Chapter 2: Babysitting

Zahraa thudded loudly around the house. This child did not get tired.
“Kareema” she cooed suspiciously.
“Kareema Im coming to get you” “Kareeeeema , where are you.”
Just then she saw a movement flash by and heard a soft muffle of giggles. Quickly, but quietly, she followed the sound. She was in the lounge now, tiptoeing gently so she wouldn’t be heard. The lounge was a mess with pillows and toys scattered across the floor. On the couch she noticed some movement. Quickly she lunged forward and landed next to Kareema who was trying, unsuccessfully, to remain hidden on the couch. “Gotcha!” she screamed excitedly.

Kareema laughed hysterically. Unable to talk yet, she mumbled unintelligible little words. Then she put her head beneath the pillows in the attempt to hide away again. Zahraa was just about to pretend to look for her again when the phone suddenly rang.
Hafsah was on the other end, checking to see how her daughter was behaving and calling to let Zahraa know that they were on their way home. When Zahraa put the phone down she informed little Kareema.
“Ok Kareema” she said in her baby voice.
 “Mummy and daddy are on their way home. Time to clean up now.”

Hafsah and Suhail had decided that they were in desperate need of some alone time and had thus commissioned Zahraa to babysit for the night. 1 and half year old Kareema was always full of energy and Zahraa was the one who could get along with her best. From reading her favourite stories over and over again, jumping on beds and couches, and playing hide and seek; Zahraa was by far her favourite. And Zahraa was never shy to admit that she absolutely enjoyed all the quality time she spent with her little friend.

Zahraa and Kareema started picking up the scattered toys and pillows and placing them where they belonged. Then Kareema, bringing her favourite book, indicated that she wanted Zahraa to read it for her. They were halfway through the book when Hafsah and Suhail arrived home.

“Mummy and daddy are here!” Zahraa screamed excitedly for the benefit of Kareema. Ecstatic Kareema started jumping up and down screaming “mama mama mama”. Hafsah, who was not used to being away from her daughter, practically ran into the house, scooped Kareema into her arms and plastered her with big kisses. “I missed you so much” she said to Kareema. “I missed you all the time my little girl!”

Zahraa smiled at the sight. Suddenly she had a flashback to high school, thinking about the Hafsah she knew back then. That Hafsah, on one occasion when they were having a conversation, had boldly claimed that she didn’t intend on having any children. She was convinced that she would be a high profile career woman who, in her words, wouldn’t have time for nappies and drooling. Now, looking at her longingly hug and kiss her daughter who she had been away from for just two hours; she couldn’t help but smile at the way life had turned out.
After Hafsah and Kareema were done with their reunion, Suhail went to settle Kareema down as Zahraa joined Hafsah on the stoep for a cup of coffee.

“Thanks so much Zahraa” Hafsah said appreciatively. “I think, for the sake of our marriage, we just needed to get out a bit. Sometimes everything just gets a bit too much you know?!”
“My pleasure!” Zahraa replied. “You know that its never a problem to babysit her right, she’s so much fun, really.”
Hafsah smiled, thinking about her daughter. They spent the next 5 minutes or so talking about the cutest things that Kareema had recently done.
“What about you?” Hafsah said to Zahraa. “How’s that long list of proposals coming along? Have you managed to come to any firm decisions?”
“Yes,” Zahraa replied. “Ive decided to give up on all of it completely. I’m just so tired of it all. Really, I don’t mean to complain about it but the more guys that come to propose, the more I’m convinced that there is nobody out there who is meant for me.”
“Oh come on,” Hafsah said encouragingly. “I’m sure they not all that bad”
“They’re not bad”, Zahraa replied, “well some of them are anyway, but most of them are pretty decent guys. But it just never works out. When I think that I’ve found one that might match me, then he turns out to be not interested. When I find an interesting one that I think I might get along with, well then, he opens his mouth and proves otherwise.”

“Do you know” Zahraa continued “that one guy basically told me that he already liked me, even though he didn’t even take the time to say anything else to me, since I wasn’t like all the ‘uglies’ that he’d seen before?”
“You’re joking” Hafsah laughed. “What did he mean that all the other girls he’d seen were ugly looking or what?”
“Ja” Zahraa said “that’s what he meant. “He kept on looking at me and repeating. Very nice, very pretty! Very nice very pretty! He was actually kind of creepy.
Hafsah, who had no clue what Zahraa was going through, sympathetically smiled. “Come on Zahraa” she said “Just hang in there, Allah will make it easy for you, insha Allah.”
“I know” replied Zahraa. “I know that Allah makes it easy for me, that’s why I really don’t like complaining. I mean you must hear the horror stories of some other people, mine is not even half that bad. So what am I crying about right?!”
“Right!” screamed Hafsah half jokingly half encouragingly. “You can do it Zahraa! Hang in there!”

A short while later Zahraa was headed out the door when Hafsah stopped her. “Seriously though Zahraa” she said softly. “Don’t worry about anything. Allah has a plan for us all. Someday you’ll get the one that you were meant to marry and then it’ll all be worth it.”
“I hope so.” Zahraa said to Hafsah before greeting and heading home.

Not for the first time that night Zahraa though about Zaheer.