Mrs Mahmud, Mrs Mas'ood

11

Amal: Ladies and gentlemen, I am inviting you to the Eid dinner party my family will be hosting by God's grace. If you'll be able to make it, please reply this message and do it quick!

Mahmud, who had just stepped into the house, frowned at the message. He had not known of any dinner party. He assumed they weren't holding it that year since no one brought it up. He walked past the empty living room and dining room, right into the kitchen. His parents were seated at the kitchen island, papers scattered on the marble top.

They both smiled at him. Muhammad spoke first. "Good thing you're here. If you're not tired, try to check if your clothes fit. They're in your room."

Aisha rested her head on her husband's shoulder with a tired sigh. "Welcome back, sweetheart. How did today go?"

Mahmud nodded slowly. "It was alright. Amal just texted. She said something about a dinner party. I wasn't aware."

Aisha straightened. "We didn't tell you about it because we didn't want to disturb. You've been busy and we just wanted to let you be."

Mahmud raised a brow. "I would have helped even though I'm not so comfortable with such events."

"It's no big deal, Mahmud." Muhammad said with a small smile. "We've gotten most of the things out of the way. We even had an event planner help. We're just going over the final plans to make sure we don't miss anything. We're also compiling the list of guests."

"If you still want to help," Aisha added. "You can get changed and come to join us."

"Right after you check if your clothes fit." Muhammad said sternly. "If they don't, let's quickly send it back. Eid is less than forty-eight hours away."

Mahmud nodded. "Sure, I'll get changed."

He turned around and walked out. He was halfway up the stairs when his phone beeped with new messages from the group. He clicked on them.

Zayd: You already know we will be there, Amal. Why don't you want to listen to me?

Aleem Dantata: I won't be there o. I have to be in Kano. Amal, why did you not announce this earlier?

Amal: Sa'ed, you were saying?

Zayd: I wasn't saying anything.

Hanan: I'll be there!

Hauwa: I'll be there too. Hanan, you should have said we'll be there. Good thing I have extra outfits. Oh, this will be fun.

Mahmud came to a halt in front of his room door.

He hated social events more than anything but in that moment he was ready to make the dinner party an exception. With a new rush of excitement he was not used to, he pushed the door open and stepped into the room. Like Muhammad said, his clothes – which had arrived from the tailor – were neatly folded in transparent bags and were on his bed.

He dumped his bag on the loveseat just as his phone beeped with another message.

Aleem Dantata: Ah, my wife is going to be at the party. It looks like I'll have to fly back down after the Eid prayer.

Mahmud's eyes narrowed dangerously and his grip on the device tightened. Since he was added to the group, he noticed that Aleem flirted with Hauwa at any given opportunity. As much as Mahmud did not want to accept or admit it, he hated it. Aleem had to be northern Nigeria's biggest flirt with a track record of relationships and situationships. Almost every northern woman knew him and there were so many who wanted to be with him, even for a day.