Labiba

Chapter 10

So this was supposed to be part of the last chapter but I didn't know I've written more than I wanted to write for a single chapter until I'm like 2k more words into it, so I decided to cut some part of it. Sorry for having two chapters with Salims POV when we really need to know what Labiba is going through also. ❤️

Chapter 10
Salim's POV

Upon arriving in the area, I'm already nervous out of my wits. But what's there to be nervous about? This is Labiba, right? She'd either just ignore my presence or bite my head off. There's no in between with her. Personally, I'd prefer the former because that's what I'm going to do.

We meet Farouq and Sulaiman waiting outside while the women have already taken in the bride. We stay outside to chat for a few minutes and between banter and a lot of teasing, I forget the fact that I was nervous just a few minutes ago. The elderly women that took in Labiba make their way outside and we thank them, taking that as our cue to go in. Suddenly, my palms are getting sweaty all over again.

We meet the girls in the living room and I'm thankful that she was not moved into the room directly when they brought her. We sit down as Farouq starts talking with a prayer and a few pieces of advice here and there, nothing that'd make Labiba lose her mind.

"So," Salma starts with a grin on her face. "Nawa za a siya bakin mu?"

"Ai ku zaku fada." Walid says, looking like this is what he's been waiting for all week. "Sai dai mu gaskiya amaryar mu-"

"Hold on, ba amaryar ku bace yet." One of the fraternal twins speaks up. "Am I right?" She turns around looking for support from the other women and they nod in unison.

"Yeah, we've not handed her over just yet." The other twin says and Humaira jumps in.

"You guys have to pay for that."

"Anything for our boy, right?" Sulaiman says as he bumps my shoulder and puts his hand in his pocket, bringing out two bundles of N500 and handing it over to one of the twins. "Please, you may now open your wife's face."

I stand up with shaky hands and all the ladies stand up from Labiba's side to give me space. I sit beside Labiba on the loveseat and look around at the rest of the guys and they all look uneasy as if I'm wasting their time. Walid has his phone out and he's recording this but I don't like the idea of them shouting on our behalf after I've opened her face. "I'd rather do this while we are alone." I tell them and they all whine in protest but I shrug and take Labiba's palm in mine. Her hand feels so cold against my warm one and I don't know why that calms me. "Please give us ten minutes." I stand and pull Labiba with me to what's supposed to be her bedroom.

As soon as she knows we're out of our friends' view, she removes her hand from mine and I let her. As we enter the room, I do the needful and take off the laffaya veil from her face. She doesn't look like she has been crying but the look on her face doesn't exactly scream happy. "We should pray." I tell her and she doesn't protest. It looks like she's temporarily tired of fighting.

"I came in with my ablution." She says and I nod as I go into her bathroom to perform my ablution and I must say I admire the setting, which is Salma's handwork because these weren't here yesterday. She must have killed her time doing this while waiting for us to arrive.

I move out of the bathroom a minute later and Labiba is still standing where I left her. She looks nervous but she doesn't want me to know. I'm sure her heart is racing with the idea of her spending the night in a house alone with me. I take a praying mat that's on the nightstand and place it in front of the medium sized carpet that's in the middle of the room, letting her have the carpet. There's a Hijab on the nightstand too, so I pick it up and hand it to her also but she doesn't make a move to remove the laffaya, she just wears the hijab on top of the laffaya.