Her eyes slowly began opening themselves, and she felt as her temperature began rising slowly. She took some seconds on the bed without analysing where she was or how she ended up sleeping for what seemed like an hour or even more. She knew she had slept to her satisfaction because she could feel her brain refreshed. Sitting upright, Fadwa scanned the room she was in, and there it occurred to her. How it all happened. She slipped into the pool. Did he save her? Obviously. Because she knew the strength of the waves of that water would never let her alive unless Maheer saved her. Her boss.

She got lost once again in the paintings adorning the walls of her favourite room. And for a moment, she imagined how happy she would be if she were to be waking up every day to these paintings. She was certain they would fill her life with happiness. A thought struck her mind, that she didn't pray her subh salah, and from the way she felt, she knew it was past the time. Breakfast! She didn't cook him breakfast! She jerked up from the bed despite how lazy she was feeling her body, she couldn't risk herself being humiliated by her boss.

As she turned, she found her hijab neatly folded on the bed side drawer. That was when she took a look at her body, and an unexpected sigh escaped her lips seeing she was fully clothed with the clothes she came with. She felt the slippery texture of her hear on her neck and as she placed her hand on her head, she felt nothing. Her veil wasn't there with her. And she made the mistake of never wearing a headband. How was she supposed to take care of her hair? It's too slippery that even if she tried making a bun, some strands won't just stay.

She slumped back on the bed and looked around the whole room, that was when her eyes fell on him. He was facing the qibla as he said his Zuhr prayer. She had always loved playing in congregations. That's why she sometimes stayed long at school so she could be able to. Fadwa smiled and rushed to the toilet inside the room, she performed her ablution and was so fast in putting on her hijab. She was fortunate enough he was on the second raka'ah and was saying his first tahiyya. So she joined. Praying behind him as she smiled, satisfied that she was finally able to pray in congregation today. Something good about the day.

Maheer didn't know what made him stayed in that room that he read his book, and when it was time for prayer, he felt he couldn't go to the mosque and left her there. So he performed his ablution and started praying in the room. He said his last salam and turned his back to say his azkhar when he found her seated behind him, saying her missed raka'ahs. He was baffled, because he was sure he heard when the bathroom room was opened but he never imagined her to pray behind him.

He finished saying his supplications and walked to the sofa, where he had a complete view of her as she finished her prayer and started saying her supplications. He was looking at her closely and while she was praying, he was sure he saw some tears rolling down her cheeks, which she swiftly wiped at.

What made her cry? He shrugged off his shoulders at that and made a malicious expression on his face. Lest this girl thought of something just because he stayed in her room and she prayed behind him. "What are you still doing there? Aren't you recovered yet? In the first place, what took you to my pool?" He fixed his eyes on her, and Fadwa had nothing to do but pouted her lips.

And it got to him! "I'm asking you something and you sit there pouting your lips like a baby? Go away! My lunch should be ready in a minute from now!" He thundered, and she didn't know when she left the room. She had caught a sight of her black veil under her hijab, but she was in a rush to pray along with him that she didn't get the time to took it and now he had chased her away. Tomorrow is monday, and Majida used her veil to school.

Without so much energy in her, she walked to the kitchen and looked at the clock. It read 2:15pm. She had to an hour to prepare his lunch. She switched on the phone he gave her and took a look at the food timetable Mamitah sent. She entered YouTube, and that was how she cooked his lunch for him. Follow every step the chef made. She was done by 3:45pm and as she rushed to get the things out of the kitchen, she saw him watching out too. With his book in between his fingers. She internally groaned. Fadwa didn't know why this man loved reading so much. She hated books. Novels to be precise.

She placed down the warmers on his dining table and was walking back to the kitchen when he called her, "You!" He had forgotten what she said her name was, or rather, he choose to pretend.

Frightened, she turned and his eyes fell directly into hers. Ouch! That hurts man! She quickly averted her gaze and felt as her heart kept pounding non stop. She wanted to fondle her chest, 'we're safe.' She would've whispered.

"Who do you think will serve the lunch for me? Don't you know what it is you should do? How poor are you that you don't even know what's expected of you as a cook?" He hissed and she walked haltingly towards him. She was tired and suffocated of this house. Everywhere hurt in her. She was still not recovered from this drowsiness. He was the one that let her drowned right?

She folded the ends of her hijab, afraid not to do something that will call for an insult from him. Serving him his lunch, she walked back to the kitchen and ate hers as well. She was at rest for a bit today, because she knew Majida and Ammi had gone to do the market for the foodstuffs. She didn't have to think too much about it.

Maheer scratched his left eyebrow and picked up the call that came from Badya. He scrunched up his face and answered, "What is it? I've been wanting to call you." He nearly shouted at her, but no matter how much he wanted, he couldn't. She was like Badra to him.

"Ya Maheer, I'm sorry. I apologized to her too. And she understood. I called to ask you something." From the way her voice sounded, Maheer knew she was smiling goofy, and if she were to call him on video call, he knew he would have to resort to everything she asked.

"Tell me, what is it? And don't you dare say you're dating Yaasir. Badya," his voice erupted with a warning tone. But he knew the unwanted had already happened. She was already dating Yaasir and there's absolutely nothing he can do about it.

She was silent for a minute before she spoke, "I'm sorry but I am. But you need to understand the reason I'm doing all this is for her. I know he doesn't love me too, he wants something from me but I'm more shrewd than Badra. He's going to betray. That's why I'm dating him so she'll get him out of her mind, Ya Maheer. " Among the three of them, she was known to be the talker.

Maheer believed none of her words. "Tell me, why did you call? Don't even start asking for money, Daddy is home." He knew her and her extravagant lifestyle. Daddy always give tjem monthly allowances, even though his allowance had doubled theirs, but she was always the one that finished off hers first, then she moved to Badra's before she resort to begging him.

She smiled widely, "Ya Maheer, you know you're the most handsome guy in Abuja, right?" This was always her startup line, and Maheer couldn't help but laugh.

He laughed so hard and answered her back, "Badya, I know that already. And incase you don't notice, this has always been your line when you want money. Tell me, what is it?"

"I need to borrow your car, the black one please. My friend is hosting a birthday party, and you know; as Badya Aliyu Shagari, I have to outshine them all." He could imagine her flipping her hair and rolling her eyes.

"I can't trust you with my car, Badya. Unless you're going together with Badra and she'll be the one to drive, then it's a yes. And, you should make sure you get back home early and no..."

She didn't wait for him to finish when she laughed, "I know that Ya Maheer, I shouldn't let any guy flirt with me, No boys in the car." He laughed along with her and she thanked him before she ended the call. No matter how bad their fight will be, Badya can never sleep a day without apologising to the two of them. That's why he loved her.

He went to the mosque and prayed his Asr prayer, Fadwa did hers too and as he went to the garden to relish in the richness of the evening, she rushed to the room and took her veil. Finally. She sighed and walked out as discreetly as she entered. She waited until she cooked dinner for him and served him before she walked out of the house. It was eerily silent in the area, and she dragged her legs to the road with a thumping heart.

She was dropped in front of their metal door, and she couldn't wait to get in and see all that Ammi bought. Fadwa smiled when she opened the door and could see, through their curtain how they were seeing the goods they bought. She went directly to the kitchen and poured all the contents of the food she brought into a warmer before she entered the room with a salam.

Sabeehah ran to her and hugged her, pointing at the items. "Addah Fadwa, look at what Ammi brought. She said we're no more going to spend a day without eating anything. I'm so happy, Addah Fadwa. And Ammi said it's all to you, thank you." Fadwa dropped down the warmer and took Sabeehah into her arms.

"Sabeehah, you aren't go thank me but Allah then Ammi. Did Ammi went to the market with you? What did you buy?" She dropped her down and greeted Ammi, whom was smiling widely at them. Majida was in the toilet.

"Ammi you really tried. This is too much for the money we have. I pray people buy so we don't stay short of food supplies." She knew the moment one month reached, Ammi will have her out of this work, and she herself couldn't wait for that one month to end.

Majida walked inside the room and ran towards Fadwa, hugging her from behind. She hushed to her ears, "Addah Fadwa, have you looked at all that I've asked? Don't say no please." She had to be soft, because the moment Ammi heard them talking nonstop about Fadwa's boss, they won't have it sweet.

Fadwa laughed and reached for Majida's ears as well, "Yes I have, and you can't miss the answers I have. But what's more important is that, we prayed zuhr together. Wait, I prayed behind him when I saw him praying. And you need to know how it feels, Majida, subhanallah. The feeling was so exceptional, it gave me this sense of peace and security. Well, a lot happened."

"Addahhh..." Majida drawled, laughing teasingly.

Fadwa smacked her playfully and they both laughed before she said, "What? You know how I've always loved praying in congregations, it's just that we don't have female mosques in this area. But I agree, praying behind him is a different kind of feeling."

Praying huh?😂❤️

Dedicated to @teemarhAbdoul