Chapter 21: Chapter 21
Dashtan was just about to knock on the door of a room when his cell phone rang, immediately reaching into his pants pocket.
“Mom?!” he muttered in surprise then answered the call.
“Hi, Ma,” greeted Dashtan who held his curiosity on the tip of his tongue.
“Ash, where are you? Meet mom at the restaurant near Merlion,” she told his mother matter-of-factly. Dashtan turned toward the door and beckoned Rakia to follow him out of the boutique. Rakia gave the man a confused look but followed him anyway.
“Now?” asked Dashtan.
“Yes, now. Don’t be long, I have something to talk to you about.”
Hearing that, Dashtan was suspicious of the conversation her mother wanted to have. After hanging up the call, she sighed and looked at Rakia.
“We’re going to Monti,” she told her. Rakia was confused as to why they had to go there.
“Why, where’s your mom?” Rakia spit out her curiosity.
“My mom called me to Monti, I might as well take you.” Hearing that, Rakia immediately looked at her current appearance. Not decent at all. Black jeans with a uniform shirt of Daily Singapore reporter.
“My clothes are not decent, I should at least change,” Rakia said as she looked at Dashtan pleadingly. Dashtan also noticed Rakia’s current appearance, it was true that at least the woman was wearing decent clothes when meeting her mother when introduced as a prospective daughter-in-law.
“Alright, then I’ll take you home first, I’ll wait.” Rakia nodded her head in agreement and then they rushed to Rakia’s house. Along the way, Rakia tried to overcome her nervousness, honestly this seemed to be the first moment for her to be introduced as a prospective daughter-in-law, after it had previously happened about a few months ago. Her mind was immediately distracted by her canceled wedding that had passed almost two months ago. It could be said that she was quite successful in her escape here as time flew by, even though the pain was still so pronounced and pent up at the bottom of her heart.
Adeline greeted them when they arrived at the woman’s house. She invited Dashtan to sit in the living room while Rakia immediately went up to her room to change.
“I won’t be long,” she promised, to which Dashtan nodded with a small smile. Rakia took a quick shower and then chose an outfit, she decided to wear a pale pink knee-length chiffon dress patterned with small flowers and a V-shaped collar. Rakia polished her face with simple make up, wore the right earrings and then wore higheels that were not so high but were able to make her legs look long. Once ready, she went downstairs to meet Dashtan.
He was waiting unaccompanied in the living room, after Adeline had talked to him for a while before going inside. When she saw her daughter’s elegant appearance, Adeline took the opportunity to pry for information.
“Are you going out with Dashtan?” Somehow she was not as talented at prying for information as a detective. She didn’t know how to ask small talk questions. Rakia smiled awkwardly then nodded, her cheeks seeming to warm up even though she didn’t have a fever. Adeline was surprised.
“Since when?” she asked again and Rakia gestured to hold back all of the woman’s curiosity.
“I’ll tell you later, I have to go, Ma, bye,” Rakia said as she walked away after giving Adeline a farewell peck on the cheek. Her steps slowed as she entered the living room where Dashtan sat pensively with her forehead resting on her hands, her elbows resting on her thighs.
“Hi,” greeted Rakia who instantly averted Dashtan’s gaze. And the man was again stunned by her. Dashtan gulped faintly after looking Rakia up and down. His mind automatically played his wild imagination as a man. But he remained gentle and quickly walked out of Adeline’s house to the car.
Silence accompanied their journey as they headed to Monti, the Italian restaurant they had visited before. Rakia walked after Dashtan, slightly behind the man. As they approached a table with a woman who was no longer young but still looked fresh and fit enough for a fifty-year-old woman. The woman wore a cream-colored kaftan, a veil covering her hair up to her neck and hanging slightly over her chest. Dashtan greeted her politely, then introduced Rakia. The woman she called mama was a little surprised by Rakia’s presence. Rakia shook her hand politely.
“I didn’t know you had a date,” said the mother who was still surprised. Dashtan smiled.
“Actually, she is not just a date, we are planning to get married in the near future.” Dashtan’s words raised the volume of her mother’s surprise to a higher level. She looked at her son and Rakia in turn and a smile spread across her face.
“Are you serious, Son?” she asked in disbelief. She knew her son had been traumatized by a relationship after being left by his ex-girlfriend and fiancée. Rakia was momentarily embarrassed with a smile. Dashtan’s moment and words made her blush.
“Oh, that’s good, I thought I’d have to help you find a woman again, turns out you’ve already found one,” said her mom as she looked at Rakia with a bright smile. They ate dinner together with different topics of discussion, but everything just flowed and Rakia was able to keep up with the son and mother who apparently had an intense closeness. After a dinner full of chatter, the woman named Afifah went home first, escorted by her driver. They both stared at the woman’s car that was getting away. Dashtan turned to Rakia standing beside him who was still staring at the direction his mother had gone.
“Why don’t we go to my house? We can talk about the contract there,” Dashtan suggested, to which Rakia nodded.
“You live in this neighborhood?” asked Rakia in amazement. Sentosa is one of the elite residential areas that has house prices that can make your eyes widen in horror.
“Yes, I live here, although I often go back and forth to Dubai but because my company’s headquarters are here so I decided to buy a house here,” Dashtan explained. Rakia nodded. They arrived at a modern house with a glass front wall. Dashtan got down first as Rakia unbuckled her seatbelt and opened the door. He offered his hand for Rakia to hold as she got out of the car. Rakia observed the surrounding atmosphere including the house that currently stood majestically in front of her.
“Do you live here alone?” asked Rakia curiously.
“Yes, but from morning to evening we have a maid who comes to clean,” Dashtan replied. Rakia was mesmerized by the feel the man’s house offered on the inside. Elegant, chic and clean. There wasn’t much furniture to make it seem more spacious, but the furniture seemed to fill the void in every corner of the house. She followed Dashtan to the living room. Rakia approached a black piano in the room.
“Do you play the piano?” she asked, her gaze fixed on the large object and her fingers gently brushing the surface.
“Yes, some musical instruments, to relieve the boredom of work.” Dashtan watchd Rakia who seemed enthusiastic about the piano. Rakia had a hankering for Dashtan to play another one but she remembered her purpose here.
“Where are we going to discuss the contract?” Rakia moved away from the piano and approached Dashtan who was currently standing near the sofa.
“In my workspace, come with me,” Dashtan invited which Rakia obeyed without arguing.