Why(Hausa).

The wait

Zahra's pov.

I looked at the outfit I wore for the last time, contemplating on whether to change into something ugly. Too bad it'll hurt Ammi, she will think her opinion doesn't matter, or maybe I don't respect her.
I took my veil and threw it on my body then headed downstairs.
Immediately I reached, the guy was leaving. I didn't even see his face and I didn't bother to call out his name. He wore a sky blue kaftan with tangaran cap, he's got the same physique as Waleed from behind I thought.
It's even good he's not aware I'm here. Stupid man, he can't even wait yet he claims to love me and separate me from my man, did he? I'm sure he must have insisted on marrying him for me to then be forced. I shrugged 🤷🏼‍♀️ and took the stairs back to my room.

It's just two weeks away from the wedding, and I haven't seen my so called husband to be, I thought as I removed my earrings.
"Come in" I said as I heard a knock.
"Has he left already?"Ammi asks as she shuts the door behind her.
"How was he" she asked again before I could answer her first question.
"I can't say" I replied. She huffed at my short and blank answer then left.

**************************************
Waleed's pov.
Abba insists that I meet this girl. I pleaded with Abid to accompany me as I did not want to do something stupid to the girl, but he refused and now here I am, driving myself to their house. The house wasn't bad. An elderly woman in her early forties came in and I greeted her with a fake smile on my face. Maybe it's her mother. Even though I hate this girl, I still had to be responsible and not disrespect her mom. The woman went upstairs and another woman who looked slightly younger than her came out of the kitchen. I had to repeat all the greetings and courtesy. The younger one entered a room which I don't know whose door resides beside the stairs. I took my phone out of my pocket now that there's no one in the parlor. I heard a notification earlier, I checked and it was a pdf file from Abid. The first woman I met came downstairs and said "Tana zuwa(she's on her way)".
I said okay then excused myself out to the compound so I could call Abid and hear more details about the file he sent.
By the time I was done, I heard clicking sounds from the stairs, I waited but to no avail. Whoever that was, must've gone back up, instead of coming down as I thought. I got tired of waiting and I left. If not for a young girl who seemed to be the house girl drop food, they shouldn't have bothered themselves, I don't feel like eating anything, there was no signs of the girl. I've just got more reason to hate her, she lacks respect and must be egoistic, for making wait over 30 minutes.

**************************************
The next day.
I woke up to a phone call. I grabbed my phone and placed on my ear while still laying.
"Hello" I say in a sleepy voice.
"Hey zahra" I quickly jumped to a sitting position. It's Aisha, my Aush.
"Hey, yakike(how are you)"
"I'm fine, I just called to inform you that I'll come by your place very early in the morning".
"Okay fine, I'd love that. What's the time?" I asked myself rather than her then checked on the phone. It was 23 minutes after 4am and she called.
"You called me before fajr prayer. Girl you're crazy".
"I just don't want to come and maybe you're out. You know since you're dealing with the wedding preparations".
"Hahaha" I laughed "Wedding preparations keh, you know I can never wake up that early since I always sleep late. Especially now with no school and no work. Biko let me sleep please".
"Okay, see you soon, bye"
"Bye" I say then end the call before she stops me from getting back to sleep.

.
.
"Ke Dallah wake up mana" Aush shakes the heavily asleep me.

"You're here already, were you by the gate when you called" I say while yawning and stretching my arms.

"Do you know what time it is now, this is 7:30 fah, a call we had about 3 hours ago" I abruptly stand up heading to the bathroom. "Subhanallah"
"What's wrong".
"I missed the subh prayer fah, it feels like we just had that call five minutes ago".

.
.
I have finished my morning prayer and I looked to Aush who was dozing off. I folded the mat and hijab then kept them on my bedside drawer.
"Why don't you just lay down let's sleep some more"
"Yeah, after all we were once roommates" she say then laid.
"Won't you at least take off the veil.... hey Aush I tapped her"
"Please let me sleep, I didn't have enough last night"
"Sweet revenge, remove the veil toh" I laughed while pulling the veil away from her.
I then lay beside her and slept too.

.
.
I awoke and found the room empty. Where is this girl I thought, before heading downstairs.
There I found Aisha and my family eating breakfast. I greeted them.
"How I wish my lil sister was like you, but this girl will never join us for breakfast" ya Abdallah rants.
"Well said" Papa said.
I didn't say a word but I went and sat down on the only available seat which was opposite my dad.
"Have you brushed your teeth, it looks like you just woke up". Maama asks.
"I did before sleeping yesterday" I replied.
After we were done eating, Aisha, I and ya Abdallah left for his room. Usually, a guy lives in the BQ but for ya Abdallah, his room is in the house, opposite mine. Though he has his own house. But it's too large for him to live there alone so he said he'll give it out for rent for extra income. And when the time for his wedding comes, he can renovate the house.
Ya Abdallah has his own men's boutique and runs a fabric company.
"Before you came downstairs, I and Aisha thought of something that could cheer you up" he says when we got into his room.
"And what's that"
"He suggested that we play board games" Aush replied.
"Why are you always feeling sorry for me these days, I'm better, I'm fine I promise".
"Still though, so choose, Ludo, chess, scrabble or four in a row". Ya Abdallah asks.
"I think since it's three of us, let's play scrabble or Ludo" Aush suggested.
"I prefer Ludo, it's more interesting".

.
.
I actually feel better today, maybe because I've got company, my best friend and my lovely brother.
I didn't even have any time to think or get worried about anything. I feel at ease.