Tears of Zubaida.

•••••TEARS OF ZUBAIDA••••• •••Chapter Twenty-three•••

"Mai ciki, zaki iya azumin nan kuwa?" Yasar joked making both Hajja and Amina chuckle while Zubaida drowned her face.

It's been a week since Yasar came and the are quite alright getting along. Tho, at times Zubaida pick some faults in his jokes, because it seems like he's rubbing her pregnancy to her face. Like earlier when she was trying to prepare custard and it failed twice, as well as the third time, she was about to pour it away when he made a remark; an offensive remark.
To him, it seemed nothing but Zubaida found it really offensive.

"Matsalar yan kauye kenan sai dai ayi taimaka barnar dukiya." He grunted to hold his laughter and left the kitchen.

And now, he keeps teasing her on whether she can fast or not, she just hates his nerves. His nerves.

"I'm retiring for the night, Amina and Zubaida, I leave you both in charge of Sahur timing. And you Yasar, I want to have a word with you." Hajja said and left to her room.

"So, how many months more to your EDD?" Amina turned to Zubaida whose attention at the moment was on the television.

"Hmm?"

"You heard me right." Amina stared at her, then her bump and back to her.

"I don't know, I wasn't told." Zubaida shrugged her shoulders.

"Are you sure you go to the antenatal Zubaida?"

Zubaida was silent, trying to come up with words to defend herself, indeed, she recently hasn't been going to the antenatal.

"Never mind, when next you are going, we shall go together." Amina said.

Ruqayyah curled up to a fetal position on her bed, she was lost in her own thoughts, after her visit to Kano for the first time. She followed Baraka to one of her business trips to Kano, for two reasons; the first is to explore the city and the second to have a talk with Adam.

Her relationship with Aliyu has been improving gradually and she's beginning to open up to him, tho not much.

"Ruqayyah." Baraka called louder this time, she has been by the door examining her, she cane to announce to her the moon of the month of Ramadan has been sighted and fasting shall start tomorrow in shaa Allah when she noticed how lost she was in her thoughts.

"Y.. yes?" She answered startled. "Aunty, is everything alright?" She asked adjusting her position to a sitting position.

Baraka pushed the door and walked into the room, sitting next to her.

"Ruqayyah..." She started placing her right hand on her laps. "You need to move on, things can't continue like this."

A painful tear rolled from Ruqayyah's left eye, which she wiped and sniffed. "She's... dead, he killed her." She whispered between hiccups.

"Haba Ruqayyah, you have been saying ever since we came back from Kano, mmhmm? How can he kill a soul and that too his daughter?" Baraka tried to convince her.

"He killed her, he said he was going to kill her if I don't go back to him, I wanted to go back for my daughter's sake, just when I thought I would be able to see her again, he broke the news of her death to me." She shivered as she speaks.

"Kiyi hakuri. He has divorced you for real now, isn't it what you've wanted since, and good news, moon has been sighted. Tomorrow marks the first day of Ramadan." Baraka announced happily.

"I've seen it, thank you." Ruqayyah smiles and wiped her tears.

"You better stop those tears now." Baraka said in a serious tone.

Ruqayyah's phone beeped indicating a message from her WhatsApp.
Baraka smiles upon seeing the name that appeared on the screen.

"Do you have a story to share with me? She teased, making Ruqayyah smile coyly.

"No, I don't think so." She blushed.

"Yarannan." She shook her head and left the room.

Right on cue a call from Aleeyu came in, her phone was on silent so it just vibrated.

"Salamu Alaikum Wa rahmatul lah Wa barakatuh." He said from the other angle.

Just like that, she felt so lightened by his prayer as well as Salaam.

Zubaida tossed on the bed tiredly, she's trying to catch a sleep but Amina isn't helping with her phone call plus the way she made her voice sounded really tiny which seems like a high pitch to Zubaida's ears.

A chuckle escaped her mouth, which she quickly covered with her palms. And Amina also ended the call and joined her in the chuckle.

"Zubaida, I thought you've slept already."

"Tell me how to sleep when your roommate is making a call to her boyfriend?" She asked.

"Simple, close your eyes and sleep." Amina replied.

"As if it's easy, you need to hear your voice when you were on the call." Zubaida cackled.

Amina hummed and smiled at her phone screen, making Zubaida curiously snatched it away from her.

"Iyye." She teased, "who's the lucky guy?" She asked.

"Somebody." Amina answered flatly as she successfully took her phone from Zubaida.

"I believe..."

"Yes, he does have a name. Mu'azu is the name. Zubaida don't kill me." Amina cut her dramatically.

"What if that wasn't what I wanted to say?"

"I know you too well, that's what you wanted to say. And here's the picture of the somebody." Amina shoved the screen towards Zubaida's face.

"I can't see anything." Zubaida squinted her eyes due to the phone's brightness.

"Here." Amina sighed and handed the phone to Zubaida.

Zubaida adjusted her position and as a result mistakenly pressed the phone's power button making it lock.

"Open." She requested.

"That's it, you won't see it again." Amina lolled her tongue at Zubaida.

"Please." She pouted.

"Please." Amina mimicked and continued using her phone.

"It's not your fault." Zubaida sighed, folding her arms at her midriff.

Amina sighed and handed the phone to Zubaida. "One look and give me back."

Zubaida took the phone and tapped on the picture only to choke on her spit and release the phone from her hold.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Zubaida answered and gulped some water from the bottle that was kept on the mini fridge of the room.

"He's fine, Maa shaa Allah." She said and handed the phone back to Amina.

A wave of jealousy washed Zubaida.
No way!
Mu'azu Ibrahim Mu'azu!
I have been crushing on him.
I love him.
You can't have him. She thought and eyed Amina without her noticing before she retired for the day as well.

Glossary.

Mai ciki, zaki iya azumin nan kuwa?
Pregnant woman , can you offer this fast?

Matsalar yan kauye kenan sai dai ayi taimaka barnar dukiya.
The problem with villagers is that they only waste you wealth.

Haba Ruqayyah.
C'mon Ruqayyah.

Kiyi hakuri.
Sorry.

Yarannan.

These children.

2️⃣4️⃣/0️⃣4️⃣/2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣0️⃣

Thank you.🙏