Please vote, I'm losing the vibe to write this book oo. Please vote and comment. I'm begging.

Unedited.

****

It was a hot morning when Sadiqu received a call from an unknown number. He let the call ended at first but when the call came through again, he picked it. It was Maleekah.

She sounded agitated. Sadiqu's heart had slammed to his chest before he asked her what was the matter.

Maleekah told him that Madaki was gone. The old man they saw, the other time they visited Bauchi. Sadiqu felt his body becoming cold. He urged her to pray for him and promised her that he will come.

Sadiqu later hung up the call feeling extremely sad. He'd met the man only once but he felt like he's known him for so long.

Sadiqu planned to pay Bauchi a visit on the third day after the death. He told Inna about it and she extended her condolences to Leek via call.

****

"What do you mean by you're not going?" Sadiqu bellowed at Mimi. He has gone out to buy bread for breakfast and he came back and met her still sleeping.

"As it sounds. I am not going anywhere!" She retreated.

"That's not nice, you know?" He sighed.

"I can remember when I lost my husband you didn't come neither did she. Can you remember that?" Mimi's eyes were teary already. It really hurted her. She could never forget those that didn't offer their condolences to her.

"I was in the hospital bed." He defensively answered.

"Not enough. It's never late to say your condolence. Never late." This time around, Mimi wiped away her tear and closed her eyes briefly. She remembered how she had waited for either of their messages.

"We're sorry."

"You and who? Well you're still referring to You and Maleekah 'we'? Great. I know I've always been a burden. I'm always the trash. You never love me. It's her you love, why don't you bring her back and set me free? I am the dumb one here. I keep repeating this, why will fate bring us together? Please," Mimi went on her knees before she continued.

"Please make it clear to me. Let me know where I stand in your life. I don't know what you took me as. You find pleasure in hurting me, you find pleasure in seeing me in pain. And you feel elated seeing me blindly love you. Have you ever loved me? Please do tell me. I need to make an important move in my life. I have said many goodbyes to you but at the end I couldn't pull through. But is it my fault? For the final time, do you ever love me sincerely and wholeheartedly? Or are you still playing with my heart." Mimi then stood up and marched to where frozen Sadiqu was standing.

She held his hand and placed it on her chest. "By Allah if you tell me you don't love me, I will cast you out of here." She wiped her tear and smiled.

"You... I mean, how..." Mimi stopped him.

"You don't need to consider me. Don't give me the answer I want to hear. Just give me the words that are etched on your tongue. The words that are directly from your heart. Don't care about my feelings." Sadiqu held her two hands and placed them on his chest too. He snaked his hand around her waist and bored his eyes into hers.

"I don't know. It's confusing at first. It's mind boggling. It's overwhelming so, it makes me numb. It snatched away my feeling of expression. I just don't know. But I know between my heart and yours, there's a bond. There's a connection." Mimi slowly slipped her hands away.

Sadiqu caught them again. "Listen to me. I was lost. I was poor. I was a student. I was a little man when my heart found yours. It wanted to be friends with yours but it was scared. But I've always love you Mimi. I just don't have the courage. I love you with all that is in me. My heart has been singing, blinking, twinkling and gleaming. It has been waiting for this moment. I love you so much."

Mimi slapped his chest. "You're lying!" She then busted, and tears followed after.

Sadiqu gently wiped away her tears.

"If my heart is to be split open, you will see it in two parts, two colours. One part is mine, the other is yours. By Allah I love you so much."

"But why are you treating me this way? We're living under one roof as if we're non mahrams." Mimi quickly palmed her mouth.

Sadiqu chuckled. "You're late. You said it out. What do mahrams do? I thought they hold hands and eat together that's all. I don't know anything aside that." Sadiqu shrugged with an amused smile.

"I don't know too." She frowned.

Sadiqu pulled her to his body and hugged her tight. "After this then what?" He whispered. Mimi kept mum.

"Can you feel it? Can you feel our hearts beat in the same ryhmth?" He asked, his breath fanning her neck. Mimi felt her legs gradually weakening and becoming jelly.

"I love you." He repeated.

"I have heard that enough. And people say it when they don't mean it." She pushed him and headed for the door that will lead her out of the room.

"You should have waited so that I will show you how much I mean my words." Mimi smiled and came back.

"Asking for a chance?" She raised her brow. Sadiqu nodded.

"Then you've to wait till you marry me properly." She pursed her lips.

"What's that?"

"Wedding events? Bridal gifts? New house? Extra care? Showing pure love? Change of attitudes? I don't know." She waved and sped out.

Sadiqu smiled. She's right. He hasn't done any of which she listed.

But how will he begin?

******

The next morning happened to be the third day of Madaki's death. Sadiqu was going to Bauchi with the whole family including Fatimah.

Inna, Yusrah, Asnah, Fatimah and Noor took the same car.

"So you mean we're taking the public transport?" Mimi asked slowly remembering the struggles. She could remember the first time she entered a bus. Mimi sat beside the door where the conductor sat. It was her biggest regret because of the way the conductor was sweating and smelling. She kept suppressing the urge to puke while on the way.

When they reached oldiste, she stopped a napep rider. And the napep rider picked a passenger who's a smoker. The man smoked throughout the drive and it was so unfortunate that she couldn't talk, talkless of dropping. Mimi fell sick later that day.

Shrugging off the painful memory, she made a puppy face.

"Please drive my car. Please." Sadiqu looked at her contemplating. Mimi quickly briefed him on what happened the first time Mama punished her and asked her to take a public ride. He laughed off his throat before he agreed to drive her car.

Mimi was more than glad. The drive was silent, as both of them were thinking of different things. Mimi remembered General but quickly put his thought aside. She needed to move on.

"Do you think something is about to happen?" Mimi asked Sadiqu whose focus was completely on the road.

"Why?" He glanced at her.

"I just have an odd feeling all of a sudden."

"I had this feeling the other time I visited Bauchi. And I thought it's because you reside there. Maybe you're remembering General."

"That's not it. It's something different." She protested. Sadiqu placed his right hand on her hand and squeezed it.

"Everything is fine. Nothing is happening in sha Allah." Mimi felt assured and smiled.

****

At the time their cars pulled by the palace gate, they couldn't get a proper spot to park. The palace was crowdy, people bustling in and out like ants. It was obvious that, entrance wasn't restricted that day.

Young almajiris were sneaking in and packing remnant of food and drinks. It was practically a mint feast for them.

"I think we have to call Leek." Mimi suggested when all of them were out.

"That's it. Abba call mummy!" Yusrah was super excited. Mimi suddenly felt bad. She hasn't been giving extra care to the child. She didn't drew her close to her. She remembered Maama telling her to treat Yusrah like her own. That will make her like her and Sadiqu will love her more. Aside that, Mimi remembered whom Yusrah was, to her. Yusrah was like her own child. She shouldn't have left what happened between her and Leek to affect Yusrah.

If there's anyone that supposed to take care of Yusrah after Leek, it's her. That's even when she's not married to Sadiqu. Mimi blinked back her tears and leveled to Yusrah's height.

"You want to see mummy right? I am also your mummy." She pinched the little girl's cheek.

"No, you're Asnah's mummy. If you're my mummy, you will buy cloth for me. You will give me sweet." Yusrah babble. Mimi's heart sunk to the pit of her stomach.

"When we get back home I will give you a lot of sweet. I kept them for you. And I will buy two Dora the explorer clothes for you. Do you like it?" Yusrah beamed and nodded fast.

"Now give me five." They clapped. Mimi raised her head and found Inna looking at her. She shyly ducked her head low feeling uncomfortable. Sadiqu had witnessed their little conversation too.

"Asnah is with Fatimah, let's go." Mimi had her head down till when they reached Leek's grandmother's chamber. Mimi was in awe. The palace was so beautiful, she couldn't deny it.

They were led to a parlour by a maid who was obviously sent by Maleekah.

"Noor, look." Fatimah looked around and noticed no one's attention was on her and Noor.

"Stop calling me Noor. Everyone knows you're the one called Noor." She said in a low voice.

"But you're my light. You light up my life that's why I call you Noor." Nuraddeen answered.

"But it's your name." Fatimah whined. She was improving. All thanks to her therapist, Dr AbdulAziz.

"Okay let's call you Nurannur. Light of light." Fatimah only glared at him playfully when she felt like someone in the parlor was listening to them.

She smiled at him thereafter which he also returned and blew a kiss towards her face. Fatimah grimaced.

"Noor I hope you're treating Fatimah good. Because she just glared at you and I saw that. Fatimah is he misbehaving?" Fatimah felt like sinking onto the ground.

Inna and Sadiqu laughed while Fatimah only pinched Noor. 'Like, look what you caused.'

The sat for more than ten minutes before the door creaked open, revealing Maleekah. Yusrah jumped and hugged her. Maleekah twirled her around and kissed her cheeks before she found a spot and sat.

They all exchanged greetings and offered their condolences. Maleekah left for something. Mimi silently followed her out.

"Leek!" She called out. Maleekah stopped and turned.

"I am sorry for your loss."

"Thank you so much Mimi. I really appreciate." Suddenly, Leek felt bad. Everything came back to her in a rush. All she did to Mimi. But Mimi would never understand that it was for her own good.

"I missed you so much. I miss our friendship." Leek finally said. Mimi opened her arms for Leek. She hugged her, remembering everything. Their fights and all.

"I miss you too Leek. Let's start afresh please." Leek gulped bitterly. She's sorry. Because of what's on her mind. She's sorry for Mimi. She just had to do it.

"Let's go to the private kitchen." Leek ignored Mimi's plea. Mimi noticed every of Leek's move. She wanted to ask but she thought it has to do with the death.

When they reached the private kitchen, there were maids in brown uniform cooking. On sighting Leek, they bowed, offered their condolences for the ninth time and left.

"So this is where you have been staying."

"Yes. Since." Maleekah answered as they walk out.

They reached the parlour and dropped the food warmers. They were eating when Sadiqu received Leek's call. He excused himself out.

Leek led him to a room and brought out a paper from her scarf.

"Madaki asked me to give you while he's on his death bed." Sadiqu collected and opened it.

It reads; Your farm, your home, your life. Take care of your farm for it will bring a great yield. Pick up the seed you threw, for, it's your treasure. Then supplicate to your lord.

Sadiqu looked at Maleekah.

"What's this?"

"I've tried to get it but I couldn't. It's a logic. If interpreted, it will fill fifty pages." She answered.

"How do you know that?" Sadiqu was confused more.

"Because he gave me something similar when we visited here for the first time. And he interpreted it for me." Maleekah opened the door of the room and sashayed out. Her heart was becoming fragile on sighting Sadiqu. She was trying to control her emotions. So, she left.

Sadiqu folded the paper and put it in his pocket.

******

Assalamu alaikum.
It's been a while.

How are we all coping? May Allah bring and end to this pandemic. May it be a source of kaffara to us.

#StayAtHome.
#StaySafe.
#WashYourHands.

And take precautions.