Meant To Be Yours!

Chapter XXXVI

Abdul's POV

It's an amazing day. I feel energetic, I reached the office and gave Leo a bottle of the Famous Grouse. He went bananas even though I always brought him stuff whenever I travelled out of the country. When I opened my laptop I was swamped with emails. I was happy that most of them were about new businesses meaning the trip was a success. I dived into replying making sure not to miss any of them and also linked a bunch of them to Leo for meeting scheduling. I was going to have a busy month but I had to make it work because I am getting married in a month. Even though it is hard to process I can't force my mother to be part of my life with Nikki. It is clear that she doesn't want to be part of it. I am going to make my Nikki the happiest woman alive. She has been through a lot for me and I need to prove to her that it is worth it.

My concentration is ruined by my phone ringing, I look and see it is Ahmed. He is the one person that only reaches out when he has important things to discuss because we have different interests. I don't blame him. Managing a fuel company is not easy. He is always on the road. "Hey kid, how are you?", he said sounding off. "I'm ok, you?", "All good. Can you come to Mum's after work?", "No man. I have a date with Nikki, I can't bail on her this late", "I wouldn't be asking if it wasn't important", I release a breath looking at my watch. Nikki was already done with work an hour ago and she is waiting for me to finish so I can pick her up. "Fuck! Fine, but I can't stay long, I need to talk wedding things with her", "Yeah", he replied then hung up. Which is weird. "Hey babe, Ahmed just called. I have to swing by Mum's before coming to you, can you go to the restaurant and wait for me there?", she remained silent, clearly hating me right now. "Uh...I don't think that's necessary. We could always do it some other time", she sounds disappointed. "I'll make it up to you babe. I promise. I love you", I say to her but she just hangs up.

"You had a heart attack and no one thought it would be nice to inform me, that my wife was hospitalised for the whole week!", Dad said the moment I walked into the house. My eyes landed on Mum who was bowing her head in guilt. "Ahmed, talk!", he barked. "Dad, we didn't say anything because we had it under control. Nikki was able to donate blood that helped and even went out of her way to take care of lunch and dinner for Inaya and Mum the whole time they were there. We took care of it and she is fine now", Ahmed explained and all I heard was my amazing wife to be saving my mother. 

"Did you say Nikki?", I asked making them turn to see me. Mother did not look pleased. "Is that all you heard Abdul? Nikki? Not your mother being sick and almost dying but Nikki? I don't understand why you're so hooked on this woman. Why am I the only one seeing this?", mother shouted making me look at her in surprise. Was she still hating her after all that she keeps doing for her? "Fatima that's enough!", father shouted for the first time ever. "Did you just raise your voice at me? Hafeez, which side are you on?", she asked with tears forming in her eyes. "There are no sides Fatima. You need to stop. What did she ever do to you? Help me understand what the poor girl ever did to you huh?", her father asked but she remained quiet. 

"She did nothing", we all turned to Inaya not believing that she was defending Nikki. "What did you say?", father asked and I was so shocked I had no idea what to say. "I said. Nikki has done nothing to deserve this", "Inaya...", mother warned but Inaya kept her gaze on me. "I was there when mother insulted her at the hospital, she came with Saad to bring us dinner and mum asked us to give them the room but the doctor returned and he wanted to do a final examination so that we could be released the next morning. Mother said things that I couldn't believe she would. Calling her 'a disowned black woman born from a poor family with two fatherless children' correct me if am wrong but how could you?", she was looking at mother at this point.

 "What does Nikki being black or poor have to do with anything?", Zahra said with so much fury. "I'm gonna go home", I said turning to the door. I could not think straight. "Abdul, son. Wait", she called but I just kept walking. I was trembling with rage, I needed to be away from her. Someone held my hand and when I turned it was Zahra. "We're craving a burger. Wanna come with me? I insist", she said taking the keys from me. I didn't say anything, I followed her to my car with Aziz behind me. We ended up at a diner. I ordered a beer while she ate her burger. We sat in silence.

 "This is not the first time this has happened. I guess with time she has become immune to the insults or rather conserved. When you were in college I used to invite her to my parties until one day mother asked her to help set the table and she never came back. She ghosted me completely. I guess we know what happened to her now. Poor Nikki", she said while playing with the straw that was in her milkshake. I felt guilty, for all the pain that I caused her, if I only knew what she was going through I would have been there for her. I would have protected her. I might think that I'm ready to fight for her now but how am I going to erase the scars that my mother and sister carved on her heart? "It's not your fault Abdul. You didn't know, none of us did", Zahra said holding my hand. "I don't know how I'm going to face her after this. Am I even worth it? All I do is mess things up", "No you haven't man, she is marrying you right? That's all you need to return the favour. Give her your whole. Make her feel special and valued that's all she deserves at this point. You got this man", Aziz assured me.