Marriage Transaction.

Interaction 16: Perfect Excuses.

"I told you this isn't what I wanted for breakfast" Abdulhamid complains wearing only his shorts and vest. I look at him frustratedly. "That's what you said you wanted last night, remember?" I ask him.

"No I don't because it did not happen. Nabila I'm not stupid or insane"
"I never said you were"
"So I Abdulhamid Isa told you I wanted to eat warmed up rice? Haba Nabila don't say things that do not make sense"
"Gosh!" I groan in frustration.

He leans on the kitchen counter and huffs.
"I'm sorry. I have just been frustrated and I'm taking it out on you and you don't deserve that" he walks over and holds my hand. "Why don't you go rest. I'll just order something for us. What would you like?"

"Anything is fine"
"Ihsan is not here to choose for us so you'll have to be the one to choose, so?"

"Okay. But you go finish getting ready for work I'll call them"
"Okay then, so be it Boss" he gives me a peck on my cheek and walk out.

:: 

"What the hell are you doing here?" Aisha asks looking at me confused.
"I'm here to work"

"Are you serious? Are you insane? Who gets time off work and decides she would rather come and waste her life?!"

"It's so lonely at home. Ihsan goes to school by 7am she comes back by 2pm, changes, eats and rest before going to islamic school by 4pm. She comes back by 6pm and prays, eats, do her homework and then goes to sleep. She has no time to rest. During weekends she has Islamic school from 11am to 1pm then her lesson teacher comes from 4pm to 6pm.
Abdulhamid is always at work and during weekends he is either at his mother's house or still working and if I'm lucky he'll spend the whole day sleeping at home. So I'm so tired of being the only useless one at home. It's tiring and exhausting Wallahi, at least even if I lie down here to help you with gists or seeing patients it's way way way better"

"Wow! That's...wow"
"Exactly but it still gets lonely"

"Yeah if only you had someone to stay with you. The problem is Nafiu would never agree to—" I cut her off.
"Come over to my house this weekend" I suggest excitedly.

"Are you Seriously serious?" She asks with a bored expression.

"Yes please"
"Weekends are my day off"
"Think of it as a girls weekend. What do you think?"

"Alright fine. But I want to be treated like royalty, okay?"
"Sure whatever"

I say taking off my veil and replacing it with my coat.

::

"Are you serious?" Abdulhamid asks handing Ihsan her plate of dambun Nama.
"Yes. That's what she said" she replies back.

Sometimes I envy these too, my dad never sat and asked me about school or the people I met but this guy knows everything. From what her classmate brought to school to what they served for lunch.
"So what you are trying to tell me is Khadijah took Kauthar's pencil and they blamed Faisal? That's not fair"

"That was the same thing I said" she replies filling her mouth with dambu.
"Then I—" she stops talking when she notices the way Abdulhamid was looking at her. If she continued he would have scolded her for eating with her mouth open.

"So you went to work today? Hope you're feeling better" Abdulhamid says with his sweet sensual smile.
"Yeah and I hope you don't mind but Aisha is spending the weekend"

"Really?" He asks disappointedly.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing"

"No there's something. What is it?"
"I cleared this weekend for you and Ihsan"
"Oh!" I say feeling guilty "But Ihsan has Islamic school And lesson" I say trying to make a point.
"I spoke to both her mallam and lesson teacher about it"

I stay quiet "But you can still have fun with your friend. Ihsan and I can work it out on our own" he says sadly.

The man is guilt tripping me.
"I can cancel"
"No. No. You've already made plans"
"Come on. Family comes first I'll just cancel"

"Fine then" he says with a smile picking up Ihsan from the kitchen counter were she sat down, held her hand and walk out with both their plates of dambu in their hands.

And that's why he owns a multi billion dollar company, he plays people.

::

I sat down on my bed and dialed Aisha's number. She was supposed to come over tomorrow evening so we can start our girl's weekend until Abdulhamid played me into canceling.
She picks up.

Hey.

Nabila. I already said that I'm coming no need to hassle me.

Oh no. It's no hassle.

Although you sound really weird and creeping but I'm just going to let it slide.

Okay. So about our girl's weekend...the thing is—
She cuts me off.

I already cancelled things with my cousins. And they left for their trip earlier today.

They already left?

Yeah so unfortunately today I'm home alone. The good thing is I won't be around this weekend so....why did you call me anyway?

I'll call you back later.
I end the call.
I quickly ran to the main living room upstairs where my husband and daughter lied down on the carpet watching 12 Strong.

"So you're still watching?" I ask them. But no one answered me they were both too engrossed in what they were watching.
"Abdul!" I call him.

He groans making Ihsan giggle.
"Yes?" He answers raising his head to look at me.
"I called Aisha to cancel the our plans"

"Fantastic...So?"
"I couldn't"

"Why?" he asks sitting up.
"Well I couldn't. She told me that she cancelled her trip with her cousins and that they had already left earlier today. She's home alone and thanking me for at least inviting her over"

"Wow! It's definitely your fault but it's fine she can still come over and spend the weekend with us"
"Are you serious?" I ask happily.
"Sure. I have never met her but it might not be so awkward and annoying"

I sit on the floor next to him.
"I thought you watched this movie last week?"
"I did but I didn't watch the ending. And you know how much I prefer and enjoy watching with my daughter"

"And your wife?"
"Yeah sure" he agrees.

::

Aisha arrived an hour ago and we are still chatting in my bedroom.
I hear the gate open indicating that Abdulhamid and Ihsan are back from their 3hour shopping trip.

"They're finally back?" Aisha asks with a smile.
"Yeah let's go downstairs" I say standing up.

"What the hell do you mean? No way"
"Come on, stop being a drama queen joor"

"It's no drama I'm dead serious Wallahi"
I hiss and pull her.
"Keh! Are you trying to dislocate my shoulder!?"
"Then get up"

"Fine! Whatever" she picks up her veil and walks downstairs with me.

...

We meet all the bags scattered on my expensive dinning set. I enter the living room and see them lying down on the couch watching tv. So before he got married this is all they do? Or is he doing this become he knows he has someone that would do this for him.

"So you're back?" I ask leaning on the wall with Aisha hiding behind me.
He raises his head and smiles at me. I'm melting!
"Yeah. Is your guest here yet or...you cancelled?"
"She's here"

Aisha moves forward and smiles awkwardly.
"Hello" She says.

He sits up and smiles.
"How're you?" He asks.
"I'm good, thanks for having me"

"Ihsan, aren't you going to greet her?" He scolds the little girl but she doesn't move.
"I think she is asleep" I say.

"Yeah she must be tired" he says back adjusting her head on the pillow.
"We'll go prepare dinner" I say before pulling Aisha along with me.

Girl's Weekend!