Sorry for the long wait😩 hehe I was so caught up in Eid and was super duper lazy🙈😂. .

Gombe, Duku town.

"O Allah, I am Your slave and the son of Your male slave and the son of your female slave. My forehead is in Your Hand (i.e. You have control over me). Your Judgment upon me is assured and Your Decree concerning me is just. I ask You by every Name that You have named Yourself with, revealed in Your Book, taught any one of Your creation or kept unto Yourself in the knowledge of the unseen that is with You, to make the Qur'an the spring of my heart, and the light of my chest, the banisher of my sadness and the reliever of my distress."

I concluded my prayers and Hajiya smile at me while I lay my head on her laps letting the waterworks begin again.

"Shh Burdah, ssh my child. achu *enough* don't strain your beautiful hazel eyes out now, it seems like you have a river of tears nikam that's why you like to use your tears anyhow.
Do you know why I call you Burdah? Cause you cry too much wallahi. Burdah She was al-Suraymiyah, and a very dutiful worshipper. She wept often so she finally lost her eye sight. When every thing was quiet and motionless, she used to call out in a melancholy voice, O! Habib!"

My Burdah with every hardship comes ease, this is just a test from Allah, your destiny and In Shaa Allah you will pass it with flying colours. Have you ever wondered how your husband's grandfather died? Did you ever wonder if my life was all rainbows and cookies? If you did and didn't, it doesn't matter I will still tell you how this old Naana Zainab survived life. How she now lives with loneliness yet finds life amusing, this old Hajiya wasn't really born with a silver spoon in her mouth rather she was born from a woman who sold fura da nono by the street.

Hajiya Aishatu, was a Fulani woman who was brought up in a respected family. her family wasn't poor neither were they rich, they survived at least on fura da nono *a family business* and running errands for a merchant back then. While selling her fura by the entering of their small town which was a long distance from her home but was a very crowdy place and a place one gets money cause every person goes there in the morning, afternoon and night to buy food and nourish his body. A man submissively never fails to show up to buy her fura cause according to him it was the best he has ever had since he was born. He grew fond of Hajiya Aishatu and she fondly calls 'number one' cause he was always the first to show up to buy her fura, sometimes he arrived before her.

One faithful day when Hajiya Aishatu was relaxing in her room cause the day was hectic with customers buzzing in and relishing their body with her tasty fura, her father sent for her saying she has a visitor. She wondered who the visitor was but nevertheless wore her hijab and went to the main living room where number one was waiting for her dressed in a white Kaftan and matching cap. She was shocked to see him but didn't show, she offered him the left over fura and sat across him on the mat.

"You must be wondering why I am here Aishatu. Well I should better get to the point before your brain gets tired of cracking itself. I love you Aishatu for the sake of Allah, at first I thought it was a mere admiration but with time I realized I have fallen so hard for you"

He said which made her speechless. She was just seventeen for Allah's sake and here he was talking to her about love. She kept mute for a really long time before telling him she will think about it and that night she turned and shifted from one side of the bed to another, when she got tired of her endless routine she decided it would be better if she prayed and so she did.

*** ***

It's been months with Aishatu and Manga seeing each other and slowly she has been developing a soft place for him in her heart. when she turned eighteen, they got married with their parents blessings and they moved to a small town four miles away from her parents house.

Aishatu missed her home, family and friends and most especially her fura da nono business but Manga has been nothing but supportive and caring to his wife, they lived in peace and harmony for years before finally Allah blessed then with their own bundle of joy, Alii. they both showered him with love and so unfortunate for them, Alii died when he was a year old. Aishatu wept and wept until she was tired of crying, she was broken so therefore she turned to Allah and after two years of marriage Naana Zainab came, then Rahma, Alii and Sa'idu.

Naana Zainab turned out to be a lady of calmness and beauty. Every male in the town adored and wanted to make her his but she had her eyes only on one man. A blind man to be specific, Mu'azu. She rejected every proposal and when her father got tired of her childish behaviour he decided to know if his daughter was okay or possessed with jinns.

Naana Zainab confessed her unconditionally love for the blind prince and her father consoled her and assured her that she will marry the man of her dreams by crook or nook. She was beyond happy, although rumors had it she was in love with Mu'azu only cause he is the heir to the throne and God knows that's not her intentions. She loves him fi'sabillilah but people always talk, don't they?

*** ***

It wasn't easy being married to a blind man but Naana Zainab endured all obstacles cause she was deeply in love with him and truly love is blind. Even though he will never be able to set his eyes on his wife, Mu'azu knew she is beautiful beyond explanation and rightly thought she is.

When his father passed away he was crowned king and it was not easy on Naana Zainab, she had to change her way of life cause she is the queen of Dukku town and the people looked up at her with trust and commitment so life wasn't easy.

Then, Mu'azu's mother was always ranting about how Naana Zainab haven't given birth in five years of marriage and she wanted to see her grandkids before she returned back to her lord, Mu'azu was forced to take another wife. Naana Zainab turned to Allah cause when no one was there for her, Allah was, so she prayed and prayed until her legs were swollen and hands were stiff. Her co-wife gave birth to twins a year later, Hassan and Husseini, everyone neglected Naana Zainab even Mu'azu who she thought would always be with her through thick and thin. She watched as the naming ceremony was held were three cows were slaughtered, twelve rams and chickens for the whole town yet she never showed her helplessness in front of people, she always held her head high, smile and took he co-wife as a sister and step kids as hers.

After six months, Hassan and Husseini returned to their lord and all accusations were put on Naana Zainab for witch craft and killing the babies cause she was jealous of her co-wife. Naana Zainab cried and tried to reason with Mu'azu that she did no such thing but he was so broken that her pleas fell on deaf ears, therefore he imprisoned his wife for two years.

No one knew the pain Naana Zainab was going through.. Being imprisoned by your husband was something else, accused of killing innocent kids through witch craft was another, and the fact that she was finally pregnant and couldn't voice it to her husband was a bigger something. Naana Zainab gave birth to her son in the cell and when the female guard who helped her deliver the baby ran to inform the king, he immediately summoned the guards to bring his queen back to her chamber and he apologized countlessly crying and asking for forgiveness for his cowardliness and she forgave him cause she still loves him a thousand times more if possible.

The king filled Naana Zainab on everything that has happened when she was in the cell with her co-wife stepping out from their marriage and his mother dying six months later. Naana Zainab cried on the loss of her mother in law and that's when the king remembered his son, he held him firmly in his hand and did the khuddubah in his ear announcing his name to the whole kingdom.

Sultan Hammad.

After a while, Al'amin came who was a very jealous person and always fought when he was reminded his brother will be king after their father's death not him so Mu'azu came to a conclusion, not to let his kids rule the kingdom either ways his grand son will.

Then Naana Firdausi arrived, Naana Aisha and Fatima Zahra. Upon the arrival of his last born, Mu'azu took that as a cue and died from a long term sickness. Naana Zainab was devastated but her kids were always there be her side and she remembered Mu'azu's last words before his shahadah.

"Give the throne to my favourite Naana Zainab, give it to the one who truly deserves it"

***

I turn and stir in bed thinking about Hajiya's life story she narrated to me few hours ago. She slept off while telling me amazing stories of Ahmaad's grandpa.. One could tell by the way her eyes sparkle as she talks about him that she was so much in love with him. Eyyah.

Realizing that sleep won't consume me, I walk to the bathroom and perform ablution then prayed nafila before the adhzan of Fajr prayers woke Hajiya up. she smiled at me and we prayed together reading the Quran till it was six thirty.

"Go and meet you husband now"

"Hajiya are you tired of me already" I pouted and she laugh.

"Kina so Haidar ya sane ni? (Do you want Haidar to hate me?)" she laughed "go and apologize for running off last night, no matter what he is still your husband"

"But Hajiya he has hurt me so much, I don't think I am ready to face him"

"Silly girl.. Love is stronger than hate. It doesn't matter what he did or didn't, your heart still beats for him. I know he might act stupid sometimes but he loves you so much and can't do without you so get going sharp sharp" she said and I sigh nodding my head and kissing her on her forehead before exiting the room.

I slowly push the door to the room and at the same time Ahmaad was leaving the bathroom. His towel was wrapped around his torso dangerously as water drip from his head on his face, someone just had a shower! I lock the door after me and stand root leaning on the door as he takes my breath away.

He takes one step forward and I get lost in those brown eyes swooning over him. Is it me or did he get finer over the night? Geez!

His cold pink lips come in contact with my forehead and I close my eyes holding my breath.. He moves on to kiss my closed eyes, nose, cheek and every sensitive part of my face.

"May I?" He asked as his eyes rest on my chest and I gulp hard nodding my head slowly making him smirk as he kiss my lips. The kiss was slow and passionate as he kept on muttering I'm sorry over and over again.. I don't know how he did it but we ended up on the bed making love to each other.