Match Made in jannah✅

CHAPTER 23: BABE

ABUJA, NIGERIA.

     Ayman didn't know why hajiya babba had decided to come with Asma'u but the moment he saw her, he knew there was a foul play somewhere. He knew hajiya babba wanted him to marry Asma'u so she must have used Muhammad's sickness as an excuse to get Asma'u into his house. Of course he knew his mother would never agree to this but no one had a say when it comes to hajiya babba, not even his father. The way Asma'u had been smiling at him and trying to gain his attention annoyed him to no end, he just wanted to have a moment of peace with his mother and tell her about all the weird things that has been happening to him, about the weird feelings he is having for Maha. He still couldn't bring himself to accept the fact that he might be falling in love with a woman who isn't Aisha, that is a pill he can't swallow. The feeling was too overwhelming, he didn't feel this nervous and anxious when he had realized that he might be falling in love with Aisha but with Maha it was completely different. She made his heart race and flutter the way Aisha had never done, talking to her about Aisha had helped quite alot because now he felt as though a heavy burden has been lifted off him. For the past three years, there had been something weighing him down and stopping him from moving on from Aisha's death, when he had talked to Maha about Aisha he felt as though the thing that was weighing him down had been lifted off of him but now he couldn't seem to understand the feelings he had for Maha, he couldn't stand to see her tears nor could he stand her sadness. When Asma'u was looking at him and smiling he felt upset, he didn't want Maha to see her looking at him like that and Ayman felt his dislike towards Asma'u intensify because of the fact that he didn't want Maha to misunderstand the situation. He had left the living room and went to his room, he had barely sat down when he heard his door being pushed open. He didn't care because he knew it was Maha, she was the one who usaully barged in as though she owned the place, not that he was complaining though.
"Ayman." That voice, it didn't sound like Maha's sweet and melodious voice. Without even looking he already knew who it was.
"Get out." He said without even turning to look at Asma'u. He didn't even know where she got the audacity to barge into his room and still be standing inside his room when he had told her to get out. Did he smile too much in the living room?
"C'mon Ayman, let's talk." Asma'u said as she moved even closer to him on the couch, she brought her hand forward and tried to touch him but Ayman grabbed her wrist before she could touch him and he stood up from the couch angrily.
"I said get out!!" Ayman roared, he was raging and he didn't even try to hide it, why would she try to touch him? He was sure hajiya babba didn't tell her to do this, because hajiya babba is still old fashioned and if she was to hear this then she would begin to hate Asma'u. It was clear that Asma'u was scared but when she heard the sound of the door opening she immediately clutched Ayman's shirt. Unfortunately Ayman was too slow in reacting back and Maha had already caught them in that compromising position, he immediately released her arm and yanked her off.
"Wait, Maha i can explain. This--" Ayman caught himself off when he noticed the smile on Maha face, from the looks of her eyes she was hurt, really hurt but she still smiled, a bittersweet smile. He was about to speak again and explain when Maha spoke, what she said rocked his world so hard that his brain shut down for a few seconds.
"Babe." Maha said and her smile became geniune, the hurt in her eyes were gone and it looked as though they were couples madly in love with each other.
"I didn't know you were in here." Maha said, she hugged his arms and rubbed him it comfortingly and then....... she pecked his cheeks! She pecked his cheeks, she pecked his cheeks?! Ayman eyes widened at the feeling of her soft lips against his cheeks, he turned to look at Maha and her sweet smile was still on her face and then she turned to look at Asma'u.
         Maha looked at Asma'u from head to toe, disgust evident in her beautiful green eyes.
"I thought she was your cousin, i didn't know she was among your shameless admirers." Maha said mockingly and Ummita chuckled also mocking Asma'u.
"How dare-"
"Get out." Ayman's face was back to being dangerously calm, his eyes and facial expressions were so calm but she knew better than to believe he wasn't angry. She knew what would happen if she pushed him any further than this so she glared at the green eyed woman silently telling her that this wasn't over yet but Ayman wrapped his arms possesively around her waist and she leaned into him, laying her head on his broad chest. Asma'u glared at Ayman's arms on Maha's waist before she left the room, she wanted to push Ummita and wipe off that smug smile on her face but she knew she couldn't. Not just was her husband rich but even she had her own crazy fortunes.
"Start explaining." Maha said as soon as she was sure Asma'u had left, she released herself from Ayman's hold and crossed her arms over her torso as she glared at him.
"You two are a weird couple." Ummita said as she chuckled softly, she understood they needed privacy to talk things out so she left the room after closing the door.
"Listen it's not what you think."
"So what's it, if it's not what i think?" Ayman sighed heavily as he rubbed his face with his palms, he seriously didn't know how to start explaining and he didn't want her to misunderstand the situation.
"I didn't tell her to follow me, she just came on her own. I even thought it was you because  she came in without knocking as though she owned the whole place, just like you usaully do." Ayman was hoping his explaining would help but it didn't instead it only worsened the situation because Maha's glare on him intensified. Ayman carefully traced back his words in his mind to know if he said anything wrong but he couldn't find anything wrong that he said.
"I-is s-something wrong?" Ayman stammered, he was shocked! How could a mere glare from a woman make him feel this nervous, but he knew he is only nervous for fear that she would misunderstand, but still! That isn't enough to make him stammer!
"Something? Everything is wrong!" Maha said as she raised both her hand and gestured furiously around all the room like a nagging wife, Ayman looked around the room to see if there was something she didn't like in the room but he found nothing. So what could it be?!
"I barge in without knocking?!" Maha said dramatically, Ayman released the breath he didn't even know he was holding and sighed in relief. She really is petty, she was angry because he said that? Abruptly Ayman burst into a fit of laughter.  Maha was spellbound as she stood there looking at his magnificent face, she had never seen him lauging so carefree. She didn't know he looked so handsome and otherwordly when he laughed.
"Well sorry but that's what you usaully do." Ayman said when he had finally managed to control his laughter, Maha managed to snap out of her daze and rolled her eyes even though she wished he didn't stop laughing. She wished she had captured that moment so she could look at that drool worthy view everyday.
"You're making fun of me?"
"Sorry." Maha nodded her head and the room became awkwardly quiet.
"So that girl.." Ayman chuckled softly before he replied.
"I knew you would ask me. Come sit." Ayman said, patting the space beside him on the couch.
"She's my cousin." Ayman said and he watched as Maha rolled her eyes, he had said that deliberately so he could see her reaction. They both already knew she was his cousin and he knew she wanted to confirm if the girl is in love with him.
"She is just a clingly admirer who won't let go." Maha nodded her head slowly and then she replied.
"And hajiya babba wants you to marry her?" Ayman nodded his head, he wasn't surprised that she had managed to figure it out and hajiya babba wasn't even trying to hide her dislike for her after all. The past few months he had spent with her had made him realize how intelligent and cunning she is, she is just like her mother. The only difference was that she hid her intelligence and cunningness behind her cute, innocent face while her mother didn't care to hide it, you could even say she is flauting with it.
"But i promise you, it's not what you-"
"I know." Maha cut him off and then she flashed him a bitter smile.
"You love Aisha way too much to cheat on her." Maha said, he could see the hurt in her eyes as she said that but there was nothing he could do to comfort her, absolutely nothing! He felt so helpless, he didn't like seeing her like this he wanted her to be happy and he wants to be the reason for her happiness, the reason for her cute and adorable smile everyday, the reason for her green eyes to sparkle and twinkle with utter joy. But he couldn't do that, he had never made her smile, he had only been responsible for causing tears in her beautiful eyes. It was all his fault!
........

               Maha twisted and turned in her bed, it was already midnight but she couldn't sleep, it had been so hard living without using those drugs but because of her strong determination she had managed to avoid it, all thanks to Ayman. It was now that she realized that she had been lying to herself when she said she wasn't addicted to the drugs because she was! The first few weeks without out those drugs had been hellish and utterly miserable. Beads of sweat gathered on her face as she continued twisting in bed, it had always been this way whenever she didn't take the drugs. Breathing heavily she stood up amd left the room, she drank water but she collasped on the floor before she could enter her bedroom. She lay down on the floor, hugging her knees as she kept chanting some words to herself.
"It was a mistake i didn't kill him." Maha kept chanting those words to herself, she didn't know how long she lay there but she was awokened when she heard the sound of Ayman's room being opened. She watched as he walked out of his room majestically but when his eyes settled on her figure sprawled on the floor, he turned the light on and immediately rushed towards her. He scooped her up in his arms and then he sat down on a sofa with her still in his arms.
"What's wrong?" Ayman whispered as he cleaned the sweat on her face. Maha didn't answer and she kept chanting those words as though they were some sort of mantra.
"It's okay, you can do this you don't need the drugs." Ayman said as he kissed her forehead, he already knew the effects that drug had on her and she would always chant those words whenever she felt traumatized. Both of them sat on the sofa, as they hugged each other and closed their eyes. What a broken person needed to heal was another broken person and Maha and Ayman were a living proof to that. After a long while Maha finally spoken up.
"You also can't sleep?" Maha asked, her voice was hoarse so she cleared her throat, her long and slender fingers drew imaginative figures on his broad back.
"Yes." Ayman replied in a whisper.
"Why?" Maha whispered back, they were talking as though there was another person in the living room they didn't want to hear their conversation.
"I feel restless."
"Why."
"I want to talk to umma but i want her to get some rest first." Maha chuckled and she tilted her head back to look at him.
"You can be cute at times you know." Maha said as he pinched his jaw, Ayman said nothing and only rolled his eyes.
"Imagine a grown man feeling restless because he wants to speak to his mummy." Maha said teasingly and they both chuckled.
"You are such a tease." Ayman said as he gave her head a harmless knock, Maha snorted and then she rested her head back on his chest. The living room was silent as they both listened to each other's steady heartbeats and then Maha spoke again.
"So tell me..." Maha paused as though contemplating whether to say it out or not.
"How does it feel getting your mother's love and attention?" Maha asked, she really wished her mother was like Samira, even Samira is a business woman but she still makes time for her children so why is Mariam different?!
"The feeling is amazing! It's the best feeling in the whole world."
..........

        Ayman knocked on Samira's bedroom and when he heard her permission to enter, he pushed the door open and entered with a taslim. He greeted her and then he sat down close to her awkwardly.
"Are you okay?" Samira asked when she noticed the way he sat, he nodded his head indicating he was alright.
"Do you need something?" Again he shook his head indicating he didn't need anything. Samira sighed heavily not knowing what to do anymore but then he spoke up.
"Can i lie my head on your lap?" Samira was speechless, it had been years since he last laid his head on her lap, after his tenth birthday he refused to do it anymore saying he was now a grown man. She felt bad but she couldn't do anything because even Aminu supported him and said he was indeed a grown man.
      Aymam scratched his head nervously when he saw his mother's reaction, he knew his request sounded absurd but he just wanted to lay his head on her lap and tell her all his problems just like he used to do when he was still a child. After sometime, Samira nodded her head, Ayman immediately lay his head on her lap and crossed his hand on his stomach and stared at the ceiling just the way he used to do before.
"So what's wrong?" Samira asked as she began to massage his head, Ayman sighed heavily as his gaze on the ceiling intensified as though the ceiling held some solution to his problem.
"My mind is so complicated, i don't know what i want." Samira smiled softly as she watched her son.
"You don't know who to choose between Maha and Aisha?" Samira asked and Ayman nodded his head.
"There's nothing to choose Ayman. Aisha is your past and Maha is your present and future." She saw the way a frowned appeared on his face and his reaction only made her smile again, making her look 10 years younger.
"You will regret it if you let go of Maha." Ayman chuckled when she said that.
"Even aunt Farida told me the same thing."
"Because that's the bitter truth."
"What if i make a mistake? I am not even sure of my feelings for her, i don't even know what i feel for her."
"You might not be sure but i am. You love her Ayman."
"I love her." Ayman echoed back his mother's words to himself, he was torn between accepting it and denying it.