When I first wrote Too Little, Too Late; I had it at the back of my mind that Ayra would have a happy ending with a man named Ayman Hakeem Bello.
I hadn't done much work on fleshing out his character as at the time I began Ayra and Ibrahim's story but when I sat down at the end of December last year to properly flesh him out, I realised there was no way I wouldn't love this man with all of my heart. I wouldn't even have been able to stop myself if I tried.
This book? The complete opposite of what Too Little, Too Late made me feel. It was lovely to write and I loved every bit of it, even when I had to deal with a creative burn out that slowed down my pace and nearly drove me nuts. I laughed, I giggled, I blushed, and I cried too. Don't get me started on how much I learned and how much I grew as an author and also as a person.
I loved how Ayra grew. I loved how Ayman wove his way into her heart too. Don't get me started on how I loved how Ayra did the same to him; weaving herself into his heart and his life until he couldn't imagine a life without her in it.
The Bello squad is one I wanted to feel homey for Ayra and I guess I did that justice. But I'll still ask you if I did it justice. Then the happy endings for every single person, I hope that was nice too.
To those who have fallen in love before and have been scarred, or have been married before and have had to walk out of those unions for one reason or the other, I hope you know that you don't deserve any less. You still deserve the world and everything it has to offer, nothing less.
If love is written in your cards, I hope the second time you fall in love is infinitely better than the first time you did and I hope your new partner values and treasures you in every way possible. I hope you do the same for them too. If love isn't written in your cards, I hope you fall in love with life and with yourself and I hope you make the best of memories, no matter where life takes you.
Every single one of you is loved and In Shaa Allah you're always going to be.
This is me wishing that this book means the world to you the way it meant the world to me. Thank you for your time and emotions, and thank you for going on this ride with me.
At this point, I usually tell you that I'll see you soon with a new book but I can't do that anymore. Not for the nearest future at least. For now, my ink has dried and I feel creatively tired so I want to take my time to rest. I don't know how long it'll take but I don't want to mind or rush it. I just want to enjoy life to the best of my ability and then return to my writing when the time is right.
On that note, please take care of yourself. Live, love, learn, grow, and when the time comes, I hope we meet at the start of a new story that we'll love from start to finish with all our hearts.
Until then In Shaa Allah.
Love, Khair, and Duas,
Latifah Efua Anavberokhai.
YOU ARE READING
Better Late Than Never
General FictionThe first time they met, Ayman Hakeem Bellow knew there was more to the woman named Ayra Leilani Abdulaziz but there were boundaries he knew better than to cross. While he knew they would see each other more often with his cousin courting her best f...
