HE IS MY CHAUFFEUR ✅

46

Muhammad's chauffeur arrived in a Mercedes Benz to take them to Muhammad's house first, where they would eat lunch before Adeelah would be taken to aunt Siddiqah's house.

The car felt like some osmotic environment, each of them absorbed in their own thoughts. Adeelah didn't know she was so nervous until she felt her palms turning sweaty. She heaved a sigh. She's alone at the back seat while Muhammad was in the front seat.

When she got tired, and her thoughts we're not decreasing, she turned on her phone and texted aunt Siddiqah. Luckily, aunt Siddiqah was near and she replied her almost immediately. The chat between them, swayed the nervousness she had been feeling.

She wasn't cognizant when the car pulled inside the mansion till the brake was hit.

Adeelah looked through the window. It was twelve noon, the sun round and orange on the dome of the blue sky. She looked at the house, so beautiful but medium in size. It wasn't a very big house. It had tall coconut trees standing like a pole. There was a medium parking space too. The flowers in the compound were scanty but Adeelah sighted a swimming pool. She wondered who must be using it.

She was scanning it when Muhammad walked out and opened the door for her. Adeelah was little bit embarrassed with his gesture because he found her assessing his parent's house. And she was so carried away that she didn't even see his shadaw till the door was opened.

She smiled and thanked him. His small gestures were seriously getting into her head. He's so sweet in his own way even though he acted like he didn't like her. Whatever feelings of her, he had in his heart, she didn't care because he's kind to her.

They walked side by side but Adeelah reduced her pace to let him lead her to the entrance. When they reached the door she assumed to be his mother's side, she stopped in her track. Her breathe began to diffuse into the air as a heave.

"Come on, in." He spoke, locking his eyes with hers, as if assuring her all would be fine. She shook her head and followed him like a cub following it's mother.

Adeelah felt like holding his hands as they walked into the parlor.

He asked her to sit on the cushion but she sat on the carpet. He didn't insist, instead he went in, in a low voice calling Ammi.

From the adorable way he was calling Ammi, Adeelah knew there were so close. Just like she's close to her Oum. She could remember singing out Oum's name whenever she's looking for her about the house. Someday Oum would even play hide and seek with her when she was very young. They would often dance together. Just the way he called Ammi, reminded her of that memory.

She was fidgeting her fingers when she was alerted by Ammi's perfume. Adeelah could detect that it was a designer perfume. She raised her head and stole a glance at her. She's the total opposite of Muhammad in terms of looks. Maybe Muhammad was a replica of his father since he in no way looked like his mother.

"Salam alaikum." Ammi annouced her presence. Her voice sounded different from his own too. She had a pure Hausa accent unlike him.

"Waalaikumus salam." Adeelah made an attempt to stand up. She didn't even know what to do to show that she's a good daughter in-law. The old Adeelah wouldn't care whether she's accepted or not but now, she wanted Ammi to have a good impression of her. She wouldn't press much though but at least she would try to be accepted.

Ammi smiled. "Please sit."

Adeelah sat down on the carpet.

"Here please." She patted next to her.

Adeelah was confused. Should she, or she shouldn't? She remembered Hajiya Safiya told her that sitting on the same chair was disrespectful.

So Adeelah chose the carpet, still.