NORTON

Starting to drift apart

CHAPTER 10

________________

With Aayan mostly away and not seeing his wife deny herself the world's joy to keep him happy, Kim lost motivation. After four months of detaining herself inside her home, she took her girls to see Winnie's boys. Visiting her sister felt like she was also going to her mother. Winnie changed nothing about her late mother's home and Kim felt closer to her every time she went. Winnie demanded to know why Kim had been ignoring Mercy. Kim learnt that her special friend had travelled countless times to her home and just drove past to check that all was well. He had also asked Winnie to check up on Kim and the children's well-being. Kim thought it sweet and wished she had not removed her hijab so that Winnie wouldn't see how happy that made her.

Picking up a vibe, Winnie hushly asked her sister if she and Mercy were more than just friends. To satisfy her sister's curiosity, Kim told her Mercy would like to be more than friends. With Mrs. Dulux no more, Winnie had no desire to separate Kim and Norton anymore. Aayan had surprised her when their mother died. He supported Kim and took extra care of her and the children. He was the perfect supportive husband and the only thing Winnie faulted him on during their difficult time was that he was still wearing a dress. She also didn't discourage her sister from seeing Mercy because he was what she labeled, normal and passionate. Winnie texted Mercy to inform him of Kim's visit and he was there an hour before they were to leave. Kim honestly told him about the shame she felt for betraying her vows to Aayan. Mercy didn't care and they continued being friends and spoke regularly on the phone up until it was Christmas time. Asad, Asim and their families had gotten exhausted with their ever so demanding and ungrateful mother. They intentionally travelled to another city with their children on Christmas day, leaving Aayan with the burden of looking after their mother.

Kim had no intention of spending the day with her sister and her fiance so she took a chance and baked for her mother-in-law. They travelled in the morning and reached the house at 8am. The Norton house looked grander than the last time Kim had seen it and she felt angry at how they had moved up in life, leaving them behind then reaching out to them again when there were problems. The nurse was on her way out to celebrate with her family when they walked in. She greeted Kim and welcomed her to the house. Pumla and Zam took off their face veils and the nurse couldn't stop complimenting their beauty. She hugged the girls and gave them money because she had no candy in her bag for them. She asked for permission to kiss them on their chicks before leaving and the girls were left feeling happy. Suvika was sitting in her chair in the lounge and Aayan went to greet her first. Suvika asked whose voices were coming from the kitchen. Upon hearing that Kim was in her house she demanded to know who had invited her. "Mom please. Kim has been sending you food and you enjoyed it. Now she's come to make sure you're not alone on this holiday." Kim could hear her mother-in-law argue that she was happy to have her son alone and that there was no need for her to show her face in her lovely home.

Kim rolled her eyes before appearing with her children. Suvika looked away as soon as Kim and the girls walked in. They greeted her but she said nothing. Aayan told his mother that Kim didn't have to come but she did it out of the goodness of her heart. He then encouraged his children to greet their grandmother and they both said hello. She responded with the same greeting then looked at her flat screen. Pumla fell in love with the small plasma TV and wondered how many years her father would have to work to be able to afford it. Energetic Zam asked her grandmother about the pictures on the corner table and the old lady begrudgingly told her who the people in the pictures were. Zam moved on to asking about her see-through door. "Don't you mind people seeing you? Is it easily breakable? Is it really a door or an oversized window?" Kim could sense the woman's patience thinning. She called Zam to come sit next to them then Aayan walked back with a tray containing coffees and biscuits for them. Zam picked up where she left off. "Why do you live alone in such a big house? Don't you want someone to move in with you?" Suvika surprised everyone and said, "You're welcome to come live with me. I can use help from a sweet little girl." Excited, Zam turned to her mother and said, "Mom, we should start packing when we get home." Suvika quickly turned to their direction and said, "No ways! I want you and you alone. This house of mine is not big enough for a witch."