Part 53: Dodged a bullet...

After I calmed down on Saturday night, we managed to have a beautiful date under the stars.

Imraan and I spoke about everything and life has more or less settled down into a happy routine.

Now that Imraan isn't working crazy hours, we can spend more time together and enjoy the last few months of our pregnancy. I can't believe that in 2 months we will be a family if four!

I changed my hospital booking to a hospital here to make life easier for us.

We spent yesterday exploring midmar dam and even took a short drive to the quaint little town of Nottingham Road. Imraan has booked us a weekend away at Midlands saddle and trout that I am really looking forward to.

But before that, we will be hosting my family and ofcorse there is that proposal ambush my mother has planned for Sabera. I don't think my mother is very good at deception though, because Sabera called me today, in a panic.

"Fatima! You have to help me stop mummy from inviting those people from coming to see me!!!", she practically yelled into the phone.
I didn't even get to ask her how she found out about it because she was off on another tangent.

"You remember my friend Serisha?...", Sabera asked.

"-yes! The one that's engaged to a Muslim boy?", I replied...remembering Sabera's pretty friend who came home for iftaar every night one Ramadaan, a scarf neatly perched on her head. She had explained that she had met a Muslim boy and they were going to get married , so she was practicing from now. That was years ago...what did she have to do with any of this!

" well yes! She's pregnant...-", Sabera said.

" oh wow, that's great, how far along is she? You didn't tell me she got married, did she marry the same guy?..", I said excitedly.

" she didn't! Fatima pay attention!!", Sabera said, impatiently.

"She didn't marry him, he never even introduced her to his family...he just kept promising that soon has his finished with his studies. She believed him because he was doing hifiz etc. Then she fell pregnant and when she told him he got very angry and said she was trying to trap him and he never wanted to see her again!", Sabera said in a rush.

Omw...i was shocked! Why was Sabera telling me all this but.

"Fatima, this is the same guy mummy wants me to meet.", Sabera finished with a sigh.

" Whaaaaaaaaaat!", I gasped, horrified.

Shoh! No wonder Sabera was so against it. The cheek of this boy, to string along a sweet girl, promising her the world and using her...and then dropping her to save your own reputation. No regard for her, her future and the child you fathered....and then, find a nice innocent girl to marry, who is non the wiser of your past! The story made me sick!

I told Sabera not to worry, I would sort it out. Later I called my mother and told her Imraan and I weren't willing to host these people because we have heard some very unflattering things. My mother sounded very annoyed  over my vague excuse but since it is our home, she couldn't push it. She did start stressing over what to tell the family so I suggested that she let Gori Foi, as the go between, to deal with it.

My mother called me back very late last night to tell me that a friend of hers was visiting and she confided in her about the dilemma over the proposal...some how, tue story about Serisha had reached this lady's ears and my mother was both shocked and grateful that we had managed to call off the meeting.

Dodged a bullet there...

Part 50: Errands and Excuses

As hard as Imraan and I have been trying, we seemed to be getting lost in the whole humdrum of life. It seems as if little things are making huge spaces between us.
I have been so focused on setting up home and Imraan is very busy with work, I between all that was MiLs drop -in and now my Gori Foi is acting up.

When we moved to PMB I didn't think that my Aunty would decide that we her new taxi drivers. She phones me every fee days with some errand or the other.

"Fatima bethi, can you please give me lift to the hair salon, so many days I never dye my hair."

"Salaam Likum Fati, how you! You know that fabric shop down their on church street, must tell me if you going that side, no hurry hurry, I just want to get some material before the sale finishes."

"Fatima, when you get a chance must take me to the dress maker."

Argh!!! Im pregnant, I hate driving around in the heat. Im also not familiar with the streets and Gori Fois directions are just terrible!!

" Turn over there!"
"go back go back!"
"little bit more"
" next to the black car is the driveway"

It was way to stressful so I started making excuses, doctors appointments...dentist...gyni...vomiting...leg cramps...stomach pains...anything I could think of!

I must have over did it abit coz my mother called last night, her voice full of worry!
" Fatima are you okay batchoo?"

" Jee I am fine mummy."

" you sure? I just spoke to Gori Foi now and she says you always feeling sick and going to the doctors."

I felt so guilty, good thing my mother couldn't see my red face through the phone!

" if you want me to come stay with you for a few days, just let me know!"

I felt horrible now, my mother didn't need the stress, my dad wasn't feeling well and mummy was taken a strain because of it.

" no no mummy, I'm okay I promise. Sometimes I just make things more dramatic because Gori Foi always needs a lift here and there", I finally admited

"What!!! She's using you to take her around! In your condition! I'll tell Dadi about this", my mother fumed

Oh-0, now I was really causing it.

"Mummy stop fussing, I'm fine really...hows daddy?"

My mother heaved a huge sigh and I immediately felt her worry stress as she spoke about my fathers lack of energy, chest pains and stubbornness. He was still refusing to go to the doctor!

My mother said she was thinking of inviting mamagee up for lunch on Sunday so he could by the way talk some sense into my father and perhaps check him out!

"He still wants ghee rotis and oily oily achaar, Fatima!", my mother said sounding so upset.
I got of the phone feeling horrible, I decided I really needed to go visit my parents soon.

As luck would have it...they decided to come to see me. 

Part 28: High Rollers

When Imraan got home from work yesterday, he had an envelope for me...
It was oddly heavy and had a lumpy, jingle to it...i was so puzzled.

I emptied it on to the bed...Imraan picked up a white folded document and handed it to me, "read this first.", he said.

There was also catalogue of sum sort and what looked like his office keys...i was so confused.

I unfolded the document to find that it was a copy of the contract. I'm not one for legal mumbo jumbo...i don't think I ever read the ''T's&C's" of anything before I sign or click accept...Imraan always reminds me about this, but as I always say... "I didn't marry a lawyer for nothing! ;)"

So a contract about law, for a lawyer, written by a firm of lawyers...yah, this was right up my alley, a light bedtime read...

I looked at my husband as if he was crazy...did he really think I was going to waste my grey matter on this!

He had a cheek to laugh at me...

"Okay okay, just skim it and see what jumps out at you", he said..."please TiMwaaahhh..."

How could I refuse when he asks so nicely...besides, I want to get this out of the way so I can see what the rest of the contents of this funny envelope is about!

I skimmed through each of the 50 pages but I just saw rows and rows of black and white, tons of jargon and nothing else...i looked at him defeated.

Imraan took the contract, flipped some pages and handed it back to me...i tried again, again nothing jumped out! This was worse than finding Nemo!

My husband sighed...he opened his brief case, dug out a highlighter and highlighted a few lines here and there.

I glanced threw  and finally saw the common word...oh-0...does this,mean what I think!

I looked up at him, "did you sign already?" I asked, terrified that he would say yes...

He shook his head, "Nope, I couldn't sign without talking to you first...this is going to change our life..."

I silently made Shukaar that I'm blessed with this husband who values me and a marriage based on mutual understanding and respect.

"This will change our lives too", Imraan said, highlighting another spot on a different page...

I glanced down at numerical value way to high to be a salary, I looked at Imraan...per annum?

He burst out laughing...

"Only somebody on a teachers pay would say that! No dear, that's the salary."

Waaaaaaat!

"But Imraan! Its to far, a 45minute commute one way, your long hours, then driving back...i won't see you, you won't see our babies...it won't be worth it! There is no price tag worth the torture love."

"commute?oh I don't plan on traveling to and from Pietermaritzburg everyday...i was thinking about relocating there..."

"Relocating!!!!!"

 Omw, I thought there was a thunderstorm coming...i didn't know that I would be the one caught without an umbrella....MiL is not going to like this idea at all.

Imraan was still talking, " things are kind of crowded around here and once our two come it would be even more so...we need our own place eventually, so why not now? Between us we have enough saved to make a down payment, so if you don't have a problem with relocating to PMB, I think we should say bismillah, and go for it..."

"Imraan of course I don't have a problem, this is huge for you and your career...i just don't know how your family would take it..." I tried to choose my words carefully.

"don't worry about my family, I'll deal with that love, I just want to know if it is something you would consider." Imraan said

He had no idea what he was in for, I thought...after seeing how Shireens 'thought' of moving a stones throw away was handled, I could only imagine how MiL would react to Imraan wanting to move to another town!

" I am more than okay with it love, I wanted to talk to you about leaving work when the babies come anyway, I just want to stay home and look after them for a few years you know...so this would just be little earlier than that...", I explained.

I honestly had no problem moving, I always liked PMB, my Gori Foi lived there, I had really good memories of childhood holidays there.

"oh so you want to be a kept women now, do you...", Imraan joked, pulling me close for a hug.

I sighed and relaxed in my husbands loving embrace...this was comfort, love, happiness...home could be anywhere- i would move to the moon...so long as we were together and happy, I thought.

"well...on that salary, you can afford to keep four wives!", I joked.

"just this one, is all I need"...came the heart melting reply.