The Final Book in The Dantata Series.
Ahmed Shehu's heart is beaten and bruised, thanks to the woman he loved and was certain he'd spend the rest of his life with. Now his focus are on his three kids who are to stay comfortable and unaffected despit...
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There's a set of eight boxes in the living room; from the smallest bag to the biggest box. The crazy part? My new family says each box is for me; their gifts to me, simply because Ahmed and I got married.
Trust me, it's a lot to wrap my head around and I'm nervous to find out what's inside because il est impossible que ces boites n'aient pas coute une fortune (there's no way those boxes didn't cost a fortune).
"You can choose to open it now or later." I raise my head to look at Mama who'd spoken. She smiles and continues. "But every single thing is for you and if there's anyone that doesn't fit or something you don't like, just let us know. We'll have them returned and changed with something you prefer."
My breath hitches and all I can do is gape at her. She chuckles and so does everyone else; all five of Ahmed's cousin sisters who are my sisters-in-law now (Ruqayyah, Mardheeya, Munah, Sarah, and Nabeelah). Ahmed doesn't chuckle but there's a warm smile on his face that gets through my astonishment to my warm up my heart.
I turn back to the boxes. The original plan I had after Fajr this morning was to go back to sleep and wake up much later to start packing because we'll be leaving later this night while the kids will leave with Amal and the others tomorrow In Shaa Allah. Ahmed suggested we'd have an early breakfast and I didn't think much of it until barely thirty minutes after we finished when I opened the door for members of my new family who'd come with boxes; boxes that are all sage green in colour with (surprisingly) beautiful drapes which actually show that they're all gifts.
Although I'm still nervous, my curiosity starts to get better of me. I start to feel nice too. So this is how it is to receive gifts from a family. I've missed out on a lot and it's heart-warming how this family (especially this husband of mine) has healed bits and pieces of me since I moved down to Abuja last year. I have a feeling they're not going to stop doing so, especially Ahmed.
I swallow the small lump in my throat and turn to them once again. My smile is small. "I think I want to open them now."
Munah is the first one off her sofa. "Yes! Come on, I'll tell you which one you should start with."
My smile widens as Ruqayyah, Mardheeya, Sarah, and Maimuna join us. "Okay."
Ahmed stays back with Mama and I'm alright with them watching. The kids are still asleep at Ruqayyah's place. Apparently, they'd stayed up late cooking and then watching cartoons with their grandfather. According to Sarah, they'd barely stayed awake through Fajr and as soon as they finished praying, they went up and had been sleeping ever since. Ahmed and I are going to stop over before we leave to see them and wish them a safe journey.
Munah pushes the small bags in the set towards me. "Start with these and then we'll move up to the bigger boxes."
I pick the smaller one of the two. "We'll be going size by size?"
