Better Late Than Never

04

The morning of December 21st was insanely cold.

Ayra found it difficult to pull herself out of the warm cocoon of her blanket so she could get ready for her interview. Eventually, knowing she had no other choice, she got out of the warmth and then got off the bed.

Leaving her curtains drawn together, she switched on the main lights of the room and walked to her wardrobe, pulling the doors open. Well hung outfits and neatly folded ones stared back at her and it didn't take a lot to thought to know what outfit she wanted to wear. Sighing, she pulled it out, not wanting to dwell on the fact that she hoped it impressed whoever was interviewing her on behalf of Ayneese.

Walking away from the still open wardrobe, she laid out the teal green two piece jilbab on her bed and stared at it for a long minute. It was one of the jilbabs she'd purchased from Ayneese a near month earlier but had not come around to wearing. Every jilbab that was delivered was sewn to perfection and she loved them all.

Knowing she'll need a coat to ward off the cold, she walked back to the wardrobe and pulled out the first coat she could get her hands on; a charcoal grey duster coat she could easily put on and take off. Draping the coat on her arm, she closed the wardrobe doors and walked to the shoe rack to out a pair of ankle high boots which she dropped at the foot of the bed before laying out the coat beside the laid out jilbab.

She was pulling her hair into a loose bun when a soft knock punctuated the silence of the room. Ayra turned around as the door went open to reveal Salama who smiled at the sight of her daughter. "Good. You're up."

Ayra smiled back, finishing with her hair and allowing her hands fall back to her sides. "I am. I didn't really sleep after Fajr. I just needed the warmth. It was hard to get off that bed."

Salama's laugh was small yet lovely. "I can imagine." Her warm smile returned. "How are we today?"

"Way better than I was yesterday, Alhamdulillah." Ayra let out a small sigh. "I'm just nervous."

Salama stepped into the room and walked over to give her daughter a hug. She kissed Ayra's hair. "It'll go well, In Shaa Allah. Just be yourself, okay? You'll win them over in no time and you'll come back happy."

Ayra soaked in her mother's warmth. "In Shaa Allah." She sighed again. "I wouldn't mind standing like this for a little longer."

Salama laughed, pulling back. "You better get into that bathroom and have a quick bath." She stepped away from her pouting daughter, grateful that Ayra was doing so much better. "Crepes or potato pancakes for breakfast?"

Ayra walked towards the bathroom. "Pancakes please. Let's finish the strawberries we have."

Salama nodded, smiling fondly. "It's you and Muhsin against me this morning. I wanted crepes."

Ayra opened the bathroom door before she smiled once again at her mother. "We can have crepes later."

"We can." Salama then sighed. "Hurry up and come down so you have more than enough time to eat properly. I don't want you rushing your meal."

"Sure."

"I love you, Leilani."

"I love you too."

Ayra kept her bath short, letting her mind roam nearly as freely as it wanted rather than keeping it under lock and key. Ever since her first therapy session, she and her therapist had met two more times. In those two sessions, Ayra had opened up more about her relationship with Ibrahim; sharing the lovely moments she'd enjoyed, the good, and then going in-depth into the bad moments that led up to them separating.