Chapter 37: The Family Gathering.

Katsina State, Nigeria.
It was a lovely Saturday Afternoon; the air was filled with jubilant chatter and mirth. Everyone was having a great time by the looks of it. Some chatted over business while some over family—another corner was another set of people talking about how much they haven't seen each other and talk about the wholesome childhood days they shared together.
Bushra was with few of Mahir's female cousins she had just gotten to know. They were lively and fun to be around—it calmed her. Every few minutes, her eyes wander around the open space, searching for Mahir. He was with his uncles and cousins, talking business—as usual.
They haven't spoken in nearly an hour since the family event started. Despite sharing looks and smiles from a distant, she wanted to talk. Or moreover, she just wanted to be wrapped around his arms—feeling his heart beat and how she felt safe in his arms.
'Food is ready," A woman in her mid 40s announced. It was a serve yourself event. They all stood up, except Bushra. One of his cousins asked her to. She felt at ease when she was told to stay that she'd be served. She really underestimated these people. She thought they'd be all about being posh and luxury life, and how she doesn't fit in their family.
They're different—they used to sneak out and go play outside when they were kids, they played in the rain, they've eaten all sorts of local food before.
It was something Bushra never actually expected from them.
'Hey," she hears a familiar voice. She smiled before she turned to look at the owner. 'Hey," she said to him just as he pulled a chair and settled down next to her. 'How are you coping? This is exhausting," he said tiredly as he looked around the large number of people wandering around.
'I'm fine, but it doesn't seem like you are."
'Mommy expects us to be hear until 6pm," he said gloomily. 'I don't see any fault in staying until 6. It's past three already. Just two hours and some minutes left," she said to him but he shook his head.
'It's like you don't know how these type of event gives me headache. It's tiring."
'Well, how do you cope with business meetings with large number of people?" She asked, raising a brow at him. She had seen him attend meeting with large number of people and he never for once complained that he wanted to be out of the place.
'That's money, Bushra. How could I ever get tired of making money or discussing about how to make more money? I don't want my kids to have a poor life, my parents didn't put me through that kind of life."
She stares at him for a moment. They've never brought that up before. He has never even for once spoken about kids. Maybe he's talking about having kids with another woman, right? Maybe because they only had a year to spend together and they agreed on no having intimacy in any sort of way—they've broken that rule already. They've broken so many rules.
Knowing that Mahir wants kids but maybe not with her hurts her. She could feel the stabbing pain in her heart. It was so hurting. Was it jealousy? She hates the feeling…
'What's wrong?" He asked, observing her facial expression.
Having a thought of Mahir being with another woman wrecked her. It causes a grieving pain in her entire body. Them having a child together…
He gently wrapped his arm around her shoulders, jolting her out of her miserable ocean of thought. She instantly looks at his, his touch helping her to forget the pains. And with yearning expression, he gazes at her.
'Do we need to leave? Or you need a minute away from here?"
His gesture was almost affectionate.
'They're coming back," she said, blinking back the tears. He stares at her intensely, trying to read her mind but failed to. The pain was written all over her face but he couldn't point out what was bothering her. Did he say something to that offended her? Was it something he did? Allah knows the last thing Mahir wanted was to have another fight with Bushra and it seemed like it was going to happen if he doesn't find out what he did.
'Ya Mahir, Uncle Mukhtar wants to speak with you," Aliya said, bringing him back from his reverie. He still had his arm around Bushra when he looked at them. Bushra ducked her head—she felt embarrassed slightly when they caught them just staring at each other.
He fixed his gaze back to her and said, 'I'll see you in a bit, okay?"
Bushra nodded, her head still ducked. He got to his feet and left.
'I'm going to be honest with you, Bushra. Ya Mahir is the luckiest man because you're beautiful, so nice. You have completely changed him into a better man. He's just so lucky to have you as his life partner."
Life Partner…
Bushra repeated the last two words Husnah have said. She smiled nervously at them. It was amazing how they appreciate her for being their cousin's wife. They've told her how he never even spare them a glance left alone change pleasantries. Having a conversation with him is something they have never done. But now, he even asked them about work and school. He didn't frown at them. He didn't smile either but his face was relaxed when he spoke to them.
'I agree. The only woman your husband genuinely smiles at is Aunty Aisha. Well… maybe because she had won the grace of being the woman that brought him to the world," Aliya stated and sighed subsequently.
Bushra chuckled softly and shook her head. 'Believe me, I didn't change your cousin. He decided to change on his own because if you know how persevering he can be sometimes; you'd understand what I'm saying," Bushra pointed out but it seemed like they disagree with her statement.
'It's like you haven't noticed how he looks at you with so much love, so much care. How he adores you."
'And how he had his eyes on your every move. It's seems as if he can't even go a minute without you close by. You guys are just too cute," Aliya said and sighed dreamily.
If only they knew what's going on. If only they knew that they only had six months left. If only they knew how it all started. How they met and how they're living for the past six months of being married. Deep inside of her she wished what they have just told her was true.
She has seen him looked at her but it was the same as before. It was the same when they first met, it was the same when they got on each other's nerves, it was the same when they got married… it was still the same.
**
Bushra had just prayed Maghrib in Mommy's room after the event. She was having a slight headache—possibly due to how they had a wholesome they.
She laid on the bed and closed her eyes. She was the only one in the room as mommy left to make sure dinner was being properly prepared.
It was a large house with multiple rooms they could stay in but Mahir chooses they stay at a different house—she didn't know why, but she never bothered to ask. Well, before she got to know his female cousins, she liked the idea of staying at a separate until now that she had met them and seen how amazing they were. She wished they'd stay at the family house for the day, as they're leaving tomorrow.
It would've been fun if they spent the night talking, sharing gossips—just like a slumber party.
For some reasons, she wanted to have time away from him. She wanted to rethink things. Rethink what he had told her—rethink what his cousins believe their marriage was. She had so much in just one day and she needed a week or even more to process things.
Everything was stressful.
'Bushra."
She looks up from the bed and immediately settled down when she spotted Mahir's mother approaching her.
'How's the headache? Have you taken the PCM?" She asked, plumping down on the edge of the bed. Bushra smiled and nodded. 'Yes, mommy. I have."
She was so lost that she didn't hear the door open or close.
'Your husband insists that you leave now but I told him you guys aren't leaving until you have dinner," she said to Bushra. She nodded her head, her head ducked. For so many reasons, she couldn't for once just raise her head and look at his mother. She was self-conscious—self-conscious that she talked her son into signing and ridiculous contract.
'Listen, Bushra—I've been meaning to have this talk with you for a while. I can't thank you enough for the way things have turned out between you and Mahir. At first, I was so afraid he'd chase you away with his domineering and bad-tempered manner. Not every woman would want to have someone like that as a husband. No matter what he has or how he looks because, seemingly this is what matters to some women these days. But since he met you, he had changed, so much. He talks to people more often, he smiles… haha, this is something Mahir rarely does. He's just a better person, because of you." Mommy grabs her hand and squeezed it gently to show how grateful she was.
Bushra couldn't help it. She still couldn't point out how she was the one behind Mahir sudden changes. The man that acts like devil today and then pretends like he's the most innocent and loving person the next day. He's still the same man that would close the door on her, shoves her away and claims about having a breakdown to avoid being blamed.
He was hard to handle, hard to maintain—sometimes. She had thought of walking out of the marriage so many times—even more than she thought of staying with him until the duration they had left.
'I'd do anything to make Mahir a better person, mommy. And I am so glad that I've brought so much joy to the family," she said to mommy. She couldn't just tell her otherwise. She couldn't tell her how her son has been messing with her mental health and claiming that he was trying to protect her from being hurt by his bad mouth.
There was so much Bushra had bottled up—she wished to blurt out everything, maybe she'd feel at ease. But she couldn't find the courage or strength to. But it was draining her energy—faster than she expected it.
'I'm gladder, my dear. And I cannot wait to meet my grandchild one day," mommy said as she stood up. 'Dinner is ready, come down when you're ready, okay?"
She saunters out of the room, leaving Bushra in an uncurable worry. She was afraid of that—his mother talking about seeing her grandchild. They've only been married for six months, what's the rush? Aunty also talks about seeing her grandchild from them but it didn't actually bother her.
It bothers her now that Mahir's mother have spoken up. Maybe it would reach to a point where she'd get upset if she doesn't hear the news of Bushra being pregnant within few months. But before then, they'd undeniably be divorced.