Chapter Six

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Amirah opened the door angrily to reveal Muhammad dressed in a black thawb, water dripping from his beards.

"Assalamu alaykum." He said.

"I told you I was unclean, why in Allah's name are you here again?" She spat.

"I thought you'll be clean enough to pray, I'm sorry."

"I'm not clean today, I won't be tomorrow neither will I be the day after nor ever. Just go ahead and perform your prayers letting me be."

"Do you know Allah said the convenant that distinguishes us from the disbelievers is the prayer, so whoever abandons it has committed disbelief?"

"You want to teach me my religion now huh?" She asked with a sneer.

"We know a lot of things concerning our religion but yet that doesn't stop us from sinning."

"I'll pray when I feel like please so just let me be and do not ever come back to this door by this time ever again."

"Amirah," He called softly, "you do know there's an allocated time for fajr prayers right?

Amirah was exasperated beyond belief, "set the mat, I'll join you."

Muhammad smiled at her, "I thought you were unclean?"

She shut the door on his face and went back to bed!

When she woke up, she couldn't believe she'd been that rude to Muhammad, what will Hajiya think if she'd heard their interaction? Now he must have gone to work again and she'll have to eat noodles for breakfast, the television was still not set, so she'll make do with designing buildings for entertainment. This was just yesterday all over again!

She entered the parlor and stop short when she saw Muhammad bent over setting up the television, he looked up as she walked in and then continued with what he had been doing.

She cleared her throat, "good morning."

"Good morning." He replied.

"Why aren't you at work?"

"I called in sick."

"Oh sorry, I had no idea. What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing."

His answers were a subtle indication that all weren't good between them, she shook her head and went into the kitchen to prepare noodles for them for breakfast, she was lwft stunned when she opened the almost empty shelf from yesrerday to reveal it stocked with food items.

"You went shopping?" She asked standing by the doorway of the kitchen.

"Yeah, I did while you were still sleeping."

"What would you like me to prepare for breakfast?" She asked.

"Nothing, I've eaten. There's bread, milk and egg in the fridge."

She shrugged and went ahead to make tea for herself, she sat down cross-legged taking her breakfast as she watched him maneuver the TV set.

When he was done, he sat back on the couch watching a wrestling match that was being aired.

The silence that hung between them was uncomfortable and that was why when a knock on the gate was heard, they both flinched, startled.

Amirah spoke up first, "are you expecting anyone?"

"No, I'll go check it out." He said standing up.

"Don't worry." She walked ahead of him and went outside, it turned out it was the cleaning lady, Mrs Jane smiled brightly at her.

"Good morning." She greeted and Amirah simply nooded and locked the gate behind her before leading her in.

"Good morning sir." Mrs Jane greeted Muhammad, he smiled at her.

"How are you doing?"

"I'm fine sir, again congratulations on your wedding, your wife is really beautiful."  Amirah smiled at the compliment, she's heard it a lot of times.

"There really isn't much to clean, I am a clean freak myself but you can start with the toilets." Amirah instructed before showing her around, while Mrs Jane was doing her thing, Amirah sat back down in the parlor watching the match Muhammad was engrossed in and except for the occasional sound of water hitting bucket that came from the toilet, the house was plunged back into silence.

"I'm sorry." Amirah said out of the blue, Muhammad turned to look at her.

"I was very rude to you yesterday and even today, it was wrong of me."

"It's fine, I understand.

She had been expecting him to say more but when he didn't, she let it be.

It was past midday, Mrs Jane was long gone and Amirah busied herself preparing lunch, Muhammad had gone to the masjid for zuhr prayers.

She was done cooking spaghetti and fish, she served his on the dining table and went back to the kitchen to prepare stew that she'll preserve in the fridge so it can be used whenever.

When the door opened and she heard Muhammad's chattering, she thought he must be on the phone till she heard Abubakar's and panic rose in her, her hair wasn't covered. Hajiya had warned her a lot of times about covering her hair while cooking but she had refused to heed, if she had she wouldn't be in this situation.

She shut the kitchen door and began to pace on it's floor.

"Hey man, where's your wife?" She heard Abubakar ask.

"Should be in the kitchen from the aroma, I'll check her."

The door opened and Muhammad entered.

"You are cooking still?"

"Your food is on the table." She replied curtly.

"Abubakar is around, would you like to say hi?"

"Would you like for your friend to greet your wife looking like this?" She snapped, he eyed her from her baby pink just slightly below the knee dress to her uncovered hair before he walked out, few minutes later he came back with a maroon hijab and handed it to her.

"Thank..."

"And next time, you should learn to talk to me politely, I believe you've been taught manners by Hajiya." With that he walked out leaving her dumbstruck, did he just insinuate she was mannerless?

The rest of the day dragged on with Abubakar and Muhammad in the sitting room talking whike she stayed in her bedroom her pencil on the surface of her drawing book, designing. Amirah wasn't used to this sort of life, it was quiet and quite boring.

She'd been looking forward to going to the market but even Muhammad had deprived her of that.

Right before 7, she heard a knock on her door and when she opened it, she half shrieked when Muhammad enveloped her in a hug.

"I missed you."

Her hands hung by her sides as she wondered what sort of nutcase he was.

"Get dressed, we'll be going out for dinner."

A smile warmed it's way onto her face, "okay."

She went back into her room and changed into a navy blue straight skirt, a white floral blouse and a black veil. She powdered her face, applied lip gloss and then kohl, not Hajiya's, she hadn't touched any of the things Hajiya had given her.

Amirah smacked her lips and stared back at her expression on the mirror and smiled.

"Masha Allah-Allah has willed,  you look really beautiful."

She winked at him and he laughed as they both went out.