La yukalifullahu nafsan illa wus'aha (Allah does not impose upon any soul a duty but to the extent of its ability) surah -Al Baqarah.

Zaitun

I flicked through channels aimlessly on the TV in aunty Hadiza's cosy sitting room after being back from school my mind totally far from my current act drifting to the thought of my mum's and sister, what's wrong?,I have being trying their both phones but can't seem to reach them either even though dad called informing me he phoned them some couple of hours back but also wonder why he couldnt reach them now and had placed a call to their destination which he was informed they haven't reached which they ought to have considering its a six hours journey and its now getting to seven hours from their time of departure but had calmed me down knowing how worried I will be reasoning to me that the delay might be from them halting on the way to eat up and pray which we both know they will surely take a lot of time doing so and their phones might have ran down on battery or thereabout for it being not reachable which I even came to remember of ya Zara's phone being out of battery even before they left but I could tell he was also worried and its obvious his suggestions were not only to calm me but himself also. Dad assumptions made me calmed a bit but not for long I started feeling antsy and fear taking a grip on me and a hand on my shoulder was what took me out of my reverie.

"I have being calling you out severally but you seem so lost and out of here if its about them then I tell you in shaa Allah they are okay might just be network problem accounting to us not reaching them so don't stress yourself too much love and you didn't even take a sip of the coffee I brought" aunty Hadiza said glancing towards the ceramic cup which was lying untouched and the steam which was earlier emanating from it had now seized indicating it has gone all cold.

"No aunty am.... and the ringing of my phone was what cut me off as I hurriedly picked it up from where it was lying right next to me on the sofa I was plopped on and immediately seeing the caller id I made a shrill of joy exhaling the breath clogged in me and took the call just as fast feeling as though it will disconnect.

"Assalamu alaikum came mum's melodious voice causing me to smile widely relief and happiness washing over me and I silently thanked Allah for he alone can change situations and feelings in just an ounce, as my anxiety and worry has vanished completely as if it never came.

"Hello are you there?

"Uhmm yes,wa alaikumus salam,mum what happened, are you alright? Being trying your lines severally,hope all is well,where are you,you guys scared the hell out of me" I said all in one go.

"Oh easy dear which do I start from" mum said chuckling and she reiterated what happened to both me and aunty Hadiza of them developing a flat tire,her phone battery running down all thanks to a certain someone obviously ya zara who cant keep her hand off phones and such should be expected as hers has being off and to top it all the driver forgot his at the eatery they stopped at and much to their dismay mum's phone refused being charged through the car she explained as I had put the phone on speaker following aunty Hadiza's demand to also hear out what happened and after making sure they were okay and had arrived safely she left there giving me some privacy with them.

"Hello sissy Zara chirped on the other end "heard you were crying your eyes out of for not reaching us,mum this daughter of yours seriously needs to grow".

" I didn't! I shrieked making her burst into an evil laughter which roared filling up the sound system.

"Well that was hilarious" she said quiten her laughter but you could make out the amusement in her tone.

"But you did....

"Zara! Someone called her out"bye Zita(as she do call me) gotta go love you" and I heard some shuffling on the other end signalling her leaving.

"Love you too" I mumbled more to myself  after which I talked more with mum before she put her phone on speaker connecting me to aunty Bilkisu her only sister ,as their parent only had the two of them,she lives in USA with her husband who happens to come down here for some issues which coincided with the time of the wedding resulting to her being there and we exchanged pleasantries with me whining on missing her so much which she also joined in it and after some minutes of me connected to alot of our relatives the bride inclusive exchanging pleasantries and "we miss you,wish you were here" were the new words of the day directed at me both genuine and fake to which afterwards the call was hanged up and I trugded towards Sara's room which had being set up by aunty Hadiza for me not before being forced by her to eat up and getting over that I settled in the room prayed,revised my note against my final paper tomorrow then threw myself on the bed to which I get to have all to myself owing to Sarah being at her friends for a sleepover since the house has no guest room just two bedrooms which deems enough for the two of them cause aunty Hadiza is a divorcée living here with her only daughter from her previous marriage and after speaking to dad and of course mum again who happily broke the goodnews to me of Ya Saif coming home in two days time for a terminal break which made me erupt a squeal and shout for joy for I missed him so much and after realisation dawned on me that it was late and I could wake up aunty Hadiza who was just next room I quiten down taming my actions to after which I retired to bed muttering my bed time azkar -Allahuma bismika amutu Wa ah'ya(oh Allah in your name I live and I die) and various others as tomorrow is going to be a long day.

Yayy! Masha Allah am so happy to finally be over with these exams which seemed unending I chirped happily to my friends who I had caught up with after the exams.

"Bye to sleepless night"

"And welcome freedom" finished Anisa dramatically hugging the thin air,making us all burst out laughing and drifting to discussing other issues and  of course our plans for the holiday.

"Peep "peep came a cars blaring horn behind us and just in cue we all turned towards the source which was aunty Hadiza who had come for me as I had informed her of the time I will finish up which I did assure her my friends will bring me back as usual but on her insistence on getting me herself I gave in to which I was now sitted on the passenger seat after bading my friends and promising to call them and we drove off just the two of us as Sara was still at her friends since she had concluded her exams some days back.

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"Zaitun I think we need the doctor,your fever is not subsiding, being some hours you were down with it already" aunty Hadiza said her voice filled with worry towards my state which started lightly some while ago after we were back and had escalated as I  was now burning up.

"No please don't call him I don't want to be injected, and in shaa Allah it will run down since I did take those medication" I whined trying to evade being injected my worst nightmare,for even though I've grown and ought to get over that fear it on the contrary only keeps increasing.

"Well even if I'd give into your demand it can't be helped as Zainab had already summoned your family doctor who is already on his way,that's why I  never wanted her knowing because I know how panicked and worried she would be but had no choice as she kept on calling demanding for you, "ya Allah" she said exasperated worry etched on her face "let me dampen the towel " she added removing the wet towel placed over my head which had now gone hot complimenting my body temperature.

I tossed continuously on the bed unable to catch up on sleep after being treated earlier by the doctor owing to the slight pains I still feel  which is alhamdulillah compared to my previous state. Retrieving my phone from the side drawer to check up on time which reads 3:00 am I pulled up myself slowly making a dash to the restroom to perform ablution because it is the time when our lord is more closer to us  calling out his servant to ask him of their need and it be answered subhanAllah(wow) imagine the love our creator has for us and yet we still choose to disobey him ya Allah have mercy on us. I prayed the tahajjud(night prayer) pouring out my heart to my lord,the hearer of all pains,the answerer of all prayer,the Ahad al samad,the solution to all problems not because I'm in a difficult situation but that is my almost frequent routine to which I find solitude, peace and calmness and after I prayed for my fellow muslims,my family and myself I wrapped it up with praying to Allah to grant me full shifaa--- bismillah 3x, A'oothu billahi Wa qudratihi min sharri maa ajidu Wa uhaathiru(I seek refuge in Allah and in his power from the evil of what I find and of what I guard against) 7x then wrapped up with reading the glorious and holy Qur'an to which It extended uptill  fajr prayer time(dawn)which I did before going to bed to catch some sleep.

"Mum you don't need to am okay now" I  tried to reason out with mum on not to come back following my illness when the wedding has just started.

"Well I think your plead wont work because we are already on our way, I know both you and Hadiza will not tell me the severity of the condition and your dad also suggested that so here we come and to also top that your brother is on his way already so the more reason for us to be back"

"Okay mum" I said defeated ,I can't hear out ya Zara.

"Yo! Zita am here" she shouted blaring my ears.

"Yeah yeah I know" I said placing my hands on my ear "no need to block out my hearing"

"Whatever" I know you miss me soooo much so not to worry big sis on her way,gotta go have a call" she said disconnecting the line.

"Safe journey" I said out though the call has being already disconnected.

I plopped down on the bed with my laptop and a hot cup of coffee made by aunty Hadiza eyes glued on the device all concentration given blocking out any distraction because my best series is in play,a Korean series, legend of the blue sea which I transferred using a flash from Anisa  my partner in the act  and delayed watching till after my exams which I now have ample freedom to.

"Zaitun!

" Yes" I answered abruptly at the octave of the voice "

"This movie has really got you whipped,being calling you severally but you seem out of this world,hope you've prayed because you've been locked up in here for quite some hours now"

"Yes aunty I did before settling back" I said pausing the drama to hear her out"

"I just tried zainab's line but didn't reach her,were you able to reach them because am sure they would be very close to arriving probably some minutes left to their arrival.

"Oh no tried just now also but didn't get them am sure its the network,ya Saif's line also isn't going through,am sure they will both arrive at seemingly same time because last I talked to him he was also at a close distance" I said pondering into thought.

"Yea probably" but all the same I'm on the safe side finished given touch to all the dishes just waiting up for them,but  your obsession for this drama is really something else what's in it" she said dipping on the bed to take a view and I played it briefing her what it entails and her expression alone shows she sure took a liking.

"Hello,hello, yes I can here you,who is on the line,yes but...... then I turned to look it at her because I heard her go silent taking my eyes off the system and the horrified expression marred across her face made my heart skipped.

Inalillahi waina ilayhi rajiun"(from Allah we are and unto him we shall return)she kept on chanting continuously pacing the room in a panicked stance and I also got off the bed anxiously looking out to her to tell me what's wrong because I have started panicking thinking of different scenarios,well maybe its work related,yea work related I chanted inwardly trying to drift my thought from the conflicting thought plummeting in my mind.

"Which hospital,okay we are coming" voice thick with emotion.

I can't say how I got a scarf wrapped around my head or how I got in the moving car all I know is me continuously asking aunty Hadiza what happened and she shedding silent tears shaking her head producing no sound.

Ya Allah what is happening,where is my mum and sister?,what about my brother? in shaa Allah they are safe talked to them just some while ago, or could it be..... Sara,Noo!

In shaa Allah all is well I chanted that mantra over and over again but a look towards aunty Hadiza made me go weak and the ride seems so long getting to no end, do I even want it to end don't know.

YA ALLAH!!(oh Allah)

*Bismillah (in the name of Allah)

Yayy! an update

Much love Naf-Naf

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