Finding Salaam After Talaq

Chapter 2: unveiling destiny

February 2009
It had been three months since I returned to Nigeria, and I hadn't heard back from Ahmed since that day. Part of me was glad that I had probably become one of the forgotten names in his contact list, but my pride was stung a little too. I tried to push the encounter to the back of my mind, focusing on my studies and personal growth.

One day, my aunt called out from her room, "Ayn, can I speak to you?" I went to see her, closing the door behind me to keep away the prying eyes and ears of my curious cousins.

"Auntie, assalamu alaikum!" I greeted, and she greeted back.

"Ayn, how old are you this year again?" she asked, and I knew exactly where this conversation was heading. I had already planned out my responses to these well-meaning yet persistent inquiries.

"I'm 23, Auntie Mairo," I replied.

"Now that you've completed your studies, then you should start thinking about getting married. You're already 23!" she remarked, concerned about my unmarried status.

In our family, women typically married before the age of 21, so it was a bit unorthodox of me to still be single at 23.

"Auntieeee," I stretched out my response playfully. "I want to do my NYSC first and get a job before I think about getting married. I'm still young, and my time will come. Plus, I've only been back for a few months, so how would I have a husband already?"

She sighed, understanding my perspective, and then held my hands tenderly. "You're right. You did really well in your studies. I wish your parents could have been here to see the great woman you're becoming." Tears welled up in her eyes, and I hugged her tightly.

"Don't say that," I said gently, wiping away her tears. "We love them, but Allah loves them most. And you know you're my mom too. I'm happy that I'm your daughter, and I love you so, so much." My aunt meant the world to me, and her presence in my life was a cherished blessing.

"I love you too, Ayn. Never forget that. Now hurry up and show me my grandkids," she teased, and we shared a heartfelt laugh. While my aunt was eager to see me settled, she would support all my choices and decisions, no matter what. I thanked Allah for her presence in my life, and I knew she'd be there for me through thick and thin.

Leaving her room, I returned to my computer to work on my programming skills. Learning programming back in Canada had been a valuable asset, and I wanted to hone my expertise further. After a while, I took a short bathroom break and returned to find an email notification on my screen. It was an unknown sender, but the email address looked awfully familiar. "Ahmed3kabirrr@gmail.com" was written there, and my heart skipped a beat.

Immediately, I opened the email to read the message, and my suspicions were confirmed. The person I tried so hard to forget was back, reaching out to me. I didn't remember giving him my email when I saved my number on his phone, but there he was, emailing me. At the bottom of the message, my questions were answered.

"Subject: Hello, Long Time No Speak!
From: Ahmed3kabirrr@gmail.com
To: FatimaAynMuhammad@gmail.com

Hey Fatima Ayn,

I hope this email finds you well. I can't help but remember that serendipitous day we met at the restaurant back in Canada. It feels like fate brought us together for a reason. I must admit, your smile has lingered in my thoughts ever since that day.

I wanted to reach out and reconnect. I hope you don't mind me emailing you, even though it's been a while. Samira, your friend, shared your email address with me, and I hope she didn't overstep any boundaries. But I couldn't resist the chance to talk to you again.

I've been going through some changes in my life lately, and I thought it would be nice to catch up. How have you been doing? What have you been up to since we last met? I'd love to know more about your journey back home and how you've been adjusting.