Nigeria, Abuja.

***

Khaleel can still smell her lingering sweet scent on him, the feel on her lips on his and her heartbeat racing wildly against his chest. It feels like a dream. A far away dream he can't reach. Batool had messed him up, badly and she is currently ten thousand feet up in the air.

She had hugged him longer, kissed him deeper and whispered words, oh, so many longing words to his ear making the shivers run down his spine and the goosebumps to appear on his arms.

It was all too much emotions that the ride back home, from the airport, alone without her feels so lonely and troublesome. He decided to on the radio so the recitation of the Qur'an playing will calm his beating heart.

Did he say I love you back to Batool? Did he kiss her enough for her to know how much he loves her or did he utter the right words running circles in his head? Suddenly, he has doubt that Batool hasn't been showered with enough love she deserves. He hasn't been more showing than he should be. Why didn't he hold on to her tighter? Or let his hands pull her body closer to his until she could feel the love he has for her overpowering her. Clouding her. Consuming the whole of her..

"Ya Rabbi" he sighed feeling overly worried about their goodbye. He can still hear her words, the bizarre words she whispered into his ear, the feel of her laughter ringing in his head, or the way she smiled and lite up his whole world. He can see everything.. her staring at him with love, and so many unspoken words as she clinged unto him and uttered those words. Words that shook him to pieces, complete small pieces. The smallest piece he can ever be.

Khaleel has no idea how he drove but in two hours, he arrived home. Back to Aamirah. He took a deep breath trying to straighten his thoughts and calm his racing heart before turning off the engine and getting down.

With the smallest bit of piece left in him, he dragged his legs inside the house trying very hard to comprehend his surroundings. He can feel a very bad headache crawling up on his head probably from overthinking or simply being so overstressed lately but he felt it. Crawling up and consuming his mindset.

"Assalamualaikum" he called locking the door behind him.

The house is quiet, so quiet.

"Aamirah?" He called worriedly dropping the car keys on the dinning table and moving further inside the house. He raced down the halls and to their room trying not to think of the worst that happened when he was away. Right now, as he paused in front of the door, seeing Aamirah's limp body sprawled on the floor, his blood turned cold. He froze. Completely.

"Mimi!" He yelled moving closer to her and touching her unmoving body. He found the little notepad in front of her alongside a pen. She has been writing! A lot from the look of things.

"Aamirah, love," he caressed her eyebrow frightened to the core. When he pressed his hand on her chest, he felt the easing heartbeat, the comforting beat, assuring him it was alright and that's he is getting worked up for no reason.

Letting out a deep breath, he gently carried her from the floor and laid her on the bed. He thought he was gentle enough but Aamirah woke up yelling on the top of her lungs.

"DON'T TOUCH ME!"

He pressed her body on the bed securing her in place. "Shh, it's okay, it's just me"

"Khaleel?"

"Yes, my love"

She let out a visible sigh of relief closing her eyes firmly. "I thought.. I thought he.."

"Don't!" He cut her off feeling her pain resonated through his body. "Look at me.."

Aamirah inhaled deeply opening her eyes. He is close, so close to her laying almost on top of her with his hands holding her shoulders down, pressing  to the bed protectively.

"Ya Allah! this is harder than I thought" he mused quietly but Aamirah did not miss that.

"What is?" She asked confused.

Khaleel inhaled sharply before confessing, "Holding myself back"

Bitting on her lip, she slowly entangle her hands around his neck and inched his head lower and lower until there is no more space between them. Until his pieces had restored and their souls have been mended. Until he can memorise the feel of her lips on his and the way her body responds to his touch. Or how she yearned for more, or moved closer everytime he dipped his hands down her body trying to understand the way her curved body works.

Khaleel felt the wetness of her tears, the undoubtedly racing heart of hers and shivering legs. He moved back away, just enough so he can see her face and understand her pieces. Well, at least some of them. She is still crying silently bitting her lips so hard and rocking her legs together. In that moment, Khaleel can see the intense battle she is going through. All by herself. Over him.

"You don't have to, Aamirah. It's okay" he wiped away her tears.

"But.. you are not him" she released her lips from the harsh bite of her teeth.

"Regardless, we are not rushing this, okay?"

She kept quiet thoughtfully.

"Answer me, okay?"

She nod her head, "okay"

Satisfied with her answer, he gently ripped himself up from her body before laying beside her. Closely. He let his eyes close for a second reminiscing all that happened. Just a while ago. All that happened.

It's insane how things change in the flip of a second, in just a single scene, or a small thought. When he closed his eyes longer, he can feel the panic shocking through his body and his insides turning in a saucing flip not because of the moment he shared with Aamirah but because Batool is right..

Something bad will happen and he can feel it too.

***

He slept good, so good but the noise woke him up. The large thundering on the door and loud wailing shook him back to reality. He jumped up immediately. Something doesn't feel right.. not at all because he can hear Batool's voice. Batool's heart wrenching tears filling his ears.

Quickly, he ran to the door were Batool is. Standing drenched in water while holding Raina close to her chest. She immediately fall on him, crying so hard breaking his heart into pieces.

"Khaleel, I can't handle the pain, the pain" she cried loudly.

"What happened? What pain? What's wrong?" He panicked searching over her for any injury but he found none.

"The pain, take her with you, hold her, the pain in my chest.. make it go away Khaleel.. DanAllah!" She cried pushing Raina into his arms.

Shocked, he looked down at his daughter who is sleeping peacefully in his hands, at least she looks like she is sleeping, suddenly, he let out a loud wail. Loud, soul shattering wail. Batool joined him walking back and forth in the room.

"Ya Khadi.. Ya Khadi.." she kept chanting holding onto her chest.

"The pain, Khaleel, wallahi, I'm going to die, I'm dying Khaleel, dying!!"

He gasped back to reality yelling under his breath, "Lahawla walaa quwataa illa bi'llah"

Aamirah who just exited from the bathroom looked at him in utmost shock and disbelief, "Khaleel, what is it?" She asked worriedly moving closer to him.

It dawned on him that he had, a very, very bad nightmare.

"Aoozubillahi Minna shaydani Rajeem! O Allah, there is no ease other than what You make easy. If you please You ease sorrow" he murmured throwing the duvet away from his body and standing up.

"Khaleel?" Aamirah called frightened by his behavior.

"I'm fine, I just had a nightmare. Come here.." she walked towards him until she is completely covered with his warm hold around her. She sighed in bliss, utter bliss and peace.

"What time is it?" He asked.

"Almost time for Dhur prayers, I was about to wake you up"

He nod his head kissing her forehead. "The mosque isn't that far"

Aamirah nod her head slightly pulling back from the hug, "I'll be fine"

On his way to the mosque, he received Batool's message confirming her arrival to Lagos State safely, he immediately decided to call her eagerly waiting to hear her voice so he can calm down from his weird nightmare.

Batool picked up, "It's time to pray" was her way of saying hello.

"I know Habibty, just wanted to hear your voice, on my to the mosque right now"

She chuckled lowly, "Alright, you've heard my voice, go and pray to Allah, we will talk later Inshallah"

"I love you, Fateemah"

She paused for a second, "I know, bye" she hung up quickly. He felt the relief washing over his body so hard. Thankfully, he had expressed his love enough for Batool to know.

He hastily joined the congrational prayer taking his time to pray and ask Allah for guidance in all his affairs. He asked Allah to bless him with the ability to rule his home based on partiality and love and to be able to make both women happy.

When he walked back home, his phone rang in his pocket so hard. Thinking it was a work related call or the private investigator calling, he answered immediately only to be greeted with Ya Maamah's worried voice.

"You need to come to the hospital" she declared making him to abruptly stop in front of his house, frightened.

"What happened?"

"It's Zeezee, she is having complications and.." she took a deep breath. "She's in so much pain"

It all happened so fast. The next minute he is panicking and looking for his car keys while Aamirah anxiously watch him trying to get any information from him. He zoned her out though, completely until he found the car keys on the dinning table were he left them.

"Ya Zeezee has been rushed to the hospital, I have to go" he inform looking for his shoes. Not the crocks her wore a while ago.

"Subhanalilah! Can I come?" Aamirah asked.

"Sure, if you want to"

Before he could move, Aamirah has already ran to the room to change into a more presentable gown and veil. She met him in the car, looking overly worried and concerned for his sister.

The drive to the hospital was silent, mostly because Khaleel was continuously making dua's under his breath while she watched out the window thinking about the time she met Ya Zeezee. She remembers how nice she was to her, even though they never had a moment together, she was so warm to her.

When they pulled over, Khaleel had walked beside her trying frantically to find the room his sister is admitted in. He met Ya Maamah leaning on the door bitting her lips while Ya Aisha and the kids are seating on the cold silver chairs.

His heart sunk in his chest.

"Assalamualaikum" he voiced out making his presence known to his sisters who look lost.

"Wa'alaikum Salaam, Khaleel.." Ya Maamah feigned a smile before looking at Aamirah who is beside her husband, "Ah, Aamirah, come and hug me, long time"

Aamirah hugged her brifely exchanging pleasantries. She turned to Ya Aisha who barely acknowledged her presence before finding a space to seat.

"What happened?" Khaleel asked worriedly, he glanced at the kids who are busy playing with Ya Aisha's phone. "Why are they here?"

Ya Aisha blinked back her tears, "I was on the phone with her this morning when she started complaining of stomach ache, it was just.. we were talking" she inhaled deeply. "Then she started talking weirdly.. and the call ended. I kept calling her but it wasn't going through so I called Ya Maamah and we rushed over to find her unconscious. Baaba was in his room so he had no idea and the kids were in Islamiyya. We rushed her here immediately while the driver picked the kids up and brought them here.."

Khaleel rest his weight on one leg. "What did the doctor say?"

Ya Maamah intervene, "Why don't you take the kids home first?"

It is at that moment that Khaleel realized what happened to Ya Zeezee is not a minor thing rather it's the type of huge earthquake that comes hitting them unexpectedly. So hard. So wild. He gathered himself together so he wouldn't worry the kids who are unaware to what is going on with their mother. Their mother who is fighting for her life.

"Where should I take them?"

Ya Maamah paused for a second, "Take them to my house. Sidiqa will stay with them although the kids will be a lot for her to take care of. Raina also need special attention.." she thought.

"What about Faridah?" Ya Aisha asked.

"She went home for the weekend" Khaleel replied.

"I can stay with them" Aamirah offered quickly. Khaleel assessed her worriedly, he knows without a doubt that leaving Aamirah all alone with children can trigger her emotions because she will think of her younger sister, Amina, so he quickly declined her offer.

Ya Aisha frowned, "Let her stay with them! What's the problem?"

"Ya Aisha.. it's nothing, let her just stay here"

"Stay here and do what?! Is she granting Ya Zeezee fast recovery or what?"

"Aisha!" Ya Maamah called flabbergasted. "For Allah's sake, stop this, watch your tongue"

Aamirah can feel the tension so hot in the hallway so she simply stood up and held onto Salamah's hand. "It's fine, really, I'll stay with the kids"

Khaleel let the matter go unwillingly. He picked up Sadiya, Ya Zeezee's four year old daughter while Aamirah followed behind with the two girls in tow. When they buckled in the car, Salmah, the eldest will not stop asking questions about her mother so without any choice, he told her the simple truth.

"Maama is sick, pray for her, okay?"

Safeeya, the quiet one amongst them leaned back on the seat and sucked her thumb. "Is the baby coming?"

Khaleel inhaled deeply, "I don't know, let's just pray for Maama, okay? Pray for her to recover quickly"

"Okay, Uncle Khaleel" they all chorus.

Khaleel felt overly drained. Especially when they pulled over in Ya Maamah's house and all his nieces and nephews surround him asking where their mothers are. He told them the plain truth, that Ya Zeezee is sick and her sisters need to be with her. When he held onto Raina, she was laughing so hard shrieking at her cousins who kept tugging her legs playfully.

"Are you having fun Raina?"

She shrieked louder making Khaleel to smile so hard. He pressed his lips to her head before finally letting her down gently so she can play with her cousins. Aamirah felt overwhelmed with the number of kids running around Ya Maamah's neat, beautiful, highly interior house. She doesn't feel like she can keep them all in check. Not at all.

"You don't have to do this" Khaleel said when they moved sideways to talk.

"Ya Zeezee needs you"

"Thank you"

Aamirah looked up at him, "No thank you's, remember?"

He smiled knowingly remembering their first moments together when they came to Abuja and she kept thanking him, in that memory, Khaleel can clearly remember the gaze of love and uncertainty lacing in her eyes. He remembers, oh, so well.

When he returned to the hospital, it all came crashing down. He met Abubakar, Ya Zeezee's ex husband pacing back and forth in front of her room.

Khaleel took a deep breath trying to get control of his emotions. Abubakar is not to be blamed for this! Of course he made Ya Zeezee go through hell and let his mother tamper with their relationship up to the point of separating them from each other but this isn't his fault.

At least that's what he kept saying trying to stop himself from ripping his head off when they exchanged pleasantries and wait for the doctor to tell them what is going on.

Ya Maamah sat beside him on the chair, in the minute she looks so grown up and elderly. Not like the Ya Maamah he knows. An elder version of her who is overly worn out about her siblings.

"What about Batool? Has she arrived?" She asked starting a conversation with him.

Khaleel straighten out his legs before him. "Yes, Alhamdulilah. We talked briefly earlier"

"Hmm" Ya Maamah mused. "Don't tell her about this, she will lose focus on things or simply get the next flight back home. This workshop is important for her career"

Khaleel nod his head.

"Zeezee, is.."

Khaleel asses his sister when realisation dawned on him. Ya Maamah knows. She has always known. All this while.. she was aware of things. Before he could ask her more, Captain, her husband walked in with three soldiers behind him and Baba trying to catch up with them.

Khaleel let his heart stop at that moment..

All he can think of is,

Innalilahi wa'ina ilayhi raji'un.

***
Assalamualaikum babessss🙋

Pleaseeee what is all this about Batool dying????😭 Y'all should know me by now.. habaaa!!! Batool is here to stay oo😂 maybe...🙊

All I can say about this chapter is,

Innalilahi wa'ina ilayhi raji'un.. we are getting so close.

Vote, comment and share❤️