Muslimah in love

8.Shopping

I sat at my school desk staring blankly at everything in front of me. All the students had gone home early for the Christmas holidays, but us teachers had to stay back to complete whatever was left. I didn't mind, after all, I was just going to return to my solidarity apartment. I just wanted to scream in frustration. I felt so lonely. Everyone seemed so pre-occupied with something or with someone. And me! Not single but not exactly in a relationship either. I think I should've adopted a kitten by now. A nice cute ginger one would be perfect.

'Hey, are you done in here yet?' Kylie, a fellow colleague and friend of mine asked popping her shiny blonde head into my room.

'Nearly.' I said, shuffling some remainder pieces of paper and shoving them into my filing cabinet.  'Now I am.'

'Don't you have that gorgeous hubby to get back to,' Kylie smirked.

'Hey!' Clearly, she had been ogling him at him the once he decided to pick me up after work, during one of our good days  'Uh, he's at work.' I gave a half smile.

'Again! You always say that.' Kylie said sitting on the edge of my desk.

'Duh, because he is. He's a 9-5 office guy who works in the city.' I said rolling my eyes. The city that I could see from my apartment, which was so close yet so far.  It was exactly like Zaid, he was by my side yet so distant.

'Anyway, the exciting news: Linda and I have decided to go on holiday to New York for 5 days including New year's day!'

'What! No way. You guys are so lucky.' I gasped. I was so envious. New York on New Year's day would be amazing. New York, that was definitely one of my dream destinations. I wished Zaid would just suddenly whisk me off to Manhattan for a romantic weekend. Clearly, it wasn't going to be happening anytime soon.

'Then come with us. I've got an extra ticket.' Kylie said simply.

I bit my lips. Could I? Should I? Damn, I wanted to and excitement sizzled in me for a few seconds and then burnt out.

'I can't. I don't know if Zaid will let me. I can't exactly leave him for a whole five days.' Anyway, Muslim women weren't allowed to travel for more than 48 miles alone for their own safety and protection from rape, assults and so forth. It was easy to say that in this society we were more or less safe, however, rapes and assaults still happened.  I loved the way women were treated like Queens in the religion. Just how a queen never travelled without bodyguards, husbands were like that; there to protect their wives and women from danger, like an alpha male.

'Aww, you want to be able to give him a kiss when the time strikes 12.' Kylie teased me. I snorted.

'Well ask him and let me know by tomorrow. Now grab your bags. You can come and do some last minute Christmas shopping with me. I haven't got Claire anything.'

'Oh God,'  I smiled at the grim face Kylie made. She truly hated her step-family, in particular, her devil of a step-sister, Claire.

'Thank God it's just the one day out of the whole year. If I had to spend another day with that cow, I would've probably attacked her by now. Now something from the 99p shop...'

I laughed grabbing my stuff and suddenly remembered something; something I should be proud and excited about but I wasn't. 

'Oh and Kylie you can help me find something for Zaid. It's our first wedding anniversary on the 24th. ' I said faking my excitement. The truth was I was dreading it. Imagine, Zaid forgot, he probably will. The horrid truth was that I was losing hope in our relationship. I mean we lived and slept together, but it was supposed to be more than that, wasn't it? 

After browsing through the shops, Kylie had found a perfume. It smelt nasty and at only 99p, I wasn't surprised. I had finally bought Zaid a leather wallet. It looked rather nice, perfect for him as his current one was severely tattered.

'Now make sure you wrap that up nicely at least.' I said to Kylie who looked pretty tired carrying half a dozen bags of shopping, which was mainly for herself. I didn't buy anything else. I didn't need anything and I wanted to limit my wants. There were the less unfortunate all across the world, I reminded myself. Plus I was going to have to answer for every penny I spent on the day of judgement.

'I need some caffeine. I don't understand how you can shop for hours on end? Right, I am off to Starbucks,'

'Sorry, Costa for me.' I said as I preferred Costa to Starbucks, although both were equally overpriced!

'Meet back here in ten.' Kylie said and we both headed off in opposite directions. Costa was on the east whereas Starbucks on the west of the shopping centre.

I walked quickly towards Costa, happy with the purchase I had made. My thoughts were wrapped around the idea of going to New York. It would be so exciting to see the statue of liberty, Central Park, the galleries and the museums particularly the Metropolitan Museums of Art  I really wanted to see their night lights. Compare it to the ones at home...My thoughts trailed off as I stopped, confused. My eyes caught the familiar brown hair and his shoulders I was used to seeing.

 What was he doing here? Shouldn't he be at the office? Then I smiled, maybe he was getting me my present and stopped for a coffee along the way. It was freezing outside after all. He was in his work clothes, his black briefcase sitting on the floor by his side.  He smiled a dazzling smile, a warm love-struck expression on his handsome face. It was the way every girl dreams for to be looked at. He was literally glowing. The smile disappeared from my face. He hadn't even seen me. So who was he... I turned my eyes ever so slowly, dreading to see my thoughts becoming a reality.