Blooming

8.

𝑩𝑳𝑶𝑶𝑫𝒀

As she pushed open the door to the toilet, she closed her eyes for some seconds before opening them again. It was no new thing that Hajiya's relations did not like her but what surprises her the most was the fact that even after all these years the hate had only grown in multitudes. As far as she was concerned, her conscience was clear and her intentions pure. Allah is her witness.

The cold water teased her skin as she performed ablution making her squeal one or two times. She was not a lover of cold water. No matter the heat, she would always bath with hot boiling water.

She closed the door gently behind her and fished out the prayer rug from the raffia basket that housed her praying things. It was always a custom of Hajiya's to always have one in every room.

She had even gifted her one on her wedding. A type she had never before seen Hajiya using. In those days, Hajiya always gifted Halima with rare presents. Once she had gotten her a ring with amethyst stones which had made halima's eyes sparkle and her mouth wide when she learned of the price. She would say, "Halima you are a gem and I love you dearly." Those were golden days.

She gathered her thoughts in one place in total submission as Abba's voice filled the house with a sweet melody while he called the adhaan.

Everywhere grew silent at once in submission. The beauty of Islam was that no matter what a person was doing, he or she would always stay calm whenever the call for prayer was being made.

Abba had always being the one to lead the prayers in the Masjid except on days he was not around then the Imam would lead them. Today was no different as he read through each Takbir seamlessly and without haste. All worries were discarded as she faced her lord in total submission.

At 9pm the house would have been extremely quiet and the gate would have been closed thirty minutes before except for when Alhaji was not in town but today, it was very much alive with children running in their pajamas their parents in tow trying to grab then and put them to bed.

All the guest rooms were being occupied by more than three people. As she made her way from Hajiya's wing where she bad gone in to discuss the menu with her but was told that she was with Abba. She decided to make herself s cup of tea while she waited for her because they still have a few things to finalize. Paper in hand and phone on the other, she scribbled on the note app some corrections and things she would discuss with Hajiya especially the addition she made on the menu. Because only the maids were found around the kitchen area especially by this hour, she did not bother to look up from her phone as she walked.

"Subhanallah." She heard someone mutter as she collided with something. All her attempts at trying not to fall from the force of the collision failed as she fell flat on the cold floor.

"Careful." The voice said as it made towards her. It had happened so fast.
Before the person could reached her, she propped herself up by resting one palm on the ground and lifting her entire body up. Her phone had flown inside the kitchen while the paper had gone past it. While she registered the whole situation, the person turned inside the kitchen perhaps concluding that the phone was worth more than her. She watched him hiss and made for the counter past the phone. Halima bad not seen the blood until she heard one of the maids saying.

"It is a deep cut sir. Should I bring the first aid kit?"
The person had shaken his head instead and washed the hands by the tap. She watched the exchange helplessly now seeing the red blood marks that made a trail from the position of the encounter to the sink area. She had wanted to enter the kitchen to retrieve her phone especially when she heard the maid talking about blood but as she took in the posture of the person washing his hands, she fled.