Kasih Nadiah (Nadiah's Love)

Chapter Three: Shocked

Chapter Three:  Shocked

It had been four days since Ainum's wedding and still no sign of Maa'rof. Nadiah paused in her stitch work and began to wonder when he was going to come as the wait was becoming nerve-racking. She hadn't been seeing Zainab either since the wedding and there was no one else she could inquire about his whereabouts. She only knew he was coming back but when...she had to find out. The only prime reason why she was involved in stitch work was due to it being her mother's request when really she would much rather spend her time learning the English Language or something academic-related.

It had been five years since she last attended school where she had learned how to read and write in Bahasa Melayu (Malay Language) and Jawi (an adaptation of Arabic script).  How she longed to be able to have someone to practice English conversations with but she had no one else. Whenever she saw the wealthy British rulers, groomed in their distinctive attires at the magistrate offices and the like, she would be filled with fascination and interest at hearing them speak. Their words and sentences were foreign and strange but captivating nevertheless.

The last few days had been of similar routine as always but with the addition of him constantly in her thoughts. She had imagined how their first meeting would be like and she had rehearsed in her thoughts what she was going to say to him when that happens. Waiting was the only option she had left but it made her feel like exploding as it was a tormenting one. So many questions ran through her head: Why he hadn't written to her; why he was gone for a long time; how was it over there.

All she knew was he left for a village in Melaka (Malacca) to acquire knowledge from an Ustaz. (Ustadh: religious teacher) The ringing of a bicycle bell interrupted her thoughts and she glanced out of her window, grateful for a distraction. She saw the post man, Samad, wheeling into her porch and got down from the bicycle and began to walk to where her father was seated. Hassan released the fishnets he was holding and greeted Samad with the salam as he got up.

"Are there a lot of letters today, Mad?" She heard her father say as he salam(shook his hand) before accepting the letters.

"Seems like it," Samad answered as he got on his bicycle. "It's best I take my leave now. Assalamualaikum."

"Walaikumsalam wahramatullahi wa barakahtu."

She watched the postman leave the premises for a brief second before returning her gaze to her father who was inspecting the letters in his hands.

She called out to him from the window. "Ayah! (Father) Are there any letters for me?" Hassan whirled around and looked up at her.

"Don't have." His answer came as a disappointment to her as she retreated back into her room once more. She was still hopeful  for a letter from Maa'rof even though he had never once sent her a letter.

She was about to resume her sewing when her mother came in. "Nadiah, I need you to get some groceries from the market." She nodded and left her needlework at a stool before taking the basket and money from her mother. Throwing a scarf loosely around her head, she set out to the wet market. It was mid-afternoon and many villagers were sweeping their front porches, giving feed to their livestock poultry or just sitting leisurely at the gazebos.

"Where are you off to, Nadiah?" Her middle-aged neighbour crooned at her from the veranda of her home as she sat cross-legged and sifted rice grains.

"I'm going to the market, Makcik(Auntie). To buy some groceries," Nadiah answered politely.

"Baik-baik jalan tu, (be careful walking; she means take care of yourself)"

 "I will," She said and continued on her journey. Along the way, some other women greeted her with pleasantries and she would return them before humbly excusing herself. A few cyclists buzzed their bells at her and she would make way for them. The walk to the market was a long one as it was located in a prominent area where all the main buildings, offices and shops were.