Chapter 6

Immediately after Khalil and I opened the living room door, we came face to face with an angry-looking young lady, Noor, she stood in front of the door as if she has been waiting for us.

"Step away from the door." I said

"What took you so long to get back home, and who’s car was that?"

"It was raining heavily that’s why I didn’t arrive home earlier and since when did you care about my presence or absence"

"Don’t, just don’t talk to me that way." She pointed at me

"What way, Noor, I’m just saying the truth and besides it’s getting late can you excuse us so we can enter the house," I said. As I tried to step into the house, she halted my way with her leg

"Noor, what’s wrong with you? why are even mad at me, I wasn’t around the whole day and now that I’m back you are trying to look to annoy me"

"Whose car was that" She instantly asked

"Oh now I understand why she’s so angry, she’s jealous of you Afraah. You entered a luxurious car and she has never entered a car like that, you know she only enters public bus," Khalil chuckled

He isn’t wrong, maybe that’s why she’s mad at me. She frowned her face as she looked at Khalil in disgust. I’m sure, she’s hating him more.

"Can we please enter, the doctor said Khalil shouldn’t stress his legs" I said

"Who cares, whether he stresses his legs or not it’s not like, it will prevent him from dying early," She said before she walked away from the door

She is so heartless, I can’t believe she said this in Khalil’s presence.

"Forget about what she said, let’s enter inside,” I said while grabbing his hands and helping him to limb his way to the room.

When we got to his room, I helped him lay down on the bed and brought out some comfortable clothes for him to wear. Take your medicine while I go get something for you to eat.

I was about to leave when he spoke

"You told me not to worry about what Noor said but it looks like you are more worried than me"

"No, I’m not, I’m just tired" I said as I stood up

"Wait before you go, who is the guy that gave us a lift, do you know him?"

"Yes and No, yes because I have met him several times either at the bakery or hospital and No because I don’t know him personally, all I know is that his name is Rayan"

"So you don’t exactly know who he is?"

"Yes I don’t, why are you even asking me this question? Do you know him?"

He looked at me and smiled before he spoke "The food I ate at the hospital this morning wasn’t a free breakfast, Rayan was the one that paid for it." He said

"How did you know?"

"I overheard his conversation with the nurse." He responded

Why would he pay for Khalil’s breakfast and then tell the nurse to lie that it’s complementary? Maybe he knows I will never accept the food if I knew he was the one that bought it.

"What are you thinking about?" Khalil rapidly asked

"Nothing, take your medicine I will be right back" I said before leaving the room.

I entered the kitchen and started preparing instant Noodles for Khalil, I don’t have the strength and energy to cook something else that’s why I decided to buy him instant noodles.

I was chopping the onions when Jamil and Hannan walked into the kitchen

"What are you cooking?" Jamil asked

"Nothing, just a little something for Khalil"

"It’s always for Khalil, everything is for Khalil" Hannan groaned

"No it’s not like that, I didn’t have enough money that’s why I bought only two small packs of instant noddles"

They looked at me and frowned their face

"Come on, don’t be sad I will cook anything you want tomorrow or I can divide the food into three"

"No! we don’t want anything from you, Noor is right about you all you care about is Khalil" Jamil yelled

What is Noor teaching these children. We were talking when Aunt Sabina walked into the kitchen

She looked at Jamil and Hannan who looked frustrated "What is wrong, why are you mad?" She asked

"Afraah is cooking instant noodles for Khalil and she said she won’t give us" Jamil pouted

Jamil is such a lair, when did I say something like that. She looked at me but didn’t say a word

"Don’t worry, you don’t need her food I will order pizza for you" She said

"Thank you, mommy" They said while hugging her

"I didn’t say that to them, I told them.." I didn’t finish talking when she raised a hand indicating me to keep quiet

"I don’t care about what you said, just don’t forget that this house isn’t yours if I like I will kick you out anytime I want, and as for noodles" She said as she came closer to the pot and looked at it. She held the pot and poured the food into the dustbin.

"No! Please don’t do it" I pleaded as I watched her pour it inside the dustbin

"Don’t you ever make Jamil and Hannan sad" She instructed while leaving the kitchen

I had no idea what to do, Khalil must be starving right now. It’s already passed his medication time and he hasn’t eaten anything. Why did she have to waste the food if she had given Jamil and Hannan maybe it won’t hurt me as much as it did?

I managed to stand up and wash my face, I shouldn’t let a small incident weaken me and besides this isn’t the first time she’s done something like this. I entered the pantry and brought some potatoes, I was about to peel them when Noor and aunt Sabina walked in

"I’m leaving for a business trip and won’t be back till after a week, I want you to be on your best behavior. Noor is in-charge, ask for her permission before you cook anything"

"You heard what she said, ask me before you cook anything, we are short of foodstuff so don’t waste it on your soon-to-be-dead brother" Noor said while taking the potatoes

"Noor, let her make the potatoes for him"

"But Mommy…"

"Noor, I know why I’m saying this, now give it to her"

She let out a breath before she spoke

"Don’t call me unless it’s important"

"You are so lucky mommy is kind, if I were in her position, I would have never agreed on giving you the potatoes" Noor said once Aunt Sabina left.