Mrs Mahmud, Mrs Mas'ood

33

Hauwa stepped into Matbakh Mas'ood and noticed the calm chime of a bell. She looked above the door and sure enough, there was a small bell that wasn't there the last time she visited. She turned when a female spoke behind her.

"It's a new thing. I had to beg Mas'ood to put it up there because I liked it. He reluctantly gave in and well, almost everyone who walks in likes it now."

Hauwa nodded slowly. She looked at the bell once again before she turned back to the other woman. She smiled. "It's cute and it doesn't sound haunting like the ones in so many stores I've visited." She stretched out a hand. "Hauwa Sufyan."

"Asiyah Mustapha." Asiyah shook Hauwa's hand. "It's nice to meet you, Hauwa."

"You sound like you know me well already."

Asiyah's laugh was lovely. "I do. I'm well acquainted with Mas'ood and his family so...I know about you and Hanan. I didn't want to scare you away so I let you introduce yourself first. Your dress is lovely by the way."

Hauwa blushed and pulled her hand back. She liked Asiyah already and they were just meeting. "Thank you, Asiyah. Your dress is lovely too."

It was Asiyah's turn to blush. "Abeg, abeg, it's okay." They laughed briefly. "Mas'ood isn't in though. He went to Nile and he said from there he'll go to Baze."

"To check on the confectionery shops?"

Asiyah nodded. "Yep...Are you not fasting? Today's special dish is Chinese Fried Rice and I can vouch that it's good because Mas'ood cooked it himself."

Hauwa shook her head with a small laugh. "No, I'm not eating. I'm fasting. Today's the last day."

Asiyah nodded happily. "It is, Alhamdulillah! I'm so happy."

Hauwa kept smiling. "I'm guessing you haven't missed even one."

"Yes! Did you miss any?"

Hauwa shook her head. "Nope. I'm still praying my period doesn't come before Maghrib. It happened in the middle of last year's Ramadan and it wasn't funny."

"It's the most painful thing!"

They found a table and sat to continue their discussion. It was easy for them to talk and they paid no attention to who came in and who went out. Asiyah could see why Mas'ood fell for Hauwa while Hauwa noticed how Asiyah spoke about Mas'ood.

By the time Mas'ood returned, Maghrib was fast approaching and both women were closer than anything. Asiyah did not come close to Kaycee though. Asiyah grinned at him the same time Hauwa did. They both spoke like twins.

"Chef Dantata!"

While Mas'ood stopped in his tracks, both women faced each other with amazement written all over their faces. They pointed at each other and once again spoke in sync. "You call him Chef Dantata too?!"

Mas'ood did not like the pace of his heart as he watched both women laugh, nearly forgetting that he was standing there. He took in Hauwa first, watching as she told her new friend that she started calling him Chef Dantata during the wedding planning period. Slowly, he turned towards Asiyah who laughed and said she couldn't remember what made her start calling him Chef Dantata.

On a normal day, he should have seen the invisible line between them, stating who they were; a woman he liked and a woman who had now taken Hassan's spot as his best friend. However, the line was blurred beyond recognition and it scared him.

Hauwa faced him first. "Welcome back, Mas'ood. How did today go?"

Mas'ood dismissed his thoughts and pulled out one of the two empty chairs of the table. He sat with a smile on his face. "It wasn't bad. I thought you'd be with Hanan."