Borno State.

***

Aamirah can feel the sweat tickling down her back and the scorching hot sun burning her face. Unlike the previous week, today is insanely sunny she can barely keep up. She sighed softly when she spotted the driver waiting for her. When she buckled in, she turned to greet him.

"Sannu" Mallam Hassan, the driver offered putting on the air conditioner. "How is Hajiya feeling?"

Aamirah pulled on a tight smile on her lip, "Alhamdulilah, she is doing much better"

"May Allah grant her quick recovery"

"Ameen, thank you" she replied watching as they pull away from the hospital. This week has been beyond stressful for her. As if her lectures and the exams quickly approaching wasn't nerve-wracking enough, Mama had another attack just some days ago.

Aamirah can clearly remember coming home from lectures to find the house empty. No one was at home, even her two brothers, Jamal and AbdulJaleel were no where to be found so she decided to stroll to Ummah, Abdul's mother's side. Surprisingly, she wasn't home too which almost never happened. Aamirah then began to panic so she called Amina who was crying hysterically.

It was a miracle when she made it to the hospital in one piece, Mama's heart almost failed on them. Again! Aamirah was beyond shaken up, she had tried to stay strong but when she met AbdulJaleel, her youngest brother crying, she broke down too. It seemed so real.. especially when her stepfather came rushing with fear brimming in his eyes. They all thought that was the end but Mama pulled through, somehow.

Aamirah let out another deep sigh, she hasn't been home in two days mostly because she stays at the hospital with Mama. Today, Amina managed to convince her to go home and rest for awhile before she returns to the hospital.

She hates leaving Mama, so much. A part of her is scared when she is away, Mama might breath her last and that will be the end. She doesn't want to be away when Mama lets out her last breath, she would hate for that to happen. She wants to soak up the last moments, the last hug, the last kiss and the last advice her mother can give her at the moment.

"We've arrived" Mallam Hassan announced bringing her thoughts to an end.

"Oh, thank you" she unbuckled her seatbelt before getting down and making her way to her mother's side. She unlocked the door and looked around the quiet house, the boys are over in Ummah's side with their siblings so she doesn't have to worry about them.

Aamirah quickly set her bag down before having a long relaxing bath. She was quick to dress up in a maroon and golden material gown before scrutinizing through the fridge for any leftovers to heat up simply because she is too exhausted to cook anything.

She knows Amina offered to sleep the night with Mama but there is no way she can stay further away from Mama. After an hour nap, she is getting a taxi to the hospital with some fresh clothes for Mama and anything else she might need.

The nap was harder than she thought because when she closed her eyes she saw him, standing right before her in all his glory and beauty. The dream is the same as always, one minute she has him in her embrace and the next minute he wasn't there.

The tears roll down her face hot and fast. Sometimes she can't believe how much of a mess she is. As if she doesn't know how the dream will end. The dream that happens every single day for a whole year.

Since the nap has been proven as a complete failure, she decided to just get ready and go back to the hospital. She needs to be surrounded by her mother's limp, weak hands around her body. She needs to be around Amina and her bubbly personality not here, alone, overpowered by thoughts of Khaleel.

Just when she reached for the door, she met Bello, the security guard standing. "I was just about to knock.."

She raised her eyebrow confused while he proceeded. "Someone is here to see you"

Her heart skipped a beat, "Me?!"

"Yes.. he is waiting outside"

Aamirah nod her head dismissing him. She can't even think of one person who knows where she lives from school, especially a man for that matter. Wasn't she clear enough the first time she shooed away a man who claimed to be intrigued by her? Clearly that wasn't enough. How she wishes Abdul is here to come to the rescue!

She sighed closing the door and holding the overnight bag she packed close to her chest. When she stepped out the gate, she saw him leaning on the black shinning car with a very nervous look on his face.

Her heart skyrocketed! It can't be him! Ya Rabbi.. her mind must be playing tricks on her.. it has to be! So she turned around and tried to look for a taxi.

"Assalamualaikum, Aamirah"

The toe curling Aamirah!

Subhanalilah.. she turned her head so hard she can feel her muscles tighten causing a shooting pain in her neck. She gasped, in pain.

"Was that really necessary?" Khaleel asked while she held onto her hurting neck.

"Khaleel?"

"Na'am, Aamirah?"

The tears sting her eyes hurtfully. She can imagine Amina by her side, screeching at her not to give in so easily but she doesn't have it in her. Not at this moment where she is so close to breaking down and Khaleel is moving dangerously close to her.

"Not here" she stepped backwards aware of people's eyes on them.

He glanced around before nodding his head and gesturing to his car right across the street. She has long forgotten about looking for a taxi, about Mama's clothes weighing in the bag on her shoulder, about the nap she deserves, about everything in the world because right now she has found her peace.

The whole of him.

***

"Don't come closer" Aamirah warned hugging her knees to her chest. She is crying so hard her vision is blurry. As if the tears she spilled every single day, for three hundred and sixty five days wasn't enough here she is, sitting in a hotel room with Khaleel few steps away from her, bawling her eyes out yet again.

Her chest feels heavy. When they stepped inside the room, Aamirah did no longer feel the overpowering feeling she felt earlier. She didn't feel like she needed a touch from him or she even wants to see his face. At this moment, she wants nothing from him, not even his stupid, stupid, apology!

"Mimi.."

"Shut up, Ibrahim! Shut up" she screeched.

Khaleel stared at her flabbergasted. He didn't think it will be easy, not at all but also he didn't expect Aamirah outrageous outburst.

"I've been used, so many times. I've been betrayed by the person I trusted the most. My own uncle Khaleel.. my own uncle.."

He sat on the couch farther away from her. He knows what is coming next because he read her letters. Every single one of them! He read it painfully digesting it even though it was extremely hard but he pulled through.

"The first night it happened I cried so hard. So hard the memories of that night haunts me till date. I cried for Mama. I prayed for her presence. I wished for anyone to save me..."

Khaleel watched her powerless, "I know, love. I know"

"He broke me down, Khaleel. Down to nothing, not even a single piece" she cried feeling the heavy weight on her chest.
"But you restored me, so high not even a missing lover can break me down"

The tears wash down his face too. He knows what's coming next but he is not prepared to hear the words leave her mouth. Not in a million years will he be prepared for that.

"Do you know how I felt when you left? When you refused to acknowledge my past and accept me? I felt unseen, under looked, dispensable, unimportant and extremely worthless.."

He guilt is weighing him down. "I'm sorry love"

She didn't reply rather she buried her face in her palms and cried hoping to reduce the burning flame in her chest.

"You are not worthless Aamirah. I've always seen you, past your strong face, I've seen your broken pieces and I was intrigued right from the first time I met you. I want you to know that every ounce of me thinks of you when you think I'm not thinking of you, Mimi"

The sincerity dripping from his voice! Ya Rabeel Aalameen... She cannot breathe. The room feels small. Everything is closing in on her so she stretched her legs and glared at him hard.

"I need you to hold me"

Khaleel smiled, "Move closer, love"

And she did. Until she can feel his warmth surrounding her, his scent coating her and his love marking her. She closed her eyes tight trying to focus on him. On Khaleel who is holding, loving on her and whispering words she had craved from his lips for oh, so many days.

"I love you, Mimi. The whole of you"

She wrapped her hands around him tighter enjoying his warm embrace and his soft lips leaving feather like kisses on her neck.

"Tell me more" she prompt trying to calm her racing heart.

"I love you, deeper than your strength to overcome every trial in life"

She inhaled sharply.

"I love you, not only for you soul shattering smile, or knee clipping touch, more deeper than that, for still finding the beauty in life"

The tears glaze her face.

"I love you, for inspiring me to be better, to be stronger and to have more faith in Allah"

"I love you Aamirah, in many different ways you don't know about but I promise to show you the world, a world full of love and joy just for you, love"

Her heartbeat skyrocketed, she didn't wait to hear more. She doesn't need to hear more, she has heard enough. More than she was hoping for but Khaleel told her the whole of his heart. So much she didn't expect so she leaned in and enjoyed the feels of his lips so close to hers.

His slow touch closed the small space on her back pulling her closer until she can feel his racing heart. Close enough she can memorise the structure of his face and the line of his furrowed eyebrows. She had touched him too craving to memorise his touch. The way his skin ruffles a bit when she is so close to him.

It almost feels like a dream but when he slowly removed her veil and working his lips on the sensitive part of her neck, she knew, this is too good to be a dream. This has to be reality. This has to be happening.

Her in Khaleel's arms. Khaleel's lips of her body. Her hand on Khaleel's face. Khaleel's breath fanning her breath. Khaleel watching her intensely. Khaleel showing her ways his love works. It has to be him, Khaleel, Khaleel, Khaleel.

She didn't feel the demons pulling her down, of the fear of not being enough. She is enough for him. He doesn't need to tell her that, his touch says a lot so she freed her mind and focused on him alone.

So this is how it feels.. to be home.

Subhanalilah.. she loves being home then.

She is never leaving home.

***

Hearing the shrill cry of her phone, she reached over to the bag sitting on the bedside table before getting her phone. Amina's name is holding written, she answered immediately.

"Hello?" She said lowly careful not to wake a sleeping Khaleel who is tucked beside her.

"Bello said you left with a man!"

"How is Mama? Is she okay?" Aamirah asked instead ignoring her sister's statement.

"She is fine, alhamdulilah. Still sleeping, the drugs are kicking in"

"Alhamdulilah" she sighed feeling relief wash over her. "I'm spending the night with her"

"Okay.. Adda Mim's, where are you?"

"With Khaleel" she gasped feeling his hand touch her back teasingly. When did he even wake up?

"Ohhh" Amina said flatly. "I hope he finally brought the divorce papers"

Aamirah bit on her lip trying to move away from Khaleel and his touch but it seems impossible, not when he is pinning her closer to him.

"Amina, we will talk about this later"

"Ya Mim'–"

"Bye!" She hung up immediately.

"Is everything okay?" Khaleel asked kissing her neck tenderly.  Aamirah sighed closing her eyes, she can feel the shivers running down her spine just from his single act. His single touch. His steady breath tickling her neck.

"I have to go"

Khaleel sat up baffled. "Go where?"

She bit on her lip hard regretting not talking about this earlier. Was she that obsessed and deep into Khaleel to talk about more important matters? Ya Rabbi!

"Mama is in the hospital" she said. "Last year, when I told her all about Sudan, she somehow developed complications with her heart. She had another attack few days ago and now she is in the hospital.. I have to stay with her overnight and– Khaleel, stop!"

"Stop what?" He asked smiling running his fingers on her arm igniting an unknown fire in her.

"Stop looking at me that way"

"What way, love?"

She rolled her eyes at his playfulness. A part of him she didn't know existed not until few hours ago, she experienced different parts of Khaleel. Each layer more interesting, loving and sincere.

"Perhaps you think I'm joking but I'm not staying here, with you, tonight. Deal with that" she said removing the covers from her body revealing her bare legs. Somehow the shirt she draped on is riding high on her waist so she pulled it down getting up from the bed.

"Mimi, we have all the time in the world. Your eventually coming home with me but right now, Mama needs you, I know that love"

She smiled nodding her head. "Will you come with me?"

"Do you think I'm ever letting you go?" He furrowed his eyebrows.

"Aamirah, your meant for me forever InshaAllah and I promise you, the world I've created for you love, is worthy of every struggle you have been through"

The tears sting her eyes, she lowered herself back on the bed moving so close to him until there is no more space between them.

"Even if I still have my episodes and tantrums and crazy obsession over you?" She asked lowly.

"I love every single piece of you Mimi. Even in darkness, I'll always be with you"

"I love you" she breathe leaning down and gently kissing him cutting him totally off guard.

"I love you too, Mimi na"

***
🥺here we go.. I'd appreciate if you answer the questions below.. thank you❤️

1- favourite scene from the book?

2- favourite character?

3- favourite bonding scene?

4- funniest scene?

5- the part that made you cry the most?

6- what do you like the most about Aamirah?

7- what do you hate the most about Aamirah?

8- what do you like the most about Khaleel?

9- what do you hate the most about Khaleel?

10- what have you learned from Pieces of Aamirah ?

11- Did this book, in any way, change your life or way of thinking? If yes.. please elaborate.

12- best sister award?

13- what is your general review about this book?

14- what is one thing you wish you can change in this book?

15- will you buy Pieces of Aamirah, if It's ever available as paper back?

16- will you read any of my other books?

17- any last words?