Epiphany

5:

- Hadia -

After getting home, I realised it was a Monday, meaning both my siblings would get home by half eight. So after I got home at seven, I quickly made dinner for all of us, prayed, cleaned the house, washed the dishes, vacuumed the place, and did the laundry.

I was putting away the clean laundry when my phone buzzed from a notification. 

Mr. Mustafa: Have you talked to them?

Seriously, he really can't wait, I got home twenty minutes ago, and he expects me to have it done by now. I was about to reply when the door was unlocked, as both my siblings came in. 

"Aslamoalkuim api." they both said. "Walikumsalam, did you guys come home together?" I asked. "Yea, my friend was dropping me home, so we collected Aliza on the way." Ahmad explained. "yea, I was so grateful, I had such a long day today." Aliza said, flopping on the couch. 

"Well, that's good. So why don't you guys go change and I'll set dinner." I said. They both quickly nodded and ran into their rooms. I quickly set dinner, and we all started dinner.

We all started talking about our day, when the doorbell rang, getting our attention. "it's nine. Who would be here at this time?" I asked, getting up. They both shrugged. 

Wearing my shawl and throwing it over my head, I walked over to the door, I peeped through the peephole to see someone's back, but I couldn't clearly see who it was.  

I opened the door, "Yes, can I help you?" I asked but was stunned when the person turned around. "Mr. Mustafa?" I said, shocked  to see him her. Before anything, I pushed him out to the corridor and closed the door behind me.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, shocked on how he was here. "You didn't reply to my text." he replied with his emotionless expressions that I always wondered he had. "Because I was busy." I said, I wanted to bash my head on the wall right now. "Sir, I told you I'll talk to them if that's the real reason you're here, but how did you know where I live?" I asked.

"I saw your employee information, and I told you the reason I'm here." he said. "Right, so you always show up to all your employees' houses when they don't answer your text?" I asked sarcastically.

"Sir, you need to leave before my siblings see you." I said, but it was too late, the door opened, as Ahmad stood there, "Api, who is it?" He stopped seeing Mr. Mustafa is standing beside me. "Mr. Mustafa. Is everything alright? You here?" He asked, also shocked to see him here. 

"Yes, I was here to ask your sister something." he replied. "Please come in." He said, letting him come inside our place. Mr. Mustafa looked around the place as he entered the apartment. It was small for whatever he might be used to, but it was our home, where we spent our hard work on.

Aliza was still eating when we walked by the dining table. "I apologise for disturbing you while you were having dinner." he said, looking at my brother. "Don't worry about it, why don't you join us? "Ahmad offered. 

He looked shocked, and I was confused looking at him. Before he could say anything, "Sit down, bhai," Aliza said. We both turned to her. Did she call Mr. Mustafa bhai? "Ahmad bhai, you know guests, Api, get him a plate." she said, "Yea, Mr. Mustafa, sit down." Ahmad said, guiding him to a seat. Ahmad, too?

I was still standing there shocked. "Api, a plate." they said, which made me move to the kitchen, as I got a plate and put it in front of him. He thanked me, and both my siblings started offering him the food. 

At first, I wasn't sure if he would eat it, since we always made desi food at home, since it was all our comfort food, but I was surprised seeing him eat what I made. 

"So, Mr. Mustafa, what was so important that you had to come to our place to say it?" Ahmad asked.

We had finished dinner and were cleaning up. "Well, I should really ask you guys this." he said, "What is it?" he asked, Aliza and I both looked towards him.

"I'm here to ask for your sister's hand."

The room became quiet. Both my siblings looked at him. Frozen. I stood there, watching both sides. On one side, he sat there calmly, but on the fair side, I didn't even know if he was calm or bored with the expression on his face. On the other side, both Ahmad and Aliza having a shocked expression looking at him.

"Huh?" Was the first thing that was said from one of them. "Is there something wrong?" He asked? But both my siblings were speechless to say anything. I wanted to say something, but I wasn't sure what to say either.

After what felt like ages, Ahmad spoke. "So you're asking our sister's hand for marriage?" He asked. Mr. Mustafa nodded.

"Api." He said, looking towards me."What is this?" He asked. "So- i-" I started, "-the thing is, when I first saw your sister. She was the most angelic and alluring person I had ever seen." Mr. Mustafa said, looking at both of them.

"With the few days I have spent with her, I can see that she's a caring and kindhearted person. A person anyone would want, and I don't want to lose someone like that. She's hardworking and a dedicated person. You know your own sister better after all." He spoke about me like that. The first person, instead of my siblings and mama, it made me feel like I was in some dream when I heard someone talking about me like that.

"I had asked your sister before, but she cares for you guys a lot, and I can see that now, too. Therefore, I  believed it would be more appropriate if I asked her siblings instead." He said.

Both my siblings listened to him. "To be honest, it doesn't matter to us, just as alone as our sister is happy." Aliza said, while Ahmad just looked at him. "Right, bhai." She said, tapping him to get his attention.

Ahmad nodded and turned to me, "Api, what's your opinion?" He asked.

"I -um accept his proposal." I quietly said. I looked at both of them, Aliza gave a small smile, while Ahmad just looked at Mr. Mustafa, more like glared at him. "Well, if api agrees, then that's all that matters since she's the one spending the rest of her life with him." He responded.

"So when is the wedding?" Aliza asked, trying to get Ahmad to stop glaring. "This weekend." Mr. Mustafa replied. "THIS WEEKEND!" we all said in union. Shocked, with how sudden the date was. "I believe in a small wedding ceremony with a few close friends and family." He replied.

Ahmad and Aliza both turned to me, "I like the idea of a small wedding too, no haste and intimate." I added, trying to get my siblings to agree to this. "We can't say anything since it's your wedding." Ahmad said, "and this is very sudden, but you guys are adults and your own people. You can make your own choices." He sighed.

"Congrats." He said, shaking Mr. Mustafa's hand. Aliza walked over and hugged me, "My sister's going to be a bride." She whispered, I smiled, patting her head.

It was arranged that we would have the wedding by Saturday, ay home, with only a few close friends and family.

After discussing the event details, I walked Mr. Mustafa outside the apartment. We stood outside the apartment in the hallway. "Well, congrats to you, sir." I said, as he looked away. He only nodded. 

"Well, I'll see you tomorrow then." I said, turned towards my door, to he didn't respond anything either. I shrugged and walked inside. It's only a business arrangement. 
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Thoughts ¿?