Mrs Mahmud, Mrs Mas'ood

3

April, 2021

For Hauwa, February was a blur. March was much worse.

There was a ton load of work and in every break she got, she alternated between her sister's love story and that of Afe and Kaycee; two lovebirds who still tried to act as though they irritated each other during work hours just so no one suspected much and accused Afe of favouritism among employees.

Hauwa derived happiness from listening and watching them all. If Zayd and Amal were not surprising Hanan with something or pulling connections to ensure she did not lift a finger or stress herself out or gifting her a car that they were not using, Afe was scheduling events that allowed him take Kaycee as his partner, thus giving him the opportunity to spoil her rotten.

Linda complained like a typical Nigerian mother that everyone was finding love except Hauwa and the latter did not care. She was content with her sister and best friend's happiness and she knew she was going to find hers in due time.

There was also the fact that a wedding was slowly coming into view as Hanan and Zayd had unofficially decided they wanted to settle down. Zayd was more enthusiastic about it and it made Hauwa love him more each time Hanan spoke about everything.

There were also book worthy experiences Hanan had gone through that made Hauwa laugh each time she recalled them: the fight Hanan had with a corp member named Mustapha who accused her of being a prostitute, the parties and events she was invited to because people found out she was close to Zayd, and then her weird but hilarious neighbours.

Yusuf took time to warm up to the idea that Zayd and Hanan were a very serious item; Linda made sure he was okay with it and up to date with all happenings. Whatever reservations were left vanished when Zayd called on a Saturday in late March to ask politely for permission to come down to Edo so they could officially meet each other. The best part of it all for Hauwa was the fact that everything was to happen without Hanan's knowledge.

Zayd and Amal had planned it all. Zayd would pretend to be on a business trip and Amal would pretend as though she knew nothing while keeping Hanan company until he returned. He was to spend three days in Edo but Hauwa had a feeling it was going to last longer with how excited her parents were. She was excited as well but she knew neither her nor Linda were as excited as Yusuf although he hid it very, very well.

She was grateful for everything and although she became nervous as the date for Zayd's arrival came closer, she told herself to focus on the excitement. Like everyone else, she really looked forward to meeting him in person. Her younger sister loved him after all.

~*~

Zayd Dantata was to be in their house in less than five minutes.

The flat was perfectly clean. The beds were laid to perfection, including Hanan's because Hauwa had a feeling he'd want to see where she – Hanan – had grown and how she left her things. Although she hated it on a normal day, Linda burned incense sticks around the house because Hanan told them about the constant scent of turaren wuta in Zayd and Amal's house.

"It definitely wouldn't be like the one at their house," Linda said when she had been burning the incense, "but this will have to do."

Hauwa walked around once more to ensure everything was in order, her heart in her throat. She was dressed in her favourite outfit; dark boyfriend jeans, a turtleneck long-sleeved top and a veil wrapped like a turban around her loosened hair that she packed back. Linda had tried to get her to wear a dress but Hauwa did not want to. There's only so much a mother can do with a stubborn daughter.

When the sound of an approaching vehicle reached her ears, Hauwa swallowed and stepped into the master bedroom her parents shared. The right window gave a perfect view of the gates and that was where she went to stand. She watched as a black Tundra with tinted windows pulled up in front of the gate. Both the driver and passenger doors went open and Yusuf stepped out before Zayd did.