They walked to the hennah place with Hajia Ladi's daughter accompanying them. Islam was able to admire the nature a bit as she found herself walking around the town her mom used to be a part of once. She would never forget what her dad did!
The hennah lady started with Husna by applying red hennah on her hands; putting it around her fingers, then followed by Islam.
The red one got dried and they removed it. Islam must say that's a terrible waiting though. Like you needed to wait forever before getting the hennah to dry off.
Soon they started doing black hennah on Husna's hands. As they were doing it for her, she asked to be sure if Islam had made up her mind about the black hennah, because Husna thought red would have been enough for Islam due to her sensitive skin and obviously since she has never tried it before.
"Are you still in for this Islam?"
Islam smiled and nodded.
The woman was really fast in doing it. She painted Husna's nails with black. And once she's done with her she moved over to Islam. In less than five minutes she was already done flowering Islam's hands.
Islam realised she didn't paint her nails like she did for Husna. But Islam wanted to paint her nails black too.
"I want the black hennah on my nails too." Islam said.
"It might pain you." The lady answered her.
But Islam insisted so the lady thought; 'customer satisfaction first!' Hence applied the black hennah on Islam's nails.
Alas! It hadn't been three minutes when Islam's fingers started paining her.
Usually one thing about black hennah is, it won't be painful while being applied till it's done, then one will hear pepper!
When Islam realised her fingers were actually paining her, she refused to talk.
Later on Husna started seeing Islam flinching and pressing lips.
"Are you okay?" Husna asked worried.
Islam just nodded, forcing out a smile.
Minutes later she started crying and throwing her fingers in the air. The flood gate in her opened. She kept crying. Husna became so worried. And the worst thing; both Husna's parents weren't at home when they left the house. It was just Juhaif. They told no one they were coming to the hennah place to paint Islam's nails black! Husna knew she was in for it today!
She looked at Islam worriedly.
"Please stop crying, it will stop paining. Where exactly is paining you?" She asked.
Islam's face full of smudged mascara and eye liner all over, managed to voice out, "my fingers." Before she continued wailing.
The henna lady got worried as well, "that's why I said I won't put it on her. Because her skin looks very sensitive and fragile, but she kept persisting. I know it must be the nails paining her." She said to Husna. "I'm so sorry." She added.
"But she's not from here right?" She asked Hajia Ladi's daughter as she nodded at her.
"This won't work. We gotta leave now. We gotta go home." Husna finally uttered.
Lucky enough the hennah didn't take much time to dry off. It had already dry off. They didn't even wait to wash it when they scurried off home.
Once Husna got home she was greeted by her parents, wow they are back! And will get to see Islam in such a crying position! They were both sitting in the parlour along with Juhaif. Husna knew it's her lucky day today. The irony of it!
Islam that had been wailing managed to use her veil and cover up her mouth so that no sound will escape, but to no avail. She was gently walking behind Husna as they tried making it to their room when Aunt Kaula called them back.
A crying guest will surely be interrogated on coming from outside with a mascara stained face! Evidently Aunt has noticed Islam's face and knew she was crying.
As the duo approached the sitting room where everyone was sitted, they saw Islam's face and actually saw how reddish it looked, so they arouse to their legs and began asking what's wrong. And right there Islam felt the pain intensifying. It's like the pain was saying you haven't felt anything earlier, that was just a joke and now the real pain will start.
"What happened to her?" Aunt Kaula asked. While Juhaif's worried face and squinted eyes kept observing Islam. And Dad was looking attentively at Husna waiting to hear what she would say, thinking Islam had an issue with Nigeria in general and maybe wants to go back home.
"She puts on black henna and now it pains." Husna declared and gulped saliva.
"What does that mean? Islam doesn't know the hennah house!"
That was Aunt about to lose it on Husna. The latter didn't dare say anything.
"Why would you even take her there in the first place?" Aunt Kaula sternly asked Husna.
"Husna didn't want me to go, I was the one that insisted, she kept asking to be sure, she's not at fault, I just thought I was strong for this... I only needed to do something that will bring me closer to my mom's culture." Islam cried.
Juhaif felt something tingled in his heart, he felt sorry for her, he pity her, losing a mom is not easy.
Everyone was mad at Husna. Aunt Kaula glared at her. And made way to hug Islam. She gently made her sit down. When she realised she didn't even wash it, she glared at Husna again. "Will you go ahead and wash it for her or keep standing there?"
Husna helped Islam wash the hennah. She thought applying vaseline might help maybe. But they didn't bring vaseline due to the nature of their packing. She quickly got to her mom's room and got it before applying in on her, laying emphasis on her nails.
"I'm so sorry Islam." Husna said worriedly.
When she locked gauze with Juhaif he was mad at her as well.
"Why would you allow her even if she said so, since you know it hurts? I mean I know she's stubborn, but still!" Juhaif said clearly irritated.
Husna opened her mouth to talk when her father got to her rescue "please it's okay." He said to both his wife and son that kept sending daggers to Husna.
Oh she'll forever love her dad! Husna said to herself.
By the time Husna glanced over at Juhaif she was sure she saw his eyes welled up with tears, but then he quickly blinked it off. She had no idea what that was. But it really looked odd to her.
However, if life was okay for Islam, she would have spend time with her dad on face time keeping him up about her paining while nails, but no, life was everything but okay!
YOU ARE READING
Falling For Grumpy
General Fiction"What's your name?" Came his voice "It's Islam" she said carefully. Why would her voice betray her? That wasn't suppose to sound so anxious, but it did. "Kidding. It must be ruiner!" He spatted and left, leaving her standing. *** As he's the defi...
