Ya Ajike: Ya ilahi. Someone comman take Fatima off my hands, this girl is more than a handful. 😵😵😵🤒

Ya Nussy: Na you she resemble. You sef know. Too much wahala.🤣🤣🤣

Ya Ajike: Thunder go fire that your mouth. You wey dey Dubai dey enjoy yourself, con dey tell me nonsense.

Ya Nussy: 🙄🙄Na wetin?

Khaddy: Uhm, I'm not at home.

Ya Nussy: The above message means; I'm at home chilling but you know that Fatima is trouble, I can't help. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Ya Ajike: Khaddy, you too? What a betrayal. I'll tell Fatima about this moment when she grows up. 😭😭🚶🏽‍♀️

Me: I'm having twins. Tips on how not to freak out anyone?

I lean back on my pregnancy pillow and watch the group turn upside down. Everyone typing. Slow giggles bubble out of my throat.

Ya Ajike: You said? Innalilahi

Ya Nussy: You said?😩🤸🏿‍♀️🤸🏿‍♀️🤸🏿‍♀️🤸🏿‍♀️🤸🏿‍♀️🤸🏿‍♀️🤸🏿‍♀️🤸🏿‍♀️
Ya Ajike: Sorry, Alhamdulilahi. Alhamdulilahi. Alhamdulilahi.

Ya Nussy: Twins? Shows our Adeel is a sharp shooter. And Allah the biggest planner of all. Alhamdulilahi.

Ya Ajike: When did you find out? Today is Tuesday.

Me: Yesterday afternoon. Your reaction is the same way the entire Hassan family reacted. I can still hear the rings in my ear🤣🤣🤣

Ya Nussy: Aww Honey. *sigh* Twinsssssss😋😋😋😋Double the trouble.

Ya Ajike: Nusaiba, don't embarrass yourself 😝😝😝

I watch as they continue their banter. I remember how Adeel behaved yesterday. We first looked at the ultrasound technician in shock, then we both burst out laughing hysterically. We didn't even wait for the pictures. We were too excited.

My phone rings and i see it's a joint call from Zeenah, Zarah and Safiyya.

"Ya Affy." I sigh before speaking.

"Naam. Salam Alaykum." They all chorus a reply.

"Twins. Who ever thought?" Zeenah opens the floor without any preamble.

"I know right." I hear Safiyya giggle out.

"I'm so happy for you." I thank Zarah before answering.

"I didn't think so too. Especially with the procedure that we had to do immediately after confirming conception. Wallahi it was hard to imagine it." After our first miscarriage, it seemed like a too good to be true news when I found I was pregnant again.

I tap on an invisible button on the side of the bed to show a hidden drawer. I keep all my jewellery there. Especially the expensive ones. I take out a silver teardrop pendant and drop the phone on the bed to hook a silver necklace through it.

"So, what did Maama say?" I laugh lightly.

"She's been coming to my room twice a day to check up on me. Maama is such a worrier." I sigh as I successfully hook the necklace on.

This days, even the smallest of chores get me tired. My body is so tired.

"What did the doctor say about your blood pressure?" I tell her and she clicks her tongue. Zeenah is Maama's daughter truly, such a worrier.

I bend again to take out the earrings. Listening to Zarah and Safiyya discuss on what type of cot is better. Safiyya leaning towards handmade and Zarah, factory made.

"There's no need to argue. I'm still the one picking in the end." The phone goes silent for a moment, then a flurry of voices burst out in refusal. I arch my brow, then bring it back down realising they can't see me. I shake my head instead.

*****

Adeel Baba Hassan

Low sobbing wakes me. I frown and try to go back to sleep, then I hear a sniff and another low sob.

Sounds like low wailing. What in Jannah?

I pick up my phone and press the power button to check the time. It's two-thirty. I turn over fully and it's Nabeela. I silently sigh.

"Beela am?" She sniffs and more tears drop down her cheeks. I push the red checked duvet down my hips and get out of my side of the bed.

As I walk over to her, I clap to get the lights on. And I gasp in surprise, the situation is worse than I thought.

She has tears and snot running down her face. And her eyes are crimson red, her dimples show every time she sucks her lips in to sniff.

"Nabeela. What happened?" I ask when I reach her.

"I'm hungry. And I woke up from a very bad nightmare." She says and sobs again. I stop in the motion of putting my hand around her.

"You had a nightmare? Why didn't you wake me?" She shakes her head.

"You worked till twelve. I'd be callous to wake you." But I'm awake now aren't I.

"What did you dream about?" She sniffs again.

"I dreamt that my babies died. Oh Allah." Those quiet sobs turn to loud tears.

"We are not going to lose any of our babies. In Sha Allah." I begin to recite a dua and she follows. Once done, I pull my shirt to her face and wipe the snoot and tears off her face.

"Now, what do you want to eat?" A smile breaks out on her face, making her dimples dip so deep.

"Peppered snails." I goggle at her. Beela can overdo. Peppered snails at three am?

"Beela? Peppered snails? It's too late for that." At once it feels like all my work for the past ten minutes have gone up in thin air because she begins wailing again.

"Your children are making me want peppered snails. Snails that I don't eat on a norm. And you're here telling me it's too late. What are you here for if you can't get me peppered anything when i want it." I sigh and rub a hand over my face and hair.

"Nabeela. No one in Abuja is awake at the moment." She stretches her phone at me. I see a picture of peppered snails in a foil take away pack.

"Ask that vendor. She said she does 24/7 delivery." I collect the phone with a sigh and walk of to my side where my phone is waiting. I tap in the numbers and wait for the phone to ring.

"Good Morning." I say once she picks the call. "I'm calling to ask about peppered snails." She answers that she doesn't have snails at the moment but I could get chicken. I sigh and end the call after thanking her.

"Nabeela. She doesn't have snails. She has chicken." She hisses. Long and hard. I can't wait for our babies to come. This Nabeela is hard to deal with.

"Why will I buy peppered chicken from her, when Maama has chicken in the freezer downstairs." I look at her in question, waiting for her to make her decision.

"Well, I'll have chicken and pineapple juice. It's in the blue freezer in the main store. Not the silver one oo." She makes an ehen sound, sounding like a brat for a moment. When I open the door, I burst into laughter. It will soon be over.

I walk down the stairs silently, making sure that I don't wake anyone.

"Good Morning." I step back in fright and watch as Maama gets up from a chair in the kitchen.

"Innalilahi Maama. You scared me." She laughs quietly and asks me what I'm doing downstairs at this time.

"It's Beela. She wants peppered snails and we've finally settled for chicken."

"It's in the blue freezer." I nod at her.

"She told me. Says I shouldn't check the silver freezer." Maama laughs out loud, she holds the table for strength.

"Nabeela is funny. Ya Allah. Things hormones do to a woman. I was worse with Zarah." I smile at her. Remembering how I used to microwave Jollof rice or stewed beans at three in the morning.

"Be fast so you don't keep her waiting. And the pineapple juice is the one in the white plastic keg in the refrigerator." I gape at her.

"Maama, whose side are you on?" She laughs again, this time going to turn on the light.

"I'm on the side of my grandkids. You don't matter anymore." She walks out leaving me in gut laughter.

Once done, I walk upstairs carefully making sure to not spill the drink I placed on the tray.

When I open the door, I find my wife, the one I went downstairs for fast asleep. I sigh deeply and loudly.

She's sleeping in an awkward angle so i set the food down of her dresser and walk to set her aright.

She sighs and slips further into deep sleep. Dead to the entire world.

*****

Hi guys,

No words. Just enjoy. Have a great weekend.

TheOmoope.