Dedicated to majiddamadina you make me laugh. Thank you for joining us❤❤

Sudan Khartoum.

***

Maybe he didn't see her sitting on the floor beside the kitchen cabinet, or maybe he chose to ignore her. Either way, it is fine with her.

She watch as he switch the lights on and opened the fridge, immediately the door was pulled open, an orange fell on his leg. He shrieked bending down to pick the orange.

subconsciously he cursed loudly "stupid, dan iskan orange"

Aamirah burst into laughter startling Khaleel to death as he jumped and turned around "How did you.. What are you doing here?!"

"Your silly" she cracked up wiping away the tear that spilled from her uncontrollable laughter.

"You saw that?"

"Yep"

Khaleel smiled returning the orange inside the fridge before grabbing a can of apple soda. "So care to tell me why your sitting on the cold tiles in the kitchen half past midnight?" He sat on the counter as her laughter died.

"Care to tell me why your drinking apple soda half past midnight?" She raised her eyebrow as he gulp down the drink.

"I couldn't sleep" they answer simultaneously before laughing at each other.

She looked so carefree that he won't trade this moment for the world.

"I just.. Couldn't sleep. Nigtamares are the worst" she spoke clicking her tongue.

"I wish i can help" smiling at him, she hugged her knees to her chest. Her hands are draped around her knees while resting her chin on her hand.

Her eyes shine with sadness..At that moment he felt his heart beating so fast he is afraid she can hear.

The ash hijab she wore did more justice to her enchanting, radiant beauty.

She looked so Aamirah.. Expect she is the saddest version of Aamirah.

"Why are you awake?"

How can he tell her that he couldn't sleep because he is missing Batool, because he can't even save his marriage and here he is trying to save her. A complicated woman who is not wanting help.

"Work"

The fell silence. Only the sound of Khaleel's drink hitting the counter.. He had already finished the drink so he threw it in the trash can expretly.

"If I can grant you one wish what will that be?"

Aamirah was take aback, the question just happened. Just like that. "I would really love to go home.." She need not think twice.

"To see my mother, to leave this country. To escape everything" she shivered at that swallowing the big lump in her throat.

Standing up slowly she said, "Can you give me that. Please"

Just like dust, she was gone.

***

When Khaleel received Ya Maamah's call immediately after Fajr prayers he figured out he did something wrong. Something that can make her call him when the world is yet to be fully awake.

He wasn't worried something bad might have happened, she is always reluctant to share bad news with him until it's beyond her control.

"Waa'alaikum salaam" she replied his greeting in a stern voice.

He is in deep mess!

Very big, sticky mess "good morning, how was your night?" He asked as calmly as he can.

"You tell me. I had an unexpected visitor last night, after Isha'i prayers if i am to be specific"

Visitor? He furrowed his eyebrows confused.

"Oh!"

"Yes.. So care to explain why Batool is over, bawling her eyes out?"

What?! Okay.. He was not expecting that "Don't test my patience Khaleel. She won't even tell me what you did wrong, she is defending you for only God knows what reason. The girl is lonely!"

"Ya Maamah i can explain" he really can't

"I'm all ears and it better be something worth my time"

"We had a fall out, a minor one. It will be fine InshaAllah"

She scoffed, "Minor fall out? Your kidding me. Have you seen the girl? she looks miserable Khaleel. you better give me another good reason why someone's daughter is crying because of you? Don't tell me all the Hadith's on marriage i've been sending to you is of no use. How dare you?"

He scratched the back of his head, there is no way out of this mess. "Ya Maamah I promise I'll sort this out. Let me call her.."

"You have twenty four hours if not, wallahi I am taking the next flight to Sudan and I'll smack you so hard you will forget your name. Try me and see" she hung up with a silent hiss leaving a perplexed Khaleel.

Immediately when she hung up, he called Batool who picked up on the third call. "Sorry I was saying my adhkars. is everything okaay?"

He exhaled deeply. At least she is fine even though her voice sounds a little bit rough. "You okay? Ya Maamah called"

"Ya Rabb! I told her not to bother you. It's nothing, I just had to step out from the house. It gets lonely living in a big house all alone" she explained as guilt wash over him.

"She said you were crying"

"I lost a patient last night"

He has never felt this guilty in his life. What is wrong with him? That went too far. "SubhanaAllah, i didn't know. May his or her soul rest in peace. How are you coping habibty?"

She inhaled sharply and he knew she is hurting, deep within. "Ameen. It's a He. Remember the eleven year old I told you about, the one with epilepsy?that's the boy"

He can he not remember the boy she is always talking about. Sometimes it felt as if she gave birth to him with the way she is always talking about him.

"May Al-Jannatul firdaus be his abode. I am sorry your going through this alone, I know how much you cared about him"

"Ameen. I miss you habibey, come home"

To hear the vulnerability in her voice breaks his heart. How dare he say no to her? "I'm booking my flight in a week's time, that should be enough time to round up everything here"

"May Allah be with you"

He beamed. That prayer always gets him "So about Ya Maamah..."

Batool laughed so hard he couldn't help but smile at her resonating laughter. "Scary cat"

"Kut! Do you want her to skin your husband alive? She swore to take the night flight here.."

"I'll talk to her, calm down. I've got you"

"Phew! Alhamdulilah then"

***

Sometimes, when hanging around or basically talking randomly on the phone he will wonder how his life would have turned out without Kabeer.

He can remember the summer they met. They both should be round thirteen-fourteen. Those days, Ya Maamah will send him and Ya Aisha to Sudan to spend the summer with aunty Kulthum and the girls. He can remember crying and bawling his eyes saying he wanted to spend his holiday with her, Ya Zeezee and Baba and his paternal cousins back in Maiduguri but somehow she managed to covince him to go to Sudan. It was always the 'Do you think Mama will happy with you right now Khaleel? Aunty Kulthum is her only sister for God's sake, she is the closest thing close to a mother to you, hold on to her tight, you need her' it always works.

One day, he was so tired and bored so he decided to explore the neighborhood and he meet Kabeer who was then living two blocks away. They talked and somehow they became inseparable that he was always eager for summer so he can see him.

Now as the sky turned a darker shade of blue, he knew, without any doubt that if they don't leave the gym now Kabeer will pursue him into staying for another hour. That is certainty not part of his plan!

"Okay, you've had your fun lets go" he removed his headphones and the treadmill slowed down.

"Come on, ten more minutes"

"We've been here for two hours, I need rest or I'll collapse"

"I'll carry you."

He glared at him and Kabeer chuckled turning off the treadmill "Your so annoying"

"I didn't ask to come to the gym, I am in good shape unlike you" he called out but he was already running towards the changing room to take a shower.

After approximately fifteen minutes, they flew out of the gym as quick as they could go escape from the harsh, windy weather. "Just so you know i am in good shape"

Khaleel laughed, he was even joking but Kabeer being the man he is, someone who is overly obsessed with his physical health clearly doesn't get the joke.

"What's up with you? You have been overly quiet"

"Stuffs" Khaleel muttered sighing heavily. "Aamirah asked to go home last night, I don't know what to do"

Kabeer glanced at him before returning his eyes on the road. "No solution?"

"Only if there is a Nigeria who can marry her"

"Like a contract?"

"Possibly. It's just to get her in the country, pass any interrogations. just legally"

Kabeer nod his head understanding "So Have you been searching? I mean, the guy who can.."

He gritted his teeth looking out the window, it is now raining, heavily. "Ya Rabb. Maybe, it's me"

His heart almost jumped out from his chest when Kabeer press the brakes suddenly pulling over.

"Do you want to kill us?!" He gasped for air.

"What do you mean? Are you insane? Do you want to kill me?! You can't go around saying stuffs like that to me when i'm driving okay? Ya salaam!" He breathe unbuckling his seat belt as he lean on the seat.

They were silence both trying to register what just happened. How Kabeer almost killed both of them or how Khaleel almost gave his best friend a heart attack.

The silence is deafening so Kabeer spoke even though he didn't trust his words "are you really considering that? Marrying Aamirah?"

"I was just saying, I mean it's not a bad idea, it's just.."

"What about Batool?"

He blinded twice, "She will understand"

Kabeer is sure his man has lost his mind now. Understand as in okay with him taking a second wife? Wow.

Without another word he started the car and drove them home. When he turned off the car for the second time, he said, "I told you it will come hitting hard but I was not expecting that. At all"

Khaleel was tongue tied

"Think this through and most especially think about your growing family"

He nods his head and got down the car. At last he entered his room dripping from head to toe while shivering..

***

I was laughing so hard when Kabeer said: what do you mean? Are you insane? Do you want to kill ME?😂😂😂😂 aw Kabeeer na Jam!

Batool and Khaleel's connection is on another level ughhhh i love them😍😩

So marriage you say huh khaleelu?

How do you think Batool will handle all this?

Comment!!!!