Second - Matrimonial Date

Alizeh's POV 

Suddenly the doorbell rang.

"Kia, wash your hands properly"

"You are definitely upset, Mommy," She said stepping up on the wooden stool and washed her hands in the sink.

I wanted to tell her to stop understanding me! That she isn't that old to understand me.

I walked to the door hastily and opened it.

"Hi Ali, Woah! Are you going to a fancy-dress competition? Because you look like a Panda with that smudged eyeliner and you might get the price too" Anna said controlling her laughter which I can notice.

"Shut up Anna" I hit her off. She laughed. Anna is my neighbor. She lives two blocks away from mine.

"Look what I brought for you and the little one, " Anna stepped in holding a small basket of food.

"Anna aunt" Kiara ran to her happily.

"Hey, little one look what I brought for you," Anna said giving her the basket. Kiara peeked inside the basket and smiled widely.

"Strawberry pancakes!!" She chirped.

Anna gave her the pot of pancakes and then looked at me smilingly. Her eyebrows furrowed immediately as she noticed a nervousness on my face.

"What happened?" She asked. I sighed walking to my room.

"Blunder happened," I said in a stern blank tone.

"Oh is that so? Don't worry I will help you" Anna said pushing me towards my room.

Since I have shifted here to live, Anna has always been helpful to me. I have always seen an elder sister in her. She has loads of information about dating and matrimonial stuff.

She is unlike me, a divorcee without a child. After her divorce, she has gone on uncountable dates. We vibed well with each other for this reason, as she is being still single. Though she has this tremendous hatred towards men. Her past relationship with her husband did not go well. Her infertility mocked her respect and for that, she got blamed by her husband and his entire family.

Initially, she did try to reconcile with him but he did not reciprocate. He left her and never looked back at her again. It made her so much angry that she started hating men but still she kept on going on dates till the date.

"Makeup is an art and you are my darling just need a right Picasso to understand this art!" She gestured at my body. ''You don't need any makeup. You are a born sculpted beauty. Just look at your boobs" Anna said. There she goes again. Giving compliments so I can feel better.

"You are just saying this to cheer up my mood, and where are my boobs?" I said touching my chest. They are been invisible while I kept waiting for them to grow. Well, it's the opposite to say about my lower body. I have been blessed with the pear-shaped.

Who even decided such shapes in the name of fruits?

"It's nice to have a small pair of..." Anna cupped her hands in front.

"Stop it, Anna. Now don't start the anatomy topic again" I said. I don't know why but it has made me somewhere insecure.

"You know you can implant," She said.

"Is there any option of Smart-brain-implant because you need it" I replied.

Anna looked at me dramatically.

"Look at that sassy attitude, that's like my Ali."

She slapped on my booty. I flinched and rubbed it shaking my head in disbelief.

"Come on, don't be so modest. Appreciate yourself. You look beautiful than you think." She said picking up the straightener.

"Every woman is beautiful Anna," I said.

"Yes but very few have a heart like you" She took some strands of my hair and styled them.

"Then why one has to do so much artificial work on face to impress a date?" I asked her. She laughed animatedly.

"Trust me today's date might go longer" She winked at me.

I huffed hearing her words.

"I am not looking for this date to take THAT turn, Anna," I said in a hushed tone.

"Oh, you leave it. You will get to know when your date will keep staring at you!" Anna patted on my shoulder. Her lips twitched when she noticed the powder stains on my shirt. But hearing her words I felt good thinking about it.

"Ahh, you are blushing already. I don't think I need to use any blusher on you" Anna said. I couldn't help but laugh at her cheesy lines.

"Anna, how do you still go on dates? Didn't you say you hate men?" I asked her.

She gave me a look. "Yes I do hate men but not the sausage they carry"

I closed my ears after hearing such words. I hate it when she compares male body parts to any food item. The sausage is officially ruined for me.

"Honey when I say I hate men, my swords are only pointed towards my ex-husband,'' She told me. I closed my eyes as she put the tip of the eye brush on my eyelid.

"And I am dating because I also have needs. Every woman has, isn't it?'' She poked on my shoulder. I shook my head sideways murmuring NO. She laughed. My family has a magical ability to change every need into matrimony.

Feeling alone? Get married. Feeling sad? Get married. Want to go for a world tour? Get married. The phone is not working, get married. In their eyes, being a single mother is a crime.

"It's fun we can get until we hit menopause, at this age I don't think I will get a man to settle down" She huffed.

These scientific biological changes in a woman's body have always terrorized me.

"Don't say that Anna. I am still single" I said worriedly. She has touched to forties and her experience in dating is higher than mine. Whom I am even comparing myself? She laughed. "Don't worry. You are young, thirties aren't old. It's a new cool between. Many men are there who wants to date older women for the experience."

She sang the last part. I sighed," And who am I? A mouse kept for an experiment? I really don't want to be a part of that"

She laughed and poked me, "And what if you like someone younger than you?"

"I don't know. Mum has chosen this guy for me and I couldn't say because she would have eaten my head."

"I don't understand your mother sometimes. Why marry when you can date?" She said.

"Because marriage is the ultimate destination. Open the doors of your heart for someone who wants to be with you, grow old with you." I told what I used to think before now I feel marriage has just become a game of two without love.

She groaned. I could notice a hint of disagreement with me but I wanted to tell her that she is a wonderful woman. Love can knock at her doors at any age. I am sure to be hopeful enough that one day she will get her perfect man. There is no doubt that she is compassionate and even at her age, she is the prettiest.

"Done honey'' She said putting the liner brush back in the bottle. I opened my eyes and felt getting blew away by the makeup on my face. I couldn't help but stare at myself for a moment. A minimal amount of makeup just like I wanted. Those perfectly winged eyes were indeed looking eye-catchy.

"Mommy mommy" Kiara ran to my room holding a plate of pancakes. Some of it was on her face. She looked at me.

"Wow mommy, you look beautiful," She said.

"Compliments has already started," Anna whispered in my ear.

I shushed her.

"What is it, Kia?" I asked my daughter who was still in her morning clothes.

"Do you want some pancakes? They are so delicious" Kiara said taking a mouthful bite of one. My mouth watered but I can't eat them now.

"No Kiara baby, " Anna walked at her. "Your mommy will get pancakes from someone else," She said. I gave her a look.

"Someone else? Who?" Kiara asked me.

"Uh Kia, have you brushed your teeth? Have you showered?" I changed the topic swiftly, walking to Anna. "Anna, not in front of Kia please" I whispered to her. She mouthed Okay to me.

"Well, never mind" She quickly picked a pancake from Kiara's plate.

Wow. These two ate those delicious-looking pancakes in front of me.

"I won't be home for a while," I looked at Kiara she nodded her head.

"Perhaps till night" Anna added. I gave her a look.

"So don't irritate Anna behind me. She will drop you at Granny's house. Behave like a good girl there. Okay?" I looked at Kiara waiting for her reply.

She pouted.

"Today is Sunday. Where are you going, mommy?"

Her sudden question made me go baffled.

I looked at her for a while thinking what should I tell her?

"Your mommy is going on a ..."' Anna was about to reveal when I cut her.

''Extra work'' I glared at Anna while she was controlling her laughter. I shook my head showing disbelief to her. All she is having fun of me.

''If you need anything call me'' I told Anna.

"That won't be happening especially you will on a date!" She said in a loud voice walking with me to the door.

''Don't announce like this Anna. I don't want anyone to know about it'' I murmured peeping outside. The corridor looked empty.

''Ahh, I and Kiara will be fine together. I will drop her at your parent's house. You just go and have fun. Have you taken your phone?"

She asked. I peeped in my bag.

"Check"

"Car keys?"

"Check"

"Lipgloss"

"Check"

"Condoms"

"URHH Shut up Anna" I threw a

disgusted look at her. She laughed at me.

"All the best for the date," She squeezed my arm.

I smiled at her and left them behind.

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