ORNAMENTS✅

Chapter Eleven

DASUKI STATE, NIGERIA.
2021.

It was the first day of Ramadan. The Ibadah mood naturally rubbed off on everyone—Muslims, typically. This was her first Ramadan in the city, and she was looking forward to it. With things not so bad with Asad, maybe this Ramadan was one she’d cherish in her memories.

She got balloons and stickers for Ramadan decorations. Of course, Asma helped her decorate Asad's apartment. It was nice. People in the city were happy to do things like this, and she even got scented candles, which she fell in love with. They were on 24/7, except when it was time to sleep. Then, she turned them off. That got her an earful from Asad, who said the bills on scented candles in the house could pay for an essential bill in someone's house, but did she care? The last time she checked, he said he'd perform husband duties, and getting her these candles was one of them. And no, if anyone thought they had gotten rid of Zizi, they were wrong. It was like the popular Hausa saying: Zizi is duwawu dole a zauna da ita. She was stuck to him like a magnet, and for all she cared, they could get married. She was planning on running away anyway.

If she said she wasn’t loving the Ramadan period, that would be an obvious lie. She was loving it. Ya Ilaihi, let’s not even talk about the food part, and nice enough, she knew how to use a phone now.

"Don't tell me you're watching those food blogs?" Asad's voice came from nowhere.

Well, since she now knew how to access YouTube, it was a sorry situation. There was one time she made a meal, and Asad kept visiting the toilet the whole day. So he was definitely terrified of her watching these food blogs. But sometimes he couldn't stop ranting about how delicious they were. So, as much as they had a negative impact, they had positive ones.

"What if I am?" she replied. He suddenly changed the look on his face.

"There's just no being nice in your case."

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Asma was truly foolish—like, foolish, foolish—because she accepted his proposal, and to her now, they were dating.

She was cute and innocent, but sorry, her brother and father weren’t, and she had just become a bait in his quest to get Umaimah back.

It was Ramadan, and he thought about backing off a little bit. Nah, he wouldn’t. He’d been getting information from Asma and Zainab about what was happening between Asad and Umaimah. As far as what he had been informed, it was nothing serious. Well, he had to make his next move very soon—a very good move that even Asad Yabo would know he had made. He thought of backing off since it was Ramadan, but no, he’d make his move in just two days, and they would see.

He looked down at the prayer mat. It was time for Asr already. Funny enough, his prayer mat was always laid on the ground. If it wasn't, Nini came to his room and picked it up. And anytime he prayed Tahajjud, he'd leave it there. But for him? Fasting was no joke. His stomach was already rumbling. Much to his dismay, his phone started ringing.

It was Mum, displayed on the screen.

Holy shit! Why was she calling him? Nonetheless, he picked up the phone.

"Hello, Mum. Ramadan Mubarak." He could be called a bad son if anyone wanted to, but he really wanted to call and wish her.

"Ramadan Mubarak, Nabeel. How are you?"

"I'm fine, Mum. Alhamdulillah."

She sighed, and sighed again. She wanted to say something but decided against it. Even though he wasn’t close to his mum, he knew this much about her.

"C’mon, say it. I know you want to."

"It's nothing."

"Mrs. Halima, let it out." Yes, he addressed her by her name sometimes to act like an adult, you know?