Entwined by Destiny

Chapter One

         This story is dedicated to my beloved niece Nafeesah Yahya Sani.Nafy, three whole characters in this story are named after you cos you're very special! .

      It's a very hot Sunday evening typical of March in Zaria. As usual, the girls sought refuge in the coolest part of the house--the garden. Average in size, the garden consists of an orchard of various fruits, vegetables and a wooden hut. The half-open hut is well furnished with wicker chairs and tables and even a comfy chaise lounge for complete relaxation.
       
   Sprawled on the chaise lounge is the eldest and tallest of the lot, Fateema. She's engrossed in reading her notebook, completely oblivious to the goings-on around her. Walida, who as usual is impeccably dressed to kill with a heavily made-up face is preoccupied with one of her favourite pastimes--taking selfies. She had made up the faces of her young cousins Ihsan and Ikram and together, they kept pouting their painted lips and making all sort of faces into the camera.
        
    Seated on the opposite chairs facing the selfie-obsessed group are Iman and her friend Safiyya. Clad in her usual oversized kimono, Iman is busy nibbling one croissant after the other while Safiyya quietly stared at her in awe. As she devoured the fourth treat, Safiyya decided to break up her silence.
        
     "N-Square, it baffles me how you manage this. 24/7 you are always eating chocolates and other goodies loaded with calories but you don't gain even a single pound! Look at me, I am always dieting and denying myself but see how fat I am! You know what? Since you like Bauchi guys just dump your village prince and marry my brother. You guys will make a great pair, lenge-lenge to lenge-lenge (skinny). He always pester me when we talk on skype to lose weight, men prefer slim ladies but I tell him my guy loves me as voluptuous as I am! So you see, he'll die for your model structure. "
       
   Iman scrunched her nose and licked melted chocolate off her fingers before responding,

     "No way! It's not just Bauchi guys I like, it's one particular Bauchi guy I love. So for your kind offer, thanks but no thanks. And for your information cos it seems you are just from Bauchi but you don't know Bauchi, Katagum is not a village. So buzz off! Your brother can get his own lenge-lenge from Switzerland. This one is taken!"

Safiyya laughed wholeheartedly before saying,        

  "No offence meant oo, your Royal Highness lenge-lengen Princess of the big not-a-village Katagum!"

Dodging a croissant flunged at her, Safiyya laughed out loud as she added, "But jokes apart, seriously bro Sameer will suit you perfectly. You see, he's a born chocoholic like you. And now that he lives in Switzerland which is the world's best chocolate producing country, he sure knows the best. So you see, if you marry him you can eat chocolate, drink chocolate, bath with chocolate, poop out chocolate and even give birth to chocolate!" she concluded jokingly.
     
     Iman arched her naturally curved eyebrow, smirked before responding, "Gal, are you trying to tempt me? Cos I think you just might be succeeding..."

They all burst out laughing including Walida who has sent the kids back into the house.

With a smirk on her face, Walida faced Iman as she retorted,

     "Hmm, so almighty chocolate was the only catch, ehn? Told you it won't take much to get you out of whatever it is you think you feel for your prince. I just can't wait for the day when you finally realise where and on whom your true affections lie on."

Before Iman could respond, their aged househelp whom they all treat as part of the family walked in saying the salaam. As they all answered, she placed a dessert bowl full of assorted fruits fresh from the orchard on the table.
     
   Addressing Iman, she said in Hausa, "Uwardakina (my personal bosslady) leave that useless sugary stuff and take these healthy fruits instead."

Iman just made a face and ignored her while the rest picked fruits of their choice.
       
     Not one to give up easily, Iman faced Walida as she responded,
    
      "Adda Walida don't even start on that madness again. And you said you are clueless as to what I feel for Ayman? Well, wait and see. A time will come when you'll also experience the same kind of feeling for your special someone. It's only then that you'll fully understand. Experience as they say, is the best teacher."

Walida laughed in her usual cool, ladylike manner before addressing the elderly maid in Hausa with her sweet, melodic voice.

   "Iya, please tell your Uwardaki the one she truly loves. Maybe she might finally believe it when she hears it from an elderly person since the wise man says abinda babban ya hango yaro ko ya hau bishiyan rimi bazai iya hangowa ba (whatever an elder foresees, no child can see even if he/she climbs a tall tree.)"
       
  Grinning cos her favourite topic has just been broached, Iya quickly responded in Hausa,

   "Who else could it be, kuwa Walida? Ai babban goro sai magogin karfe! Hajia babba sai Alhaji babba!"(Big madam befits none other than big boss).
     

   Walida burst out laughing in her usual cool Walida-like way while Safiyya just kept looking from one person to another, confusion written all over her face. Fateema being Fateema just remained in her isolated state, ignoring everything and everyone.

On the other hand, Iman was staring daggers at both Walida and Iya but since she's never one to say die, she huffed before addressing Walida.

    "Laugh as much as you want Adda Walida cos it's your time now but I assure you, very soon by Allah's grace it will be mine. And remember, he who laughs last...laughs the best!" she concluded smirking.
     
  Just then, a very familiar lovely masculine scent notified them of a newcomer's approach even before he came into view. That prompted Iman to instantly break into a dazzling smile revealing her perfect set of white, gapped teeth as an idea crossed her mind. Maybe, just maybe her time to laugh has come sooner than expected!

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Assalamu alaikum to whosoever is reading this.
Thank you so much for adding this story , merci beaucoup, jazakillah, nagode!!
This is my very first story here on Wattpad so pls excuse the gibberish you see!

I know the chappy is short but this is just to introduce the girls. Just a little glimpse into their lives.
Hope you'll stick with me as we delve deeper into the entangled lives of these beautiful 9ja babes.
Once again,thank you so much for stopping by, in shaa Allah you'll not regret doing so!
Ma'assalam, au revoir, sai anjima, bye for now!