BEING YOURS

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

Amira shot her eyes open, her breathing fast and heavy. She's completely covered in sweat and she sat up, said the isti'adha thrice and spat to her left. Her whole body was trembling from the nightmare that seemed so true, so real.

What's happening to me?

She left the bed and straight to the bathroom, had a shower and kept thinking about the horrible dream.

Someone died, but who? It wasn't Ali, that she's sure of then who? The death shook everyone, Ali was down in the mud, even she couldn't get a hold of herself. The dream was still clear in her head but she tried to block it, reminding herself that it's just a dream but it's just too real.

Not minding that she's in the toilet, she kept mumbling adhkars, just any one that reached her tongue. After her shower, she performed wudu and said a double unit prayer, sought for protection from Azza wa jal against any form of evil.

She couldn't get herself to go back to sleep afterwards because anytime she shut her eyes for long, she'd fear that she'd have the same dream again.

The adhaan for subh met her still on her prayer mat and only after praying could she get some sleep again.

* * *

"Mum's there?" Khalil sought from the line, his voice anxious.

"You should come over, with Abeedah and the kids."

"But man... that woman's trouble man."

"She's still your mother Khalil. Dad wants you to come over even if it's just for a day. You can't keep running from her for forever. Moreover I heard she's planning on coming back."

"For good?!" He exclaimed.

"Dad said she'd be spending more time here so I guess she'd still be going back from time to time."

"This is the worse news I've heard in years!"

"C'mon, just a day. I know it won't be easy but just try okay?"

Khalil huffed, didn't say anything for awhile. "Okay I'll talk to Babes and see if we can make the trip today or tomorrow."

"Alright then, call me when you decide." And he hung up.

Ali threw a light tee over his jumpers and left his room, making to go to his father but stopped as he passed by her room.

After deliberating, he approached the door and placed a knock. There's silence and he knocked again, said a salaam. There's still nothing and he turned the handle, peeped in first.

She's lying on the prayer mat, deep in sleep and dressed in a vest and baggy pants. Her hijab was lying lazily on the bed and that made him believe that she'd said her prayers. He checked the time on his phone and it's already past nine in the morning.

Not wanting to wake her up, he closed the door slowly and headed to the main building. He met Yusuf with some guests that obviously came to see the Lamido and they threw salutations his way which he mumbled brief replies to.

He furthered in and as he reached the living room, could rightly tell that the brother and sister were having an argument again. He still went in and all eyes turned to him, then Aunt Zulaikha hissed.

"You should be ashamed of yourself Sulaiman, I can't believe after everything Umma did for you you still show no respect towards her."

Ali seized that moment of silence to give his greetings even though he knew his aunt wouldn't answer. He made to go to his grandma's but the Lamido stopped him with a question.

"You talked with Khalil?"

"Yes. He said to call if he fixes a date for the trip."

"You better tell him not to come where I am especially not with that daughter named after that witch_"