Part 54: Imraan makes a proposal

My family's visit was so good. I went out of my way to prepare for them but ofcorse my mother and Dadi came with a wagon worth of prepared meals to stock my freezer and fridge.

"now my wife won't cook for me for months!", Imraan said when he saw the loot.

"I'm surprised she cooks at all!", Sabera chimed in.

"Oh, we'll see what kind of a housewife you make!", I shot back at her

"I will be a kept women", Sabera sighed, pretending to study her manicure..." Besides, Dadi said she'll come once a week to cook for me!"

"Ja-Ja, tharu maathu!", Dadi retorted, eyeballing Sabera with disapproval.

My mother just shook her head at us as she helped me tidy up after lunch.

I made tea for us and then the four of us sat down for panchaat as my father went of with Imraan to inspect something in the garden.

I could see why my mother was so concerned about my Dad, he really looked tired and drained out. My mamagee had scheduled him for an ECG and a check up with a physician. My father was playing delay tactics.

As we sat and chatted about this and that, various members of the family and the latest in Muslim fashion, my father and Imraan came back in...both of them had a strange look on their faces.

We all looked at them waiting for them to speak...my father sat down and cleared his throat ... Then he stirred the cup of tea my mother had poured for him. The tension was thick.

I couldn't begin to imagine what was so serious but I had a small clue from the way Imraan kept glancing at Sabera.

Finally my father spoke.

"Imraan has made a proposal of sorts...", he said gravely.

What! My mother, Sabera and Dadi looked at him so confused.

I giggled at my fathers choice of words.

Imraan had mentioned to me that his friend Luqmaan had been asking about Sabera recently, ever since he saw her a few months ago when he bumped into us the weekend of Nasreen's baby shower.

Sabera too, had confided in me that he had invited her on Facebook as a friend.

My father explained to the three that Imraan had asked if it is okay for Luqmaan and his dad to come up to Port Shepstone to see Sabera.

Since Luqmaans mum had past away not to long ago and his brother lived in Johannesburg, Imraan and I would accompany them.

Even though Sabera had seemed chilled about the Facebook invite, I wasn't sure how she would react to the proposal. However, one look at her face said it all...she was red red red like a tomato...not from anger though! My sister was blushing!!!!!

I smiled across at Imraan as Sabera nodded her head at my father, telling him its okay for Luqmaan to come home.

My father smiled as my mother hugged her, trying to hide the tears in her eyes.
We all kind of had a feeling that " this was it" for Sabera. It was a bitter sweet moment.

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 47: Settling in...

The shrill ringing of the intercom buzzer made me jump. I had been daydreaming as I finished up in the kitchen.

My kitchen was finally organized and fully functional and I was so proud. The kitchen is the heart of the home after all.

I was so pleased with my shiny new appliances, I couldn't stop admiring them. Imraan hadn't spared any cost, he obligingly paid for all my whims and fancies, Alhumdulliah. I was thrilled with the end result.

We were slowly putting our home together and surprisingly in such a short time we had achieved so much. There was still loads to do though, the kitchen was the first room to be completely done.

Now I am going to concentrate on our bedroom and bathroom, both were completely functional so it's just the special finishing touches left.

I sighed happily as I put the last spice bottle in the rack...ahh perfect!

The insistent buzzer went of again, immediately annoying me!

 Argh...Now what!!!

When the previous owner, Aunty Fatima, had said to expect a few 'service providers', I had assumed she ment a Gardner or roof cleaner, I wasn't prepared for the crazy...

First was the mealie lady...she came that first Monday, pressing the intercom to tell me "your mealies GoGo"
"my mealies! Err no thanks!" niether Imraan nor I were very fond of mealies.

She pressed the buzzer again to say "aww GoGo, but you always take the mealies!"
I tried to explain to her over the intercom that I wasn't GoGo but I gave up...

I sent Elie to explain to her that the house had new owners and her mealies will no longer be required.

Elie was Aunty Fatimas maid, when we bought the house, aunty Fatima asked us if we wouldn't mind keeping her as she felt bad leaving her without a job, she had been with them for the past 10 years and was completely trustworthy.

I readily agreed, I didn't want to go looking for household help in a new town. Elie proved to be a gem, she knew her work and was efficient, unfortunately she wasn't very bright.

Last week a man pressed the buzzer, when I answered he said he was selling "mops, brooms and feather dusters" I sent Elie to get me a feather duster. When she came back she didn't have any change for me, when I asked her why, she said that the man kept the change because Aunty Fatima use to give him little extra...
...little extra???!!!!
 I had paid R100 for the R20 feather duster.
Oh well...

Last Saturday's buzzer business was by far the most bizarre. When I told Imraan about it he wouldn't  stop laughing!

The buzzer had sounded around midmorning, by then I knew better than to hurry for it. After it went off a few times I decided to get it. I pressed the botton saying "hello"
The reply came...."Chicken fat, bones, anything!"
Say what! I was so shocked, why would Aunty Fatima be buying those things from a house to house seller!

Elie saw my expression and said, " the mama comes to get chicken fat and bones from Madaam every week"
Ooooooh!
So I held down the button again and said, "sorry nothing!"
The buzzer sounded immediately!
" haibo madam! I come from so far!"

I honestly didn't have anything so I gave Elie some canned food and biscuits to give the mama and tell her that the owners had moved.
Shew...these buzzer people were really starting to bother me.

So that's why I was trying to ignore the buzzer today, I didn't want to deal with anymore bizarre stuff. I hoped the person would get the message and move on.

But it seemed this person was determined to finish the batteries maybe, the buzzer continued shrilly.

Elie!!!!, I called out.
"yes madam", she said
" Go see who that is and tell them to go away!", I said annoyed.

I heard Elie through the open kitchen window as she went towards the gate and called out, "Madam said GO AWAY!!!"

And the reply came, " Tell madam its her Mother-in-law!!!"



O.M.W...

Now what!!!!!

Part 37: The house hunt

On Saturday, the estate agent phoned Imraan to say she had a few promising houses lined up that fit our requirements. We decided to make a Sunday of it and took a drive up yesterday to view these 'promosing' listings...
I hardly slept on the drive to PMB, I was so excited, talking to Imraan and building castles in the air...

We had a list of the houses and when we met the estate agent she was very sure of herself...she even told me that I would just fall in love with one of the top three, she's sure of it!

As we followed her from burger street to loop street, from center street to the Suburbs of Northdale, Edendale  and Raisethop...one by one, our spirits began to sink.

Every house we saw was far from the ones we had been dreaming off...non even seemed suitable...

Too old, too modern, too run down, too small, too big, no garden, too much of a garden, no privacy, too secluded...

None were what Imraan and I were expecting and we started questioning our expectations. By the time we were half way through the list, we were tired.

We didn't want an ancient house, we didn't want something too new and modern...we wanted a garden for the children but not an orchard and yard that will be difficult to maintain.

We wanted space but not so huge that the children's room would have its own GPS co-ordinate's.

We had thought that we would see a couple of houses and one would just feel like home!

There were a few on the list that didn't tick every single block but seemed workable, but the full disclosure clause that Imraan insisted on ment that we were told the background of each home, something that Imraan and I are both very fussy about...

The reasons for sale on one home was a divorce, neither partners wanted to keep the house, to many bad memories...
Another was a bank-repo.
One house was the scene of terrifying hold up that left the family too shattered to even continue living there ...

We didn't want to start our family on the crumbled dreams of another.

So the two houses that made it to our 'maybe' list had normal backgrounds of familys that inevitably had out grown the home...one was older than we liked but we could compromise, the other was humongous but that's not such a bad thing...

By the 8th house we were ready to call it a day...this was the last one we wanted to see...the estate agent herself wasn't to hopeful but Imraan and I had energy for one more...

This one was in Mountain Rise, as we turned into a leafy surban cal-de-sac the street name caught my eye, 'Paradise', I almost laughed...

We were told that this house wasn't vacant yet, the owners were still here till the sale because they were relocating overseas and only after they were sure of a  sale.

The estate agent stopped outside a beautiful beigh and blue home...I felt sure the one we would be seeing would be next door or across the road. Nobody would sell this beautiful place!

When she walked to the intercom, I held my breath and looked at Imraan. I could see it in his eyes too...if this was the house, this was it!
We got out excitedly...at the door we were met by an elderly couple, upon seeing us they smiled warmly.

"As Salaamu Alikum, aww aww..." the man welcomed us.

Stepping inside, I immediately felt at home.
The furniture wasn't my style, but the home had a warm inviting feeling, the place was well maintained and I could easily imagine living here. It was spacious but not so big that it felt cold...everything felt, well...homely.

"Welcome to Chateau le Fatima.", the man continued with a laugh.

"My wife's name is Fatima, she choose this home for us 35 years ago.", he continued

"My wife is Fatima too!", Imraan said laughing.

The older Fatima smiled at me, "Come Il show you around"

She led me from room to room, while she showed me the house she shared some of her memories of raising her family.

Two of her sons now lived in Canada and wanted their parents to join them, her daughter lived in Australia.

They were ready for a new experience she explained, they didn't want to miss out on their grandchildren .

When I rejoined Imraan and the Uncle, I could see that Imraan felt the same way as me...

The Ahmed's led us to their spacious country kitchen, seeing it just sealed the deal for me.

Ofcorse they insisted we have tea with them, our agent knew she had made this sale and politely told us she needed to leave, she would call tomorrow.

We spent another half an hour with the Ahmed's, touring the garden and outdoor braai area one of their sons had added in while still living with them a few years ago.

When we finally left for Durban, we had made up our mind...this was the home we would buy and start our family in. We hoped for many happy year's raising our children here, Insha'Allah.

Part 33:Money Talks

Today after lunch I received a text from Imraan,
"slmz, in a rush, told mummy we moving, call you soon as I can. Love you"

OMW!!! He told his mother!!! What did she say!

I waited the rest of the day anxiously for Imraan to call, but by home time he still hadn't. I was too afraid to go home, I didn't know what to expect...

I tried calling him but his phone went straight to voicemail! since Imraan had accepted the promotion he is very busy. He tries to get alot done in business hours so he doesn't have to stay late or work over the weekends.

I tried to kill time hoping to get hold of him but I finally gave up and decided to brave going home, I couldn't afford to
 get stuck in traffic too. Plus it was my turn in the kitchen.

Once i got home, I was actually afraid to go inside...i tried to enter ever so quietly...

"Fatima Barbie, is that you....", my MiL asked.

Damn it, she had heard me...
But wait a minute she didn't sound mad! She sounded happy...

I went to the kitchen, still skeptical..,

"oh, there you are, I was getting so worried...you want some to eat? Something to drink?"

What was going on here? Did I read Imraan's message wrong? Maybe he said he was GOING to tell her...

"Imraan told me the good news, I'm so excited for you'll...Masha'Allah! Alhumdulliah..." my MiL said, blowing my theory out of the window.

OMW, She's so upset she had a nervous breakdown! I need to get her to a doctor...I'm panicking here.

"I am going to miss you so much, you know how I love you, like you my own daughter...but this is Imraan's rozi, he has to go, areh, shukaar Martizburg is not agaah agaah." my MiL carried on

I didn't know what to say or think...i was just looking at her dumbfounded.

"Go, go freshen up, I'm making a special supper to congratulate you'll.", my MiL hurried me out.

I came to our room in a daze.
Maybe she's acting nice, maybe she is going to poison us..or me tonight...


After our huge supper where MiL announced Imraan's promotion and our relocation to the family, I finally got a chance alone with Imraan to ask him how he broke the news to his mother because I am so surprised how well she took it.

"oh, I just told her how much I'll be earning...", Imraan winked at me.

OMW

"Not the whole amount ofcorse, that I only told you. I just gave her a figure about 30% less" Imraan continued.

Nevermind...im speechless...!!!

The shock and surprise on my face may take even longer to fade than the expression on Shireen's face when MiL congratulated us on the promotion and relocating.

But I feel so much better now and I'm so excited.

 Imraan and I talked about what we each want in the house we will buy, I hope the estate agent finds our dream home...we have less than a month to move!!

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.