Her growling stomach prompted Inaya to open the refrigerator. It was empty—there was nothing inside. Alfiq must not have realized that his refrigerator was completely bare. Inaya had no choice but to go to the market to buy basic necessities.
Alfiq pressed a hand to his slightly dizzy head, having just woken from a dream. Exhausted from tidying the room by himself, he had accidentally dozed off. He rubbed his still-sleepy eyes.
He glanced at the wall clock in the room. 10:17 a.m. Alfiq clutched his protesting stomach, which was demanding food. Still wearing a sleepy, pillow-creased expression, he headed for the kitchen, hoping and worrying that Inaya had prepared something for him to eat.
Unfortunately, there wasn't a single thing he could eat. The refrigerator was empty too, with nothing stocked inside. All he could do was snort irritably as he walked toward Inaya's room. His face was bright red.
“Hey, kid! Go buy some groceries! I'm hungry!” Alfiq shouted as he pounded brutally on Inaya's bedroom door.
Silence. There was no reply. Where did that girl go? Alfiq wondered, baffled. Or maybe she was asleep?
The worms in his stomach, staging a protest, made Alfiq even more annoyed when Inaya still failed to show her face. He even considered breaking down the tightly locked door to her room. He began counting down. Three, two, one!
CRASH!
Alfiq kicked down the door in front of him. His eyes swept over every inch of the room. Empty. There was no one there.
“Assalamu alaikum...” called a woman carrying a shopping bag full of vegetables.
Alfiq immediately ran toward the front door and glared at the woman who had just entered the apartment.
“Where have you been!?” Alfiq snapped.
“Sir, can't you see what I'm carrying?” The woman pointed to the shopping bag.
“Wow, how dare you talk back to your husband. You really have some nerve, don't you?”
Inaya lowered her head, too afraid to look at Alfiq as he scolded her. “I only went to the market,” Inaya explained, still keeping her head bowed. She wasn't used to being yelled at.
“Why didn't you say goodbye!?”
The woman fell silent. She had actually said goodbye to Alfiq, who had been only half-conscious because he was sleeping so soundly. Apparently, the man hadn't realized that Inaya had said goodbye to him.
“And now you're just standing there spacing out!” Alfiq yelled, making Inaya's body jolt in surprise.
“S-sorry, Sir. I'll definitely say goodbye next time.”
Alfiq exhaled harshly. Once again, the woman in front of him had called him Sir. He had been patient enough, and he was growing frustrated with the forgetful woman.
“I'm not your father!” Alfiq raised his voice again, nearly shouting.
Inaya cursed herself for still not being used to Alfiq. “Sorry, M-Mas Alfiq,” Inaya stammered.
A smile bloomed on Alfiq's full red lips. It was faint, but he still couldn't stop himself from smiling. He found his wife's bashful way of addressing him amusing.
The woman looked adorable when she blushed shyly. Wait, adorable? Are my eyes getting worse? Alfiq berated himself inwardly.
“Whatever. Hurry up and cook. I'm hungry!” Alfiq called as he walked back to his room.
Inaya respectfully nodded. “All right, Mas.”
She quickly opened her shopping bag and searched for the vegetables she had bought. Her hands moved deftly and carefully as she chopped several vegetables.
She also arranged the refrigerator, putting away the groceries she had just bought at the market. She felt pleased as she looked at the refrigerator, now full of food. She wouldn't have to struggle whenever she wanted to cook or felt hungry. Then she continued cooking.