FATIMA (YOU series #2)

Chapter 23

              How strange to dream of you even when I'm wide awake.

-Unknown.

Fatima

"My daughter is here," Ammi announces excitedly as I arrive in her living room.

I smiled and sat beside her, "Ammi Ina wuni."

"Lafiya Kalau, Alhamdullilah. You look good," she replies, and I hide a blush. 

"You have me to thank for that," Ibrahim says, sitting on the opposite loveseat.

I glare at him, and he smiles smugly. This man! So full of himself he was. We're visiting family today. Our first stops were his dad's, my uncle's, Aunty Fanna's then Aunty Adama's. Ammi's was our last stop. 

"Gaskiya, I should thank you for caring for my daughter. You also look chubby. Is it all the birthday cupcakes you had?" Ammi jokes. 

"Birthday cupcakes?" he asks. 

I giggled at the look on his face, "I may have snuck a picture of you."

I had taken it while he closed his eyes, making a wish. It was so cute that I couldn't gate-keep it, so I sent it to everyone I could. I also had it as my home screen.

Ammi pulled out her phone and showed it to him. He sent me a look, and I gave him a cheeky grin. After that, I chatted with Ammi for a while before she asked me to come up with her to help her pack for a trip. 

Ibrahim left with the guys, and I spent time with Ammi. Then, I had dinner and prayed Isha'a with her and Baba before Ibrahim came to pick me up. Finally, we bid everyone goodnight and headed home.

Arriving home, I jumped in the bath. I did my skincare routine, let down my hair, and dressed in pyjama shorts and a bralette. Next, I planned on catching up with my reading. I'd been reading one book for the past month. I usually get through them quickly.

I picked up Kafka on the Shore By Haruki Murakami and walked to Ibrahim's room. I entered the familiar room, spotting him on one of the couches by the floor-length window. His eyes are glued to his computer screen as he types away, and his chest is bare.

I ogle him as I hop onto the bed and lay on my stomach facing him. He clearly wouldn't pay me attention soon, so I opened the book and buried my head in it. Once again, I found myself unable to get into it, so I threw the book and released a sigh. 

Ibrahim was still captivated by whatever he was doing on his computer, and I was growing bored. I tossed and turned for minutes, occasionally groaning.

"Come."

Finally!

I leapt off the bed and into his lap. He moved me, so I was straddling him. He cupped my cheeks and grazed over my face, his thumb softly caressing my cheek.

"Were you bored?" he asked.

I nod, and he places a soft kiss on my lips. I lean in, but he pulls away. I whimper, and he smirks.

"What do you want?"

I stared at him, unable to answer. 

His right-hand grips my neck making me look him in the eyes as his left squeezes my side. He stared at me intently as a smug smile rested on his lips.

"Tell me what you want, and I'll give it to you, Fatima," he says, his voice low.

My mouth went dry as I kept staring. 

His eyes darkened, and his features hardened, "I won't ask you again." He placed feathery kisses on my neck, his left hand slowly making its way up my back. 

I moved slightly, leaning into his touch. I felt myself brush against him, and my breath hitched. "I want attention", I breathed.

Ibrahim

I watched her from the corner of my eyes as she huffed and muttered under her breath.

"Ibrahim, it's ripped," she whined. 

"I'll get you a new one," I replied, pulling my shirt over my head. 

She pouted, "This is all your fault."

I raised an eyebrow at her, "I wasn't the one who flung the book across the room." 

"But you had a hand in it."

"I most certainly did," I respond, smirking. 

She squealed, covering her face with her hands and running out of the room. 

Such a shy little thing.

After getting dressed, I headed down to my study. It was a weekend, so I planned on staying in and finishing up some of the work AK asked me to help him with. 

It took a bit longer for me to get through them as I was using the knowledge I gained from taking business as a subject in secondary school. My degree's had nothing to do with this. 

I was so immersed in it that I didn't notice Fatima coming in. 

"Whatcha doing?"

"Work," I answered.

She hums and begins looking around the room, picking up things here and there. As usual, she quickly gets bored, pulls a chair, and puts it adjacent to mine. Sitting, she places her chin on the arm of my chair, looking into the screen. 

"This is boring," she states. 

"I know."

She moves the chair closer, resting her head on my arm, "Then why do you do it?"

"AK needs my help."

She makes an "oh" sound and quiets back down. She busies herself by tracing the outline of my jaw, massages my shoulders then attempts to braid my low-cut hair. 

"What did you wish for when you blew out the candle?" she asks. 

"Aren't you a nosy little thing?" 

"I'm just curious," she responds in a small voice. 

I smile, "If I tell you, it won't come true."

She pouts and nudges my arm, "You believe in that?"

"No."

She folds her arms over her chest and huffs in annoyance, and I smile at her cuteness. 

"So you just don't want to tell me?" 

"I'll tell you when it comes true." 

She shrinks back into the chair, annoyance written all over her face. Knowing Fatima, she would begin overthinking it if I didn't do something to distract her, so I moved my chair back and pulled her onto my lap. 

I wrapped my arms around her, and she rested her head on my chest. "Do you want to travel?" I asked, hoping to take her mind off our previous conversation. 

"Yes!" she squealed, nearly jumping out of my arms. 

"Where do you want to go, bambina?" 

"Portofino," she answers instantly.

I kissed her forehead, "I'll make it happen."

Wrapping her arms around my neck, she snuggles closer into my chest, releasing high-pitched shrieks of happiness. I breathed a sigh of relief, knowing I had successfully filled her head with something else. 

"You're so cool sometimes," she says. 

"Sometimes?" I asked cocking my head. 

"Mhm. I have to plan my outfits," she replies, jumping off and heading to the door. 

A content smile settles on my lips.