Father of the Bride

Chapter 10: Glorious Morn

The room was a light shade of blue; sky blue. Along the wall, a wide panoramic view of Dubai's horizon was printed on a canvas. Mahnoor yawned wildly, stretching her arms, her body heavy and tired. She spread her fingers against the cream cotton duvet cover and tugged it unable to recognise it. Then, she propped herself up onto her elbows as her long hair fell in her face waking up in a strange bed her mind clouded and confused. The light seeped in through the blue curtains indicating it was morning and then it hit her. The events of last night flashed before her in a regretful jumbled order.

"Oh God! What I have I done?" She buried her face in her hands as her hair spilled all around her.

She looked around her searching for her mobile but couldn't find it. Did last night really happen? Did she drive to Khizar's and roll her hips on his lap? She flushed with embarrassment. Then she remembered the proposal and Friday. It sounded absurd. It was absurd. When she looked down, she didn't recognise the salwar kameez, it wasn't hers. It was Amirah's. So it did happen. It was real.

The door swung open and four year old Habibah came charging in dressed in her red pinafore dress and matching red jumper ready for school. She scrunched her nose and tilted her head looking at Mahnoor.

"What's that?" She pointed at the picture on the wall.

Mahnoor smiled. She opened her arms for the chubby four year old to climb into her bed so she could cuddle her.

Sophie charged behind her daughter and whispered in soft lull. "There you are!" Sophie swept the four year old in her arms, but Habibah screamed.

"I'm sorry." Sophie looked up and realised that her auntie Mahnoor was sitting up in her bed. "Did she wake you?"

Mahnoor pursed her lips ready to speak but Sophie cut in. "She's a handful. She has a habit of going into all the rooms in the morning to find her shadow. Since she's discovered her shadow she is adamant it is in one of the room. Sometimes she plays with it other times Habibah screams when it's chasing her. The other day when we went to the beach, she couldn't stop crying and said it was attacking her." Said Sophie without taking in a breath

Mahnoor smiled.

"Feroz has gone to your house to change the locks. Mum said to do that as early as possible." Sophie explained.

"Locks?"

"It looks like uncle lost the plot and trashed your house. You should get a restraining order out on him, Feroz will sort that out."

Sophie left Mahnoor reeling in the news. After she left Khizar, Mahnoor came to Mumtaz's house in the hope she was awake. Mahnoor explained Basharat broke into her and she didn't feel safe. Mumtaz put her into her son, shiraz's spare bedroom.

Mahnoor tossed her glossy wavy hair and reached into the bedside drawer to find her mobile. Ignoring the flashing notifications on the screen she dialled Khizar. The phone rang out and went to voice mail. Mahnoor's heart rate increased.

"H....hi...hello." She deeply sighed. "Oh God. I feel like an idiot. Did last night really happen? I'm sorry f...for....-" Her voice dwindled. Mahnoor covered her face with her left hand. She couldn't explain. Embarrassed and ashamed she threw herself on Khizar, she was devoid of words. It wasn't like her.
"Friday? Maybe it's all too soon. Maybe we should talk." She began to have second thoughts. "I'm sorry again Khizar. I feel ashamed of myself." She cut off the phone and threw it aside.

Later that morning after she freshened up, she made her way downstairs where Mumtaz was in the kitchen making breakfast.

"You're awake." Mumtaz smiled. "I was about to bring you up tea."