Part 108- House Hunting & Your Hugs

As narrated by Laeeka

Remind me again who exactly is getting married? Riiiight Riza and I…then WHY WAS SHE HERE???

I was at my wits end but just sat silently in the backseat while we went house hunting. Riza’s mum insisted that she would have to have the final say in choosing our home after marriage and it was nothing short of a nightmare!

She was going to decide on the decor of the house from the curtains to the freaking fridge magnets!!

Riza’s mum: I still don’t know why you both don’t want to stay with me…it would save you on rent,lights,water,groceries

Riza: maa we’ve been through this already…and besides the two of us earn well enough to support ourselves

All the places she took us to see were within a 1 km radius of her house!!! Urrrrrgh

But at every place she took us to…Riza shot her down in her own style yet some of the places were actually quite nice!

Riza: no maa not this place

Riza’s mum: why not??? Its perfect!!

Riza: I don’t like the yard

Riza’s mum: what’s wrong with the yard?

Riza: its too square

Riza’s mum: too square????

I couldn’t help but chuckle and Riza’s mum shot me “the” look.

Riza’s mum: what Laeeka?

Me: nothing…err..nothing….Riza…your mum is right it’s perfect

Riza smiled slyly

Riza: enough Laeeka! I don’t like it and that’s it!

Hah that did it, Riza’s mum was satisfied that Riza had “scolded” me :-p

Riza’s mum: I just wanted you both close to me…because it will be so hectic for you both to come home for supper every night if you live far away son

Whaaaaat??

Riza: supper every night???

Riza’s mum: yes you have to come home for supper every night!!

And Riza played his next card…I guess sometimes we have to be cruel to be kind…eventually

Riza: you see you see!! You women will drive me crazy!!

She jumped in her seat! I was beyond torn!

Riza’s mum: what happened son?

Riza: Laeeka’s mother wants us to eat by her every night…and you know I have my big assignment coming up…I already made it clear to Laeeka once a week by her mother, once a week by you ma…and once a week with our friends…but now ma you also (and he shook his head)

Riza’s mum loved Riza too much and anyone putting pressure on Riza (besides her) she would probably murder them with pleasure!

Riza’s mum: okay son relax…relax…maybe other people don’t understand (obviously hinting at me) but I do…once a week if that works best for you then my baby once a week it is

Riza: thanks Maa I knew I could always count on you…there’s this one apartment that I really really like, it’s my dream flat…Laeeka doesn’t quite like it but still I’d like to show it to you

Which flat was he talking about??

O MY WORD!!!! Riza winked at me in the rear view mirror as we pulled up outside the apartment that I had told him that I loved and that it was my dream home!!!

My heart went all soft and mushy and I just wanted to grab him and kiss him!

Riza: (as we walked through the apartment) so, what do you think ma?

Riza’s mum: its beautiful Riza…your choice is just too good!

I really wanted to laugh but…I had to hold it all inside.

Riza: Laeeka?

Me: I suppose it will have to do…

Riza’s mum: now Laeeka, marriage is all about compromise you can’t always have things your way. If Riza likes this then he must have thought about it nicely

Me: jee…

And his mum walked around the apartment for a few “instagram pics”.

Me: (whispering to Riza) I love you…

Riza: (whispering back) I love you too

Me: thank you so much

Riza:(winking at me) you should thank your new brother…it was his great idea

Me: Zoheb! No ways! Really?

Riza: (whispering) really really(chuckling to himself) I didn’t think he had it in him…it must be the influence of none other than….

Both of us: Aara!!

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As narrated by Aara:

It was almost 5pm…most of the supper dishes were already prepared and luckily Zainab had come to help me. I was officially exhausted!

Zainab: that witch went house hunting with Reez and Laeeka today you know

Me: (torn with laughter- these words just don’t suit Zai) I can almost picture Riza’s mum on a broom with a long black hat, going around and around Reez and Laeeks house -patrolling it!!

Zai: in that case I hope she falls straight into a rose bush!

Me: (torn again) Zai!!!

Zai: I can’t stand her! And as for this Nemo did he go to buy the fresh cream or make the fresh cream?

Me: (laughing) errrr….(Looking at my watch) looks like he went to make it Zai

Zai: let me phone him…since he’s taking so long he might as well go home and fetch my bag

Me:(rolling my eyes) you came all this way and you forgot your bag?? Man do I feel sorry for Arshad!

Zai: (throwing a potato peel at me) very funny….I’m going to lie down also for a little while…just shout when Nemo comes

Me: go rest Zai…everything’s done thanks to you *hugging Zai*

And Zainab headed off to my room and closed the door. I had just put my hands into the dough when the doorbell rang…

Not wanting to disturb Zai I walked to the front door and turned the key using my elbow and infront of me stood a huge bunch of orange,red and pink roses!! ℓ☺ℓ! Ok no, the roses didn’t ring the doorbell but Zoheb blocked his face with it so it did sort of look as though the roses had legs for a minute there…

Me: I’m sorry, I can’t accept these

Zoheb: (still hiding behind the roses) why not?

Me: because I can’t…

Zoheb: please applepie….

Me: no…really…right now I just can’t take them from you

Zoheb: (moving the roses ) whyyyy?

And I lifted my hands and touched both his cheeks, marking his dimples with sticky dough mixture;)

Zoheb: aah forgiven…you almost gave me a mini heart attack!

And he followed me into the kitchen and placed the roses into two crystal vases while I carried on making my dough.

Zoheb:(sitting on the counter across me) 10 minutes and counting…

Me: for?

Zoheb: 10 minutes and 30 seconds…

Me: Zoheb…

Zoheb: 10 minutes and 50 seconds…

Me: what is 10 minutes and 50 seconds?

Zoheb: 11 minutes….the time since I got here…I could have gotten 11 hugs already..

Me:(I couldn’t control my own smile) stop it…your dimples aren’t going to make me melt today!

Zoheb: 11 minutes and 30 seconds…

Me: 11 minutes and 40 seconds…

Zoheb: my applepie…11 minutes and 50 seconds

I couldn’t help but laugh!!

Zoheb: my angel…12 minutes and counting

Me: my hands are in a dough!

Zoheb: but I miss you!! 12 minutes and 20 seconds…

Me: if I hug you I’m going to mess you…let me finish this first okay

Zoheb: but I love you… 12 minutes and 40 seconds…

My heart was beating so fast and even though I tried to play it cool and calm it was much easier said than done! His presence always did the strangest things to me…and every time we met I’d go weak in my knees and fall even harder….

Zoheb: 13 minutes and 20 seconds…

I closed my eyes…my back was turned towards him..deep breath….I turned around and walked towards Zoheb as he jumped off the kitchen counter.

Zoheb:(smiling his full dimpled smile) 13 minutes and 40 seconds…

I stood infront of him….

Zoheb: 14 minutes…and counting

I smiled and put both my arms around his neck and Zoheb pulled me into one of his warm and welcoming hugs.Hmmmm. The hug that had just the right amount of everything…I could feel the chains around my heart breaking…I could feel the weights being lifted….I could feel my feet letting go of the ground beneath it…as I seemed to be lifted higher and higher by a feeling that I had never experienced in this way before….