Ya Amar (My Moon)

Twenty nine

Breakfast was terrible and I meant really terrible. Because of what had happened on Saturday, the dining room this morning was silent like the day before. Khala whose red face and swollen eyes had not hidden that she had wept ate slowly as if the food will not go down her throat. Suhaan Khalu had not come for breakfast just like the day before. Tubassum was also not present. I don't know how she was doing because I had not seen her since the day her pregnancy was revealed. Tubassum brothers, Sami bhai and Faiz were present but none had spoken a word and had buried themselves into their breakfast.

The dining was always lively, thunderous with laughter and strident carefree voices but that morning, it was quiet and the atmosphere gave an awkward feeling. Nani said nothing. Zoya bhabi had not come for breakfast. Sahibah bhabi said she was sleeping. The kids who were always chattering were quiet. It looked like they knew something was wrong. Ayat Mami had been awfully quiet for my liking. She had not said a single word to me since that day which I was grateful about. At least, for almost three days, I have not heart her snorts and sarcastic words. Shazia and her mother who were both hypocrites were chatting and giggling to one another. Shameless foolish people. They had caused pain into someone's life and feel no remorse towards it. Aaban was not present.

This morning while I was coming down for breakfast, I saw him walking out from his bedroom with a lady with him. The lady was skinny like a broom stick with a cloud of dull blond hair. Poor Tubassum. I was sure if she had seen that, she would be more heart broken. I felt pity towards her. She had fallen for a Casanova like Aaban who does not value women. How could she be so foolish to believe his deceitful lies? Aunt Caroline who was always free spirited was also quiet. I had force the breakfast to go down my stomach because the ambiance of the dining room made me lost my appetite. That was the worst morning at the Shaheen's manor during my stay.

I hugged Amir again staying a little bit longer than usual. When I got out of his embrace, I was smiling almost blushing. It was the beginning of another week at Camberwell College of Arts. Students and lecturers were back to their weekly routine. The parking lot was almost filled with cars. Amir had dropped me off at school and it was a wonderful drive with an amazing feeling.

"I will pick you up after school. Just give me a call" he kissed my cheek.

"I will" I turned to leave.

"I have somewhere to take you after school" he grabbed my hand.

"Where?"

"It is a surprise" he winked.

"Another surprise? How many more surprises do you have in store for me?"

"I don't know" he moved his shoulders.

"Okay, I will be happy to see it. I have to go. Bye" I whirled around, snatching my hand from his compassionate grip.

I sprinted across the parking lot, sunny with joy and happiness radiating from my smile. I was having a very good morning while there were people having a bad one.

"Good morning" A masculine voice rumbled behind me. I stopped and turned around. It was Kachi, the Nigerian boy who grew up in London.

"Morning" I answered.

"Boyfriend?" he asked when he got to me.

"What?" I grimaced at his word not understanding.

"The man that dropped you now, is he your boyfriend?" he asked as we walked to the building.

"No" I answered chuckling. "He is my husband"

"You are married?" he exclaimed horrified.

"You did not know? I thought everyone in class knew. Did you not notice the wedding ring?" I raised my hand up to show him my ring finger.

"Wow" he breathes out. "That's surprising"

"Hello there" Mi Jin greeted immediately we entered the busy entrance of the school. Mi Jin and Liza were standing by the staircase talking to some students I have never set my eyes on in my life.

"Hi" I waved at them. "How was your weekend?" I hugged Liza then Mi Jin.

"Eventful" Mi Jin answered.

"Boring" Liza replied with a bore tone.

"Your weekend has always been boring" Kachi said.

"I have nothing eventful or fun to do" Liza threw her hand in the air frustrated.

While they talked about their weekend, I smile at my eventful weekend with my husband. It was something to never forget. I saw Simran the tall Indian girl with a figure that reminds me of the famous Indian actress Sonam Kapoor and very cute smile on the staircase waving a lanky blond guy off. He pulled her hand and she fiercely snatched it away from him pointing a finger at him. It was noticeable that she was warning him but the guy had a stupid smirk on his bony face. The guy laughed before walking down the staircase giving her a wink she scowled at.

"Good morning Simran" I greeted giving her a side hug.

"Morning" she replied.

"How was your weekend?" I asked moving to her side.

"It was good" she smiled.

Simran is not the typical Indian girl you find putting on Indian wears and bangles. Simran was more the twenty first century type of girl. Don't get me wrong. She was not characterless and shameless. Today, she had put on a yellow sleeveless skater dress paired with red ballerinas and her dark shining hair had been pulled up into a pony tail.

"Have you done Professor Giovanni's assignment?" she asked as we turned into the hallway leading to our classroom.

"Yes, I have. We are having his class by 8:00am"

"Yes, it is five minutes to eight"

"Noor" Liza jumped to my side. I gave her my attention by looking at her. "I heard we are having a new student today. He is Italian" she beamed clapping.

"Well, best of luck to him" I shrugged and walked ahead of them.

The day passed slowly. It felt as if time had refused to move forward. I could not wait to meet my husband who I had texted and told I was leaving school by five in the evening because I needed to visit the library. Just like Liza had said, there was a new guy in our class, an Italian named Nicolas. There was something off about Nicolas. His look says it all. There was something in his eyes that shows me the beware sign. Nicolas would stare at me with a blank look then when he was caught staring, instead of turning his head away immediately, he would stare longer before look away. He causes me uneasiness. He might be cute to Simran and hot to Liza but to me, none of those matters expect the suspicious look.

I returned the book to the grumpy librarian, an old lady with a scowl on her face who complains and nags all the time. She scowled after I muttered thank you. I needed the book I had returned for Professor Giovanni's assignment and it had been useful.

On my way out, I met Tatiana, a course mate of mine who was a Russian. This might sound wrong and harsh to anyone but she was a dummy. It is not an insult but the fact about her. If there was a nicer word to describe her, I would have but there was none for me to describe her with. Little things excites her, she does not know how to do things on her own, she talks sluggishly, acts sluggishly, reads books upside down and always had a surprise, idiotic or foolish look on her face when reading or doing something but when she draws, paints, or sketches, she was gifted.

Tatiana was beautiful with a cloud of dark hair, light baby skin, ocean blue eyes and a face that was formed to perfection. Her eyes were the prettiest of her facial features, feline and slender unlike mine that was feline and bold.

"Noor" she drew my name long listlessly that it irritated me.

"Tatiana" I called out with a smile. "What are you doing in the library?"

"I came to read a book I saw last week" words came out of her lips very slowly that you might think it will take forever to complete that sentence.

How can she read a book when she reads her books upside down?

"Won't you leave for home?"

"Home? Ah Home? My mama will come and pick me up by six" she replied.

Eager to leave her alone, I checked my wristwatch to see it was almost five. Amir will soon be here.

"Alright then" I descended the wide staircases. "See you tomorrow, bye" I gave her a tight lipped smile as I breezed past a group of boys walking to the library.

"Bye, bye" she pulled the words.

The moment I stepped into the parking lot, my husband's black Mercedes Benz S550 drove in. I would have jumped, clapped my hands and let out a happy squeal but I held my excitement in and marched over to his car, bouncing with delight.

When I entered the car, I greeted my husband with a hug. He had asked how my day went and I had told him. I asked him about his. He told me about the meeting he had briefly and few office work. That was the first time Amir had told me about his work. It gave me a nice sentiment knowing he was telling me something else. On our way to wherever he was taking me, he had stopped and gotten fast food for us at a fast food joint. As though he knew I was hungry and what I was craving for, he had gotten burger. The burger was fantastic. While we talked, my phone rang. It was Mahira. Without hesitation, I had picked it up.

"Hello sweetie" I beamed into the phone.

"Well, that's a very cheerful voice. You sound very happy" she said with little amusement in her voice. I glanced at Amir who had his attention at the road.

"I am happy, Alhamdulillah" I replied looking away from him to the road ahead.

"My client loved the job"

"Wow" I screeched happily like a siren. "He did?"

"Yes! Yes! Yes!" she shouted. "He loved it but he had shown his sister. She loved it" she gushed, excitement in her chirpy voice.

"That's amazing. I am glad I could help" I exhaled happy that her client loved her job.

"Excuse me" she said. "Just tell her to give me few minutes" she said, her voice distant from the phone. There were few murmurs and laughs. "Sorry about that" she apologised.

"That was nothing" I waved my hand in the air as if to dismiss her apology. When I placed my hand back on my lap, Amir took it in his. I looked at him. My cheeks glowed then I looked away.

"Oh, I just wanted to thank you. When should we meet? We should hang out soon. I have missed seeing your face" Amir gave the back of my hand gentle feathery stroke giving my skin a little tingle.

"How about this weekend?"

"That's perfect! I will tell mama. We should have dinner soon with everyone" she suggested. "I need to go. I will call you later"

"Alright"

"Okay then. See you soon In Sha Allah. Allah Hafiz"

"Allah Hafiz" the call got disconnected.

"We have gotten to our destination" Amir said as I stuffed the little burger that was remaining into my mouth. I chewed and swallowed before replying him.

"Okay, where are we?" I looked out through the tinted window.

We were in a community with houses of the same structural design and painting. The houses were fenced and had black metal gates at their entrances. The roads leading to each house were tarred and smooth. There was something about the community that screamed elite. It was the type of place you find rich and influential people. The designs of the house and their sizes made it obvious. Amir rolled down his window and pointed something at the gate. The gate beeped then gradually opened sliding to one side. I had stopped my mouth from dropping at the interior of the compound. With a ghost smile, Amir drove into the compound after taking a quick look at me.

Then it started making sense. He had told me he had a surprise for me. He had driven me a house and had the key to it. Oh! Is this our house? My lips cracked into a smile.

"Is this our house?" I asked whipping my head to his side. He smiled stopping the car.

"You guessed right" he grinned unlocking his belt.

I let out a joyful scream with my hand over my gapped lips. Amir smiled almost laughing as I engulfed him into a tight hug. Finally, we got our house! I said a lot of thank you before pulling away.

"Come on" he grabbed my hand after I calmed down. "Let's check it out"