Falling For Haneef

8.

Opening my eyes slowly to meet the interior of my room, my mind starts to boot slowly with one particular question running round my head.
How did I miraculously end up waking up in my comfy bed when I vividly remember myself falling asleep in Saleem's car, on his thighs?.
He probably didn't want me to wake up so he carried me into the house when we got home and I didn't even notice. I can sleep heavily sometimes.

It's 6:00pm, the sun is setting. I wash up in my bathroom, ease my self and find my way to the balcony with my phone to take in the cool air after changing into a much more free baggy spongebob shirt and grey knickers, noticing that it hasn't been long since the rain actually stopped.

I still haven't packed for our trip tomorrow, but I still need to talk to Daddy first. I won't be able to concentrate on anything if I don't get to talk to him first. He should be coming home soon and luckily, neither Ameerah nor Habeebah are at home to listen to our conversation wherever we are.

A gentle knock on my door reaches my ears from the balcony and I walk back into my room to check who it is.
Our new replacement for Barakah, Safiyah.
She's much more older than Barakah, this one looks old enough to be a mother of two. " Erm, Aunty Zakiyah, the cooks said I should ask you what they should prepare for night food" it's been a while since I've cooked, I still have to start packing sha. " Make yam and egg sauce"

" Okay toh" She answers and turns to walk away as I close the door of my room gently. We have two flights to catch tomorrow, the one to Lagos and the one to Dubai.
I really can't wait to see Dubai.

Taking my medium sized blue suitcase from my studio, I unzip it and begin to carefully fold clothes for 4 days, without the dress I'm going to be wearing for Ameerah's event. We're going to see tons of places there so I stuffed my box with trousers, sneakers, sandals and comfy skirts with some abayas and kimonos. I know it's too much, but I like to have my choices and be prepared as well.
Besides, I want to make sure I look my best around my baby.
Feels so weird to say that, but sure, I'll soon adjust. I fold a few veils, ready my black high heels ankle strap shoes with faux fur, it will go perfectly well with the dress Ameerah is resizing for us, she said its mint green and white. I arrange some underwears and sanitary pads in my box, some shades, I have a thing for shades and luckily, they love me too. I'll throw in some famous Amos cookies in my maxi handbag later, I can't live far away from them.
My toiletries will go into my maxi handbag later and my skincare kit as well.
That should be all.

Next thing I have to do is to write an announcement on Instagram saying my online caligraphy store will be closed until next week Friday, I need some time off. It's not as if I always have customers sef.

Since my data is on, I record a voice note to update my girls about all what I learned today. There's this rule we have to always update each other about any slight thing that happens in our lives, that's how our friendship has been blossoming right from childhood.

Daddy's horn resounds from the gate outside and I advise myself mentally to let him rest before bombarding him with all the questions in this life. I call to check up on Saleem but it rang twice and I got no response so I send him a few loving texts to check up on him.

" Baby, can I come in?" I hear Daddy ask from outside my door. He's also eager to talk to me as well. " Sure" I answer and watch as the door opens up gently to reveal a strikingly handsome figure of my father. " How're you?, how was your trip?" He asks while walking in to sit on the bed beside me. " Well I am fine and my trip was enlightening"

"Enlightening I see" Daddy answers after breathing heavily. " Did you know that Habeebah is Bipolar?, like she's a devilish psychopath" I ask and watch him slowly nod, avoiding eye contact with me. " Haba daddy, you know she's crazy so why did you bring her here now?" I snap, obviously angrily. " Do you know that she stole all of Mr Abdulmalik's money, left him broke and even faked Ameerah's death!?. Haba now, you've seen the attempts she has made to harm me, why did you even bring her here in the first place when you know that she's bipolar" He avoided my gaze throughout my rant and I'm left to take deep breaths while waiting for him to give me a logical answer that I really can't seem to think of.