Chapter 51: Home. 

*

"She was beautiful. 

Bright.

Compassionate. 

Everything I was not. 

Everything I wanted in my life. 

She completed me."

-2am-

*

It has been a week since the dinner at Sadaf Residence. Yahyah was back in Australia, working. Yazdan and Aanabia made it their responsibility to make sure he ate and was well. He had somehow managed to get back to the old routine of working under trucks and cars, rather than office. He was happy but he terribly missed Nahal.

Yazdan on the other hand, could not be any happier. Aanabia was better at being a wife than she had originally thought. She cooked for two, before it turned to 3 when Yahyah came. Sometimes Yahyah or Yazdan helped her out. She made friends with the people next door. There was a little girl who lived next to their house, Adaku. Her mother was a single parent who was an African Australian. Umanah was a bright and strong woman, to have supported her 4 year old daughter through it all. Adaku was the only child in their lot and thus, everyone loved her. Aanabia had met almost everyone in her community. She even volunteered at the kids program in the afternoons. That was all in the first few weeks or so she had been here. And so far, she was loving it.

"I love this place" Yazdan smiled at her from the large truck he was leaning on.

"Of course you do. Welcome to Yahyah's barn" Yazdan told her and Aanabia raised an eyebrow. She was standing in a large barn, that had high ceilings, haystack at the very back and a few trucks parked around. Faint scents of gasoline, oil and grease (semisolid lubricant usually used to reduce friction in vehicles) lingered in the air.

"Be careful not to step on the oil, it won't come off the shoes easily" Yazdan told her and Aanabia nodded, taking careful steps. The barn had large windows at the top and strong pipes running across. There were a few chain links hanging from the said pipes.

"What are those for?" she questioned, pointing at them.

"Block and tackle" Aanabia jumped two feet away from the car she stood by. Yazdan let out a laugh, as he pulled Aanabia to him.

"It-"

"Yahyah" Yazdan told her and she frowned.

On cue, Yahyah emerged from beneath the 10 wheeler Hino truck on a skate board, his hands and overall laden with black oil, with a few spreads over his face.

"As salaam" he said, smiling brightly at the duo. He stood up and dusted the dark blue overalls before turning to the truck.

"Was salaam. Sorry to interrupt your work" Aanabia replied while Yazdan rolled his eyes.

"It is fine, Aanabia. I was finishing up anyway" Yahyah replied, getting onto the truck. Yazdan pulled Aanabia towards the side and she glanced at him questioningly. He nodded at her to wait. The two watched as Yahyah started the truck. When it did start, it let out puff's of black smoke. Yahyah reeved the engine a few times, until the smoke turned white and grinned. He switched the gears and pulled out the truck from the barn into the large yard. He drove it until the main gates of the yard before driving back. Yazdan and Aanabia stood by the barns, watching him.

"He seems happy" Aanabia commented and Yazdan nodded, shoving his hands into the jeans pockets.

"This is his natural habitat. Which is why he was very uncomfortable in the office in Manchester" Yazdan replied. Aanabia smiled at Yahyah as the truck approached the barn again. Yahyah parked it outside and jumped off.

"Lunch?" Yazdan asked him and he nodded.

"I'll meet you guys at the house in 10 minutes" he told them and the two nodded.

-

Yahyah watched the couple walk off towards his house. He smiled at them before turning to the 10 wheeler truck he was on.

"You are one beauty. Pity they can't drive you well" he muttered, touching the shiny white hood of the truck. He sighed and turned to head into the barn to change. He washed his hands at the tap outside before walking into the bathroom and changing. His father made it clear that he is not allowed to enter the house clad in dirty clothes since he first picked up a spanner and it kind of just stuck now.

He changed out of the overalls into dark jeans and white t-shirt which, despite his carefulness, had blotches of black oil lubricant. Ah great. There goes another white t-shirt of mine. He then picked up his phone and wallet before walking out of the barn. He could see his house from here, which was a wooden double story house. It had white and gray exteriors with a few steps leading to the porch of the house. There were trees around the house and a well-kept compound. The whole place was fenced with large wooden poles and multiple four by four wood running across the poles. He turned towards the stable and let out a small laugh when he realized they were all gone. After the death of his father, all the horses were sold off and the money was given to Zaiha.

He heaved a sigh and began his walk to his house. It took him 5 minutes to stroll to his place, especially with all the thoughts. He missed Nahal terribly. It feels like she is something good in this lonely life. I should be a poet.

"Yahyah?" Yazdan called out and Yahyah held his hand up in recognition. He walked up the steps, took off his shoes and entered the house. He headed straight to the kitchen because he was very hungry. Serves you right for skipping breakfast.

"Food!" he groaned taking a seat on one of the chairs. Aanabia laughed at him, placing a dish of rice on the table. Yazdan took a seat opposite him after setting the jug of water on the table.

"Chicken? Lamb? Fish? Why do we have so much food?" Yahyah raised an eyebrow questioningly at his sister-in-law. Aanabia grinned at him, taking a seat beside Yazdan.

"I didn't make them. My sister did" She replied. Yahyah nodded, pouring himself some rice.

"Your sister did. Nice- wait-" he looked up to Aanabia with wide eyes. Nahal is here?

As if on cue, Nahal walked into the kitchen wiping her hands on a towel.

"Aapa there is no chillies out- Oh hey. Salaam" she smiled at Yahyah who blinked rapidly as if she were a figment of his imagination. Yazdan hit his head lightly with a laugh. Yahyah snapped out of the trance and grinned at Nahal before turning to Aanabia.

"I owe you my life, Aanabia" he told her and Aanabia rolled her eyes at him.

"Don't be too dramatic, Yahyah" replied Yazdan rolling his eyes while dishing out food for his wife. Aanabia laughed.

"But what are you doing here?" he asked Nahal as she took a seat beside him. Nahal had tied her dark hair in a bun and she wore a kurti today.

"Helping out Aapa for the wedding. She wants a barn wedding, I hear" Nahal told him and he turned to Aanabia and Yazdan.

"A barn wedding? Are you both sure?" he asked them and the two nodded in sync.

"It is old fashioned, aesthetic and cost effective" Aanabia told him and Yahyah rolled his eyes at her.

"As if cost even had a part in this" he muttered, eating rice and lamb. He liked lamb.

"Right. So..... can we use the barn outside?" Aanabia asked him and he raised an eyebrow at them again.

"You have seen what it looks like, Aanabia. It is a mess! The other barn is completely filled with random things. You sure you want to use it?"

"Yes. We can clear it out. Plus you have a humongous compound outside. If things get too cramped, we can shift it outside" Aanabia told him and grinned. "So?"

"It is yours if you want it. I'll get the boys to clear out the main barn for it." He told her and Aanabia squealed in delight, startling the two boys while Nahal ate her food as if nothing happened.

"It occasionally happens" she told them. Ah, she is here.

-

Nahal was impressed with his house. It was well kept and neat. Best of all, he had two barns. BARNS. She always was a fan of country houses and this place was a dream.

"We used to have horses when dad was alive but after that, I sold them off. Too much work and we didn't have people around to look after them" Yahyah explained as they walked towards the stable.

The sun hung low in the horizon, casting a yellow glow on everything around. The light reflected off the large trees and wooden fences warming up the atmosphere. The two walked towards the stable fence and leaned onto it, looking out to the open plains. There was not a soul in sight, save for the duo. Yahyah set up onto the fence and Nahal stared up at him with a warm smile.

The afternoon sun hues on his face shows off the perfect carving that I didn't see before and darn is that a jawline I see? Just then Yahyah turned to her with a smile. A dimpled one. Its too small to be seen, jeez.

"How many days have you been here?" he asked her and she shrugged.

"I landed yesterday night. Aapa said you'll come for breakfast but you didn't so she dragged me for lunch" she explained and Yahyah nodded at her.

"You planning to stay long?" he asked her and she shrugged again.

"I don't know. Depends on mom"

"You still have to give your answer though" he smirked at her. Don't remind me.

"Most embarrassing moment in my life" she laughed and he did too.

"How have you been?" he asked her and she sucked on her upper lip, pushing forward the lower out slightly.

"I..... don't know. Ever since you left, things have been quiet I guess. Not used to quiet though" she replied and he chuckled.

"If you missed me so much, you could have dropped a message" he teased her.

"Right. So could you but you didn't"

"I got busy. I had leftover paper works here and the vehicles to repair"

"Repair?"

"I am a mechanic, Nahal" Nahal's eyebrows raised in surprise.

"Seriously?" She let out a small chuckle when Yahyah nodded at her. "Then it is good. An office worker with a mechanic. I like it"

"Right. An engineer with a mechanic. I don't think so"

"An engineer with another engineer?" Nahal compromised and Yahyah laughed.

"We'll settle for that" The two laughed. Yahyah got off the fence and gestured for her to walk with him. The two then walked back to the house for Asr. I could get used to this. If.......... We get married that is. 

*****

If you guys are fans of Poetry and Youtube, check out Unerase Poetry on YT. They are amazing. :) 

UPDATE! Look who's back?! hahah. 

Comment your reviews on the book (Paragraph commenting please) so that I can add it in the descriptions. :) Thank you! ❤ 

| R - C - V | 

xx, 

-Aalihha.