All For What! - Episode 10

 

Unedited.

Maryam was seated in the living room watching a TV show, when she heard the sound of a car entering her compound, followed by the sound of the doorbell ringing. Who could that be? She wondered.

"Nafisa," she called and she appeared before her within seconds.

"Yes?"

"Please check who is at the door," she said. Nafisa nodded.

She went to the door and twist the knob, opening the door for whoever it was that rang the bell . Her face arched in confusion on seeing a middle aged woman. A woman she had never come across before.

"Good afternoon, how can I help?" She asked the unknown  woman.

"Good afternoon to you too," the woman greeted back, politely.

"Who are you?" Nafisa asked, rudely. The unknown woman was agitating her with her presence. She still had lots of work in the kitchen to do.

"I am—"

"Who is there, Nafisa," Maryam asked, getting up from her seat. She heard Nafisa talking to someone, but her words were incoherent to her hearing, so she decided to go see who was at the door, herself.

"Mum—" she squealed and hugged her immediately. "-please come in

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. Why didn't you allow her in sooner?" Maryam asked Nafisa, releasing her arms from the woman she referred to as 'mum'.

How was she to know who the woman was, when she had never seen her before. Nafisa wondered.

"I didn't—"

"It's fine. Bring her luggage inside," Maryam ordered. "Let's go upstairs mum."

Maryam led her mother in law, whose name was Aisha to her room. Yes, she had a room, specially made for her to stay in whenever she visited.

"Why didn't you inform us you were coming today? Maryam asked. "I would have prepared all of your favorite dishes beforehand."

Aisha smiled. She knew everything Maryam said was true, because that was what she always did, whenever she visited. Maryam was more like a daughter to her than a daughter in law and she respected her a lot, because Maryam also respected her immensely and as they say; respect is reciprocal.

"I wanted to surprise you all...where is Saeed?" Aisha asked.

"He's not back from work yet and he won't be back till later in the evening," Maryam informed.

Aisha heaved a sigh. "When will he be back?" She asked.

"Around 7:00pm to 8:00pm," Maryam answered. She wished she could just call him on his cell phone and ask him to come home earlier than usual, but she knew she shouldn't because he must be very busy at work. She didn't want to disturb him.

Just then, Nafisa came in with Aisha's luggage. She dropped them beside the bed and walked out without saying a word.

"I don't recognise that girl," Aisha voiced out.

"Oh Nafisa? I forgot to introduce her to you. She's our new maid," Maryam said.

"Maid?" Aisha asked. She sounded surprise.

Why was she surprise? Maryam wondered. It wasn't as if they didn't have maid before, besides she needed one to help her with the house chores and to babysit Manal.

"Yes. We hired her just recently and she's really very hardworking and well behaved," Maryam praised.

"If you say so," Aisha smiled.

"Forgive me for rambling, I totally forgot get you something to eat—" Maryam apologized. Instead of getting her something to eat or drink, she was busy rambling.

"You were not rambling," Aisha reassured and she smiled. Her mother in law was different from many, she wasn't a typical kind of a mother in law and she couldn't be more grateful to Allah.

"Please excuse me," she excused herself and went downstairs to the kitchen to prepare a quick meal for her mother in law.

She neatly arranged the meal she prepared on a tray with a glass of water and took it upstairs to her mother in law, whom she knew was obviously hungry after a long trip.

"Here," Maryam served the food to Aisha. She thanked her and started devouring the food almost immediately. Maryam suppressed a laugh. Why didn't she tell her she was hungry? She would have abandoned everything and made some food for her immediately she stepped into their home. She was her mother after all.

As soon as Aisha finished her meal, she seemed to have remembered her granddaughter, Manal and asked about her.

"When is my little grand baby coming back from school?" Aisha asked. She couldn't wait to see her granddaughter after a long time.

"She will be back in—" Maryam paused and took a glance at the wall clock. "-thirty minutes," she replied.

"Alright." Aisha said.

"How is Zainab and ya Ahmad doing?" Maryam asked. Zainab and ya Ahmad were Aisha's children. Zainab, the youngest child and Saeed's only sister. She was eighteen years old and was still studying in the university. She also liked Maryam and respected her a lot. Ya Ahmad was Saeed's elder brother and Aisha's first child. He was married with three children, a set of female twins and a son.

"They are both fine, alhamdillilah," Aisha answered.

"Hassana, Hussaina and Faisal; how are the children?" Maryam asked. It was long she last saw them. The last time she did, was when the twins were eight and Manal four.

"They are all fine—" Aisha beamed. "-they were at my house few days before I came.

Maryam and Aisha were busy catching up and talking about the family, when the doorbell rang. Nafisa opened the door and Manal's little voice could be heard. Nafiaa must have directed her to the room they were in, because Manal ran straight into it and hugged her grandmother immediately she saw her.

"How is my cute little girl doing?" Aisha asked, picking her up.

"I am fine," she answered, giggling.

"How was school today?" She inquired.

"I did my homework by myself," she said, proudly as if she just earned a great achievement.

Maryam and Aisha smiled.

"My baby is really very smart," Aisha praised, making Manal extremely happy, she loved being praised or complimented.

"And our teacher taught us a new poem today," she beamed.

"Really? Let's hear it. I want you to teach grandma the poem," Aisha said and Manal started reciting the poem to  with her grandmother repeating after her. Maryam couldn't help but admire the sight. It was lovely.

"Go to your room, have a bath, change and then you can come back. Ask Nafisa to help you," she said.

"Okay ummi," Manal said. Aisha put her down and she ran to her room.

On that day, the house became livelier with Aisha in it. Saeed returned back home some minutes past eight PM and was surprised and to see his mother. It was an unexpected visit, but a pleasant one.

In the two days Aisha stayed with them, she took good care of Manal and babysat her instead, and it was a huge relief for Nafisa. She didn't like taking care of her at all.

When Aisha was set to leave, the whole family saddened, but knew she wasn't there to stay forever. She would have to leave sooner or later. Saeed promised to visit her with his wife and child soon. With that, she left them in peace.