As soon as they stepped inside, the rich aroma of simmering sauce and freshly baked bread wrapped around them like a comforting blanket. Mrs. Noble, Henry's mother, who had been lounging on the couch with Bella while the TV cast a soft glow across the room, looked up, her eyes lighting with recognition.
"Good evening, Mom," Henry said, striding across the room and pulling her into a warm hug.
"Evening," she replied, her gaze falling on the two girls standing shyly by the door. She lifted a hand in a gentle gesture. "Come here."
Hesitant at first, Zari and Hina stepped forward.
"Good evening, ma'am," Zari greeted with a polite smile.
"Evening, my Zari! How are you girls? Come, sit here. And you must be Hina—make yourself at home," Mrs. Noble said warmly, motioning toward the couch where Bella had been perched. Hina eased herself onto the cushions beside Bella.
"Zari, you promised to visit me last week… what happened? You didn't show," Mrs. Noble asked, a playful frown knitting her brows.
"I've been busy, ma'am, but now I'm here," Zari replied, a small smile tugging at her lips.
"Enough with the formalities—call me Mom, okay?" she said. Zari nodded obediently, while Hina rolled her eyes at her friend's earnestness.
"I kept asking about you. Henry kept saying you were busy—didn't you tell her, Henry?" she asked. Henry just shrugged, a sheepish grin on his face.
"Henry told us you were coming. I'm preparing some sauce; Eric went to fetch bread. It's not much, but you both need to manage," she said, smiling.
"Bella, go take their bags to your room," she added. Bella, standing by the door with a bright smile, nodded enthusiastically. "On it!"
"You girls will be sleeping with Bella. If there was a spare room, I would have asked you to use it, but there isn't. Please, make yourselves at home. Don't mind the tight space," Mrs. Noble said, her tone warm but matter-of-fact.
"Thanks, Mrs. Noble," Hina replied, sinking comfortably into the couch.
"Don't mention it, dear," Mrs. Noble said, her eyes lingering on Hina with a touch of pity. Despite her attempts to focus on Zari, her glances kept returning to Hina, as if she sensed something unspoken. Hina knew exactly why—Henry must have told his mother about her arranged marriage.
Soon, Bella returned and sat close to Hina. Mrs. Noble's voice rang out. "Is the food ready? Go check!"
Hina stepped into the kitchen, lifting the pot. "Here, hold it with your left hand; I'll take the right," she said.
Bella hesitated, curiosity sparking in her eyes. "Are you and Zari related?"
"Yeah… she's my twin," Hina said casually.
"Oh, I see… you're both gorgeous," Bella said, staring at them.
"Don't believe that nonsense about us being twins," Hina said with a smirk. "She's my best friend. But, I guess we're 'twin-ish' in a way."
"Ah, alright," Bella said, still studying them.
"Here you go," Mrs. Noble said, placing everyone's sauce on the table just as the door opened to reveal Eric.
"I was about to ask your sister, to go call you, Eric maybe we'll have to spread a mat there next time u went to get bread again, for you to sleep on," she said sarcastically, still focused on the pot.
"What happened to you?" she heard Henry says, and soon she turned to see Eric's bruised face and torn clothes.
"Oh my goodness," she gasped, dropping the spatula.
Eric just dropped the bread on the floor and slammed his room door shut.
"Eric," Henry called softly.
"Eric…" his mother called again, but there was no answer. Forcing a smile, she picked up the bread and placed slices on everyone's plates.
"Hina, Zari, please eat. Don't mind, okay?" The girls nodded, and Mrs. Noble stood, motioning for Henry to follow her maybe to give Eric food by the look of it.
"So, do you guys like the sauce?" Bella asked, her eyes bright with excitement.
Hina smiled. "Yeah, it's delicious. Thank you."
Bella laughed. " I was the one made it, I'm not that great at cooking, you know. When I first came, seeing how terrible I was, Mom dragged me to the kitchen." She leaned back, sighing dramatically. "By the way, how does it feel being in a day school? Mixed school, too… my school's all-girls Catholic boarding. No boys to… mess with."
Hina and Zari exchanged glances, trying not to laugh.
"The last time we tried sneaking out, we got caught by the reverend sister, and the purnishment was huge for me and my friends, Ugh, I would have loved to go clubbing! Have you girls ever gone clubbing? And… you're both so beautiful. like u Zari, you're gorgeous!"
Bella paused, a mischievous grin spreading across her face. "If I were that beautiful, I'd have like five rich boyfriends, dumping each every week. Why settle for one when you could have lots? Rich ones, of course."
"I just love that you're with my brother. If you ever marry him, at least the babies won't be ugly—I'll be a one-of-a-kind aunt," she said, standing up and then sitting back down.
"Please don't tell Henry we had this conversation," she added before walking back to the kitchen..
" Let me go arrange the room so u girls can come sleep " Bella says as she walked off
" Are u okay ? " Zari asked on seeing the worried expression on Hinas face.
" Am fine, I just feel weird out, wondering why they would want to marry me off, I mean nevermind" Hina says standing up from her seat she was about walking to the kitchen to drop her empty plate, when zari pulled her for a hug.. for the first time she didn't push the girl. Her eyes almost well, but she M's fighting it as she hugged the girl back.
" I don't know what I would have done with out u Zari I know I didn't tell u this I love you " she says.
" I love u too bitch, " Zari said and both girls giggled.