The Wasted Bride

New Life Arwaa

Attention, please!!

For a chapter set in Canada, consider it his conversation with English yes & ️

And thank you for your previous support 🤗 💕

***

Arwaa's daily routine is helping out at the bakery owned by Aunt Claire who is the younger sister of Catya, Arwaa's mother's alm.

Arwaa lived it with great pleasure because she really likes to make bread and also small cakes. If when in Indonesia, he also always makes cakes for his favorite little girl.

He closed his eyes and raised his head to hold back his tears. Always like this, the longing for the homeland and his family there must have succeeded in making his mood gray.

Not that he is not happy here, just that yes, he must be able to adjust to where he lives now.

If you are wondering if Arwaa is experiencing culture shock, the answer is Yes.

The first time he set foot in the largest city in the country famous for maple trees, he did not know the time difference between Indonesia and Toronto, so he was confused when it entered prayer time. Not to mention it was December which meant winter.

Arwaa of course was amazed when he first saw the snow but he was also frozen and recommended to rest for a week because he was not used to the cold temperatures there that could even reach minus 40 degrees.

But over time and also the support of the closest people, Arwaa can pass it all well, even he is now starting to be fluent in English and a little French, he said, because some people in Canada, especially in the city of Montreal use French.

Of course, there are also difficulties as a Muslimah in a country that supports religious pluralism with a majority of its Christian population.

He often gets cynical gazes from people who meet him, not to mention the many vandalism done by people who are not responsible for the mosques there.

Even so many people were friendly to him, especially the customers of his aunt's bakery who always gave small gifts in the form of handkerchiefs, knit hats, and scarves.

"Arwaa will leave tomorrow for Toronto's Jami mosque with Sean alone, let him deliver bread and cake orders for your community event."

Arwaa stopped her activities that were dipping the bread storefront.

"But don't I have to work first?"

"It's okay, you aunt give me one day off."

Aunt Claire squinted her flirtatious eyes making Arwaa giggle amusedly.

"Mom, stop it! You're already old."

Arwaa laughs more and more to see Sean, his cousin, who is none other than the son of Aunt Claire, complaining about being hit by the mother.

"You're jealous if you're with Arwaa."

A red hue imprinted on Sean's face, he glares at his mother.

"Don't talk no Ma'am" Sean said, occasionally stealing glances at his cousin, who shook his head and smiled at him and his mother.

***

As Aunt Claire said yesterday, Arwaa is currently on a trip with Sean to go to Toronto's Jami Mosque.

At the mosque is being held a gathering of friends for Muslim women in Canada. He is so happy today because he can gather with his community friends. Arwaa joins The Muslim Association of Canada (MAC) which is one of the largest Muslim communities there.

"Goddessa..."

Arwaa smiled waving as her eyes caught the figure of the red-hooded girl walking towards her with a thin-bearded man next to her, when she had just gotten out of the car.

"Assalamu'alaikum." Say two people at the same time.

"Wa'alaikumsalam Naina, Mehmet's sister."

Arwaa smiled and hugged Naina who had already stretched out her hands first.

"I thought you were coming in the afternoon."

"Aunt Claire's on leave, so I can come in early and drop off orders for today's event." Arwaa.

"Who is this?" Mehmet asked the man next to Arwaa.

"Oh, this is Sean, my cousin. And Sean, this is Naina and Mehmet's sister, my friend." Arwaa introduces Sean to her friends.

"Hallo."

"Hi."

Arwaa and Naina smiled at the interaction of the two men.

"Yes my brother and Sean will take this order to the mosque hall, you go in first."

Hearing that Naina instantly pulled Arwaa and waved at Mehmet and Sean.

"Yes. Assalamu'alaikum."

"Wa'alaikumsalam."

Only Mehmet answered the greeting because Sean was not a Muslim.

***

"Mother...!!"

Arwaa was shocked when a pair of small hands hugged her from behind as she was chatting with her community friends. Slowly Arwaa turned her head back and closed her mouth in disbelief to see the figure of the little girl who almost two months ago missed him.

"MashaAllah dear."

Arwaa and Hanna hugged each other tightly releasing the longing that had long nurtured. The people there stared confusedly at Arwaa, as well as Mehmet, because they knew Arwaa was not married.

"Mother Hanna missesuu..." Lirih Hanna's.

"Mother misses too, doth miss Hanna."

Arwaa kissed Hanna's forehead sincerely making the man standing not far from them smile happily look at her.

"Who's arwaa is that?" Ask Naina.

"My brother in law's daughter." [My brother-in-law.]

Arwaa replied in English so as not to make Hanna sad. He had to talk because he didn't want any misunderstandings.

"She called you mom tho?" [But he calls you mom?]

"Her mother passed away when she still a baby. So she thought of me as her mother, and I don't think it, because I love her too." [His mother has been dead since she was a baby. So she thinks of me as her mother, and I don't mind either, because I love her.]

Naina was oozing before her eyes rounded looking at Arwaa surprised to realize something.

"Wait, Arwaa you married?"

Ah, her brother would definitely be heartbroken.

Arwaa smiled knot.

"Well, I don't know for sure. Everything just complicated, that's why I'm asking for your parents present. There's a lot I want to make sure of."

Naina could not feel relieved for Arwaa's answer, because she had not got the answer she wanted.

Naina and Mehmet's parents are the administrators of Toronto's Jami mosque. They are also an ustadz graduate who always gives regular religious studies every week.

"Arwaa, Assalamu'alaikum."

Arwaa looked back at the sister of her husband.

"Wa'alaikumsalam mas."

Arwaa nodded politely which was replied with a smile by Attalaric.

"Daddy..."

Hanna stretched out her hand asking the father for a sling.

"Waah Hanna's grown up still likes it on Daddy's cradle turns out." Tempta Arwaa made the little boy hide in the Attalaric neck and giggle amusedly.

"Why don't you tell me if you want to come here?" Tanya Arwaa was worried in case something happened to those two people in the biggest city in the maple syrup-producing country.

"Hanna wants a surprise for you."

And of course himself...

"Well then Hanna's surprise dong. You don't think Hanna and Daddy can be here, but last night when Hanna video calls mom, Hanna is still at grandma's house."

Hanna smiled proudly to hear that she managed to make a surprise for the mother.

"But how do you know I'm here?"

"Uncle Jhonny told me."

Arwaa nodded her head in understanding. He took Hanna and Attalaric to sit at the table before bringing some dishes to enjoy together.

Arwaa chuckled amusedly at the sight of Aldair's niece who was enjoying her food so voraciously.

"Hanna was hit by jetlag so refused to eat because of nausea. And Alhamdulillah finally here he wants to eat, maybe because there's also a bundle ." Attalaric ambiguous.

While Arwaa just smiled faintly hearing it.

"Dad, Mother, and Mas Razi, how are you?"

"Thank God they're good, but yeah mom sometimes likes to cry when you remember."

Arwaa's face turned soft. Of course, not only her mother-in-law who longs, because she also misses all things in the country.

"When almost every day you know that mom calls me the same Hanna." Arwaa forced a smile when she wanted to cry. Ih, whiny.

"Yes, his name is also dear."

Me either...

Arwaa was stunned to hear it and for a moment looked at Attalaric who was also smiling gently at him making him instantly turn his face.

"Pulse... Mas Genta how's mas?" Arwaa looked down when she asked.

Attalaric clenched his lips slightly dislike Arwaa asking about the man who had locked him up and also tortured him.

"Dunno." [Do not know.]

Arwaa looked up at the sister-in-law who seemed to concern herself with the food in session, as if reluctant to discuss about her sister.

Aah, she felt bad for asking this man about Aldair. Arwaa did not think it turned out they had not made up.

"Sorry, I..."

"You're not wrong to ask about her Arwaa, just rest assured that the man is fine, especially now that he already has a child."

Arwaa smiled wryly at the words of her sister-in-law. True, her husband must be happy because Fani has given birth and she can soon marry the woman he loves.

"If I'm not okay."

Arwaa raised next to her eyebrows confused at Attalaric's sudden remark.

"I mean, I'm not okay because I'm confused about having to calm down Hanna who asks you every day."

"Eeh sorry," said Arwaa scratching her non-itchy nape.

A red hue crept across Attalaric's face, he cursed himself for speechlessness.

On the other hand, there was a man who did not like to see the closeness of Arwaa with Attalaric and Hanna because they looked like a happy family.

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