Pretends I'm not late🌚
Don't worry though I've got good news........guesss who just wrote her final chapter??!!!!

Yesssss...meee

*Does a weird victory dance*

Anyways, Insha Allah the epilogue is coming next week Friday.
I'll try and update after every day because proofreading is hard.

Thank you guys, I love you and happy reading.

••••••

May Almighty Allah continue to bless us and answer our prayers.

Amin.

Juma'at Mubarak

•••••

Fahad looked up the moment he heard the front door open anticipating seeing Khadijah after so many hours away from her, he told his sisters that he was on the phone with he would call them back.

“Oh, you’re so whipped hamma. Adda just came ba—“he didn’t wait to listen to Aneesah’s sentence before hanging. Khadijah walked in the moment he kept the phone down, her veil was more off her shoulders than on and the way she was holding her handbag would make you think she was dragging a box with her.

“Hey there stranger.” He offered her a smile taking the bag from her hand and helping her with the veil too, she smiled gratefully at him before walking into the living room and dropping on the couch.

“I feel like someone hit me with a truck.” Khadijah muttered tiredly.

“Bride’s sister and aunt, you’re doing a lot and you need that rest. Do you want anything to eat?” she shook her head muttering she ate before leaving her parents.

“Two months went by so fast.” She drawled closing her eyes.

“Everything will be over in a few days, maybe we’ll do something to de-stress.” She nodded slowly opening her eyes.

“Your henna looks great,” he smiled picking her hands and checking the design. He wasn’t much of a henna person but the floral designs looked nice, he has told her she has pretty hands and not only because he liked everything about her.

“I was forced to sit through the torture, at least I made my hair but it feels quite heavy because I can’t remember the last time I did normal braids.” That piqued his interest but he didn’t push her, she let out the softest tired groan then settled her eyes on him. “I need to sleep for like five days straight but Ya Sadiya will kill me if I don’t make sure her clothes are completed.”

He laughed at that because he has been at the receiving end of her ringing phone and the reminders her sister kept sending to him.

She said she had to look her best for her first daughter’s wedding, she was more than ready for it.

“Want a head massage?” he asked with a teasing smile.

Khadijah raised an eyebrow. “Are you serious?”

“Yes, I’ve been told I give great head massages you can ask my mo—“

“Okay, okay I get it.” She rolled her eyes but agreed immediately. “Let me take a bath first,”

“It’ll be better after,” she nodded in agreement and took off her headtie freeing her hair that was plaited in three steps. She had nagged and complained but her mother—both of them—had forced her to sit through what she considered torture.

Her hair wasn’t as long as her sisters’ but it was fuller than theirs which was why the traditional two steps had to be made into three, as if that wasn’t enough she made it extra tiny. She believed the hairdresser was their minion, that part was all her.

“How did your day go? What and what did you today?” he didn’t have to ask but it has become their tradition and after she convinced him would be fine on the carpet she felt his fingers in her hair, ever so softly while she told him about her day.

“Kamla cried though, it was so sad because she was thinking of her mum and her sister was there, Umma was emotional it was quite a sight to see, you know how she likes acting.” He chuckled lowly.

“That sounds like umma, what about Afnan and Manal? Have they found a footing or is she still insisting on having her favourite veil?”

“No, those two will fight probably for the rest of their lives. Manal is going to miss her sister, I know that much though she is trying to act strong. I remember being happy when ya Sadiya was getting married but trust me I cried harder than anyone, I had to peeled off her after she was conveyed.” He could hear the laughter in her voice as she spoke.

Fahad’s hand was stained in the rosemary oil he was using on her hair, he wasn’t being biased but he has never seen a hair quite as dark as hers. It was jet black and how plaited it made it look even better. Not to mention it was the first time he was seeing her hair up close, it was mostly in messy buns with a scarf over her head.

“It all feels amazing seeing them experience something like it, it reminds me of ya Sadiya’s wedding. I don’t remember ya Baraka’s own because I was only like six at most,” he devoured every word from her lips, like he always does taking note of her excited tone.

She started speaking about aunts and how she didn’t want to be like those, something changed in her tone which gained his attention.

“Dee,” she hummed as a reply. “Did something happen?”

She shook her head and tried to evade the question by changing the topic but he refused. She had sounded happy but then all of a sudden she sounded sombre.

“Tell me, did someone say something to you? I can hear it in your tone that you’re upset.” He wiped his hand on a towel he had kept there onset and pulled her up, making her sit beside him.

“I don’t want to talk about it,” He agreed without much argument.

“No problem, whenever you’re ready.” Her eyes closed hiding the onset of tears from him. At least she thought she did but he hugged her.

They stayed that way for minutes until her sniffing stopped and her breathing turned back to normal.

“Let me set the temperature for you, okay?” he was speaking softly while he led her up the stairs.

He doesn’t know the perfect temperature but living for so long and sharing a bathroom he knows she liked hot showers, very hot ones.

Though she said she wasn’t hungry he still got her something to eat. Potato fritters if she was feeling something spicy and her ever favourite jelly beans, she almost always in a mood for sweet things, except sugar. He chuckled lowly to himself as he set the watermelon juice for her beside the bed.

“You didn’t have to,” he rolled his eyes and told her to sit.

Khadijah took deliberate steps to the bed and sat slowly, offering him a small smile since thanking him would sprout an argument.

He moved to one end of the bed and picked his laptop hoping to finish the work he had been doing since she left early in the afternoon but hasn’t been able to do it, again he told himself he wasn’t acting weird, he only worked better when she was around. That was it, nothing out of the ordinary there.

Something Jawad had said came to his mind and his brows creased forming a frown.

“You look ready to explode,” he had laughed obnoxiously just to annoy him. “Man when they said to love a hundred percent I don’t think this is what they meant but whatever you do. Try telling her though, maybe it’ll relieve some of the pressure on your human.”

Like he has been doing for the past month he pushed the thoughts to the back of his month and pretended it wasn’t there, it was easier for the both of them.

“Do you want to talk now?” he had hoped he would be able to keep it to himself and let her take her time until she wanted to open up but her energy wasn’t right, she seemed edgy and she was frowning to herself. It was so unlike the Khadijah he was used, not the one that joked with him and was sarcastic.

Yes, there were days she would just be quiet and keep to herself he understood that and they would be in the same place in comfortable silence, she didn’t seem at peace right then.

“It is nothing serious trust me, you know how—“

“Dee,” Khadijah huffed understanding he won’t let it go.

She liked that he paid attention to her mood swings and always knows when her energy is off and like most of the things he thinks is normal because he is normal, it scares her. Sadiya has always been there for her but she wasn’t used to having support like this and being under someone’s scrutiny, it sometimes overwhelms her and she recoils into herself. Stepping out of her comfort zone has never been easy.

“Can I ask you something?” Fahad affirmed that she could, it may be she was trying to stall or it had to do with why she seemed off, he told himself,  he didn't mind as long as she can't bottling it all in.

“Do you like children?” It had to do with it then, he didn’t know whatever was told to her but he didn’t like whoever said it.

“Who doesn’t like kids Dee?” the question was rhetorical. Sometimes he thinks she likes children more than him, he has seen her with them, how she is so natural with them and then knowing the chances of her ever having hers is second to none makes him wish he had anyway to help her, he would give everything to make that dream of hers come true.

That simple fact was humbling, again proving that money couldn’t buy everything. His thoughts didn’t go far because she said something that had him looking towards her in shock.

“I think you should get married to someone else.” He paused frozen in shock and just looking at her to make sure he heard what he did.

“I mean it is only logical. We are just friends and even if we were more I can’t ever have children and that is not fair because I know you want to have kids, I see how you are with Farhana and even Nanah. I won’t feel anything I promise I’m not problematic, I’ll support and even explain to ammie that it was my idea. You helped me and you don’t have to succumb yourself to my fate just because you’re a nice person, that would make me the bad person and I don’t want you to resent me in the future because you will, you may think that you won’t but you will. We all need someone to pray for us and carry our legacy, our names.

“I’m not saying this because you pitied me and married—“

“I’m sorry for interrupting you,” Fahad started slowly, his voice barely loud but enough for her to hear.

She has knocked the wind out of his lungs one too many times but that was the first time he was feeling like she pulled his heart out, he couldn’t explain what he was feeling right at that moment and it wasn’t the usual, right then he actually felt like something was wrong somewhere in his being.

“I pitied you?” his voice was laced with surprise and hurt.

Khadijah opened her mouth to speak but she couldn’t say anything, the conversation has been due for a while now she was just good at ignoring at it but she couldn’t do it anymore.

“Fah—“

“I thought we were way past that. Dee I married you because I wanted to, it may not have been how anyone would have wanted but I don’t regret it happening.”

“I basically forced you.” He rolled his eyes hoping it would at least lessen the hurt that she actually thought of that, has been thinking of that.

“That is assuming I didn’t have a chance to back out, I wanted to go through with it and I did.”

“I understand that,” he knew she was stubborn. Layla has said and he sees the streak at times, of all days he really hoped she didn’t use that card on him. “It still doesn’t change—“

“The fact that I liked you and I still do and that is why I married you.” If he was the type to yell he would’ve screamed it but scaring wasn’t part of his bucket list.

She shook her head adamantly which made him face palm. “Of course you like me, we are friends.”

He asked himself if it was the right time to tell her exactly what he meant, not that he had planned a grand gesture like maybe traveling her out to somewhere she has always wanted to go to and going down on one knee during a candle light dinner and then telling her he couldn’t live without her, that she completes him, not only half his deen but him as a person. To tell her how she made everything better and how much he looked forward to waking up because he knows she is going to be with him during the day.

“We are not friends and I don’t like you as a friend, you’re my wife and I like you as my wife.” Her eyes widened into slits and she opened her mouth to speak, to definitely argue but he didn’t let her.

“I’ll give you a few minutes to yourself, please get rid of the notion of whatever it is anyone told you in that house. I’m not marrying anyone and if I’m desperate for a child, we can adopt. There are a lot of children out there who need a loving home, you can tell me what you think another day. You’re stressed right now so please rest.”

He got up and started walking towards the door but she called his name.

“Are you upset?” her voice was low and hesitant. She has never seen him angry like that and he doesn’t storm out of rooms, though he wasn’t exactly storming but he was also not just striding out.

“No,” the word came out breathy. “I’m not upset.”

“Are you sure? Why are you leaving then? I thought you wanted to sleep.” How she was talking almost made him laugh but he held it back. She may not know but he liked how innocent she was, after everything she has been through.

“I’m not sleepy again, I need fresh air and you need your space for a little while. I’ll be back I promise.” He faced her now, she studied him for a few seconds before nodding slowly.

“Okay.”

“Goodnight.”

She replied long after the door was closed and she couldn’t feel him again, after sitting in that position for five minutes or more, maybe even an hour she didn’t know, Khadijah crawled into the bed and picked one of the multiple pillows then hugged it to herself, letting the tears she has been holding back since before she left her parents’ house fall.

She hated how whatever people said got to her, umma had told her to ignore the woman—a distant relative of hers—that said she was tying an innocent man down and rubbing her bad luck on him.

She didn’t know how a simple conversation about her beautifying herself as a married woman led to that, she regretted going to the house in the first place but she didn’t let it get to her, she was there for Afnan and Kamla and that was all that mattered.

In the privacy of her room though, she let the momentary weakness get to her.

When Fahad got back to the room she was fast asleep but he could see the tear stains, he hated that he left her though she needed the privacy. Sleep was the last thing on his mind but he couldn’t resist getting in the bed beside her and just holding her, expressing his love the best way he knew, by being there.

*****

Baraka and major's house looked crowded like you would expect a house where a function was taking place. It hadn't taken much to get their mother to agree to a twin wedding, both bride's saw nothing wrong with it, it was more of a dream come true for them having to share something so special as their wedding.

The parking lot was packed which made it extended to the streets there by causing a bit of traffic to get both in and out, though it was starting to lessen with the end of the event, the walima which also happened to be the last one.

Kamla that was being conveyed that same day since she was going to live in Kaduna while Afnan would first visit her husband's family in Gombe before going back to Abuja where he works.

"Aunty Dee why is ya Afnan crying?" Khadijah looked up from her phone where she was a replying Layla to Aifa, Sadiya's second daughter who looked like she was about to start crying too.

Her phone dinged with another message from Layla no doubt, she had to be told everything that was happening because she couldn't make it.

"Is she sad?" The young girl asked before she was able to reply.

"Yes and no sweetheart, no don't cry come here." She wrapped her arms around her dainty body pulling her to her chest.

"You're a big girl right, she is getting married. Do you know what that means?" She nodded then immediately shook her head.

"Well, she is moving away to go and live with your yaya Hammad." Her eyes widened in realization.

"Like you and uncle Fahad." Khadijah fought a smile and nodded.

"Can I go visit her?" This made Khadijah laugh before nodding her head.

"Yes but not right now, maybe in a few months." Aifa pouted but nodded nevertheless. "Mummy said I'm sleeping at your house today and ya Hanan too and ya Junior,"

"Yes love, are you excited?" She giggled bobbing her head up and down.

"Uncle Fahad will let me play on his laptop again like that time and he'll bake us cookies." Khadijah only smiled.

Since she got all her questions answered and she no longer looked like she was going to cry, she stepped down from her aunt's lap and followed Nanah who was running with a bottle of coke of in her hands, ignoring one of her cousins that was calling her name.

Khadijah shook her head laughing at the children, her phone ringing made her look away and when she saw her sister's name on the screen, she got up from the veranda where she had taken solace and strolled back to the main house.

Not much people were inside since the walima was held in the courtyard that was large enough.

"I've been looking for you for hours, Afnan needs a help with a dress, I don't know where all your assistants are-" Khadijah held Sadiya's hand stopping her from hyperventilating with the way she was speaking fast and not taking a break.

"I told them to just go, I'll finish dressing her. It's the last outfit yeah?" Sadiya shook her head vehemently.

"Umma said you should go home and meet ammi and your in laws, I don't know what you're going to do there though." She puffed a breath. "You know what, we'll just video chat on your way there, the driver is outside."

Someone called her name and she answered saying she'll be right there.

"Alright, I'll call Manal." Khadijah let go of her sister's hand and started walking in the direction of the door. When she saw how Sadiya was pushed to her limits, she thanked Allah for being the youngest which meant she had the least work to do, she was already tired from the multiple outfits and redressing, any other work would've landed her in the hospital, she wasn't even exaggerating.

Her veil was already with her and she only needed her phone at most, bags were the last thing on her mind and since she kept hers in Baraka's room she didn't give it a second glance.

Sadiya's driver wasn't outside like she expected and she breathed out in annoyance before calling him, when he didn't pick she started walking towards the house to pick her own key regretting not picking her bag.

"I should call Manal," She muttered to herself and started typing in her niece's number.

"Adda," Arms enveloped her the same time she heard the familiar voice.

"Don't suffocate her please, move over." Aneesah shooed Huda away before going in for a hug too.

"When did you guys get here?" Khadijah asked smiling at the two girls and Nabila that looked out of place, she would say as usual.

"A few minutes ago, we were with ammie but then we couldn't wait so we just called hamma and he was free."

"Is he still here?"

"Yes I think," she nodded and told them to go inside while she called him.

He picked on the second ring and told her he was outside.

"I was about to call you." Fahad told her when she entered the car, she made an oh sound but didn't say anything.

"I would have loved to save you from those women but at least this gives me time with you." She played with her phone keeping her eyes away from him by all means, she would've seen his teasing smile had she looked up.

She wasn't avoiding him, not like he thought she wasn't. It looked like that actually because the most she had seen him in the past three days had to be before or after he comes back from the mosque for fajr prayer, he hasn't mentioned it but it didn't mean he didn't notice.

"Should I ask about your day?" She shook her head which made him smile. "Or should I tell you about mine. I will either way, I want to vent."

This time she raised her head and found him looking at her, only then noticing he wasn't driving. What had made her think he was driving, the car was not moving since she entered.

"Vent? Who annoyed you?" She muttered lowly, still not meeting his eyes.

He used to be worried about that before realising she was just like that, it was only rare occasions she would meet his eyes or anyone else's for that matter, even if she did it would only be for a few seconds.

He would take whatever he got, not seeing her at length for three days straight has made him quite irritable. Her brother was the one that mentioned it, which was also why he left as soon as Huda called needing an escape from not being at the end of their scrutiny.

"Your brother of course," She chuckled lowly and asked what he did.

"What did he not do should be question?" He shuddered thinking of the guys.

It didn't matter how old they were, so far they were all together one person has to be a victim and seeing as he has had the most bad luck in the past few months, all the jokes were directed at him.

Shaheed thankfully was quiet as usual mostly because he didn't want to join in, they were still not all that cool with Fahad who hasn't had the time to talk to him like he wanted to.

"Sorry, he is excited I guess. He keeps calling me to ask if everything is going well,"

"Oh it is no that. He is a menace." He groaned this time which made her laugh harder.

"You should have called me, I know all his weaknesses."

"I didn't know if you would answer, you haven't exactly been in the mood to talk to me these days."

"It's not like that, I've been busy." He raised his eyebrows. Khadijah looked away sighing softly, it wasn't the entire truth though.

"Normally you de-stress with me you know but I'm not complaining, how are you?" The question made her smile. They live together, the five minutes he sees her before she leaves for Baraka's house he always tried to ask how she was and how her night was.

"I'm not avoiding you." She said instead of answering his question.

"Who said you were avoiding me? See, you said it yourself." She sucked in her bottom lips and reminded herself he was a lot smarter than people gave him credit for. It didn't take a genius to know what she was doing but still.

"If it's about what I said that night I still stand by it, so the earlier you get used to me being your husband the better because it is going to be  just us for a very long time." She glared at him this time and he smiled broadly in reply.

"You are seriously not even going to consider it?"

"I have never met a woman more adamant about getting her husband married than you. I'm not polygamous please,"

"You can divorce me then." He glared at her this time before putting the car in drive.

He drove for about five minutes in silence before replying in a voice that left no room for arguement.

"That is never going to happen. You should relearn your meaning of always and forever, mine is quite for forever because this marriage is going to jannah Insha Allah Dee. Get used to it." She felt something in the pit of her stomach but ignored and focused on the road, more than him that was controlling the wheel.

Like the conversation never happened, he changed the topic to her nieces and nephews knowing that would get her talking.

"See you later," He muttered something she didn't catch too focused on leaving the car but it sounded oddly like wife or love, she wasn't sure.

Her mother, umma, Fahad's mother and a few other women she recognized mostly from Waleedah's wedding were sitting in the spacious living room chatting and laughing.

She greeted them all respectfully before going to her mother who patted her back lovingly.

"I haven't seen you since I came mother of the bride. How is everything sweetheart?" She blushed at the endearment then replied to Barr. Salima.

They didn't need her for anything special but she was glad she got a break because it gave her more time to video call Layla who was sad about missing their first daughter's wedding and then finally seeing her favourite (no one should know especially Farhan) cousin's wedding too.

One thing she realized will never change about her best friend is she won't stop being crazy.

*******

"I'll get my own room?" Hanan's eyes sparkled with joy as she helped her sister change into her pajamas while Khadijah helped Nanah who insisted she didn't need to be helped because she was a big girl, she caved when one of the buttons gave her a problem and immediately ran back to her aunt.

Sadiya was going with Afnan and a few of their aunt's to Gombe while she stayed back with the children and since Baraka couldn't go with them traditionally, she joined Khadijah and they went with Kamla.

The kid's all wanted to stay with Khadijah and Baraka didn't argue, the house was filled with major's family that came to visit and she was tired after all the wedding preparations and things, it was a welcome to have a free night from Nanah and the now ten year old Ashraf who insists he is a teenager.

He was with Fahad and junior having boys time like they had said while she stayed with the girls since they got back from the mosque.

"Aunty Dee I want my room too." Aifa argued pouting after she was done changing.

"You'll stay together with Nanah won't you? Ya Hanan will be here too," She stroked her chin deep in thought before nodding.

"She is even scared to sleep alone." Hanan snitched which made Khadijah laugh when her sister told her it was supposed to be a secret.

A knock on the door made her look up and let go of Nanah who was quick to join her cousins as they started talking about movies they wanted to watch before bed.

"Is junior scared of the dark? Ashraf said he isn't and I don't want to switch the lights off." Fahad rested his back on the door his eyes solely on her.

"No it's no problem, what of Ashraf?"

"Playing mortal combat online with abba and Jay." That sounded like him.

"I'll finish with the girls here, we're going to watch a Barbie."

He smiled. "Good luck."

"Goodnight uncle Fahad." Hanan said and the others chorused as he walked out.

"Goodnight angels."

"Which one are we watching first?" Khadijah asked the three girls.

Fahad and Ashraf were still in the upstairs living room when Khadijah went back to the room and changed. The girls were in her bedroom while the boys were in the guest room there, they were close in case of an emergency. She didn’t think sleeping in a new place would be easy for Aifa, she also had a sort of phobia to that.

The twins were with umma after much argument, she said she couldn’t let them take the toddlers like they couldn’t take care of them, she had rolled her eyes of course before begrudgingly accepting, not that she had much of a choice.

She could hear Ashraf’s laughter and celebratory laughs whenever he wins against the others and Fahad’s low voice telling him to quiet down so he wouldn’t wake the girl’s up.

He was a natural with children and they seemed to relax with him, him with Farhana had finalized that and him with Ashraf whom he has just met a number of times proved just that. Their conversation early came to her mind and she groaned before reaching for her phone, she has been avoiding talking to the one person she could talk to about it because of their relationship but she might explode if she kept it to herself.

How her stomach tightens whenever she remembers and what he had said wasn’t helping either, those emotions were foreign to her and not in the Suleiman has ruined it type of way, she has simply never felt them before and she didn’t know what to do with it.

She felt stressed and there was always a clogging in her throat, a feeling in her chest that she couldn’t explain.

Layla’s very active voice pulled her from her train of thoughts, it was just a few minutes to ten and there was no way she would expect her to be sleeping.

“Mrs Fahad Barkindo Talban Adamawa, how can I help you this fine evening my love?” she rolled her eyes at the title then the overly fake British accent.

“Stop calling me that, actually never call me that.” Layla chuckled before saying yes.

“Okay okay, I hear you.” She said in a sing song voice.

“Layla stop it seriously, it is weird.” She heard a sound but she never really replied with words which only meant she also rolled her eyes.

“Alright baby am, tell me. Are you finally ready to tell me what has been bothering you these past few weeks and whatever made you upset since the day you got your hair done?” Khadijah frowned at that.

“Layla,” she called in an accusing voice.

“What? Just because I haven’t mentioned it doesn’t mean I didn’t notice. Khadijah you’re my best friend of course I’ll notice when you’re being evasive, being miles away has nothing on me just so you know.” A breath left her parted lips, Layla gave her words of encouragement.

She thought it was Fahad that told her and she felt it wasn’t fair she would think that about him, he would never tell Layla something unless it was very important and in all the times she has acted off, he would always wait for her to get ready to tell him herself.

“Why is Fahad so stubborn?” Layla paused in confusion before she heard her loud laugh.

“Is that why you’ve been acting off, give me something better than that Dee.”

“It is not that, at least not only that but he is so stubborn. It is like dealing with another ya Sadiya and you in a nutshell.” Layla gave her a listening ear, making funny comments here and there just to lighten the mood and after Khadijah finished telling her everything that happened with her aunt and what she said and the conversation with Fahad, intentionally keeping out some parts Layla let out a huge breath.

“Wow, I’m so sorry she is a terrible person Dee. She has nothing on you, I’m sure she is just bitter and her husband probably doesn’t like her because she is so nasty.” She chuckled besides herself at the ridiculousness of everything she has just said.

“Okay I get it, talking to you I feel light already.” She wants to talk some more, she is the only person in the world she could tell anything to besides Sadiya and seeing how the latter was busy she had to talk to Layla. She just didn’t want to put her in an uncomfortable position because he is her cousin, more like brother because they were very close from everything he has told her about his childhood.

“Before you give me life lessons right now just know that I know what I said is dumb but I’m trying to be fair Lee so give me that,” she made a sound for her to go on. “So, I may or may not have told him to get married again.”

Layla gasped loudly then screamed a ‘what’ and not the dramatic Layla type, she sounded fairly shocked.

“Then I told him to divorce me and marry someone else when he said he is not polygamous.” She didn’t hear a gasp or anything, Layla just went silent not making her feel any better about any of it at all.

“Dee as your best friend and sister in law I’m telling you that was not nice, and as his sister and favourite cousin I’m telling you it’ll take a lot to undo that damage. Hamma Fahad hates polygamy a whole lot more than he hates misogynistic men and hate is too little to explain what he feels for them, how did he react?” she couldn’t remember the last time Layla spoke so sombrely and without a hint of joke.

“I know, it was a terrible thing to say but you do understand where I’m coming from right? He loves children it’ll be evil to stop him from having any just because he helped me.” She said instead, she couldn't even say how he reacted because he shut off.

“I really wish I was beside you right now so I could smack you or something,” she sounded like that. “Hamma Fahad likes you so much Dee, since that day at the restaurant and I don’t believe in love at first sight but it was something at first sight. I did everything to get him to not even go ahead with whatever idea he had in his head but he went around and got your phone number and you became friends, he was always asking me about you. He wanted to know every little thing Dee.

“I know you didn’t do it intentionally but you know our grandmother dada had a problem with her co wives, not a problem they simply didn’t like her and since she was the youngest and last wife, when our grandfather died they took everything from her and sent her out of the house, she was raising both mamie and baba then so imagine how hard it must have been. Not to mention the attempt on their lives when they were still living there, bit after he became successful and all now the family have been trying to get Fahad to be part of them somehow hoping to sway his dad too. He grew up with that family wanting him to be part of them after rejecting his father.

“Polygamy is just problems and evil in his eyes, this is so long." She groaned.  "We’ll talk about this when I get back next week but right now please never mention that to him again, okay?” Khadijah sucked in a breath and nodded slowly although Layla couldn’t see her.

The tightness she was feeling in her chest multiplied tenfold, she had to take in deep breaths to be able to speak.

“Now I feel more terrible, I—“

“You didn’t know, I’m sure he has forgotten. That’s just how he is anyways.” It took more than that to convince her to let it go but even with that, she didn’t fully believe her.

“And here little ole me was kind of hoping you were going to tell me about your ground sweeping first kiss and budding romance, you really know how to rain on a girl’s dreams.” She forced a small laugh.

“Layla for the millionth time nothing like that would ever happen and there is no romance in my life, stop it. Do you know what this reminds me of? Secondary school where you believed everyone that tells me ‘hi’ was in love with me.” Layla was laughing hysterically at this point.

“Maybe I was wrong those times but trust me, I see fireworks here and soul changing romance. You do know a first kiss can do a lot right? Try it and tell me.” She called Layla’s name hoping to stop her from coming up with more of her crazy theories but it was like she was deaf but with a running mouth.

“Stop acting so virginal with me and go get the man, it wouldn’t even be that hard, you already have him wrapped around your unnaturally pretty fingers.” Khadijah threw her head back laughing, unable to stop herself even if she wanted to. She was fully convinced Layla has lost her mind at that point.

“I mean it is not so hard Khadijah Sadeeq Hussein, kids are doing this please don’t disappoint me and just jump off the bridge with me this time.”

“Jump and fall to my death? No thank you.” Layla laughed before explaining in details in what she meant by that and then proceeded to give her lessons on how to kiss.

From her own laughter to Layla’s loud voice that made her wonder where exactly she was that she could talk so carelessly in the night she didn’t hear the footsteps or when Fahad closed the door behind him.

It was rare to find her talking so late on the phone but at first he thought it was Sadiya which was why he moved around quietly not wanting her to hang up immediately, he couldn’t miss Layla’s voice though.

The crazy girl could be using a microphone and her voice couldn’t be louder than that, he only shook his head in amusement which only increased when he heard exactly what she was saying.

He was worried at first about the fact that she could go into details like that but it made sense seeing how much she read books, then he started rethinking the books Nabila and Aneesah read, when Khadijah finally noticed him, her eyes widened in the most comical way before she hung up the phone.

“Hey, when did you walk in?” she looked anywhere but at him which only increased his amusement.

“About a page and a half ago of that book Layla must be reading to you,” he was fighting a smile and from the look on her face, her face would resemble a tomato if she was as fair as Adnan.

“She is just crazy, don’t pay attention to her.” She moved her hands to her hair taking off the ribbon that was holding the three steps together then she went ahead and put it back.

Khadijah’s heart was palpitating against her chest and she prayed in her mind that he would just walk away and pretend none of that happened but he had a different idea when he strode towards her until he was standing in front of her.

“Should I be worried you’re her best friend?” she shook her head immediately he was worried she would injure her neck.

“No nothing like that,” she opened her mouth to say more but he silenced her.

If not for his cologne that was all she could perceive she could’ve sworn it never happened, the feel of his lips on hers was faint and it left just as soon as it came but the whispered words she heard before he moved back and left room told her it did happen.

“Now that’s out of the way, goodnight Dee.”

•••••

Assalamu alaikum, back with my Friday updates.

Can you feel my excitement right nowwwwww? I feel so happy alhamdulillah for finally completing this book.

I really hope it meets your expectations.

First kiss🌚🌚🌚🌚

Who saw that coming? Why is Dee doing us like this?

Please rate this chapter for me, thumbs up or down?

Any more questions? Still up for it.

Sighhhhh, no comment

Amyrah