TREASURES AND THORNS

Chapter Twelve

You progress not through what has been done, but reaching towards what has yet to be done.
Khalil Gibran

<Assertions and new beginnings>

Rukkayya

"Would you like a drink?" Nusaiba asked from where she was standing by the foot of the bed. I turned slightly from my position on one of the chairs in front of the bed.

"No, thank you."

The colours in Nusaiba's room were warm. I had expected it to have a girly feel to it. It was simple and unique nonetheless.

The walls were painted ash and a neutral silver strand colour. It matched the headboard of the bed and the super soft throw pillow on the couch I sat on.

"So how are you settling in?" Nusaiba inquired. She was casually dressed in a blue shirt and black trousers. A small black veil sat carelessly on her head revealing her exceptionally black hair. I wondered if she knew how resplendent she was.

I wasn't sure of how to properly respond to the question. So I opted for a safer option.

"Alhamdulillah".

I didn't want to come off as rude considering how our first meeting went. I had no idea what that was but I was relieved that she sounded nicer.

The fair skinned beauty occupied the seat next to mine separated by a centrepiece. I watched her beautiful hair - with no obstruction from the veil - held together by the thin band. I could almost hear Ya Nuhu say "Ke Aljana ce (Hey she's a jinn)!" I suppressed the urge to laugh.

"You know Ya Ahmad is really exceptional! He handled this marriage issue very well," Nusaiba packed her hair in to a pony tail with a hair band I didn't notice she was holding. "Considering how the idea was bombarded on him," she added.

I was unsure of why she decided to mention it. It was an arranged marriage, every insider knew that. It was only natural that both of us had struggled to arrive where we were.

I remained quiet uncertain of her true intent.

"Everyone is of the opinion that it'll work but but I sincerely doubt it," Nusaiba said matter-of-factly.

My heart skipped a beat surprising me. Nusaiba inherently implied that my marriage was bound to hit the rocks. The thought left me rather unsettled. She had said it so normally as though she was merely saying her mind intending no harm.

I stared at her trying to decipher what she was thinking.

"Amarya the truth is I feel bad for my brother but I pity you the most. I can't imagine what it fells like being married to someone who wholeheartedly loves another. I heard that its one of the worst things a woman can be put through."

I was tongue tied. How can anyone say such things with so much ease?

"Anty Nusaiba, everything happens for a reason. I leave my affairs in Allah's hands and I always see his hands in my affairs."

Nusaiba scoffed. "Ashe Mallama ce( so she's the religious type), She said more to herself.

"What do you hope to gain from this marriage? Is it money? or five minutes of fame?"

That cleared my doubts. The girl before me did not like me one bit. Perhaps she felt I was after her brother's wealth. Oh how mistaken she was! The wealth was one of the things that scared me the most. I thought of ways to make her understand