Affianced By Force

CHAPTER THIRTEEN - Breathe Through The Eye of a Needle

Umamah stared at the envelope in her hand, eyeing Faisal suspiciously.

He had his hands folded across his chest, nodding his encouragement for her to open the envelope.

She did.

And the scream was rewarding, despite how late it was. "I got in! I got in! I got in!" She jumped up and down the room and put her hands over her mouth. "How? When... You didn't even tell me they were reviewing our applications."

"Was I supposed to?" He asked.

"Yes. No. I mean I guess... who cares? My crazy proposal was accepted. I get to work for FNLG from FIH. I must be the first to get this privilege. Perks of having your husband as your Boss." She muttered the last part under her breath.

Faisal heard her and raised a brow.

She walked up to him. "Yes, Yes. You heard me, right? I have been seeing so many perks to this soon-to-be bi-lateral relationship." Then she paused. "Did you have anything to do with their approval?"

He looked disappointed. "You should know me by now Umamah. It was all you with the help of Allah. After all the investors/ partners you sourced for us? Who would reject you?"

Nobody. Perhaps. " I am sorry. I didn't mean to insinuate that you might have been unjust because of our relationship. It's just that I still can not believe it. First, it's a Saturday. You must have gotten it within the week, and I... I didn't receive any mail."

"FNLG does not send appointment letters via emails. Only confirmation letters, and, contrary to what you seem to believe, the letter was not handed to me at work. It was delivered to the house yesterday. I just happened to see it in the box myself, this morning. I wouldn't breach protocol by tampering with the job of the HR."

She nodded. She should have known better. Faisal was too straight for corners.

"Monday? So, I resume work on Monday?"

"In Shaa Allah."

Her eyes lit up once again with excitement. "I cannot believe it. AlhamduliLlaah." She was rushing to her closet. "What do I wear? What do I wear for my first day at work?"

Faisal watched in amazement at her exhilaration. He wanted her to add a new set of clothing to her wardrobe. No! Change her entire wardrobe. Hijabs, atampa and abayyas. She had been using the only hijab in the house for her sessions with her mu'allims and her salat. But he wasn't sure if she would love going into full hijab clothing. Was it too early to suggest it to her?

He went to the bed and went under the covers still watching as she ransacked her wardrobe.

As much as he wanted her going at her own pace, he wasn't going to let a wife of his go out without the proper covering. He was no deyyuth. Yet, he didn't want to push her.

He asked Allah for wisdom with which to tell her and for the firmness of the religion in her heart.

"Not this. Too tight. Not this. Too Short. No. Not official enough... No... why don't I have anything befitting?"

Her distressed voice came from the closet.

"This is the wrong time for this madame. Just go to bed and sleep. If Allah grants us life tomorrow, you can proceed."

His subtle chastisement got to her. She had already piled a heap of clothing at the foot of her closet. Now she was thinking how to fold them back in there neatly.

Faisal read her thoughts. "Worry about them tomorrow, In Shaa Allah."

"In Shaa Allah." Umamah looked from the pile of clothes to her husband on the bed and decided to agree without an argument this time. She climbed onto the bed and covered her face up to her chin, still marveling at the news she had just received.