Chapter 07

She had been prancing around in the kitchen and she looked at Hajia before she spoke, "Hajia, do you think this would go? I've never tried using it before." She was turning a bottle of spice in her hand and Hajia moved forward to inspect it. She collected the spice in her hand and looked into the bubbling pot.

"I don't think you can use it, Nadia. Hussain hates the taste of it," Hajia answered before she placed the bottle back into the drawer, and Nadia nodded her head with a smile before she turned to her.

"Hajia, you said Hussain, does this mean Twin is coming back for the walima too?" She asked, enthusiastically and Hajia squeezed her ear in her hand. Nadia yelped before she laughed shyly.

"You aren't shy of asking me about your dear husband? Oh my god, Nadia. During our days, we can't even look at our husband's when our mother inlaws are in sight." Nadia laughed before she whined with a smile on her lips.

"But Hajia, you're my mother too, right?" Hajia smiled lovingly and she moved into the kitchen, inspecting the works of the maids.

"They said nothing about coming back, but I know they would. Sohila would be sad if they don't, they can't make her sad delibrately." Nadia nodded, just when Sohila walked into the kitchen. She yawned before she hugged Nadia.

"Good morning, Aunt Nadia. Have you called First H today? I called their numbers but they aren't going through." She made a face before she pinched Sohila's face.

"I haven't called him today, Sohila. It's too early for a phone call now. But I'll call him the moment I'm done with this kitchen," Nadia promised with a smile and Sohila reciprocated before she moved into the kitchen, nibbling on the snacks before she made her way towards Hajia.

She hugged Hajia from behind and smiled at herself, it felt good being a graduate. She had missed her friends, but the joyful part of it outweighed the sorrow. The handsome H's didn't make it to the graduation ceremony that held place in Ulul Albab, and she would give them a medicine of their own when they came back. She was hurt a bit yesterday, but Hajia's presence and a lot of their relative's made it seem nothing. Nadia too, she felt as if it was First H that was there.

"I'm done with this, Hajia. I'll go to my room now." Nadia excused herself and Hajia thanked her on her way out. She knew Hassan would come back may be today, but some part of her heart told her he wouldn't. They spoke yesterday and he didn't tell her he was coming back. She brewed in anticipation.

She bathed herself and by the time she was getting reading, some of the invited guests had already started arriving. It was an evening luncheon, but the guests were there before the evening came. It felt like a wedding. An enormous wedding.

Nadia clad herself in an ankara that fitted her body and brought out her curves. She had a small makeup on her face and didn't complied when Sohila begged her to let the makeup artist that came to doll her face. She knew she would be busy and exhausted, having a painted face would only add more exhaustion.

Nadia had never thought the Alkali family were that much until today. She saw nearly to a thousand numbers of them. It was huge and confusing sometimes. What she noticed about them was, they were mostly tall. Mostly the men. It was the females that she saw the meduim sized, but the men, oh the men, they remembered her of her twin.

She had served more relatives than she cared to count. She was sure some were there without an invitation from Hajia, and she had to smile and duck her head shyly whenever someone made a comment about her being Hassan's wife. She had been straining her head, with the hope of seeing Hassan walking through the crowd. She had noticed one of their cousins sticking to Sohila's side and if she could, the blush on her cheeks could paint the evening sky.

She bumped into Hajia and she looked at her with an appreciative smile. "Nadia, you're so exhausted. I know you can't take anything now even if I forced you. I bought you an ice cream because I know it's the only food you can have today. It's in the kitchen fridge, that's the only safe place for it now that the house is full. Go and take some please, rest for a bit before I need you back."

Nadia hugged Hajia appreciatively before she walked away, heaving a sigh out of relief. She was about to enter the kitchen when she saw a figure, exactly that of her Twin. She knew he was the one! He was walking out of Sohila's room, probably kept a surprise gift for her. She smiled brightly and suppressed her squeal, she knew he wanted to surprise her but she ruined that for him.

She took a few steps towards him and gripped his hand in hers before she dragged him into the kitchen without a word. The moment they were in the kitchen, she had his back on the wall and she smiled brightly at him before she hugged him tightly. "I missed you so much, Twin. I really missed you," she said with a low voice that emoted her true feelings. Even though she could hear the hubbub of laughter and high pitched voices from the compound, she was sure no one was inside the house.

Hassan gulped down a lump in his throat and he lifted her away from his body. He was about to speak when she lifted her legs up and merged their lips together. Nadia closed her eyes to relish the feeling, the warmth and emotions stirred by Hassan's lips on her.

Abruptly, she was yanked away from his body and she looked into his eyes, tears glistening her eyes. If this was a frank, she hated it. She didn't like the look on his face, it was full of disgust and what she knew as anger. She had seen him angry, this was the exact look he had on his face.

She shook her head, and tears rolled down her cheeks. "Please, Twin, if you're trying to joke, don't even try." She was heartbroken from the way her voice sounded, and he closed his eyes.

He used his hand and placed her out of his way, she looked at him with a pained expression and a frown formed on his forehead. "I'm Hussain. Sorry for confusing you." And he was out of the kitchen before she could blink her confused eyes. Slowly, her fingers went up to her lips and she fondled it. She had kissed him, oh Allah. She kissed her husband's twin.

She ate her ice cream in what felt like death. She didn't relish on the taste nor what the juicy and icy sensation of the ice cream brought to her soul. It had surely calmed her down, but for a bit. She placed back the jar into the fridge and walked out in halting steps. Her lips still feeling the warmth of his lips. She closed her eyes and shook her head, as if trying to shake off the feeling of Hussain's lips on her mind.

She bumped into another version of them on her way out, and she shrieked before she took a step backwards. He laughed before he took her into a hug and held her waist. He lifted her to the sky and twirled her. "I missed you so much, Singleton. I thought I couldn't make it for the days I was away." He kissed her neck and dipped his head there. She doubted who it was, yes she felt the softness and easiness of her Twin. But he had once acted like her Twin, and she didn't realize it until after the moments.

She broke their hug and looked at him with eyes dripping of confusion. "Who are you? I mean, I know you're either my husband or my husband's twin. Who are you between the two?"

Hassan laughed before he kissed her lips lightly. She cringed, it felt the same! "I'm your husband, Singleton. You don't seem happy to see me, something happened?" She shook her head and hugged him, breaking into tears. How could she tell him that she gave his twin the hug that was meant for him and also, she kissed him? The kind of kiss that spoke her true feelings for him?

"Come on, Singleton, it's fine. I'm here now, okay?" He rocked them and she looked up at him with pouted lips.

"You can't do this to me again, Twin. Always call me so I know who's the one among you." She pulled away from him and slightly punched his arm. "Do you guys have to wear the same clothes for Allah's sake? How do you even do that?"

He laughed and guided her out of the house, to the compound that was now blasting with song. She looked at where Sohila was seated, and she spotted Hussain, talking to her in a hushing tone and she had her lips pouted with her hands wrapped over her chest. Nadia smiled, because she knew Hussain would suffer the most out of the punishment Sohila had prepared for them.

She looked at Hassan and smiled, her eyes wandering back to Hussain and Sohila. "Twin, have you done your own consolation?" She asked, and his eyes followed her gaze with a smile.

He shook his head and chuckled. "I haven't even met Second H, not even Hajia. I rushed to you the moment I walked into this house, and a relative told me you're inside."

"Now, you have to do it. Because Sohila will definitely not be easy on you two for not coming to her graduation ceremony." She laughed and shoved him to where Hussain and Sohila where, as Hajia motioned for her to come over.

She went and she greeted the new throng of relatives that came before Hajia asked her to serve them the food, and there came the exhaustion. She had been moving around frantically between the place the foods were kept and the place Hajia hosted the relatives. She got helping hands, but it still wasn't enough. She was like the sole planner of the event.

It was late in the evening when she got a hold of herself and looked around. She saw Hussain was no more with Sohila, it was only their cousin that painted her cheeks red. She looked around if she could see Hassan and there he was, walking to the garden with his hands in his two pockets. She walked towards the garden as well, easing herself on her way.

She could finally have sometime of her own, and a moment spent with Hassan made her forget all that bothered her. She found him seated with his legs dipped into the pool as he seemed to be deep in thought. There were green grasses in the garden, she didn't mind about getting her clothes soiled. Even if they were to be soiled, a moment with Hassan was worth everything.

She smiled and laid down on the grass, resting her head on his laps. Hassan looked at her with a neutral expression and she smiled at him. She used both her hands and pulled his face to her face and she kissed him lightly with a loving smile on her lips. "I know something is surely bothering you, Twin. We'll talk about it later at night, okay? I'll sleep before Hajia wants me there. I love you," She said with a tired and sleepy voice while she turned her face to the pool and with a smile on her lips, Nadia closed her eyes and sleep overtook her soul. She felt safe and at ease with him.