Entwined by Destiny

Chapter Eight

    The following day was a Wednesday but since schools are closed down on mid-term break, Iman, Safiyyah and the kids were home.Fateema had left very early for her I.T centre while their parents and Mahmud were at their working places, leaving the children, Mama, Ummi and Iya the ones at home.

    Ever since her talk with Walida the previous day, Iman had been restless and so excited for the next step. Her roommates Mama and Safiyyah kept asking the reason for her excitement but she covered up by telling them she was just looking forward to her weekly calls with Ayman which is coming up that same night. Her excitement reached its peak when she saw Nasiba come to visit Mama (as a secondary school principal she's free due to the break).

    After sneaking out Mama's phone, Iman called Mahmud, telling him to cook up any excuse to leave the office cos the perfect opportunity has just presented itself---Walida was home alone, a rare circumstance indeed. Luckily for him, there wasn't much to do at the firm so his colleague gladly accepted to stand in for him.

     On getting home, he did his usual loud honking, thrice at a go cos their security guard, Malam Ilu's ears are something else and Daddy adamantly refused to replace him since the man was obsessed with the job he had had since Amb Mahmud's lifetime.

Even before Malam Ilu could open the gate, Iman had already materialized, telling him not to bother opening it.With that she went out, hopped into Mahmud's car and together, they drove off the very short distance to Walida's house.

    Upon pressing the doorbell, Walida herself opened the door, not the maid as Iman thought.Walida's beautifully painted eyes fell on Iman whom she smiled at before they trailed behind and high up ....and then froze. Their gazes locked for just a tiny millisecond before Walida quickly lowered her eyes, turned to lead the way into her personal sitting-room.As an only child, she had her own beautifully furnished suite of rooms which she designed herself as that's what she majored in-- Fashion and Interior design.

   As they all took their seats in the purple and green theme parlour, Walida shyly greeted her Yaya before turning to Iman and starting a pointless chat, just to lessen the tension she was in.

Ever the unpretentious one, Iman ignored her chattering and pointed at Mahmud saying, "Here's your Yaya I've brought him to you as promised. Now it's time for your. ..what did you call it? Yawwa, face-to-face confessions."she concluded laughing.

The awkward feeling Walida was hitherto experiencing increased tenfold at this. She glared at Iman and in a warning tone, dragged her name"Imaniiiii....."

    Iman retorted, "What? Just because I told you the right thing to do?.Look at the poor love-struck guy, he has been busy looking at you with his hawk-like eyes as if he's going to gobble you up raw since our arrival but you can't even spare him one single glance? ".

That earned her another glare, this time around from Mahmud but she wasn't fazed as she got up to give them privacy, ignoring her promise to Walida that she'll be present throughout their meeting.

Looking at Walida, she said, "Next time Ayman comes on a visit, come and learn the art of swimming in a man's eyes"she concluded with a wink.

   Before Walida could respond, Mahmud beat her to it.In a shocked, slightly raised tone, he asked, "You look into his eyes, swim in them?."

Iman gave him a weird look, her naturally coiffed eyebrow arched before replying, "Of course! .How else can we communicate our true feelings? How else can we read each other's hearts? The eyes are the windows to the soul.Now, stop being a nagging big bro and woo the girl.",
she jokingly concluded as she headed towards the door leaving a dumbfounded Mahmud.