Father of the Bride

Chapter 19 Part I: Awkward Dinner

Swaying to the tune that played in her head, with a colourful Lawn suit pressed against her breasts, a tourbillion of excitement soared Amirah to dizzy heights. Today Ayaaz was coming to dinner. Sonya entered their cluttered bedroom her hair weaved in a towel like a turban and rolled her eyes at Sonya.

"Someone's excited." Sonya rummaged through her panty drawer for her favourite pink full briefs.

An oily smell loitered through the house entwined with the spicy twist of masala chutney, which made Amirah's mouth water. It wasn't long till the wedding now, the closer the date the more nervous Amirah grew.

"Are you gonna tell him?" Sonya sat on the edge of her bed and slipped her feet into her pink briefs with a beady eye on Amirah. She stopped dancing.

"Tell him what?" Amirah turned around facing her sister standing in her bath robe.

"About that man?" Sonya leaned forward. "The one you met at the bus stop."

"It's you and your paranoid mind." Amirah wafted the subject away.

"Some random guy gives you a tenner and you don't find it weird?" Sonya mocked her naivety.

When Amirah heard the shocking news that Ayaaz smashed his hand by slamming it against the bathroom mirror when he slipped in the bathroom, Amirah rushed to visit him. On her return home, when Amirah made her way to the bus stop a man called out to her.

"You've dropped this." He held out a ten pound note. The man was in mid forties, dressed in a black roll neck jumper shirt that moulded around his bulging biceps, a silver dog tag dangled towards the centre of his chest. Amirah fished through her pockets checking to see if the 10 pound note slipped out of her bag.

"It fell out of your pocket." The broad man stepped closer to her and insisted it belonged to her.

"Oh, well thank you." Replied Amirah taking the note and placing into her purse. She mentally noted his familiar face, like she'd seen him somewhere before.

"You catching the 37?" He asked pointing to the bus stop.

Amirah looked at the empty bus stop and nod her head.

"How long does it take to arrive?"

They both walked along the street towards the bus stop. The man was wary to keep a few feet away from her and not intimidate her. Amirah explained the timings of the bus but her voice drowned out. The man admired her frizzy hair that leaked from under her red woolly hat. She had a cute nose and a small chin. He liked her. Ayaaz had chosen well. Basharat leaned against the wall whilst Amirah sat under the bus shelter.

"I came to see my son, but he won't see me." Basharat sighed looking along the quite street.

"Why?" She asked

"It's his mother. She's been filling his head with all kinds of stuff. What do you think I should do?"
"Me? You're asking me?" she chuckled nervously.

"He is around your age."

"Well if it was my dad, I would say persevere. He's your son, so it's worth it. Because one day he will ask what did you do for him, and you can't say you gave up."

Basharat smiled. She was wise as well as pretty. He wanted to delve into background.

"You live with your parents?"

"No, mum and dad are divorced. I live with mum but I always see my dad. They get on better now they're divorced."

"Any brothers or sisters?"