Miss World Or Miss Akhirah?✔

Chapter 34: The Wedding Fatiha

Uncle Nour's Pov! (Who missed him? Definitely me!!!)

"Urhmm Nour I have been meaning to ask you something" Aheed said nervously. We exchanged numbers with Aheed, Mukhlis' brother when we went to the later's gaisuwa (condolence). Since then, we had been in touch. He came to a seminar in Sudan, contacted me and I invited him over for lunch.

"Sure go ahead," I looked up from my food.

"Urhmm urh I wa..want.. urhm to sta..start." I raised my eyebrows at him.

"Man are you alright? Why do you sound so nervous?"

He cleared his throat, then in a clear but shakky voice said, "I want to ask for your advice before doing this. I want to start seeing Rukkaya. I don't know how to say this but I want to marry her. Do you think I have a chance?"

I immediatelty dropped my fork and sat upright. When he saw my face, his expression changed to a sad one.

"I don't, do I?"

I shook my head. He let out a fake humorous laughter.

"Why am I always late?" He hit his head on the table.

"I am sorry, her wedding is in the next two months in sha Allah," I said.

"Yeah, it's okay. I will just try with someone Umma finds for me,"

"Hameeda is there. You can wait for her for a few years to finish university," I joked.

He laughed and then changed the topic. We talked about everything ranging from politics to cars to football and the rest. After we prayed magrib at the Masjid, he headed back to his hotel. We said our goodbyes as he was leaving for Nigeria the next day. I promised to vist him when I go back there.

I had a warm bath and picked my laptop to continue my work when I heard my phone ringing. I looked up from my laptop and strechted my hand to my bedside drawer picking up the phone. Looking at the ID it was my dearest niece, Hameeda.

I sighed ashamed at myself. I had been wanting to check up on her but because of how caught up I had been with work, I hadn't got the chance. You know that moment when you really want to call someone and you get caught up with something and don't call and then the person calls you first? And no matter how much you will tell him/her you have been planning on calling them they will never believe you. You will have no other choice then to make sure you call them first next. I kept contemplating whether to pick the call or not. I could just pretend that I didn't see her call and then call her later. After three rings, I decided to pick it.

"Assalamu alaiki Amumu!"

"Wa alaikumusalam Uncle Nour," I heard her voice from the other side.

" My pretty little baby niece. We haven't talked in forever. How have you been?"

"Yes we haven't. You don't care about your niece these days. Anyways I am fine. What about you?". I was already feeling bad and she was just making me feel worse. I couldn't wait to finishthese work and have time for my family again. I just hoped everyone was doing fine. Assuming they were not, I would never forgive myself for not checking up on them regularly.

"I'm really sorry Amumu. I am just so busy. I care, you know I really do," I said softly.

"I miss you,"

"I miss you too Azeezaty, I will come home soon in sha Allah,". I heard her intake of breath, it was like she wanted to say something but then decided against it.

"Rukkaya and Umar have decided on a date".

"That was what Yaya told me. I am so happy for them. Alhamdulilah. We have a wedding to start preparing. I am going to dance Skelewu and Shoki. That reminds me. Guess who is my newest friend in town. I know you can't guess. It is Muhammad Aheed, Mukhlis' brother. We are so close now. You can't believe what we discussed some hours ago. He told me he has an interest in Ruqy and asked whether she was seeing anyone. You have to see his face when I told him she is and her wedding date is even set. He almost cried. But I told him Hameeda is single. But wait, about the wedding, how far with the preparations, I can't wait to come and join you......".