It was Sunday.
Another work or school free day. A day of worship for our beloved Christian brothers and sisters. Another day to spend with family and friends. Another day to rest.
That day Fahad had been excited since he woke up in the morning, his face brightened up with a smile as he remembered the meeting he had planned with the lady he met at the park. He didn't intend to go on Sunday as he had planned to meet with a client but he had the business meeting cancelled so he could meet with his fine lady. He would usually go back to sleep after fajr (morning prayer) but today, he didn't. He couldn't afford to be late at the very first meeting. Fahad had pancakes with caramel and black coffee that fauziya had prepared for him, pancakes were his favorite especially when made with his mother's recipe.
He took a bath at seven, apparently his sister had already picked out the cloths she wanted him to wear, saying that she knew exactly how to make a first impression last long. It was just a simple dark blue loose jeans and a white T-shirt. Fahad didn't see how such a simple clothing would make a first impression good but his sister always knew what to do at the oddest of times.
By eight, Fahad had already left home and was heading to the park, unlike Farida who remembered that she had to meet someone only when she was having breakfast and recollecting the memories of the other day.
"Oh shit." Farida exclaimed, earning a glare from her mother.
"What now." Seema asked her, she's always hated it when someone cursed.
"Sorry, I just remembered that I have to take the children to the park."
"Why so early?" Ali asked.
"Well, ajwad will be meeting with the new friend he made yesterday. The boy's father and I planned to meet at the park in two hours and I'm still sitting here, munching on toasts." Farida said and Maryam laughed.
"Who's ajwad?" Maryam asked.
"My son. Oh I forgot to introduce you to them. They slept early last night, they're still sleeping but I'll wake them up and bath them, then you'll be able to meet the twins." Farida said, making Maryam widen her eyes in surprised. She bet Sudais didn't know he had children.
Soon, she was done with her food and got both azrah and ajwad ready. She planned to drop azrah at Nanny Esther's place because seema had mentioned going to a friend's house with Ali and Maryam would go to the sagirs to cook for them. There'd be no one left to take care of azrah at home. Poor azrah didn't want to go to the park after exhausting all of her energy there the other day.
Farida was left to lock the door as everyone had gone out before her. She got to the park an hour late and met Fahad who had been there an hour before the time they had planned to meet.
Fahad was seated in his car outside of the park, he waited patiently for her. At a point, he lost hope and thought she wasn't going to show up but he decided to stay until twelve in the noon.
He spotted the woman he had been waiting for at the entrance of the park, his eyes had started to get drowsy but it snapped open When he saw her. Little faysal had already played and slept off in the back seat of the car. Fahad slipped out of the car and picked up his son. He threw faysal over his shoulder approached farida. She stood right at the middle of the park and searched for Fahad and his son, she prayed that she would recognise him in case he didn't spot her.
Fahad walked up to her with his heart hammering against his chest, he feared that he might get rejected by the young woman. He stood behind her and debated for a while, he didn't even plan how to talk to her. He wasn't really good with women, he's never tried to get a girls attention before. Even his marriage with the one woman he's ever loved was arranged, he learnt to love his deceased wife after their marriage.
Farida turned suddenly when her nose inhaled a male Cologne, she knew the owner was right behind her. She almost crashed into him.
Fahad's ears turned red with embarrassment, she had caught him before he could say anything and now she would think he was some kind of a pervert.
"Hello Farida." Fahad greeted.
"Oh hi." Farida replied, not at all bothered about how he stood very close behind her.
Faysal woke up as he heard the greeting, he lifted his face from his father's shoulder and looked down at his new friend. Ajwad had been looking sadly at his friend when he saw that he was sound asleep but overjoyed when he saw faysal wake up.
"Hi!!!!" Ajwad chirped and waved at faysal.
Faysal wiggled his legs profusely, demanding to be set free and his father put him down. Faysal ran towards ajwad and enveloped him in a warm hug. The parents smiled down at their kids and Farida let out a little giggle which made Fahad look at her in amusement.
"Shall we go over there?" Fahad said, pointing at a large tree at the other side, it would be a great place to sit and have a good conversion. Beneath the tree were grazed grasses, thankfully Fahad always went to the park with a mat, he knew that it would come in handy somehow.
"Go ahead, I'm coming." Fahad said and ran back to his car to get the mat. Apparently, Fahad brought along snacks and drinks from his favorite restaurant.
Farida held ajwad and faysal by their hands and lead them to the direction Fahad had pointed. They sat on the soft delicate grasses and waited for Fahad, the two boys played around and Farida watches Fahad approaching.
They smiled at each other when their eyes met, something her made him want to be part of her life. Fahad laid down the mat and they sat at each end.
"I brought snacks as well." Fahad said, showing her the plastic shopping bags, there were five of them. He thought azrah would be around too.
"How thoughtful." Farida replied.
"I haven't seen azrah." Fahad noticed.
"Yes, I left her at a friend's place. She didn't enjoy this place yesterday, it was their first time coming here." Farida replied.
"Poor thing, she must had been exhausted." Fahad grimaced.
"Very. She slept so early last night."
"Sadly, I hope you didn't get caught in the surprising rain yesterday." Fahad decided to start a new conversion, hoping that she would get comfortable with him
soon.
"It caught me at a friend's house, it was already late at the time so I couldn't wait until it's over." She replied.
"Didn't she offer you an umbrella?"
"Oh, she did but I didn't want to take home what doesn't belong to me. To make things worse, when I got home, I had to stand by the door for like five minutes." She bemused.
"Trouble with the key?" Fahad asked, maintaining eyes contact which she had been trying to avoid.
"Not really, mom wasn't in the living room, she didn't hear me shouting. I had to Call her phone, and my phone was drenched in the rain. Yesterday was a remarkable day for me." She said.
It was a remarkable day for Fahad as well, he would never forget the day he met her. Fahad smiled to himself.
"We should get you another phone, there's a phone shop nearby." Fahad suggested, more like requested. He would bring up any excuse so they could spent time together.
" Dad took it to a repair shop and gave me his other phone to use for a while." She replied and glanced at the kids. The two were jumping on a trampoline, their joyful voices ringing in the air.
"Dad? You live with your parents?" Fahad asked the question that had been in his head since the other day when he heard her talking to her mom on the phone.
"Yes, unfortunately." Her smile fell and she looked away from him.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you." Fahad said after he noticed her sudden discomfort. she looked like she was going to cry, the veins on her forehead shoot out as they always did whenever she was tensed.
"He died." She said. Fahad understood how she felt, he went through the same fate.
"I'm sorry, may Allah grant him jannah." Fahad said.
"Ameen, thanks." She replied with a smile and wiped away a single tear that fell on her cheeks. Fahad felt bad for making her cry but it was also a relief to him that he wasn't flirting with a married woman.
"My wife died as well." Fahad said and sighed. Farida looked into his green eyes for the first time and noticed the sadness in them.
"I'm sorry, may Allah grant her jannah."
"Ameen, thanks." He repeated what she said earlier and laughed, she laughed as well.
"Its already noon, let's call the kids to eat." Fahad suggested.
"Yes." Farida replied but deep down she felt nervous. How could she eat in front of a man she barely knew. As if he was reading her mind, Fahad turned around to give her some privacy while she ate and fed the boys.
Anyone who passes by them thought they were a beautiful family.
***