Many may wonder why this update is late. I relocated for a while to somewhere else until about 4th of next year and the network is so bad. I am sorry for the late update.

Shazia was pretty in a sea green salwar kameez with complicated gold works. The beautiful black mane that adorned her head was tied into a bun bringing out her facial features. With no makeup or jewelleries adorning her, she was an epitome of beauty. She had always been but her attitude towards everyone had blinded us to see her outer beauty. Some young ladies walked in with small candles placed in trays. The henna trays decorated with gold tinsels were laid out on the floor in front of the decorated stage where Shazia would be seated.

The ballroom which I had never been to was a grand expanse. It was fussily decorated with flock of purple and white fabric draped over the high ceiling and walls. Row of flowers, white carnations, pink roses, green and purple adorned the ballroom. The room was an array of colours with women dazzling in different Pakistani attires ranging in different colours and designs. A traditional Pakistani song was played as Shazia walked in.

A yellow scarf which was obviously expensive was held up over Shazia by six females. Shazia had the glow of a bride, her face flushed and gaze casted down. At the stage, her mother who was sophisticatedly dress in a red salwar kameez which made her fatter grinned with Shazia’s soon to be mother in law who was a slim tall woman elegant in a sari.

The ceremony began after Shazia took her seat on the stage. A paste made out of turmeric, sandalwood and other various herbs were applied on Shazia by her mother, every lady from Amir’s maternal family including me who could not hide my grin, aunties and friends. This was to make her skin glow in preparation for the henna night so also to ward off evil eye and give her good luck. Auntie and old women shower Shazia with kisses that did not stop. She was leaving and that made me happy. After what I did to her they day before, her words to me had been nicer while my smile had been sinister even though it looked sweet.

Shazia was washed by seven happily married women. Aunt Sabr explained that it symbolize luck and happiness in terms of marital bliss. Guests and relatives applied a dollop of henna on Shazia’s hand and oil was dabbed in her hair. Sahibah bhabi, Zoya bhabi, me, Shazia’s sister in laws, cousins and few other women tied a yellow flower which was called ghaani on her. This signifies love and bond with the bride. Shazia was fed with sweets a lot of time that I considered she was full to a certain point. She was also gifted money and expensive items. Her mother in law gave her a necklace which was simple but costly. While the event went on, music played on and some ladies danced. Everyone had a merry look including I who had never witness a typical Pakistani wedding. Aunt Sabr and her daughters were there including aunt Naimah. They all dazzled in their clothes and jewelleries. I hanged around and talk with anyone I could even those I had met recently.

“Noor bhabi” Zafreen called me while I was speaking to Zoya bhabi who had applied henna on her hand. The children were rarely seen. Most times, they run around, laughing and playing. “You both look good”

“I am done with my henna. Come and apply yours” she pulled me. I protested but she insisted.

“Zoya” Sahibah bhabi came as I walked away.

Zoya bhabi and Sahibah bhabi were gorgeous in their different custom made Salwar Kameez. Zoya bhabi’s dark hair fell down her back in graceful curls. She adorned her body with jewelleries. Sahibah Bhabi’s copper red hair was tied into an elegant bun. I remembered the day I had seen her hair and was too shocked to know she had red hair. She had said she took it from her mother who was an Irish. Tubassum could not come. She said she wanted to stay back with her baby.

“Apply henna on her” Zafreen sat me down in front of a henna artist. Shazia’s henna was applied by another lady. “Make sure it is beautiful” she left me alone.

Reshma had kept me busy with her talk while the henna artist drew beautiful patterns on my hands. It was tiring to sit but the designs were beautiful. Before the henna design dried, I walked around, talk and chat with those I knew. I met some cousins through Hooriyah and Mahira.

“Noor” Nani called me after I had washed my hand. “Guess who is here?” she took my hand lovingly, her eyes twinkled with joy.

“Who?”

“Are you that bad at guessing?” she tapped my head playfully. She moved aside.

“Aunt Caroline!” I shrieked, my voice supressed by the music. I rushed into Aunt Caroline who embraced me. Our laughter went on for a while before we pulled away. “You were coming?”

“I wanted to surprise you all. This time, I came with my daughter in laws, sons, grandkids and husband” she laughed out. “Where are my daughter in laws?” she asked no one in particular as she looked through the crowd. “They must have gone to see people. The men left for the groom’s house. Look at you Noor” she twirled me around. “You are gorgeous”

“Thanks”

“This should be one of Sabr’s designs”

“Of course. Nearly everyone has her design on including Shazia” I rocked back and forth in my heels.

“Amir must have been hooked” she winked. I giggled. “The bride to be looked beautiful”

“She is. I missed you. I was not expecting you” Wave of happiness washed through me.
The light became dim. There was a loud murmur among the guests. The light on the stage in the middle became bright. A music began. Mahira and her sisters stood under the light. The works on their clothes glimmered. Mahira had a black and silver sari with sequence on which was perfect on her frame. Hooriyah wore a blue lehenga with silver works and Zafreen wore white and red anarkali.

In slow motion, they swung their body to the music. I laughed amused with my whole attention on the performance. Their dance moves flowed with the music. They swayed like they had liquid adrenaline in their body, their steps extraordinary that they earned so much scream from the crowd. When the music stopped, they stopped the best way ever. I shrilled with my palms slapping against each other. The crowd shouted and clapped, many awed with their performance.

“How was that?” The master of the ceremony, a lady I don’t know asked the crowd. Another round of shrill eloped from us. Mahira and her sisters laughed, their chest moving up and down. “Now the…..”

“Excuse me” a voice said beside me. A woman stood next to me. She wore an orange salwar kameez. Her strong perfume drifted into my nose.

“Yes, how may I help you?”

“Take” she held out a folded paper to me. Lined creased on my forehead before I collected it.

“Who…”

“Bhabi” Reshma called taking my concentration from the woman.

“Yes”

“Your phone is ringing” I collected my phone before shoving the paper into my purse.

When I looked back, the woman had gone. What? That’s weird. I gazed at the screen and my heart flipped. Hubby was written on it. He was calling me. Another performance had begun. I stepped out of the ballroom into the empty hallway. The middle of the hallway was carpeted.

“Missed me?” Amir’s voice came through the phone.

“Of course” I laughed, my palms becoming wet. “Why are you calling?” There was no noise in the background.

“I missed you”

“Really? We have not been apart for long” I rested on the wall, my cheeks hurting from how wide my smile was.

“Two hours and four six minutes is a whole lot of time habibti. Come to the terrace”

“What?”

“You heard me Angel. Come to the terrace”

“To do what?”

“I am waiting for you”

“What?” I shrieked. “What are you doing here?”

“I want to see my wife. I am waiting”

“What do you want me to tell everyone?”

“Just tell Nani. Form a lie and come to the terrace. I am waiting for you” he disconnected the call.

I exhaled heavily, a hand on my pounding chest. This man would be the death of me. What will I do now? I wanted to see him but I had to inform someone about my departure. I walked back inside where I saw Nani with her sister. They kissed my head before I spoke.

“Nani, I would be away for a while?”

“Why jaan? The ceremony is still going on”

“I want to speak with my younger sister Raihana. It has been long since we spoke so my phone call with her will take time because I know how Raihana can be. She won’t let me go until she tells me everything she has in mind. The phone call would take time and I might not come back” I chuckled.

“You can go dear. My regards to your sister” she said.

I let out a heavy puff of air when I strolled out. Looking left and right of the hallway like a thief, I gathered my skirt in my hand before walking to the hallway that led to the terrace.
My sandals slapped the floor. My urgent steps causing my heels to clank against the gleaming floor. I felt my heart in my mouth sneaking to meet my husband. Why is he here? The bangles jingled and made sounds while I walked.

As I ascended the staircase that led to the terrace, I huffed. The terrace was decked with twinkling ceremonial light. The pool at one side reflected the dark sky and the lights that beamed on it left the indication of light on the still water. I whipped my head from left to right searching for that one man.

A cry left my lips at the forceful tug from one side. My heart tumbled. I felt my back hit the cold wall before I opened my eyes. Amir stood before me, holding my shaken body to the wall. He had his lips curled into a smile and his eyes rested on my face.

“What’s wrong with you?” I asked. “Why are you here?” My voice was a whisper.

“To see you. Wow, you are breath-taking” he caressed my cheek with a hand the other over my head.

“You should go back” I tried to move instead he held me back.

“I am here to see you”

“How did you leave that place?”

“An excuse was what it took. I just could not stay any longer. My heart wanted you” he maintained his gaze with mine. Those pretty eyes framed by dark eyelashes pierced into my soul.

“Don’t be cheesy Mr Hussein” my lips broke into a grin.

“At least it worked. I could not stop thinking about you”

“How did you get here?”

“I climbed through” he pointed at the end of the terrace.

“Really?” I laughed. “So” I draped my hands over his neck. “How long are you staying?”

“We are leaving the manor now” He draped an after dress over my body.

“To do what?” He wore the dress for me.

“Spend the night somewhere else. Come on” he pulled me after wrapping a scarf over my head.
“Amir” I yelled in a very low voice. The manor was silent. “We can’t leave. What are we going to tell the family in the morning?” I stayed back.

“Everyone would be busy thinking about the wedding instead of worrying about you and I. Come here” he swept me off my feet.

“Ya Allah” I gripped his neck. “We can’t do this Amir”

“We are not leaving the entire manor. There is a cabin in the garden. We are spending the night there” he began to walk.

My entire protest went into deaf ears. He walked majestically as if he had the whole night to himself as he walked through the vast green land to our destination.

“I feel so bad for lying to Nani” I said after we entered the cabin. I had been to the garden many times but not for once did I notice a cabin. Why? Because it was behind the rows of flowers that grew over a wall. The gate had been covered by the flowers that grew over it.

“You got nothing to worry about” Amir dropped me.

My eyes scanned the cabin. It was just a room with a double bed and furnished lightly. Nothing was extravagant like the interior décor of the manor. I let go of the after dress and scarf. Both slid to the ground. I kicked off my heels.

“We are away from the noise and joyous moment” he threaded to me. I ran the tip of my finger over the dressing table. Surprisingly, no dust grazed my fingertips. He halted behind me while I admired the masterpiece on the dressing table. “I like the henna pattern” he placed his hand over mine then rested another hand on my shoulder.

“Zafreen forced me to do it” My eyes lingered on the simple blood red patterns imprinted on my hands.

“Tonight, it is just you and I” he hummed losing the pin that held the dupatta to my shoulder. In a skilful manner, he threw the dupatta to one side of the room. I saw him through the mirror. The look that marred his face was something I had gotten accustomed to. It was dark almost mysterious. His eyes gazed down at my back.

“You henna is beautiful” he caressed the patterns, drawing invisible lines with his finger over the curve of the red imprints. His voice had become husky. Gone was the playfulness that laced it. What I could hear was only desire and what I felt from him was passion.

“Why are we here Mr Hussein” I spun to look at him.

“To spend the night together away from everything” he reached for the necklace around my neck. It came loose. “All I could think about after I left you was how to undress you” I froze, my eyes going wide. He noticed and had let out a low chuckle. “Surprised hm?” he laughed lowly dropping the heavy necklace on the dressing table.

“You want to kill me” I murmured avoiding his eyes. I bit the inner part of my lower lip. My heart beat had elevated.

“I won’t” he reached for the first earring.

“Not when you spew those kinds of words” The second earring left my ear. He placed both next to the necklace. My ears felt light so also my neck.

“You robbed me long ago Angel” he removed the hairpin on my bun. “You robbed me of everything” he whispered. “My mind” he took away two bangles from my right wrist. “My heart” he took another two “My soul” he took away another. “Including my entire body”

“They were unintentional” he kept the bangles next to the ornaments he had removed.

“Love comes without a warning”

In silence, he removed the rest of the bangles from both wrists, his eyes never leaving my face.

“It meets us when we least expect it” I raised my hand to my head to remove the head jewellery.

“Don’t” Amir warned halting the movement of my hand with his. “I said I will undress you” he whispered with hot passion flowing with his words. My body tingled to his words. He removed the head jewellery.

I assessed his look from the eyebrows, to the deep gentle eyes that I felt bore into my soul to the strong jaw that was scuffed with light hair. Ya Allah, my heart was going wild. I knew what I felt. The emotions like molten that rushed through every vein and fibre in my body deep into my bones. Unable to hold in any longer, I caught his lips softly with mine. It was brief but he got what message I wanted to give.

“You did not bring me here for no reason” I whispered after I pulled away.

He carried me to the bed where he did sweet nonsense only I could explain. Once again, I knew what it meant to be loved, lust for and most especially what it meant to mean so much to one man. We combines our bodies and souls when we left people behind to wonder where we had disappeared to.

***

Shazia’s wedding was grander than I had expected. For that week, it was the talk of wedding. Many gossip magazines, blogs and other means of communication spoke about it, from the grand hall, events, performances, music, people who attended, the event planners, the designer who designed Shazia’s dress, the prices of nearly everything she had on, the food to the family the couple had come from.

The nikkah was very brief but the reception afterwards was extravagant. Tubassum was present with her baby. She named him Naeem. I realised something that day between Shazia and her mother. They had an unbreakable bond. Shazia had wept during the nikkah and wept before she left. Walimah took place the following day and both mother and daughter had held unto one another. They reminded me of my relationship with my late mother. May Allah protect her from the punishment of the grave and make her one of those he would be pleased with on the day of judgement?

It rained heavily from evening until Isha. Amir was yet to come back from work. He called me to inform me he would be coming late. I stayed longer on my prayer mat after Isha where I used my tasbhi. Oh Allah, please bestow upon me your mercy. After that, I asked for forgiveness for my late mother and supplicated. My eyes wandered to the antique wall clock of the room. The long hand ticked ten while the short hand ticked nine. It was rare and unusual. After the issue of him burying himself into work when we were newlyweds, he had made sure he gets home before nine.

I folded my prayer mat and returned my wrapper and khimaar to the closet. Sandra had to leave due to an emergency. One of her kids was in the hospital and she had no choice but to leave. Dante and Ines were seated in the living room. They refused to leave me since it was my husband’s orders that they guard me when he is not around.

“You guys are done with dinner?” I asked when I descended the staircase.

“Yes” Dante answered putting down his phone. Ines sat opposite him.

“I…..” the sound of the gate opening cut me short. “Excuse me” I said and walked to the window. The curtains were pulled apart. “My husband is back” I said hiding a grin forming on my lips. His car drove from the far end of the gate closer to the house. “I will be back” I threw them a smile before leaving.

I rushed down the staircase into his arms embracing him tight. His presence lit up my insides giving me joy that made my thumping heart glow.

“Welcome” I pecked his cheek. “How was work?”

“Alhamdulillah fine but I am tired and famished”

“Dinner is ready”

Together we walked back to the house. While he greeted Ines and Dante, I went to the kitchen and setup the dining. Ines and Dante left after a little conversation with Amir.

“You look tired” I removed his tie dangling from his neck.

“I am” he loosened some buttons of his shirt and brought out his shirt from his trousers. “What did you cook?” he asked settling into the seat at the head of the table. The angles of my lips arched up before I sat on his right.

“A Nigerian cuisine” I opened the first dish. “Eba and edikaikong soup. I made the edikaikong so rich that you would bite your finger while eating” I opened the dish holding the edikaikong.

“This looks delicious” he gazed at the soup rolling up the sleeves of his shirt.

“It is” I took a wrap of eba and opened it into his plate.

“I can’t wait to eat” He winked. My cheeks tinged pink at that gesture. The ringing tone of his phone slashed through the air. He groaned out loud before picking up the phone.

“Yes Shane” he groaned. “Yes, I said that” a pause. “I need that file from two years the one about the work we did in Germany” a pause. “No! I did not say that” he slumped into his seat. “What? Send that file to Pierce. He should work on it with his team. You guys should not jinx my work for me. This is a contract I spent months working on before I signed it” a pause. “I checked the financial status of the company. That’s a great profit we made” a long pause. “I know about what we are planning for Africa. I chose Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, South Africa, Ethiopia and Morocco. We begin with Nigeria. I decided we begin with Lagos. Vincent and few other men I had chosen are going to Nigeria next week” he barked rising to his feet. “Shane, I am tired right now. That meeting today took a whole lot of my energy. We shall talk better later. Give me an hour and I will have a conference call with you all” he ended the call. “Work was not easy today habibti” he pulled his plate to himself.

“It will get better” I poured water into a tumbler.

"I got something for you" Amir said taking his suit jacket that rested on the chair on his left.

"What?" My smile grew wider. He brought out a jewellery box from the pocket of the jacket and opened it to reveal a pair of glistening stud.

"That's pretty" I said awed while my smile became softer.

"I knew you would love it. Come here" he pulled my seat closer to his, removed a earring from one of my three piercing and wore the studs. "That's pretty on you" he said staring at my ear.

"I know" I bats my eyelashes while happiness washed through me. He caressed my cheeks while his eyes held mine. I saw the softness in them and they were honey with relieve and joy.

“We are eating together” he placed a morsel of eba with edikaikong in my mouth.

I chewed before saying “I have something to tell you but I had to wait” his eyes settled on my face. “I remembered something I might have forgotten to tell you” I took the paper underneath the basket of fruit. “A woman gave me this on Shazia’s henna night. I found it in my purse when I was rearranging the closet” I handed the paper to it.

He used his clean hand to unfold the paper. His tapered eyebrows knitted together with lines forming on his forehead.

“651” he read out. “A number is just written on it”

“Yes” I replied “And that is weird. Why will she give me the paper and just disappear in the crowd?”

“I don’t understand this” he rested back into his seat. “We shall talk better about this when we are done with dinner. I will come late to bed”

“No problem. I will use that opportunity to read”

We had no answer to why a woman will give us a paper with just a number on it. We had to resort to the last person in our mind, Giang. Giang had said he will get back to us. Giang got back to us a day later.

“Do you know the woman Noor?”

“I don’t know her. She just handed that paper to me”

“Alright. This is complicated but I tried my best to know and find out” Giang sipped his drink “You might not have noticed but that paper you gave me was no ordinary paper. It had something on it”

We sat in the garden enjoying the evening breeze.

“What?” Amir said.

“I checked the paper” he gave the paper to Amir. “When you look closely with this light” he held up a small touch “You will realise there is a logo on it. The woman who gave you was trying to lead you to something with that logo and number” I glanced at Amir who has the same confused look that marred my face. I rested my hand on his knee.

“What was she trying to lead us to?”

“A safe in an organization named Maritas Nimata”

“Excuse us?” I voiced. Giang laughed.

“I don’t know what that mean but this organization own safes that keep valuable items for many people. 651 was the number of the safe”

“Why will she give me that?”

“I don’t know but maybe she wanted you to know that this book” he held up the red book that held that disc. “Was from that safe” he passed to book over to us.

“This is hard and it is getting harder. I am getting more confused” Amir said.

“This book was collected by a guy named Stan Alonso. This guy” he gave us a picture.

“I know this guy” Amir said with eyes wide with realisation. “I have seen this guy before. It was for a brief moment. When I was at a business summit. I caught a glimpse of him behind the reporters who wanted to speak to me”

“He delivered the book to your address” He paused, his eyes moved from Amir to me. “Stan Alonso does not work alone. He works for Michael Moore who was one of the men who worked for Santino De Angelis. His fake name was Alan Wenham. Michael Moore lives in Sydney. I got everything you might want to know about him” he gave us a folder. “So also his contact”

“Thanks”

“That’s all for now. I believe talking with Michael Moore might help you in finding more about your father and things you might want to know”

“Thank you very much” Amir stood up as Giang rose to his feet.

“My pleasure. If you need me, just call me” They shook hands.

“So what are you going to do now?” I asked Amir after Giang left.

“Call Michael Moore” he said and went inside.

Please vote, comment and share. Thanks.