When Stars Collide

Chocolat

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"Everything  in?" Hibba asked Nana and took the carton filled with footwear that Nana had retrieved from the hired truck that had helped them move from gwagwalada to Apo area where the new apartment was situated.

"Aunty, the bus is empty. We just need to sweep it and let the driver go." Hibba nodded and walked back into the spacious apartment with the carton in her hands. Inside, she heard the sound of the opening song of cocomelon and Ummi's happy cheer before the sound of ChiChi's laughter accompanied it.

"You put on cocomelon for her again abi? She won't let you leave anymore." Chichi laughed but didn't pause the cartoon playing in her iPad, instead handed it to Ummi and found her a comfortable place to rest her back and enjoy the episode.

"Leave her, you've been carrying her around since so  early this morning and you still won't let her relax and be taken care of?" Hibba threw her head back and laughed very loud. Knowing the allusion Chichi was giving, it made it funnier since it was Ummi who wanted to relax.

"Now that you've moved here. What's next?" Hibba flopped down on the tiled floor and took a paper knife from her and placing the tip at the beginning of the cello taped part of the carton, she applied pressure and tore it open to washed shoes of her and Ummi. It had taken them at least a week of hard work to finally move, sweeping, moping, washing before finally moving.

"I have to continue doing two jobs until I open my own business, which I haven't named even up till now, because which one is Bee's drinks. There are a hundred Bee's drinks in this city." Chichi giggled quietly, looking in the direction of the very focused Ummi who didn't even look up from the show in front her.

"Don't rush it. You have this house to yourself, you were looking for stability, this is the beginning of what you want, next in line is whatever you plan it to be. Remember that everything you do affects our little baby in a way, so do what is best for you, and for her. May God help you make good decisions." Hibba nodded solemnly and her face suddenly changed and she threw a slip on that belonged to Ummi in her friend's direction. ChiChi dodged but it still hit her shoulder, making her yelp.

"See the way you're talking as if you are my eighty year old grandmother and I'm your daughter about to make a bad decision." Chichi laughed some more but stopped when her phone rang. She suddenly stopped even smiling and pursed her lips as she picked her call.

"What do you want?" She asked immediately she picked. Rolling her eyes as the person spoke in a gentle, gravitating manner, she pursed her lips and grudgingly thanked the person before hanging up.

"Chichi. Be nice to men." Hibba said immediately Chichi put her phone down. Chichi raised her eyes and watched her friend, knowing exactly what Hibba was going on about. "The best thing is to be wicked to men. Just wake up and choose violence, no need to be nice." Hibba hissed but asked her why she was angry at the caller.

"Is he not a Yoruba demon? One of those men who think because they're handsome and wealthy they can do as they like. I told him you were looking for a piece of land in a good area to use as your business space mistakenly and he's been calling me to tell me areas his business has space in." Hibba's surprise could not be hidden, so she leaned on the sturdy carton and asked Chichi what his name was.

"Femi." Hibba slapped her forehead. "If he's a Femi then just let him be. They're no good." Chichi spread her hands out in a you-see way.

"Let's still go and see the space he talked about, or is there harm in doing that?" Chichi shook her head and they fixed the day after, at the close of work for them, they'd go see the very famous Femi.

Hibba got up and took the carton into the room where an empty rack stood waiting at the back of the door. She carefully put each footwear away and added the carton to the group sitting in the middle of the bedroom. When she emerged from the bedroom, she met Nana and Ummi in the living room watching one another and no sigh of Chichi.

Hibba walked out of the living room and found Chichi picking up little pieces of carton and dropping them into a paper bag. Hibba reached her in a few steps and took it from her and they both worked together in silence until Chichi sighed for the third time in a row.

Hibba had to ask, "What's wrong?" Chichi dusted her hands and asked the question that had sat itself firmly in Hibba's mind since she decided to move. "What are you going to do about Nana. That her mother can up one day and accuse you of child abuse or even worse kidnapping if she wants. She's a minor, I hope you know that?"

The remaining part of ChiChi's question gripped Hibba's heart like a cold, frigid hand that refused to let go.

******

Sharjah, UAE.

The scent of a baked good welcomed Salman as soon as he stepped through the door. He sniffed the air and the scent took him to the kitchen where his mother had just taken out a tray of chocolate cupcakes whose steam lazily flowed into the air, lending the air their calm elegance. Salman remembered his mother's famed quote, 'nothing perfumes a house better than good food'

His mother turned to him and took out a cupcake, steaming as it was and offered it to him. He took it and inspite of how hot it was, he ate some of it eagerly and pulled out a thumbs up for his mother. She smiled and took the rest to the cooling rack waiting.

"How did classes go?" Salman walked to the Sub-Zero refrigerator and poured himself a mug of milk, popped into the very hot oven, and waited for the remaining heat used to bake the cake to heat up his drink.

"Very invigorating, you know I like learning new things. Today, we learned really new stuff that I can't wait to tell Ayman about." He answered and opened the hot oven to take out his mug. He carefully took a sip and sighed as soon as the liquid passed through his lips. He asked about his mother's day, despite knowing she must have spent it doing the same things she had done since she moved to the UAE with him over two months before. Cooking, reading and watching films were the things he expected she was say, or a batch of the embroidery she liked to do.

"Your father called to give me an ultimatum today. Don't know who is ill advising him but it's bad taste to threaten someone who doesn't really like you anymore and owes you nothing. I've told my Bhai to draw him a new repayment plan for the money that they borrowed from my family." Salman didn't speak, knowing his father had always been in the wrong since he was grown enough to know right or wrong.

"Mami. I'll support whatever decision you take." Salman watched his mother chuckle, she walked to the cooling rack and took a cupcake, decorated it a low sugar icing and drizzled it expertly with honey before cutting it  into to and placing it in her mouth elegantly.

"I don't want to put you in the middle and risk you not doing well in your studies. Because he'll keep calling over and over to make sure you're on one side." Salman sipped some more of his milk, took a stainless steel fork and took some of the cupcake his mother had given him. Savouring the taste, he ruminated over how Hibba might have handled a case of this kind and it eased the pain in his chest. He knew he was doing the right thing, staying on his mother's side. She'd suffered far too much in the hands of his grandmother for him to say something stupid to his mother.

Salman got up and walked out the door after rinsing his cup and putting his fork in the dishwasher. He turned around at the door, and drew his mother's attention and said very firmly, " Mami, I'm your son. You birthed me, raised me and I am not a stupid child. I saw everything. I will stand by you. Any day, Any Time." He walked away to the very white living room, picked his tan backpack and walked to his room.