Chapter 12

They headed out same time she was coming in to sweep. She heaved a sigh of relief when she found the living room empty. She cleaned the living room and also the dining before she cleaned the kitchen and headed upstairs to Amira's room. She shook her head, amused; just three days ago she cleaned her room but it looked like it has not been cleaned for ages. She arranged her wigs back in where they belong before she made the bed and swept the room. She mopped afterwards and cleaned the bathroom. She used the same burning incense around the house before she moved back to the kitchen to cook. She scanned through the pantry, wondering what to cook. She folded her arms on her chest and heaved a sigh. She heard a soft knock from the glass door. She looked at the door, he stood there waiting for her to unlock the door. "I wanted to ask you please, do you know how to cook tuwo? It will be great if you did." She smiled a bit and nodded. "Good, all what you need is in the pantry and store. Please bring it to the backyard when you're done," he stated and she nodded again. He walked away as she slowly closed back the glass door. Without hesitation, she started cooking what he asked to. She was half way through when amira sauntered into the kitchen. "Who asked you to cook this?" She implored, brows furrowed. Dalia quickly squatted to greet her but instead, amira repeated her question. "I.... He asked me to..." She stuttered. She couldn't even remember what was his name. Even when she has heard daddy called his name countless times when her father was sick. He walked into the kitchen looking at Dalia, "are you almost done with the cooking?" He asked her and she nodded. Amira looked at him in amusement, "muhsin? But... but you know I don't eat that. Why would you ask her to cook that?" He folded his arms on his chest, gawking his eyes at her. "Who did you inform you were going to come back now? Who did you even ask before going out? If you won't eat what she cooked then cook something else for yourself because she's not cooking anything after this." He turned his gaze to Dalia who was already panicking inside. "Immediately when you're done cook, I'm returning you home," he stated before he went back to the gazebo where he left Yusuf. Amira hissed annoyingly and stormed out of the kitchen without giving Dalia a second glance. She exhaled, placing a hand on her chest. She continued her cooking till she was done with everything. She set everything on a tray and took it outside like he asked. He looked at her as she kept the tray on the centre table. "I will go bring some refreshments now," she informed and turned to leave but he stopped her. "You should eat and get ready, I will return you home myself," he informed her. She slowly nodded before walking away. She went back to the gazebo with the refreshments before going back to the kitchen again. She went back to the kitchen and cleared every mess she had made before she moved to the living room to pray Asr. After she had prayed, she settled down there on the mat waiting for him. She started drowsing off when he finally came in. "Let's go," he muttered as he headed towards the door. She stood up and followed him to the car. He dropped her off and went back home. Every weekend, Dalia comes to their house and did the whole house chores. Most of the times, amira wasn't around. Sometimes she doesn't even get to see amira. And sometimes Muhsin was the one that returned her home when the driver doesn't show up. Mommy kept a close eyes on them as she warned amira about it but amira being the nonchalantly type, she ignored her mother's warnings. One day when he was on his way to return her home, he parked the car by the roadside and looked at her. She raised her head up in awe knowing there weren't at the house yet. She slowly turned her head to look at him. "What's wrong? Did the car breakdown?" She asked softly. He smiled as he shook his head? "Can I ask you something please?" He asked. She hesitated before she slowly nodded even though she wasn't comfortable with the conversation. "I can't help but wonder; is this how wives are supposed to treat their husbands? I mean you have seen how my wife is." He questioned. He had been wanting to ask her that question because she was different, he observed. Whatever she did was alluring. She slowly shook her head. "No, I don't think so. I mean that is not how I saw my mother treating my father. Maybe she doesn't know how to handle things as a wife because... I have kind of noticed that's how her mother is, being uncaring but not that I'm eavesdropping on them or anything." He looked at the road and had a thought about what she said. He returned his gaze to Dalia. "Even if she was not taught, she should know how to at least clean, do some things..." "Well, you're right. But have tried talking to her about it before?" She asked. He threw his head back laughing a bit. "I have lost count of how many times I have spoken to her about it. She is so entitled and stubborn. I just... don't know how to handle her anymore." His sigh was of a soft deflating; it was as if a tension was lifted yet left him with a melancholy instead of relief.