Chapter 14 _ First Dinner at the Mirad House

Under the growing night sky, Ahmad and Aysha found themselves seated on a park bench. Ahmad leaned back, his gaze wandering into the evening horizon. With a gentle smile, he remarked, "It's about to be dinner time."

Aysha, realizing the hour, concurred, "Of course, it is."

Ahmad shared a nostalgic memory, "By this time, my mother would be calling out to me to come eat my dinner." His eyes reflected the warmth of childhood recollections.

"Oh, I'm sorry. How was she?" Aysha inquired, attempting to express sympathy.

"What?" Ahmad exclaimed, a bit taken aback. "My mother is not dead," he clarified.

Aysha, caught off guard, gasped, "Oh, forget I said that." She shifted her focus, glancing up at the night sky.

He closed his eyes momentarily, then opened them. Aysha was already on her feet. "Let's go, before my younger brothers finish dinner before us," she suggested.

"Us?" Ahmad questioned with a playful tone.

"Yes, I am inviting you to my house for dinner," Aysha declared.

"Is this an indirect way of asking me out on a date?" Ahmad teased.

Aysha chuckled, responding, "Call it whatever you wish." With that, she started walking, and Ahmad felt an instant joy in his heart. He put on a warm smile and followed her.

Exiting the park, they strolled through lively streets. Each person they passed had their own thoughts and goals, but for Ahmad, there was only one thought: Aysha. She walked beside him, her words painting different stories.

"...and my brothers, they are very troublesome; they always do whatever they can to get on my nerves," she shared.

"That must be a magical feeling," Ahmad remarked.

Turning to him, Aysha observed his expression. He seemed both sad and smiling. "What's the matter, Ahmad?" she asked.

He looked at her, "What do you mean?"

"You look kind of sad," she pointed out.

"Oh, it's nothing, really. I'm just happy for you," he explained.

"Alright," she accepted, continuing her stories. But Ahmad's mind was occupied with memories and reflections. He was genuinely happy for Aysha, experiencing the warmth of a loving family, particularly her mischievous younger brothers. Ahmad, on the other hand, was an only child. His father passed away during his childhood, and his mother, a single parent, raised him. Despite the riches and joy surrounding him, Ahmad felt a sense of incompleteness.

Ahmad and Aysha ascended the steps leading to Aysha's front door, the anticipation of a lively evening evident in their strides. Aysha, however, took a moment to offer Ahmad a gentle warning, "My brothers can be quite mischievous, so be prepared for anything."

Ahmad, with a confident smile, assured her, "No worries, Aysha. I can handle—"

Before he could conclude, the door swung open abruptly, and Aysha's younger brother launched a ball directly at Ahmad's chest. Rather than dodging the unexpected projectile, Ahmad exhibited his athletic prowess by deftly controlling the ball with his feet, transforming a potential collision into an impromptu juggling performance. Aysha, momentarily taken aback, swiftly scolded her brothers for their antics as they giggled with unbridled amusement.

Amid this playful chaos, Aysha ushered Ahmad into the house. As they entered, Aysha's mother, engrossed in the preparations for dinner, greeted them warmly, "Oh, Aysha, you're back. And you brought a friend!"

Ahmad, standing near the door, extended a courteous greeting, "Hello," to which Aysha's mother responded with a welcoming smile. In the background, Lucy, Aysha's vivacious friend, peered into the living room with evident excitement, exclaiming, "Ahmad!"

With a nod of acknowledgment, Ahmad greeted her with a slight correction, "Miss Valentine," to which Lucy playfully retorted, "It's Lucy."

Aysha, exuding a sense of pride, invited Ahmad to take a seat on the comfortable living room couch. As he settled in, Aysha's younger brother approached him with a mix of curiosity and skepticism, "You're Ahmad?"

Affirming his identity, Ahmad received a candid comment from the other brother, "You don't look the way she said you do." Lucy, ever the mediator, silenced the talkative brother, who promptly retreated with a mischievous grin.

While the playful banter unfolded in the living room, Aysha and her mother were engaged in the culinary preparations in the adjacent dining room. Aysha, knowing well her mother's penchant for inquiry, anticipated the inevitable question about Ahmad.

"He is Ahmad," Aysha confirmed, her tone infused with warmth.

The conversation shifted as Lucy, displaying her trademark directness, posed the question that lingered in the air, "So, are you two on a date?"

Quick to clarify, Aysha responded, "No, Lucy, he's here for dinner."

Amused by the dynamics at play, Aysha's mother inquired further, "He didn't ask to be here?"

"No, Mom, I invited him," Aysha explained, her voice carrying a touch of affection.

Her mother, sensing a connection, playfully teased, "Ah, you asked him out."

Aysha, with a playful eye-roll, urged Lucy to abstain from reading too much into the situation. Meanwhile, the lively chatter continued in the living room, where Ahmad found himself surrounded by Aysha's spirited younger siblings.

Lucy, ever the provocateur, couldn't resist interrupting, "He is Ahmad?"

Affirming his identity, Ahmad replied, "Yes, I am."

The other brother, perhaps having overheard Lucy's question, chimed in, "You don't look the way she said you do."

Lucy swiftly hushed him, asserting her role as the peacekeeper, and the young boy scampered away with an impish grin.

While Aysha and her mother concluded their dinner preparations in the dining room, Ahmad engaged in light-hearted banter with Aysha's brothers. Aysha joined them, and Ahmad turned to her with a half-serious plea, "Help me."

Amused by Ahmad's camaraderie with her siblings, Aysha sent them away to the living room. As the lively banter continued, Ahmad found himself amid the warmth of Aysha's family dynamics.

In the dining room, Aysha's mother greeted them, "The dinner is ready."

With Aysha's invitation to join them for the meal, Ahmad rose from the couch, and they made their way to the dining room together. The aroma of the prepared feast filled the air as the anticipation of shared moments and connections lingered.

As they gathered around the dinner table, Aysha's lively family and Ahmad, the welcomed guest, prepared to embark on an evening that promised not just delicious food but the shared joy of togetherness.