HUSNA

Chapter24

Our parents have sacrificed so much to raise us. We can never repay them for their kindness. However, we can do our best to honour them and treat them well.

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At exactly 7 a.m., Husna sprang out of bed like a rocket snapping into consciousness. Her head felt heavy, her blanket still warm from sleep. She squinted at the clock on the wall, sighed, and muttered,

"Five more minutes... please."

Of course, five minutes never worked. She turned over, tried to sleep again... but the thought of the long day ahead kept poking at her.

Her phone started ringing... that familiar ringtone that made her roll her eyes before she even checked the screen.

"Of course... Captain ."

She let it ring twice, thrice... then finally picked up, stretching as she pressed the phone to her ear.

"Assalamu alaikum," she said, her voice thick with sleep.

"Wa'alaikumu salam," came his warm voice, instantly waking her up a bit. "You just woke up now?"

She yawned, rubbing her eyes. "Mmm... yeah. Good morning, Captain."

He sighed. "What should I even say, Asma? You just disappeared like smoke. I was thinking of flying to Nigeria just to find you. I've been going through emotional trauma, wallahi!"

She chuckled softly. "Captain, calm down. You make it sound like I blocked you."

"You might as well have! You finally picked my call after how many days? I even called you first before calling my mom. This friendship is getting dangerous."

"Sorry," she said, biting her lip to hide a smile. "I was sleeping. But I wish you maximum safety, Captain. May Allah guide you and protect your journey. May His blessings be your companion throughout the flight."

There was a pause, then a quiet smile in his tone. "Thank you, sleepy head. That prayer means a lot."

She heard the faint sound of a pilot announcement behind him.

"Let me call mom before takeoff," he said. "Don't miss me too much, okay?"

She laughed. "You're not that special."

He chuckled. "We'll see about that." Then the call ended.

By the time she  dropped her phone, the house was still quiet...everyone asleep. She went straight to the bathroom, brushed her teeth, then tied her wrapper tighter around her chest. She stepped into the kitchen, started washing dishes, and soon had the firewood burning. The faint smell of smoke and pap filled the air.

Her hands worked automatically.. she soaked beans in water, peeled them, and set them aside for grinding.

From the other room, she heard her mother's familiar voice echo:

"Abdul! Ina zaka tafi da safe haka? Football again?"

Husna smiled to herself and called out, "Adda, what else do you expect him to do? He's a man after all!"

Her mother peeked into the kitchen. "Husnatu, you woke up early today?"

"Yes, Adda. I want to wash our clothes before the sun gets too hot. Has Fatima woken up?"

Her mother shook her head. "Not yet. Call Abdul to take the beans for grinding when he's done showing off his football skills. And Husna, your father called. He said he'll be back next month, insha Allah."

She nodded, pouring more water into the bowl. "I hope he gets the money on time o. Abdul needs to register for WAEC soon."

"Allah ya sa," her mother murmured.