In the morning, around 9:30, Bashir called Tehzeeb. "Good morning, my lady."

"Morning, sweetie. How was your night?"

"It's was fine, Alhamdulillah. And yours?"

"Alhamdulillah,"

"Guess what?"

"Sweetie, you know I am not good at guessing, so just tell me already,"

"You're always spoiling the fun,but never mind. Well, the date has been fixed. "

"Are you serious when?" Tehzeeb asked happily

"Calm downy lady,"

"Am calm, just asking, or am I not supposed to ask?" Tehzeeb pouted her lips as if Bashir was seeing her

"Okay, fine. 4th of May"

"Yallah, that will be four days after my last paper," Tehzeeb said, a bit disappointed because she wanted to spend some time after her last paper with Umma, but I guess it's not going to happen

"Are you okay?" Bashir asked worriedly because of the way Tehzeeb voice sounded

"Yeah, I am fine." Tehzeeb tried to lighten the mood

"But your voice sound low. Do you want me to ask them to shift it?" Bashir asked because he didn't want her to feel disappointed

"It's okay. I just wanted to spend some time with Umma after the exam, but I guess that won't work anymore."

"Don't worry, I will tell Pa, so they could shift the date. I don't want you to be stressed. Anything you want, I will do it for you. "

"It's okay, there's no problem."

"Are you sure? You know I can just tell them, and everything will be okay. "

"Am serious. I am okay with it, and thanks for your care and love. I love you, sweetie. "

"I love you too, my lady. Don't you have lectures?" Bashir, change the topic of discussion

"I do, but it's by 11:00"

"Alright then, I will call you later,"

"All the best." Tehzeeb sighed and walked out of the room to meet her Umma. "Umma"

"Yes, daughter." Tehzeeb walks close to Umma and puts her head on her lap,and before she knows she's crying. It's was her sniffing that made Umma know she's crying. "Daughter, what happened?" Umma asked because Tehzeeb has been getting more emotional ever since Bashir's Uncle went to meet Abba

"Nothing Umma," she sniffed. "The date has been fixed, Umma," and she burst into another session of tears holding onto her mother more tightly

"Shhhh, it's okay, dear. It's normal for you to feel this way, but please reduce this crying of yours, or did you want to get sick?" Tehzeeb nods her head."Then please stop this. You're breaking my heart too. Seeing you in this situation makes me feel uncomfortable. "

"Am sorry Umma, I didn't mean too," Tehzeeb said, cleaning her tears, which Umma wiped the lone tears on her cheek.

"So when is the date?" Asked Umma

"4th May"

"May Allah see us through,don't worry dear everything will be okay In Sha Allah" Umma reassured her "get up and go and dress up for school, I don't think you want to be late for your lectures?" And that did the trick she stood up and dressed up before she bid Umma farewell, which Umma dressed up and went out too

Umma entered Hajiya Kaltumi's parlour and saw both Hajiya Kaltumi and Gogo seating in the parlour watching the film "Welcome," they said in unison immediately they saw her

"Thank you," Umma replied

"What of Tehzeeb? I hope she's fine?" Gogo asked

"Yes, she's. It's about her that I am here, " Umma said which Hajiya Kaltumi seat upright

"What's wrong with her?" Hajiya Kaltumi asked concern laced on her voice, which Umma smiled

"Nothing serious. Bashir people had come to see Abba, and the date for her wedding has been fixed, " Umma said, going straight to the point

"Mashallah," Gogo said

"Mashallah, when is the date?" Hajiya Kaltumi couldn't help but ask

"May 4"

"Woow, but that's will be after her exams, right?" Asked Hajiya Kaltumi

"Yes."

"Alhamdulillah, may we be among those that will witness it." Gogo prayed

"Ameen," they answered. "I think we should start preparing because it's just four and half month from now." Hajiya Kaltumi reasons

"Yeah, it is. I came to inform you before you will hear it from someone else, " said Umma

"Thank you. And please, I would like to be in charge of her room decor and kitchen utensils, " Hajiya Kaltumi said immediately

"Thank you, Hajiya. But don't you think it's will be too much for you alone to take care of it? "

"Don't worry, it's okay. And for the boxes, I will talk to my sister Kande since she'll be travelling out soon for her goods. "

"No, no, Hajiya, it will be too much. The expenses are too much for you alone," Umma declined

"She's right, Hajiya. Let's assist you with some workloads. " Gogo intervenes

"Don't worry, you know she's my daughter too, and anything I will do for Hadiza is what I will do for Tehzeeb too. So please don't stop me from doing it, " Hajiya pleaded

"Thank you so much, Hajiya. I don't know how to pay you back, but may Allah reward you, " Umma said crying because having someone like Hajiya in this world now is difficult

"Please stop this, you're making me feel like an outsider."

"Have stopped." Umma wiped her tears

"So what's are the programs, or has she not decided yet?"

"Well, she didn't say anything yet, but I will ask her, so I will know."

"Please do and if you forget I will asked her myself since tomorrow is weekend and she will be coming to work" they chat for a while concerning how the wedding preparations should take place before Umma left promising to give them feed back about her discussion with Tehzeeb

Ibrahim has been tossing up and down on the bed since in the morning, he just doesn't know what is wrong with him. It's been a week now that's he has been thinking about Tehzeeb, the feeling was new to him because he has never felt like that towards anyone before in his life,but he ought to deny the feelings because he don't think it's genuine. Thus, he bathed and walked to the dining table. "Good morning, mummy."

"Morning, son. What happened to your eyes?" Mummy asked, looking at Ibrahim face

"Nothing mummy,what did you see?"

"Dark circles all over."

"Oh, it's work stress."

"Are you sure? Have you not seen you like this before, or is there something bothering you that you don't want me to know?" Hajiya Kande asked, looking at him

"Mummy, stop worrying yourself for nothing. Seriously, I am fine. Trust me, "

"If you say so," and her phone rings, which she picked it up. Ibrahim served himself while mummy picked her call

"Good morning, Marmie," Hajiya Kande said immediately she picked the call, putting it on handsfree

"Morning, sis. Hope you had a pleasant night rest?"

"Yes, I do,"

"Good, what of Ibrahim?" Hajiya Kaltumi asked

"His fine"

"I called you to inform you that Tehzeeb is getting married," Hajiya Kaltumi said, which made Ibrahim choke on his food and started coughing

"Innalillahi take some water," Mummy said, handing over a cup of water to him. " sorry sis"

"It's okay, hope his fine?"

"Yes, it's nothing serious. Guess the food pass through the wrong channel," mummy said

"Alright then. So I want you to help me with the boxes"

"Consider it done. Mashallah, I am happy for her. When is the wedding?"

"May 4" and Ibrahim choke on his food again, coughing more vigorously than before, which he had to push the food away from his front

"Ibrahim can't you be careful, did you want to kill yourself?" Mummy shouted

"Haba Kande, leave that boy alone. How will he know he will choke on the food? " Marmie said "sorry son. Take some water and stop eating for a while" Hajiya Kaltumi said before she continues talking with her sister "so just do the total calculation and tell me the total amount and I will send you the money"

"Don't worry about the money. I will do it for her. She's such a nice and adorable girl, "Mummy replied

"Mashallah then, I will inform her mother that's you're taking care of that, because she have been complaining that I am spending too much"

"No problem, I will give you the feedback when I come back.
Am even planning to travel next tomorrow since Ibrahim's father is not around"

"That will be good. I will talk to you later, " and they end the call before Hajiya Kande face Ibrahim."And you, what was that about? Did you want to kill yourself or what?"

"Am sorry, Mummy, the food was hot," Ibrahim lied

"You should've allowed it to cool down for a while,please be cautious when you eat."

"In Sha Allah. Am off see you later. " he pecked her and left, which Hajiya Kande continued with her breakfast without any having any idea

Ibrahim entered his car and drove out of the house and parked immediately he was a little bit far away from their house. He put his head on the wheel and one hand on his chest. "Ya Allah, i hope what I am feeling is not right. Ya Allah, please take this heart aching feeling away from my heart, " Ibrahim said quietly, and tears bream down his cheek without him knowing until he felt a drop of water on his hand. He checks his hand and touches his face to see if what his seeing is real, he used his rear mirror to see if his not dreaming, and to his surprised he sees tears on his face. "Damn it,what have gotten into me. Why am I like this. God don't punish me like this, don't punish me with her feelings, " he prayed (and I said love don't cause a damn)

******

Umma told Tehzeeb everything about what Hajiya Kaltumi said and what Hajiya Kande did "Umma how will we repay these people?"

"Allah, we repay them because we have nothing to repay them with." Tehzeeb exams were fast approaching that she hardly had time for herself talkless of thinking about her upcoming Nikkah. Bashir tires to check on her but not frequently like before because of her exams he wants to give her enough space since they will be together in due time by Allah's will

"Tehzeeb, I think you should start your physiotherapist this week,"Khady said

"But Khady, what about my exam?"

"Please, I know you can cope, and moreover, you're not using all day for reading, so spare some time."

"Have heard you but have not informed Zeeekadir about it,"

"I know you didn't, but I did. So get ready tomorrow, we will start. Even though it's for two weeks, you will be opportune to do"

"Thank you,"

"It's okay. I will be going for your clothes tomorrow. "

"In Sha Allah, I don't know how I could have done all this by myself without your help,"

"It's okay, I even send the invitation to our group chats,"

"Thank you so much, let's get going," and they both ambled to their lecture hall. The wedding was getting closer day by day, and Tehzeeb has been getting anxious as the day keeps coming forward.

Umma was sitting in her room all alone, thinking about the marriage, she feels disturb because her daughter was getting married without any of her relatives or her husband own. A lone tear escapes from her eye, and that was when Tehzeeb entered. She quickly wiped the tears "Umma what's wrong with you?" Tehzeeb asked worriedly

"Nothing, daughter."

"Umma, please don't hide anything from me." Tehzeeb pleaded, her eyes already moist with tears

"Just thinking about your father and how the wedding will take place without any of our relatives," Umma replied

"Don't worry, Umma, they are in a better place. We should pray for them,"

"Am doing that, my child, but"

"No, but Umma,please. Umma, I am scared to leave you all alone. I am scared of what Kawu might do to you, "

"Don't be scared dear, he can't do anything to me and moreover after the wedding I will pack from this place and go far away to a place he can't find me"

"Why don't you come and stay with me after the wedding. I will talk to Bashir, and I know he will not kick against it, " Tehzeeb said, which made Umma chuckled

"Oh, Tehzeeb, you're so naive. Don't worry, everything will be alright. " they talked for a while before calling it a day

*************
Could it be love or what is Ibrahim Feeling? I pity him or don't you

Am getting discouraged because the comments and votes are not encouraging.

Vote and comment if you want me to complete this book.