BFFs: finding love again

9. Visit

Once in the confines of her room, Fatima lets all the tears out. She didn't mean even a single word she had said. She wishes she can go back in time to un-say her words but as the famous saying goes, it's too late to cry when the head has been cut of.

Her phone rings and she swipes the green icon seeing it's an unsaved contact.

"Assalamu Alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh Fadimah." Sheikh Akhmad's voice booms from the other end. She removes the phone from her ear to look at the odd number before it clicks, it's a Nigerian number. It starts with +234!

"Sheikh? You're using a Nigerian number?" Fatima asks unsure of what she's thinking.

"Haqq!"

"But, how is that even possible?"

"That's because I'm in Nigeria."

"Huh?" Fatima is beyond perplexed.

"I'm in Nigeria at, is it Wuye or Wuse or Kuje. I don't know sincerely. I'm at my brother's house. I'm coming to visit a day after tomorrow in Shaa Allah. Send your location."

"Okay." Fatima replies and ends the call before sending him a location through the number he just called her with. She just hopes this ends well.

She takes a bath and scrunches her face as she looks at her wet barely plait-able hair. She huffs and goes back to the bed. She hasn't prayed Subh nor Zuhr but she isn't going to anyway. She might act like she's religiously and spiritually in public but she's still the same music obsessed prayer dodging Fatima.

She has over a thousand songs on her phone but just two Khutbah audios. She also has apps like AudioMack, Boomplay and other numerous apps for streaming and downloading songs. But, she doesn't have a single app for Quran. Hopefully she might change for her good.

After streaming Woman by Rema. She falls asleep.

Today is the day Sheikh Akhmad is coming over with his family. No one knows which family he's talking about seeing as he lives in the United Arab Emirates with his two wives and three children and he didn't mention coming to Nigeria with them but Innayo prepared dinner for twelve including the Abba Sulaymans.

After all has been set Fatima goes to check on the guest rooms. She's trying her best to make up for those words she said. It is the same day that Amal's lefe would be brought.

Hamza wants everything to happen as soon as possible since Amal is a degree holder and doesn't aspire to work. Instead, she wants to be a caterer while Hamza is already working with a house of his own. What else should they wait for?

After putting some Kajiji incense in an incense burner, lighting an incense stick and spraying room freshener in each of the guest rooms for the nth time today Fatima leaves the room and locks it, for the nth time too.

She goes to her room and adjusts her lemon green head tie. She's dressed in a lemon green with pink atamfa sewn into a straight skirt and knee length blouse also known as Borno style in Northern Nigeria. A medium sized silky Khashkha viel is draped around her shoulders covering from her neck to her waist. Two silver bangles adorn her left wrist while a Rolex wristwatch adorns the right.

A lemon green earring is dangling from both ears while a gold ring - which was given by her father to her the day she graduated as a valedictorian - is adorning her left middle finger. Her head tie is tied in a V-turban leaving a little front hair - which she's still trying to get used to being short - open. She looks breathtakingly dashing with her makeup free face.

As she takes her phone, the door bell is heard ringing so she adjusts her veil such that it's covering her well enough.

"Assalamu Alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh. Fadimah!" Sheikh says giving Fatima a once over before muttering an A'udhubillah minash-shaydanir-Rajim. Astagfirullah. She's just so beautiful and irresistibly created.

From the face to the body, the voice, the walk, the laugh, everything about her is just Mashaa Allah. And when she's talking, especially when she's try to hide her Emirati accent. It's a sight to behold and a music with no beats.

"Ameen Wa alaikas salam warahmatullahi wa barakatuh. Marhababukum fil bayti." Fatima beams at Sheikh, two men and two little children, a boy and a girl.

"Shukran Jazila. This is my younger brother, Umar Amir." Sheikh says pointing to a younger version of him - from the bushy brows, long beard, traceable jawline with sideburns, tall and bulky body structure to the dark skin tone and deep but soothing voice. The only difference between the two is that Sheikh has some stubles of grey hair peaking out of his white knitted cap while Umar Amir's hair is a pure ebony black.

"Mashaa Allah. Welcome." Fatima says taking in his features stylishly.

"And these are his children. This is Dhun Nurayn. While these two are twins, Nurallah and Nuriya." Sheikh says pointing to the youngest man first then the two kids that look so much like female and male versions of their father, Umar Amir.

"Mashaa Allah." Fatima says.

They all start chatting while Afnan brings in refreshments. After about thirty minutes of chatting Abba Sulayman comes in looking extremely tired. He came back yesterday and hugged Fatima which made her cry the more till she slept in his arms. It reminded her of when she'd have weird dreams and he'll lay on the bed with her till she slept. That was so long ago.

He sits with Sheikh Akhmad and they discuss all about Fatima's health while Fatima plays with the twins. She has a thing for children. Dhun Nurayn keeps throwing flirty glances Fatima's way while his father has been stuffing his face since he sat. It's a wonder how he is so physically fit yet he eats like a glutton.

Innayo is on the other hand on her laptop, probably sketching something for another one of her interior decors suggestions.