Makeup,Hijabs and Love

Surprise! (Extract from the sequel!)

My phone vibrated in my hoodie pocket. I quickly spread jam over Ahmed's slice of toast and pulled out my phone.

No caller ID

That is odd. A random number calling me. I answer the phone and walk into the living room where Ahmed is watching TV sprawled all over the sofa, and give him the toast.

"Thankya Darling" He says crunching on the half burnt toast.

Darling what the fudge?

"Hello" I say into the phone.

There is a long pause and the only sound I hear through the phone is a sound of someone breathing. More like panting.As if they just ran a marathon.

"Hibah is that you?" a croaky voice finally speaks into the phone. It's a girl and she sounds out of breath.

"Yeah it's me who is this?"I ask with confusion written all over my face.

I hear the sound of cars and traffic but the person sounds as if she's running.It takes a long time before she replies.

"I'm Skye Collins. Look you don't know me but I need to warn you".she pants taking a breath each time she says a word.

Skye collins?

I don't know any Skye Collins

"Who you talking to girlie?" Ahmed says in a funny accent, interupting my thoughts.

I give him a puzzled look to show him I don't know either. He nods and goes back to watching TV.

The girl laughs on the other line.

"Is this some kind of prank call and how do you know my name?" I say annoyance filling my voice.

"No this is not some kind of prank Look I know something about you that i'm not meant to know and-". she says suddenly serious.

"Look I don't have time for this". I interrupt. Just as I'm about to hang up she speaks sounding irritated.

"Just look after yourself and Ahmed". This gets to me real hard. How the fudge does she know Ahmed?

"Why is some random person calling me who knows my freaking husbands name telling me to look after myself"I spit at her.

"Because I know the guy that chucked a brick at your window that hurt Ahmed!" She yells over the noisy traffic.

I freeze and glance to where Ahmed is watching TV still with a bandage aound his forehead. That happened only last week and Ahmed had to rush to hospital.Last week when I thought my Husband died. I shudder at the memory and shake the image of Ahmed lying lifelessly on the floor away.

"Hibah I have alot to tell you save my number and I'll text you the place where we can safely talk , please just understand. Your family is in danger".

She hangs up without saying bye. I stuff the phone back into my hoodie pocket and walk to the opposite sofa where Ahmed is laying.

How does she know Ahmed?

How does she know my family?

Why does she even care about me?

A million questions are spinning in my mind.

Her last sentence scares me the most for some reason.

Your family is in danger.

I'm so utterly confused that I dont realise Ahmed towering in front of me demanding me to tell him who was on the phone. So I tell him. He stares at me in shock.He has the same reaction as I did.I play with my wedding ring. Twisting it round and round until my finger is all sore and red.

"Who the heck is Skye and how does she know my name?" He says.

"I- I don't know" I huff out.

Unable to explain anything else I go into the Kitchen to prepare a nice warm Coffee that will relax my confused state.