned and had oil almost dancing on the surface. I gawked at the mashed rice as Amatullah's angry face flashed into my head. No, I can't begin my morning trying to calm down my angry wife. I smiled at the thought shaking my head.

"What's cooking? It smells delicious" I heard Amy's voice.

So quick, I covered the pot and lowered the heat turning to look at my wife.

"I...." Words stopped in my throat as my gaze fell on Amy.

Amatullah stood by the entrance of the kitchen, a hand on her waist, her smile so radiant like the morning sun. My mouth gapped a bit. She wore a black sleeveless skater dress with high neck that stopped right above her knees. Her shinning dark hair was straightened falling on her shoulder with a center parting that made her hair look so beautiful. Her smile became deeper and she strolled into the kitchen. Remembering the disaster in the pot, I shifted a bit until I stood in front of the pot.

"You have not answered. What is cooking Yusuf?" she asked raising an eyebrow.

"Nothing?" I answered very quickly. She frowned. "It is nothing Amy? It is something you should not see" I said with hesitation.

"Is it a surprise?" she asked beating her eyelashes, her eyes gleamed with joy.

"No!" I took her hand as she proceeded to open the pot.

She frowned gazing at me with confusion.

"What's wrong? You don't want me to see it?" she asked displeased.

"No Amy, it is just" I toyed with the apron I wore over my clothes. "The.....The...." I stuttered.

"Yusuf" she called her voice stern and warning.

"Okay" I moved away understanding that tone. I looked away as I heard the pot open.

"What is this?" Amy screeched which made me look at her. Her eyes were wide and her jaw slackened. She looked as if she had seen a ghost. "Yusuf, what did you cook?" she looked at me with wide eyes. "When will you learn?" She scolded then slapped my back.

"Amy" I groaned, aching my back at the stinging pain on my skin.

"Is this jollof rice or jollof tuwo?" she slapped my back again, this time harder.

"Subhanallah" I cried out. "Your hand is so painful" I gave her a pleading look. She glared at me displeased and irritated. "It was just a mistake" I defended myself giving her my best smile.

"Mistake!!!" she screamed another slap followed on my back. "You made nonsense. I could perceive the aroma from the bathroom. My mouth was watering and I came here to see what I can't look at. This can't make me taste it"

"I added too much of water which I could not correct because it was too late. It is just the look. We can still eat it" I smiled trying to appeal her but it seemed I added fuel to the burning fire with the death stare she gave me.

"I am not eating this with you and we are not throwing it away. How many cups of rice did you cook?"

"Three cups"

"Very good" she smiled, a sinister one. "You will eat it alone. I will make my delicious rice while you struggle with this" she rested her hands on her waist.

"You can't be like this? It was just a mistake. Taste it and it taste so nice. They said don't judge a book by its cover" I defended my broken ego.

Amatullah gave me a hard look before picking a spoon. She scooped little rice. Her frown deepened followed by irritation and disgust when it came in contact with her mouth. She spilled the rice out to the floor of the kitchen just immediately it had entered her mouth trying very hard to get rid of its taste form her mouth.

"Did you cook salt alone? This rice has too much salt, Maggi and oil. Subhanallah, the seasonings are too much" she barked throwing the spoon at me.

I wanted to laugh. I loved her angry look. She looked so cute when displeased or angry. I had to hide my smile and prevent my lips from twitching to prevent further punishment.

"What can you cook Yusuf?"

"I can cook yam, pound yam, make tea and coffee. I can also cook noodles and fry egg" I said proud and pleased with myself. My words had not thrilled Amy instead her look had hardened. "Sorry" I wore a remorseful look.

"Let's put that aside for now" she smiled, a very evil smile that I knew what she would say next won't be delightful at all. I understood that look and smile very well. "Your punishment is you will eat that rice alone. We are not throwing it away because it is a sin. So dear husband, you will eat it with no help" she leaned closer to my face and whispered with a sweet smile.

"You....." an unpleasant smell filled the air. "What is burning?" I asked sniffing the air. Amy copied my action. "The rice is burning" Realisation hit me. Amy shrieked and turned off the gas.

"Yusuf, you want to ruin my kitchen and spoil my pots with burnt food" she screamed wanting to pull her hair out due to frustration but her clenched fists froze in the air. She gritted her teeth and gave me a murderous look. "You rat!!!" she screamed giving me a hard slap on my exposed arm. The place stung like a bee had stung me. "You really don't know how to impress me on a Saturday morning" she raised her hand to slap me again but I caught it. "Leave me alone rotten meat" she glared.

"This beating is too much for a little mistake" I said with a smile I thought would work.

"Really? Little mistake"

"Yes and please don't hit me again"

"Really? If I hit you what will you do?" she dared me.

I c****d an eyebrow at her.

"You want to know what I will do?" I asked my voice low and husky as I took a step closer to her. She took a step back, her back rested on the edge of the kitchen island. "I will do something you won't believe" I towered over her, she bent back. I stared at her facial features. Ya Allah, she was beautiful "Something incredible" I whispered against her face. "I will...." My words were cut short when something broke on my head. It ran down my face. I held a hand to my face to feel something slimy and sticky. Before I could register what was happening, I felt something chilling running down my head to my face soaking my vest.

"Amy!!!!!" I screamed and her giggles filled the kitchen.

I opened my eyes to see Amy laughing very hard in front of me. She clapped her hands together, bending down and holding her tummy as her laughter grew louder and more feminine. She held a carton of hollandia yogurt in another hand. I remembered I had taken out the hollandia yogurt from the fridge before cooking and had kept it on the kitchen island after sipping little. A familiar smell hit my nose. Egg? She broke an egg on my head. I raised a hand up towards my head and felt a broken egg shell stuck to my hair.

"This is not funny?" I tried to give her a hard look but failed as a loud laughter erupted from my lips. I knew I looked absurd. For Allah's sake, I had hollandia yogurt and egg running down my head to my face and vest.

I stared at her. Her laughter was beautiful like a melody in my ears. With the way her eyes twinkled and her face brightened with joy, I fell for her again. My heart raced faster.

"You should have a bath Yusuf. I will make breakfast" she said, her laughter stopped as she walked to the gas cooker.

Like a robot, I walked out of the kitchen feeling unctuous.

"The psychologist called" Amy said over breakfast.

"When?" I scooped a spoon of my jollof rice into my mouth. The rice was really a disaster. It had tasted so bad. Amy had stuck to her words saying she won't allow me to waste food but what I was eating was not appealing to the stomach.

"This morning. She asked me few questions which I answered to. I told her about my nightmares. She said we can begin my sessions on Monday" she ate her rice that was appealing to the eyes which I knew would be appealing to the tongue.

"Okay, we should go together"

"What about work?" she gazed at me. I smiled.

"I can postpone that just for you" I held her hand.

"Thank you" she smiled looking at me.

"We have a party tonight. My oga's wife is celebrating her fiftieth birthday. Mr Okoye invited us"

"That nice"

"So we leave after Isha. It starts by 8:00pm. Alhamdulillah he lives in Ikeja. His house is just ten minute drive from here"

"That's so good. Which clothes will I wear?" she thought.

"I got you a new dress yesterday" I answered.

"You have not given me"

"A surprise sweetheart" I winked at her.

It had been three weeks since we moved to our house and Alhamdulillah everything was going smoothly here and at home and Noor had finished camping and got a job somewhere for a year throughout her service.

"Please Amy" I pushed the plate of mashed rice to the side. "This food I am eating is not going into my stomach again. This is a great punishment" I cried. Amy glared at me. "Please, I am sorry. I promise I will learn how to cook properly" I said with a puppy face.

For a moment, she just stared at me, her lips pressed in a straight line and her face emotionless. I had stared into her eyes to read her thought but got nothing.

"Okay" she beamed. "You are forgiven" She gave me a wide smile. "Come and eat with me"

"Alhamdulillah" I breathe out. I never knew I was holding my breath. I jumped up from my chair to seat beside her. "You know your price for what you just did?" I asked gazing at her face.

"No" she nodded her head negatively.

"I will feed you and give you this" I brushed my lips against hers. Sudden gush of heat rose on her cheeks.

"You naughty man" she slapped my chest laughing.

"Am I really naughty? Should I show you how naughty I can be?" I whispered to her.

The heat that rose on her cheeks made her look away.

"You have a dirty mind" she laughed nodding her head.

Our morning went by with laughter and happiness. I could not ask for more than what I had. I was happy and glad I had my wife back. I enjoyed the day with her curdling and talking. I had not gone to mosque but prayed at home with her. What more could I ask Allah? I could just keep saying Alhamdulillah and glorifying him.