LOVE, BATOUL

3

Batoul hates the hospital so much, it reminds her of her dark days. The days she lost the person she loved most in the world, her dearest mother. Adda Maijiddah gave birth to a beautiful baby girl earlier today. Batoul has been in her house for a few days now. She's staying with her sister for as long as she wants, mainly because her stepmother and half siblings are still in Dubai. Secondly because she just got the cutest niece ever.

She went home to Adda Maijiddah's to freshen up, she left Adda Sakina and Adda Halima in the hospital with the newest Momma. When she came back to the hospital all showered and freshened up, she met a few of Adda Maijiddah's in-laws in the room. One of them was holding the baby in her arms. She greeted them and found a place in a corner to sit, she took out her phone and replied to her messages.

Tami- Which hospital is it, Batoul?

Batoul- Cedarcrest Hospital.

Tami- In Apo right?

Batoul- Yeah, only a few minutes from Adda Jiddus' house.

She answered a few other messages from other people before she kept her phone and joined the conversation taking place in the room. More and more people came into the room to see the baby and Mama. Batoul was getting uncomfortable so she left the room after exchanging pleasantries with the well wishers. She sat on the bench in the lobby waiting for Tamilare to get here. Still in the lobby, Daddy and his entourage (his two close friends) came.

She squatted and greeted her father and his friends. "Lafiya Alhamdulillah, How's your sister and the baby?" Daddy asked.

"They're both doing well, Alhamdulillah." She replied.

She showed them to the room and left, as she came back to the lobby, she saw Tami at the reception. She waved at her to come over.

"You don suffer me, you this girl you no sabi answer your phone abi?" Tami said as she approached Batoul.

"Sorry, my phone is on do not disturb, I did not hear it ring." She said and hugged her best friend. "Thank you for coming."

"How's Adda and the baby?"

"They're both doing ok. Daddy and his friends are inside, we can go in after they leave." She said, taking her former seat.

"So, how far your guy? Is he back?" Tami asked.

Batoul blushed. "He's fine, Alhamdulillah. He came back yesterday."

"See the way you're blushing." Tami teased.

"Tami, he makes me so happy, you won't understand."

Tami smiled, genuinely. "Of course I won't understand, as for me I'll show men Yoruba pepper, but I'm really glad that you're happy, Lulu."

"He makes me a better person, he makes me feel loved." She said and kept quiet. "Tami, I think I'm in love with him. But that's crazy right? I can't be in love with someone I know for less than a year."

"It's not crazy at all, Lulu. Some people meet and fall in love within a few months, days in fact. That's just how love is. There is no formula for it. If you feel this happy within you, then I think you should give it a shot. And for a fact I know He loves and adores you. After all, what do you have to lose?? Or you don't want to leave the house cause you'll miss your Ammi?" She said teasingly.

Daddy and his friends came out of the room on cue before Batoul could reply. Tami greeted them bowing down. They said goodbye and left the hospital. Batoul and Tami entered the room, Adda Jiddus, Adda Leema and Adda Sakina were the only ones left in the room along with the pink little bundle of joy.