Shirk in Disguise

Chapter 27

The final exams came and went, leaving the students with a sense of relief at having come this far and also a sense of anxiety while waiting for the results' release. A long holiday awaited the students and they certainly looked forward to it after the six grueling years in secondary school.

Azeema and Bilqees were no exception. They'd happily gone back home, holding memories of their days in Queens' College, Kaduna. They were now both more mature, and were getting ready to be exposed to the realities of the outside world.

One fateful Friday, barely a week after the commencement of their holiday, Bilqees ran into Azeema's room, flushed with excitement.

"Friendy, come with me!" she breathlessly said, dragging her friend along. Azeema noticed that her face had more makeup than usual but she knew she couldn't do anything about it.

"Hey, what's the matter?" a confused Azeema asked.

"I've got good news," Bilqees continued, still not slowing down. "A suitor came to see me!"

"Really?" Azeema enquired as she caught the excitement fever.

"Yes, but..."

"But what?" a puzzled Azeema asked.

"Never mind, I'll tell you later."

"Oh, ok..." Azeema said as they neared the guest room where the suitor was waiting. On their way, she got to know that the man was the nephew of Bilqees's Dad's close acquaintance.

"Wait," Azeema whispered as she halted just before the entrance.

"What is it?" it was Bilqees's turn to ask now."

"You're not even wearing a Hijab," Azeema, who was never without her Islamic covering, stated matter-of-factly. Even when in the Marzuq home, she always dressed modestly, as Mr. Marzuq and all his relatives weren't Mahram to her.

"Yeah, and so?" Bilqees asked quizzically.

"You know what I mean. You shouldn't be seen by a non-mahram, a complete stranger, like this!"

"Ah Friendy...he might as well be my husband-to-be!"

"Nevertheless. You aren't already married!"

Bilqees rolled her eyes. She sometimes got tired of her friend's lectures. "Azeema, you can be soooo difficult sometimes. Last time I checked, this is my father's house!"

Azeema winced a bit but didn't change her expression. "Still. It's not my rule. It's in the Qur'an, remember? Though it's your father's house, you're meeting someone who's not your Mahram!"

Bilqees was already tired of arguing. "Alright, just wait for me a bit."

"Yeah, sure!"

A few minutes later, a hurriedly-dressed Bilqees came into sight. They both entered the parlour at the same time.

They exchanged pleasantries with the well-dressed middle-aged man and proceeded to engage in small talk. Azeema kept them company throughout his short stay even though she rarely contributed to the conversation. She learned that his name was Sameer Ibraheem and he was a medical doctor.

Barely three-quarters of an hour later, he got ready to go. Following Bilqees's cue, Azeema also stood up and they both accompanied him to his car. All through the meeting, Bilqees had a lopsided grin on her face. Azeema wondered what it meant.

She didn't have to wait long to find out. A few days after Dr. Sameer's visit, Bilqees made her way to Azeema's room again. This time, she was far more composed.