Aidah

It's 6pm and we are on the plane on our way to paris. After spending a week in Spain, we decided to go to Paris and have some fun. We shortly arrived and everyone was tired. We entered the cab and went to the hotel. We will be staying in 'four seasons hotel george v'.

Once I entered my room, I couldn't help but take a moment to admire the space. The decor was stunning—soft hues and elegant furnishings created a cozy yet luxurious atmosphere. I tossed my bag on the bed and immediately headed to the bathroom, which was, without a doubt, my favorite part of any hotel room.

The marble countertops, spacious shower, and deep soaking tub made it feel like a mini spa retreat. I ran my fingers over the plush towels and admired the complimentary toiletries lined up neatly. After a satisfying exploration, I returned to the main area and flopped onto the bed, letting out a content sigh.

I pulled out my phone to snap a few pictures of the beautiful room before settling in to relax. After a long day of travel, I knew I needed to recharge for the adventures that awaited us in the morning.

I settled into the chair by the window, letting the serene view wash over me. The courtyard was a vibrant tapestry of colors, with flowers blooming in every direction. It felt like a little oasis right outside my room.

The complimentary macarons caught my eye, and I couldn't resist reaching for one. I took a bite, savoring the delicate sweetness and creamy filling. Perfectly paired with the view, it felt like a small indulgence that made the day even better.

As I enjoyed my treat, I thought about all the memories we'd create during this trip. I couldn't wait to explore the hotel and the surrounding area with everyone. But for now, I just wanted to relax and soak in this peaceful moment.

Everyone was in their rooms, likely fast asleep. I changed into something more comfortable and called my boyfriend on FaceTime. He answered on the second ring. "Sayyid Muhammad Remawa," I teased, using his full name.

"Halima Muhammad Deribe," he teased back, a playful grin on his face. He leaned back in his chair and chuckled, "You always know how to bring a smile to my face, Aidah."

"Abdulsamad Ibrahim Shettima is here too!" Samad chimed in, turning his camera to show his face.

I chuckled and shook my head at Samad. "You're such a character!"

"Oh, I know! By the way, can you tell your brother to pick up his calls?" Samad added, referring to Ya Hammad.

"I'll make sure to," I replied, rolling my eyes playfully. "Now, can I please talk to the person I actually called?" He feigned hurt and dramatically exited the frame, leaving me chuckling.

"So, Aidah, how was your flight?" Sayyid asked, adjusting his glasses with that familiar look of curiosity.

"My flight was just okay, Alhamdulillah," I replied with a sigh, trying to shake off the exhaustion. ''Sayyid, when are you going to start teaching me Fulfulde?'' I added

He sighed and smiled. "Soon, inshallah. When are you coming back?"

"In a week inshallah." I replied.

"And you're going to teach me Kanuri too," he said, raising an eyebrow.

"Come on, you really think I can speak Kanuri that well?" I asked, laughing.

"Honestly, with both of your parents being Kanuri, it's surprising you can't speak it!"

"We mostly spoke Hausa and English growing up. At least I can speak Hausa, unlike Nadia! And just so you know, my mom is Fulani, not Kanuri."

"Spare Nadia, please! At least her mom isn't Nigerian!" he replied, shaking his head. "And wait, really? I thought your mom was Kanuri, wow!"

"Yup, but she grew up in Maiduguri," I said, stifling a yawn. "But seriously, why do you keep defending Nadia? I don't get it," I added playfully.

"Nadia is such a sweet person," he replied, and I couldn't help but agree. She really has a way of brightening everyone's day.

We chatted for a while, even getting into a friendly debate about architectural styles. At one point, he dared me to design a house for him, and I eagerly accepted the challenge, excited to showcase my skills.

I finally succumbed to a yawn. "I'm feeling really sleepy, Sayyid."

"What time is it there?" He asks.

I glanced at my Apple Watch. "It's already 10 PM!"

"Alright, goodnight, babe."

''Goodnight." I said and disconnected the call. I settled into bed, feeling a mix of warmth from our conversation and the soft comfort of the hotel room. With a content sigh, I pulled the blankets up and closed my eyes, ready to drift off to sleep.

The next day

We are currently in 'cafe de flore' for lunch with my half sisters and their grandma, Yassine, Mairam and Aicha. The cafe is one of the oldest coffee houses in paris. I ordered a salad with salmon and avocado toppings with tea.

We finished our lunch and hopped into the car for a mini tour. Now, we found ourselves at what used to be called the Lovers' Bridge. It was once adorned with countless padlocks, where couples would attach their names, make a wish, and toss the keys into the river as a symbol of their love. However, the weight of all those locks eventually led to its removal. But some die-hard romantics refused to give up on the tradition, and you could still spot a few locks here and there, defying the odds and holding on to their love stories.

Yassine chimed in. "So who has a padlock?"

"Oh, I do!" Mairam exclaimed, rummaging through her bag with a determined look. After a moment, she triumphantly pulled out a shiny padlock, grinning at the group. "Guess I'm ready to lock in my love!" she joked, causing everyone to chuckle.

"Yay! Let's lock our names too!" I squealed excitedly, my eyes sparkling with enthusiasm. The idea of adding our names to the bridge felt like a fun tradition. "Who's joining me?" I asked, looking around at my siblings and cousins, eager to share this moment together.

Mairam handed me the padlock and grabbed a marker from her bag. With a big smile, she carefully wrote 'M + A'—the perfect shorthand for their names. Once she locked it onto the bridge, we all cheered, feeling a sense of connection and fun. "Now, let's take a picture!" I suggested, wanting to capture this special moment.

"Make a wish," Grams, my sister's grandma, reminded us with a warm smile. We all paused for a moment, closing our eyes to think about our hopes and dreams. After a few seconds, we opened our eyes and shared our wishes with each other, laughter bubbling up as we revealed everything from silly to heartfelt dreams. It felt magical, standing there together with the locks symbolizing our bonds and aspirations.

"And you have to turn around three times and clap your hands before throwing it in the river," Yassine added with a mischievous grin. We all burst into laughter, imagining the silly ritual. Mairam dramatically twirled in circles, clapping her hands, making us all giggle even more as she prepared to toss the key into the river. It was moments like this that made our family bond feel even stronger.

"We're tied together forever, man," Mairam said.

"Absolutely, forever, girl," I replied.

"This is so cheesy," Yassine chuckled. "My bad!"

Mairam and I held the key together, closing our eyes to make a wish. I wished for eternal happiness. We tossed it into the river and squealed, embracing each other tightly.

"What did you wish for?" I asked her, curiosity bubbling up inside me.

"Happiness," she replied simply, a smile spreading across her face.

"Aww, me too!" I squealed again, feeling a rush of joy.

After walking around for a bit, I decided to excuse myself to meet my friend Hafsee, who lives in France now. We actually went to the same secondary school together. We're currently at the 'Manège du Parc Monceau,' an amusement park.We went on a scary ride. Hafsee and I are busy screaming and laughing at our own craziness.

I was dressed in a black palazzo and a sleeveless black t-shirt, topped off with a black kimono featuring white striped details. I paired the outfit with a black head tie, YSL sandals, and my classic black Chanel flap handbag.

Now we're at the Louvre, a former royal palace on the Right Bank of the Seine, nestled between the Tuileries Gardens and Saint-Germain l'Auxerrois church. It features a stunning glass pyramid, reminiscent of the iconic location in Disney Channel's Miraculous Ladybug.

I came to find out what it really is and to see Mona Lisa, the real painting which is worth US $100 million.

As we stepped inside, the Louvre's vast beauty took my breath away—though I suppose it's only enchanting if you love antiques. Now, we're standing in front of the Mona Lisa, and surprise! The painting isn't even that large. But who cares? Its value is in the millions!

After dinner, I headed to Baba's suite since I hadn't seen him since we arrived. Everyone had been busy with their own plans, and I wanted to spend some quality time with him before he leaves tomorrow morning, inshallah.

Ya Ahmad greeted me with a warm smile as he opened the door. "Come in!" he said, stepping aside to let me enter the suite.

''Assalamu alaikum." I greeted, stepping further into the room.

"Wa alaikum assalam," they replied warmly.

"Baba, Nda dubdo?" I greeted my dad in Kanuri.

''How are you?'' He asked, a smile plastered on his face

"I'm fine, Alhamdulillah." I then turned to my older brother and greeted him as well, and he responded warmly.

After chatting for a while about my day, I left and headed back to my room. I called Maryam, and we caught up before I called Sayyid. We talked for a bit, and then I wished them both goodnight. I settled in, knowing tomorrow would be a long day ahead.

The next day.

We're at a Vietnamese restaurant called "Diep," enjoying dinner with the family. While everyone is inside, I'm outside snapping pictures. It's honestly one of my favorite hobbies!

We all ordered Vietnamese spring rolls, which are absolutely delicious—you wrap them in lettuce and dip them in sauce. Everyone else chose various dishes, but I decided to go adventurous and ordered frog legs! Yup, you heard that right!

Everyone was chatting, eating, and snapping photos. I turned to Ya Ummi, who had nearly ten empty suya sticks on her plate. ''Ya Ummi how many suyas did you eat?''

She laughed and said, "What's it to you?"

When the waitress set down my frog legs, excitement bubbled up in me—I couldn't wait to dig in!

"Alright, I'm about to try my frog legs—wish me luck!" I announced, drawing everyone's attention. I handed the camera to Ya Hammad to film my first bite of the juicy dish.

They all stared at me in disgust, and I couldn't help but laugh. "I can't wait to try it so I can tell you all how it tastes!"

I glanced at Yakaka's face and erupted into laughter. "No, no, nada nah," she said, furrowing her brows and shaking her head.

"Who wants frog legs?" I asked, not really expecting a response.

"Moi." Said Ahmad, picking one from my plate and taking a bite.

"Ya Ahmad, how does it taste?" I asked him as I popped one into my mouth. Holy macaroni, it was delicious—the bone had a delightful crunch!

"Aidah, how is it?" Yassine asked, curious to know.

"It tastes even better than chicken," I replied, crunching on the bone.

"Kai, Aidah!" Ya Ibrahim laughed, clearly skeptical of my claim.

''You're lying!'' Kami shouted, prompting a round of laughter from everyone.

''I'm serious, like the bones are so crunchy just try some."I said to Kami.

I finished eating and grabbed the slime from Ya Ummi, giving it a satisfying squeeze. She quickly snatched it back, squeezing it while making funny fart noises that had us all in stitches. Ya Ummi and I share a special bond; we're really close.

NEXT AFTERNOON

It was lunchtime, and I opted to enjoy my meal in my room. I had baby chicken with mashed potatoes, along with some chili and hummus, paired with an avocado smoothie. As I dug in, I couldn't help but think that this was the best hummus I'd ever had—better than anything from Edgware Road or Dubai. This hummus right here at the Four Seasons in Paris was unbeatable!

After finishing my meal, I took a refreshing shower and got dressed in blue mom jeans paired with a black shirt from Zara, as usual. I topped off my look with a matching veil to complete the outfit.

Mairam and I decided to go shopping and hit up Marks and Spencer, H&M, and a few other stores. I ended up buying almost everything in sight! After living in America, where there's no Marks and Spencer, I felt the need to stock up on all my favorite items while I had the chance.

Now we're in the car for a little tour with Mairam. She can speak French fluently, while I'm still trying to figure out the basics! We visited the Sacré-Cœur Basilica, a stunning church that's been around for 125 years. From up here, you can see the entire city of Paris—it's such a breathtaking view! Now we're at Place du Tertre, soaking in the vibrant atmosphere.

"Mairam, this feels like a scene straight out of a movie," I said to her, taking in the charming streets and lively artists around us.

"Absolutely, the atmosphere is just perfect," she replied, smiling at the vibrant artwork surrounding us.

We were strolling when we spotted a man painting a woman sitting nearby. "Oh my god, it looks just like her!" I exclaimed, genuinely impressed.

Mairam gasped, "Seriously, this man really knows what he's doing!"

We paused to browse, and I picked up some adorable artwork. I got a piece featuring the Eiffel Tower, depicting a couple holding hands under an umbrella in front of it. It's stunning, and I really hope Sayyid will love it—any architect would appreciate its charm!

I picked up more artworks for myself, Ammi, and Maryam before heading back to the hotel. After a fun shopping spree, I had an impressive haul—essentials from M&S and a selection of perfumes from various designer stores. I even got Sayyid the new "Creed Silver Mountain" fragrance; I can't wait for him to try it!

While everyone else headed to Disney, I decided to indulge myself at the hotel spa, enjoying a relaxing manicure and pedicure. It's the perfect way to unwind!

After getting my nails done, I returned to my room and called Ammi for a chat. She and my stepmoms had just returned to Nigeria from Spain. I also spoke with Maryama for half an hour before trying to reach Sayyid, but he was in a meeting. I prayed Isha and then headed to bed, knowing we'd be leaving Paris in two days, inshallah.

I woke up the next day and went through my usual morning routine. After everyone got dressed, we were all set for a family bonding day. We were excited to have lunch on a boat!

It's officially our last day of vacation, and we're soaking it all in on a boat cruise with the family. After a delightful lunch, we got off the boat, feeling happy and fulfilled. As we strolled through the city, we spotted a little puppy, which made Nadia start making faces. She claims to hate dogs, yet ironically, Kami has a small dog of her own!

"Nadia is afraid of dogs," I said to Ya Aisha, Ya Ibrahim's wife, chuckling at the sight of her making faces at the puppy.

"That's like my worst phobia," Nadia admitted, wrinkling her nose at the puppy.

"Really? But Kami has a dog," Ya Aisha remarked, raising an eyebrow.

"Na tsani dogs, so much," Nadia said, her Hausa accent making it even funnier.

"But it's so tiny," I said, glancing at the adorable little dog.

''Nooo,'' Nadia replied, shaking her head vigorously.

''Aidah, I love your purse." Adda Niimah complimented on my beige Chanel classic flap bag.

''Aww, thank you so much, Adda Niimah! I really love it too,'' I replied with a smile.

"Has anyone spotted a Chanel store nearby?" Adda Niimah inquired. Nadia chimed in with an answer.

''I think I saw a Chanel store back near the bridge,'' Nadia replied, pointing in the direction we came from. ''It's just a short walk from here!''

We returned to the hotel, and everyone is preparing to leave tomorrow. Earlier, Nadia, Mairam, and I took cute pictures on the boat with the Eiffel Tower in the background. I definitely need to frame those!

After taking the pictures, we returned to the hotel to rest for a bit. Later, Mairam and I came back to the tower at midnight to watch it sparkle!

We have twenty more minutes until the show starts, so we decided to grab some crepes. Honestly, if you go to Paris and don't try the crepes, did you even visit?

I got a Nutella crepe, while Mairam opted for a cheesy one. With our crepes in hand, we made our way back to the hotel since it was already past midnight.

I took a hot shower and slipped into a shirt and sweatpants. While packing my clothes and scrolling through Instagram, I got a call from him. We hadn't spoken all day. "Bonjour," I said in French as I picked up, lounging on the bed.

"Hey you, now you're acting all French because you're in Paris," he teased, his voice playful.

"I'm not pretending! Don't you know I'm half French?"

He laughed, "French from Niger or is it Chad?"

"From France! Don't I look French?"

"Of course, baby, whatever makes you happy," he said, and I smiled, even though he couldn't see me.

I shared all about my day, and he filled me in on his as well. He was thrilled that I'd be back tomorrow, inshallah, and couldn't wait to see me. After chatting for a bit longer, we wished each other goodnight, and before I knew it, I had drifted off to sleep. I was truly exhausted.

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