Unsealed Fate

chapter 26: An Unexpected Guest

Sometimes, it is best to take a walk under people's skin and get to know them for who they truly are before jumping into conclusions about them.

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An Unexpected Guest

Late Afternoon

HANNAN

I was fast asleep and clutching my blanket, feeling cold when I felt my bed shaking beneath me. I instantly opened my eyes, feeling dazed, I thought I had been dreaming. I opened my eyes, taking a few seconds to adjust to the sun rays beaming into my room, just then I felt a pair of tiny little hands on my legs. I felt another hand shaking me back and forth telling me to wake up. 

"Aunty Hannan, wake up!" I heard Teslim's four-year-old daughter calling me. Yaseerah stood at a corner of the bedstead tapping my legs. I was about to scold her when I felt a strong push on my shoulder.

"Wake up, "My little nephew, Jaseem's voice rang in my ears, making me wince. He sat on my pillow, shaking me with all his might.

"Go away you two."  I groaned and closed my eyes, attempting to fall back asleep.

"It's time for salah." I heard him say again, this time a little closer to my ear, which made me hiss and cast him away and put the pillow over my head, ignoring the little pests invasion in my room. 

Minutes later, I heard the door slammed shut and I thought they had both left. I mentally heaved a relieved sigh, but the next thing I knew, Yaseerah was tugging at my hair. She was still around?

"Aunty Hannan, Mummy said to call you." She whispered into my ear. Somehow she had managed to climb the bed. 

"Please, go to your mother and let me sleep," I murmured and turned to the other side with my back to her, hoping the persistent little one would leave me alone, but she didn't. I told her to give me some breathing space, that I wasn't in the best shape or mood to play. I was having a throbbing headache and I wanted to sleep it off.

I wanted to scold her crossly when she became too persistent and continued to tug at my hair, turning it into a plaything, but something stopped me. Maybe it was the headache, perhaps I was too tired. My God! I felt like dead wood. Feeling awful, I turned to face the innocent-looking child. She stared back at me with her bright almond-brown orbs, wearing a beautiful and irresistible smile. She had her mother's eyes.

Awe! Why do you get to be so cute? I mentally said and feigned a crying face. She giggled at my expression and I held her by her shoulders and pulled her into my blankets, pampering her to sleep. She laughed and tried to resist, pulling out of my hold.

"No princess," I moaned, pulling her close. "Let's sleep." I kissed her forehead and I felt her resting her head against my breasts.

"Hannan!"  Teslim's voice echoed from the corridor. I instantly hated the sound of her voice and internally rolled my eyes. I pressed my eyelids together, tightening them as hard as I could. I knew she was coming to wake me up and I didn't want to get out of bed.

And just as I suspected, she pushed the door open, allowing herself and Jaseem in. I heard him running toward my bed and landed his tiny butt on my toe. I almost yelped and pushed him away but I had to keep pretending like I was actually sleeping. 

"You lazy ass!" She yelled and it was as if she was standing in my brain. "What are you doing sleeping?" She turned on the lights and I heard her footsteps approaching me. "It's past four already, you've missed your Asr Salah (prayer)."  Subhan Allah! I made sure I prayed before I climbed onto this bed, yet thirty minutes into my sleep, my room was invaded by my sister and her kids. More reasons I should get my own apartment.