Marrying the son of Asraf 2

🪷Seventy~ Four 🪷

Summayyah sat quietly in a corner of her restaurant, her fingers wrapped around a warm cup of cinnamon tea. She found tranquility after hectic office work in her restaurant as the late afternoon sun poured through the wide glass windows, casting golden streaks across the polished floors. It felt unfamiliar and familiar all at once.

The aroma of grilled peppers, fresh baked pastries, and spices wafted through the air, mingling with soft jazz playing from the overhead speakers. She had missed this, missed the comforting chaos of the kitchen, the low hum of customer chatter, the clinking of cutlery and laughter shared over food. This place was her second home, her safe space, her dream.

Ali, her ever-loyal secretary and kitchen manager, approached her with a playful grin. "Hajiya, you've forgotten us oh!"

Summayyah chuckled. "I've been dealing with life, Ali. You know how it is." She said and he nodded. Ali sat opposite her and began to give updates like he'd been waiting weeks to spill everything. "Sales have been decent. We had a small power issue two weeks ago but I sorted it. And guess who came to visit?"

She raised an eyebrow. "Who?"

"Salma!" he said, eyes wide with excitement. "With her husband! From Gwagwalada! She came, helped us for two days just like old times. Said she missed the madness."

Summayyah's heart warmed. "Oh Salma?" she murmured, pulling out her phone with a soft smile. "Let me call her."

Within minutes, they were on a video call. Salma's face filled the screen, wide-eyed and happy, her scarf loosely tied as her husband passed behind her, waving.

"Ah! Aunty Summayyah! Finally!" Salma laughed. "How have you been, I came to visit, last week I guess!" She said.

"Yes Ali told me!"

"It's two weeks ago Salma!" Ali corrected. Salma chuckled. "Oh how time flies. I miss you guys over there Walahi!" "We miss you too Salma and I hope he is treating you right koh!" Summayyah asked and Salma blushed. It was something she could say out that is positive. They talked for a while, reminiscing about late-night food prep, stressful orders, shared tears and louder laughter. "I'll visit again next week," Salma promised. "But this time, I'm bringing suya from Gwagwalada!"

"I'm holding you to that," Summayyah grinned.

Later that evening, she returned home just as the sky turned a moody blue. After prayers, she stretched out on the couch, her feet tucked beneath her and her hair loosened from her scarf. "Geez, I need to plait my hair Walahi!" She mutters to herself, just then her phone rang and it was a video call from Rukkayyah.

"Woman of the hour," Rukkayyah teased as soon as she answered.

"Abeg, leave me," Summayyah laughed. "So ya kike, tufa biki kira ni ba, na ce barin Kira ki!" (So how are you!? Since you didn't call me I say lemme call you!) she said.

Summayyah giggles. "Walahi ba haka bane, kin San gida ga aiki ga makarantan Azman! (Oh it's not like that, you know word loads and Azman's school)" Summayyah explained and as understanding as Rukkayyah she shook it off.

They caught up on everything, family gist, market drama, and baby talk. She even told her a time when baby noor hiccuped the formula on Faruq's shoulder and he was so scared and thought maybe she was sick, he called the baby's doctor. "I tried to explained that it's just maybe she over feed but he refused to listen!" Rukkayyah narrated. Summayyah couldn't stop laughing. "I used to say women are drama Queens but Faruq is worse!" She chuckled. Rukkayyah placed the phone close to her arm so Summayyah can have a look at baby Noor, who was fast asleep in her arms, her tiny chest rising and falling softly.