WHATEVER, POLICE OFFICER

Three.

ADAMAWA STATE, NIGERIA.

"Ruuu!" Adeelah Muneer ran to embrace her older sister upon their arrival into the Babagana compound.

"Adi!" Ruwaidha hugged her back with the same enthusiasm if not more. The duo stay glued for a whole minute as if reminiscing good old memories with just the hug. They have tears leaking from the edges of their eyes making Ahmad wonder why the sudden tears.

"I missed you so much, Ru." Adeelah is the first to move, she stared at her sister from head to toe as if amazed that she is really there with her. It's been twelve years since they've last seen one another face to face. That was when Adeelah's husband agreed that they should go to Texas for a visit.

"I missed you too, Adi. Like so so much you have no idea." Ruwaidha beamed before directing her eyes to the two children standing behind Adeelah quietly accessing everything from behind. The kids have grown so much from the last time she's seen them!

"Oh my, don't tell me this is Aalia and Ziyaam!" Ruwaidha's beam brightened even more, it glimmered with sheer astonishment of what she is seeing in front of her. There is no doubt, children grow up so fast when you don't want them to.

"Yes, that's Aalia and Ziyaam in front of you. All grown up huh?" She smiled adoringly at her children standing so politely like guards. They were so excited to meet their cousins and Aunt just hours ago but look at them, all polite and quite. She chuckled, those kids are more mischievous than ten year old kid.

"Wow, they sure grew up into beautiful and handsome fellows. How many hearts have you both broken so far?" She winked but the kids blushed at her question, she move ahead to hug them while chuckling. They are so cute looking like twins when they aren't.

Aalia is the oldest being eighteen years old while Ziyaam currently rocked seventeen but they are like twins at each other's throat everyday. Ziyaam grew taller than Aalia and started to think he is older than her too which isn't the case. That is his prospect at this age though, it is going to change pretty soon after reinventing himself from highschool.

"Good afternoon, Aunt." They greeted in unison after pulling away from the hug. They only get to talk to her through calls and face time but never knew her after they grew up. They were just kids when they last saw her, her memory faded along with her with time so they are being meticulous now.

"Ma Sha 'Allah, so beautiful." She smiled and move aside to introduce a stoic looking Ahmad that totally forgot his manners to greet his Aunt and have a friendly conversation with his cousins like he's seen people do. He's never talked to them during those phonecalls, he evaded them like a plague and rather wallow in his room researching.

"Ahmad, why are you standing there on guard? Come over and say hi to your Aunt and cousins." She beckoned him with her hand, yawing her attention to Zafar who is hiding behind Ahmad's strong long sturdy legs. The little guy isn't comfortable with stranger, she get why.

"Good afternoon, Aunt." He bit his lips hoping he's said the words right and didn't make any mistake. His eyes are down casted, that is a sign to show he respects someone. He never worries about greeting anyone since they don't have much relatives there in Texas. Even his father's relatives live in California, they don't see them often.

"Ahmad, you have grown taller! I haven't seen you in how many years now and look how you grew so handsome. Ah, Ma Sha Allah. Is there any woman now?" She wiggled her brows, he could only slip off a ghost smile and shake his head. Any woman? Ha, what a joke!

"This one is now allergic to women I'm telling you. Maybe we should just merge him with Aalia so we can brag." Ruwaidha jeered from behind, taking Zafar up in her arms so he can stop being afraid of the people he is going to stay with for awhile.