Ties

~Chapter 23

~Enjoy!

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NANA FIRDAUS JANNAH.
HAMZA MANSION.
ASOKORO, ABUJA.
NIGERIA.
25-07-24
13:05

I've spent a week in the Hamza Mansion, and it has been well. It's quite okay so far. We visited paa's place and mom at the hospital a day after my mini welcome party.

The house has been bustling since morning. Apparently, hajiya - Khalil's grandmother - was coming today along with Baba. So everyone has been up and about, cleaning this, dusting that, cooking this, frying that, and whatnot. Everyone seems to be afraid of her because no one is taking a second to even catch a breath. Hmm, let's just hope all this ends well. The driver was sent to pick her up from the airport about an hour ago, so they should be back by now.

"Assalamu Alaikum!" A powerful, yet frail feminine voice said.

She took gracious steps towards us, but before she completed her journey, the kids - Ihsan, Khair, Ayra, and Iyaaz - ran over to her, launching themselves on her. Almost knocking her over, I'd say.

"Hajiya K!!!" They squeeled, and hajiya laughed wholeheartedly.

"My jikoki! How're you doing?" She smiled at them.

"We're good, hajiya kaka." They replied and started walking towards everyone.

"Hmm, koh nema na ba kwayi ko yaran nan." She complained.

"Noo, it's not like that HK."

"Yes, HK, we missed you so much!"

"Very very much HK." Ihsan, khair, and ayra said respectively.

"We miss your sweets too." We all know who that came from. Iyaaz. Hajiya chuckled at his remark.

"Don't worry, I brought you so many sweets from gombe, imtiyaaz." She pinched his cheeks.

"HK, the best!!!" Iyaaz giggled.

"Ina wuni Baba." The kids finally greeted Baba.

"Since hajiya is here, I've become invisible."

"Of course not, Baba." They said, and he chuckled, just letting them be.

"Sannu da zuwa Hajiya."

"Welcome home, Hajiya."

"How was your trip, hajiya?" Mami, Maama, and Ammi said, respectively.

The smile she had earlier had disappeared. "Yauwa sannu, my trip was good." She replied monotonously.

Weird. I thought.

Khalil took my palm in his and walked to his grandmother. He released my hand and grouched down to greet her. "Ina wuni HK. Sannu da zuwa Baba." He greeted. I felt weird because I don't normally grouch down to greet people, but it would seem weird since I was just standing there awkwardly. So I bent a bit and greeted her too. "Welcome home, HK. Welcome home, Baba."

"Yauwa khalil, how're you?" She replied to him only and left my greeting hanging just like that. Okay, nice one. My all-time favourite though, Baba answered and opened his arms for a hug. "How're you doing, my daughter?"

I gave him a huge smile and accepted the hug. "I'm doing great, Baba."

"Allah ya miki albarka." He prayed to which I said an ameen. When I released from the hug, I heard a hiss from my side. "Aikin banza, so this is the bride. Ashe mara tarbiya ka kawo mana cikin gida ban sani ba. So she's the one you chose over my Hara?" Hajiya sneered, and I just stared at her. Like, what the hell, bro? I looked at khalil. His eyes were pleading for me not to say anything, so sighed and ignored.