Her Encounter | Islamic Story

Chapter 35

We finally reached Aiza's home. The ride after that short conversation had been quiet.

"Denae you want to come inside?" Aiza asked me through the window of the car after she had stepped out.

"No, I want to go home for now, just get me my mobile and house keys. And tell your Mom I'll come later someday, I can't see her...today," I completed awkwardly.

"I understand, you don't have to feel bad about it, I'll tell her," she said, turned around and walked towards the main gate. I stopped looking at her then, focusing my attention on the neighborhood instead that I had grown quite familiar with in the short span, in which I had known Aiza. It was a wonder I got to see it again.

We waited for long as Aiza was taking her time. The family reunions were hard to break from.

After a few more minutes of waiting, Aiza came running out of her door to hand me my belongings which I had left at her home before leaving for the woods.

"Sorry it took so long," she squeaked.

"It's okay, I'll be going now. Okay?"

"Yeah. See you, bye!" With that, she hopped inside without even waiting for my bye. What a celebration it must be in that home. I smiled at the thought.

Char hit the engine which brought me back to the present world.

Char attempted to engage me in small talks every now and then and I would only reply in a few words. It was different with Aiza, I could talk to her at lengths, but the other human beings felt alien after such a long time. Not to mention, Kantun's fear was just as imminent in my heart as anything.

Out of nowhere, Char went back to his mischievousness and asked,

"So my dear future wife, still up for getting married?"

He looked at me, and I at him. For a split second, it seemed that the tension in the car couldn't be increased but I had made up my mind long ago and I wasn't going to back out now.

Slowly but honestly, I nodded and smiled genuinely.

The ride home was quiet and I loved it. I finally had something else to think about. Being someone's wife was the last thing on my mind some hours ago and now, I awaited it. Maybe after those long and hard struggles, I wanted some relief now.

Although the thoughts were beautiful and would bring a butterfly in my stomach every now and then, but there was an uneasy feeling in my heart that I couldn't place a word to.

Char parked the car outside my house and we walked towards it. Holding the mobile in one hand, I turned the keys in the main gate, that lead to the porch and the lawn, and entered inside.

I had never seen this place in such a mess ever. With all the maids and the servants gone, everything was a disaster. The bushes grown out of shape, the grass overgrown, I could even hear crickets or were they grasshoppers?

I made a mental note to call the maids home as soon as I got refreshed, because mess wasn't something I was too comfortable living in for longer than necessary.

"If you're done observing your overgrown lawn, can we go inside?" Char remarked.

"Uh...yes, let's go," I said a bit too quickly and made my way to the front door.

As soon as the door opened I realized in that moment that how much I loved and missed this place!

I stepped in the dark house, opposed to the sunshine outside. It looked bleak but mine.