Ayesha At Last(49)

“Hafsa?” he said. “What are you doing here?”

“Leaving.” Ayesha brushed past him, catching the scent of soap and aftershave.

Clara ran after her, barefoot.

Ayesha jabbed the elevator button. “How could you invite him? What are you trying to do?”

Clara wrung her hands. “I know I should have told you. Please don’t be angry. In my defence, I never said it was girls’ night.” Catching sight of Ayesha’s stony expression, she backtracked. “It was wrong to trick you.”

“I don’t even like him. Why do you keep pushing us together?”

Clara’s shoulders slumped, and she wrapped her arms around herself. “I don’t know,” she admitted. “You’ve seemed so unhappy lately . . . I’ve been so unhappy lately.”

Ayesha’s face softened, and she reached out to her friend.

“Rob and I . . . It’s been so hard. Maybe I was looking for a distraction.”

Ayesha gave her a disbelieving stare. “So you decided to set me up with the only Muslim guy you know?”

“He’s not the only Muslim guy I know. There’s Amir, and let’s not forget the very sexy Mo from Bella’s.”

Ayesha smiled, and when the elevator arrived, she didn’t step into it.

“Khalid is a good guy, and there’s something about the two of you together that just feels right. Maybe you’ll wind up as friends.”

Ayesha looked away from Clara’s earnest, open face. “I’m pretty sure he can’t stand the sight of me right now.”

“Rob made pad Thai,” Clara said, wheedling. “He bought halal chicken. Khalid will probably leave before dessert, and then girls’ night can begin again. Please.”

Ayesha remembered the hurt look on Khalid’s face the night before. Maybe there would be time between the faux-wine and pad Thai to apologize. She followed Clara back to the apartment.

Rob and Khalid were sitting on the couch. “Babe, Khalid said sugar dates are a superfood. I’m gonna put them in your morning smoothie,” he said.

Khalid looked solemnly at Ayesha. “Assalamu Alaikum,” he said. He held her gaze, looking a little shamefaced. She nodded at him.

Clara set the table while Rob brought out the food. Ayesha took a seat across from Khalid, who offered her the noodles first, before serving himself.

“You have a beautiful home,” Khalid said to Rob. “Did you move here directly after your wedding?”

Clara started coughing.

“We’re not married,” Rob said.

Khalid looked confused. “Clara informed me you have been together since university.”

Rob nodded. “There’s no need to make it official. It’s not like either one of us is religious or anything. It’s not a big deal. Right, babe?”

Clara forked pad Thai into her mouth and didn’t say anything. Khalid’s eyes rested on her.

“Marriage is not confined to a religious institution,” he said. “It is a socially accepted symbol of commitment.”

Rob laughed. “Clara said you were intense. Listen, man, we don’t need it. Clara knows I’m in it for the long haul.”

Ayesha took a bite of her noodles. “This is delicious, Rob,” she said.

Khalid was not deterred. He speared a large piece of chicken and chewed thoughtfully. “Your presence in a relationship is not indicative of commitment but rather inertia. Standing before your friends and family and pledging your love and loyalty is an essential ingredient for a long-lasting union.”

“Nah, man, we don’t need it. Besides, I hate weddings.”

Clara dropped her fork. “You never told me you hate weddings.”

Rob looked at her, surprised. “Sure, I did.”

“No. You didn’t.”

“Babe, I hate all that traditional stuff. Putting on a suit, buying shit from the registry. Everyone is so fake, and half the time the family is fighting like crazy and the couple are dead broke by the end of it. What’s the point?” Rob took a big swallow of cola.

Clara jumped up, two red spots of colour on her cheeks. “You have never—ever!—said you hated marriage,” she said through gritted teeth.

“Whoa, babe. Settle down. I said I hate weddings. Not marriage.”

“You need one before you can have the other!”

“Well, I think they’re both pretty stupid,” Rob said. “You’re getting hysterical.”

Clara looked as if she were about to explode. Khalid and Ayesha exchanged glances. “We should go,” Ayesha said.

“Thank you for the meal. I have never eaten pad Thai with ketchup before,” Khalid said.

Rob and Clara didn’t notice as they slipped quietly out the door and walked silently, side by side, to the parking lot.

“That’s two days now I’ve met you somewhere and left before finishing dinner,” Khalid said. “Are you hungry?”

Ayesha knew he was trying to lighten the mood, but she felt annoyed. Why couldn’t he just keep his opinions to himself and gossip about Rob and Clara afterwards, like a normal person? “You shouldn’t have brought up marriage,” she told him. Her stomach rumbled, betraying her.

“There’s a convenience store across the lot. I’ll be right back.” He strode off before Ayesha could say anything else.