Amidst Our Hearts

Seventeen.

Federal capital territory,
Nigeria.

Sakeena...

The annoying sound of my alarm was what I heard in my dreams. To my surprise it was so close to me. Then, I felt a light tap of my arm and felt it again.

That was when I heard the adhan being called and the person who tapped my arm softly called my name and I opened my eyes to only to meet another pair of brown eyes staring back at me.

Then I remembered it all. Everything that happened for the past 24 hours and I extend my hand to switch on the bedside lamp which gave the room a glow.

"Wake up and pray, it's already fajr" a masculine voice said to me and then I heard the door being closed.

I sighed and stood up and went into the bathroom. I brushed eased myself, brushed my teeth and performed wudhu. I got a prayer mat and hijab and then started to pray. I said my duas, read the qur'an Mamie gave me and went back to sleep.

The rays of sun peeking through the curtains shining really brightly was what woke her up from her morning sleep and right on cue, the door opened.

"Rise and shine sister in law," Adda Sameera said turning off the AC with the remote lying on the bedside drawer and opened the curtains.

"She's still sleeping, isn't she?" Maymuna said pulling the duvet off me making me groan.

"What is wrong with you, aren't you supposed to let the amarya get some sleep before you start showing up?" I said slightly annoyed while I sit up.

"Iyye, sannu amarya. The last time I remembered you said I should stop calling you amarya" she said folding her arms.

"That's enough, Sakeena go and take your shower and meet us downstairs" Adda Sameera said pulling Maymuna together with her out if the room.

I got up and made the bed, then went to take a shower. I scrubbed my body with a lavender body wash by Schmidt and put on a robe after I was done.

All set and dressed in a purple ankara gown, I wore my contacts, picked my phone and went downstairs and asked the maid where the kitchen is. She directed me to the kitchen and I found Adda Sameera and Maymuna sitting on the stools in front of the kitchen island.

"Morning everyone" I said to both of them.

"Morning Sakeena, have a sit" Adda Sameera said pouting cereal into a bowl in front of her

"Call me Naisa, Sakeena sounds so formal with you" I said sitting on a stool beside Maymuna back and sat down.

"We'll handle breakfast today, tell the chef she can take the morning off" Adda Sameera said to the maid in the kitchen who's doing some cleaning.

"What are we making?" I asked Adda Sameera making Maymuna burst into a fist of laughter making us look at her.

"Sorry. When did you even learn how to cook? Back at your home Mamie has to drag you butt to the kitchen because you hate cooking Naisa" she said laughing more making me annoyed

"In case you forget right now I'm a married woman and I have responsibilities of both my husband and in laws. And of course I can cook. Not that much dishes but I can cook" I said defensively with the word married woman tasting weird on my tongue.

"Stop laughing Maymuna, we won't be going back to South Africa till I put to bed so I'll teach you how to cook many dishes Naisa. She's just jealous that she's the odd one here" Adda Sameera said backing me up making me laugh at the look on Maymuna's face.