Bride of Elim

CHAPTER 11

****WE ARE FAMILY****

The woman walked gracefully towards us until she was standing right in front of us. She had a slander body, a small figure and long legs that you normally see on runways.

She had a v shaped face and surprisingly strange looking eyes that would make a person feel like she was staring at their soul. All in all she was a beautiful woman an alluring one for that matter. If not for her little comment I would have envied her but something told me she wasn't as pretty as she looked on the inside.

"Naomi, what are you doing here ? " asked Malik as the woman took a sit opposite to him. "I'm here to see you darling. " she brushed the top of His hand that was on the table. Her small gesture made my stomach crawl. Questions formed in my head. 'Who was this woman and why did it seem like there was something going on between her and Malik?

Malik removed his had and swallowed a mouthful of saliva. The worry on his face couldn't be missed, I could tell that the presence of this woman made him uneasy. Then a thought crossed my mind what if she is his girlfriend? What is she was there because she heard the news of us getting married? If it was so then Malik and I weren't so different after all, I would also have to face the music sooner or later. What ever was about to happen at that table had nothing to do with me.

"You don't seem pleased to see me though but at least my little cousin is, isn't it Meera? " she said fixing her strange looking orbs at me. I watched her sceptically. What did she mean "cousin"? "It's Meera, right? " I hesitantly nodded yes. "What do you mean "cousin" I don't know anyone by the name of Naomi and I'm pretty sure I've never met you before. " The lady was getting interesting by the minute. I wanted to say something again but she spoke "Oh yes of course, we haven't met. I'm Colin Johnson's daughter. " she proudly said.

Hah! She's a Johnson, Perfect. I thought. No wonder she walked in there like she owned the place. She had that standard Johnson attitude. Since she decided to ruin my extravagant breakfast I wasn't going to keep still. She was looking for my trouble, I mean why else was she there. "So you are uncle Colin's daughter, huh? " I inquired as my lips slowly curved into a smile. "The one and only. " she flashed me a plastic smile.

"Naomi, can we talk later. I have something to discuss with Meera. " My dear husband who had been dead quiet all along finally spoke up. I found it unintelligible that Malik didn't just tell her to live the moment she invaded our space. "Darling l, Meera and I are practically family. You can say whatever you want with me here, isn't it Meera? " she said smirking at me. I sneered in my heart. Unbelievable, that b*** was trying to use me to get Malik to let her stay. Poor husband, he must have been afraid of breaking her heart which she was using to her advantage.

I leaned back on my chair and took a sip of my juice, both their eyes were looking at me in anticipation. So Malik was going to let her stay if I agree, I thought as I sort for what to say. "Were you guys together, like dating? " i asked the obvious yet unexpected question. Poor Malik choked on his coffee but not Naomi, that one didn't even flinch. She simply shrugged with that hideous smile on her face and said. "What do you think.?"

"Me? I think you too were dating then he lied to keep you away from the wedding and now you are here because you're bitter. " Yes I said it BITTER, I was going to press her buttons today. Malik coughed awkwardly which proved he did lie but I didn't even care about that.

Naomi on the other hand was a Johnson which only meant she knew exactly who I was and how I came to be with Malik but dared to come and disturb our first breakfast as Husband and wife. It didn't matter If we weren't in love, that was non of her business. I had to make it known to her that I was no pushover.

"Bitter, did you just say I'm bitter? " she asked seeming ridiculed. "Yes, bitter." I added. She scoffed. "Little girl don't flatter yourself. Your only her because you bare the, there's nothing special about you. " She spat, I could tell she was getting a little excited so I pressed on. "And yet hre you are, crushing My perfect breakfast prepared by my husband on our first day as a married couple! " I deliberately put emphasis on the word "My" just to rub it in. 

"Who said he is your? " she shouted. Bingo, the ball was on my court now. "I just said, didn't you hear me. " I muttered with the calmest voice I could muster. Malik looked really frustrated as if we were causing him a migraine. "You, Insolent! Malik is this.... " that's all she said before he lost it. "Enough!! " He roared with a bang on the table startling the both of us. Gosh that scared me, I almost wet my panties.

"But Mal' " Naomi tried to speak but he shouted again now emitting a very lethal aura. "Keep quiet! " I lifted my head only to meet his gaze on me. Unable to comprehend what I saw I put my hand over my mouth aghasted by the sight of him. He's eyes had changed from ember to glowing huney gold. Apart from his dangerous glare I thought he looked magnificent but I still kept my head down. It seemed we had angered the beast in him and I for one wanted to keep my head.

"You two disregard me as your King. " I wasn't sure whether that was a statement or question so I just kept my mouth shut."Do you think I am unable to decide on my own. Impudents! I will not tolerate you willful unruly behavior in my house. Have I made myself clear??" He glared at the both of us. "Yes my King!! " We said in unison which was funny in a way if you dwell on it. Naomi and I were deliberately ignoring him a short while ago and now we were being scolded for it. Malik wasn't so easy after all, he wasn't someone to be messed with.

"Now leave." He said with a more calm tone. I was about to get up because I thought he was dismissing us but his gaze fell on Naomi. He did not have to repeat himself because she went out the garden in a matter of seconds. She proudly came to take advantage of his goodness and put pressure on him but now she was living like a scared little cat. A smile tugged on my lips after seeing this but quickly disappeared when I saw the look he was giving me.

Malik left without a word after that scolding little session. Looking at the breakfast that I was about to have before we were rudly interrupted by Naomi. Sigh! There was no eating it now, Malik had scared my stomach upside down I didn't have the appetite anymore.

Malik's mother asked a servant to get me, probably because I'd been glued on that chair for almost 15 minutes or she talked to her son. Following the servant we enter what seemed to be a lounge, I was curious as to how many lounges they had. The one we we currently at was more elegant and it had quite a feminine touch to it. She was seated on the couch, on her hand was a cup of what I assumed to be tea. "thank you Rita. " She said to the servant who then left.

"Meera, how are you dear? Have a sit. " She asked with a warm smile on her face. "I'm alright Mrs.... " I didn't finish speaking she cut in. "oh please call me mother." I gave her the sceptic look "Should I? " I asked. "It would make me happy if you did." well she was Malik's mother I guessed it made sense to call her mother as well. "Alright, Mother. " She smiled widely and poured me a cup of tea which I accepted.

"My son is a lot of things dear and he's made a lot of mistakes but he is the complete opposite of Elim which is most likely why he chose him. " I put my cup of tea on the as I listened to her intently. "He sometimes finds it difficult to express himself, dismissing things without putting any thought to it is not in His nature. Naomi is someone he'd been with for 2 years dear and when he found out that you didn't die on that crash he couldn't bring himself to end things with her. " it was evident that she cared a great deal for her son and why wouldn't she. She knew him best.

"He tried to stall the matter, waiting for the right moment to tell her everything but he missed it. There's no right moment to break someone's heart, especially if that someone is dear to you and so he lied. "

Yeah I kind of got that. Mrs Baham... I mean Mother got off from where she was sitting and came to sit next to me. She took my hands into hers. "Now that you are here dear, please bare him. He has so much responsibility on his shoulders, this thing with Naomi is a minor issue. Don't bother yourself about it, he will fix it and don't worry about Naomi your grandmother will take care of her." I took a deep breath taking in what she'd just said, things weren't as complex as I thought they were.

Malik didn't need just a wife to bare him an heir, he needed a partner. Someone to support him through it all and even though I wasn't sure I was suitable to be that partner, I was going to do my best not to contribute to his troubles to support him in every way I could."I understand mother" I replied sincerely. I really did understand. Running a family is hard let alone a kingdom, he might have been groomed to become King but he was still adjusting to its reality.