Amidst Our Hearts

Eleven.

Federal capital territory,
Nigeria.

Sakeena...

"Marriage?" I said to myself unable to say more.

"Marriage?" I kept repeating both my mind and heart refusing to believe what my ears heard. Maybe something is wrong with my ears. I need to go to the hospital to get them checked.

"Are you really sure this information is for me because I seriously think that you're mistaken" I said standing up.

"Naisa calm down and sit" Adda said to me in a calm voice.

"Calm down, calm down! How do you expect me to calm down after bear ng this horrible news" I said my blood boiling.

"Naisa I want you to stay calm please" she said making me sit again.

"Sakeena look at me" she said making me look at her in the eyes. "Whatever is meant to be it'll be, you can't stop it. The best thing that you can do is pray and learn to accept your destiny. Whatever Allah destines to happen in your life it'll happen" she said in a calm tone.

"Look at me, look how marriage life is treating me. I'm happy and I also have a child. A perfect little happy family" she said trying to convince me.

"Adda you married the love of your life. The person you loved and you did not get married at the age of fifteen. You had a chance to choose who you want to marry but in my case its different Adda" I said tearing up.

"I knew this will be hard for her, Zainab take her to her room" Mamie said for the first time in a while.

"I'll try to calm her down" Adda said taking a hold of my hand.

"Naisa calm down please" she said as we sat down on my bed.

"Adda this isn't fair. Why will Mamie and Baba make this decision to just marry me off at the age of 15. Are they tired of me already? Am I a burden to them?" I said sniffing. This is so hard to process and take in.

"Naisa don't say that, all of this is happening for a reason. You just have to leave everything in the hands of Allah for he is the best of planners. Just pray and everything will turn out well for you" she said stroking my hard.

"Did you pray Isha?" I shook my head.

"Stand up, take a bath, pray and do istikhar then sleep. Don't think too much about this". She said getting up and exited the room.

I took a bath and prayed. Prayed to Allah the Allah to choose the best for me and took some pain killers for my throbbing head. I guess adda kept them on my bed side drawer when I was in the shower and with the thought of marriage in my head, I drifted off to sleep.

•••••

"Naisa, Baba is back and he wants to see you" Adda said knocking on my room door the next morning.

"I'll be down in a minute" I shouted getting up from the bed and putting my long hijab on top of my pajamas.

"Salamualaikum" I said entering the living room.

"Wa'alaikumussalam" they all answered. Mamie, Baba and Adda Zee Zee are present in the living room.

"Come and sit here Sakeena" Baba said patting the space beside me.

"Ina kwana" I said greeting him forcing a smile.

"Lafiya lau" he said sipping his tea.

"Sakeena I'm very well sure your mother broke the news to you. I'm not going to say much to you but everything that happens always happens for a reason. Just leave everything in the hands of Allah and pray, then you'll see how well everything will work out" he said pausing for a moment to sip his tea.