Five

BK 2 Chapter 5

      "Assalamualaikum bunny" Maryam greeted me and strode to the kitchen majestically while I rolled my eyes at her. 

I turned and smiled sweetly at her, "waalaikumsalam sugar".

"Whatcha cookin, miss cook" she inhaled the aroma of the food.

"I'm cooking what's cook-able," I replied, stirring the dish.

"I'm famished" she yawned, patting her stomach while it growled in response and I chuckled lightly.

"If you want it to be cooked quickly, come help me" I slyly said while slicing the onions.

"Me! What?" She screeched like a banshee while I'd to cringe internally.

"You" I grinned, wiping the tears forming in my eyes due to the onion.

"I can't darling, I'm a visitor and visitors don't help in the kitchen" she smiled sweetly.

"Visitor?!"I exclaimed comically.

"Yes, babe, visitor" she smiled innocently and winked at me.

I took the frying pan to get the fish. "What are you doing?" she asked.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" I asked sarcastically.

"Frying" she replied in a duh- tone.

"Then why are you asking jamb questions?" I spoke mockingly.

"You are no fun girly" she playfully punched me.

"Thanks, fun-bae" I grinned and stuck out my tongue playfully at her.

After cooking and setting up the dishes, I called out to my foolish friend who was busy fighting with the remote control.

"Honey, food is ready"

"Boo, can you please bring it here with a drink because I don't wanna miss this scene" she pleaded with her eyes glued to the TV. 

No way!

I went to the sitting room and sat on the floor to eat my food. As I was about to dig in, she held my hand arching her eyebrow.

"Mommy, where is my food?" she pouted. 

"In the kitchen doll," I grinned cheekily. 

"But I told you, I don't want to miss the film. You can't even help a friend out" she whined....and went to the kitchen for her food. She sat comfortably on the couch with her legs crossed on the table, moaning. She was having foodorgasm.

She liked food!

No!. 

Loved food. 

"Wallahi, you are one of the best cook" she moaned while I shook my head. She took another spoon, "you are the best monkey" she hummed while holding her hand to me 'thumbs up'.

"What of you gorilla?" I asked her, taking a spoon.

"Lazy ass, chimpanzee" she replied, taking a full-mouthed spoon.

After we were through with eating and little bickerings, we washed our dishes and returned to the living room. I sat on the couch while she sat beside me on the floor.

There was a public holiday, I was free. Abdullahi had gone to the amusement park with Abdulrahman, leaving only me at home with my crazy friend.

"Wow! see his abs. I love you Shaurya" she made a dreamily face, I turned and stared at her.

We were watching the rerun of Mehek. 

"Kangaroo, stop staring. You're creeping me out" she said in a high pitched voice before throwing the pillow at me. The pillow fell on the floor, I picked it and dusted it before putting it back.

"Talk, stop staring" she whined.

"When are you getting married?" I asked her.

"I'm not ready" she replied in a clipped tone, wanting me to leave but I was not this time around.

"You are twenty-eight this year, please move on bae," I said softly.

"No man is looking at me" her voice showed finality not wanting more questions but I was not having that.

"No stupid, there is a man who loves you but you are too busy dwelling in the past to see," I said tapping her on her forehead.

"Who?" she asked, raising her brows.

"Hmmm, Royhan". 

"Whatttttttt" she shrieked. "I and him, olorun maje*. That man, I hate him with every fibre of my body" she shrieked while I rolled my eyes. (God forbid).

"Why?" I asked while she glared at me.

"Forget about me, now to you", she wiggled her eyebrows.

"Babe, I know it's hard but please move on for abdullahi," she said softly.

I nibbled on my lips before I replied, "I'm thinking of saying yes to your brother's proposal" I said not looking at her, I knew she would flip because she was not happy with my relationship with him at first.

"No way" she screamed, standing from where she sat and narrowed her eyes at me.

I gulped!

"Why?"

"You can marry any other man but him, I can't allow you," she said in disgust, eyeing me.

"Why, but you said I should move on, then why with your brother. Is it because I'm a single mother?" Tears brimmed out of my eyes while I used the back of my hand to wipe it harshly.

"I love him Maryam," I said softly, she came to me and hugged me.

"Sophia, I don't want to hurt you but you can't marry him," she said while I pushed her away and stood abruptly.

"Why!!!" I screamed and I was super annoyed.

"No Sophia, I don't mean it like that"

"Then what did you mean? explain?".

"My brother is suffering from an anger issue" she replied softly.

"I know but he never flipped out whenever I'm with him"

"No Sophia, he just wants to win you over. He has changed, he is not that cool gently boy since the day you left him" she stressed the 'left'.

"What did you mean that I left him?. What you are trying to say was that I broke your brother's heart and you are protecting him from me. Uhn?" I asked.

"Do you know what happened to him when you left?. He nearly went mad. He was chained down in the mosque and nearly beaten to death for months before he got back to himself. This Sophia, that Sophia. He is obsessed and crazy for you. Abdulrahman is a crazy guy, he is not normal" she raised her voice.

"Get out"I pointed to the door.

"What?"

"You heard me loud and clear. I said get out of my house" I shouted.

She looked at me pained but I didn't let it guilt me up because I too, I was hurting and dying inside.

She opened and looked at me and said "I may sound like a selfish bitch but I'm just protecting you from him. He is not the right guy for you" lone tears escaped her left eye. She closed the door while I went to the door and locked it. I slumped down the door and cried my heart out.

This was the first disagreement I and Maryam would have that leads to both of us shouting on ourselves.

I was desperate. 

I didn't listen or reason to her point of view. 

This was the first time Maryam cried since the death of her baby when she was 15.

This was the first time I ever cried hard after my husband's death.

I felt lost.