Bonded: A Hausa Love Story.

Chapter 17.

Things have been a lot different these past few months. Yusuf has been spending a lot of time at home and I think if he continues feeding me the way he does I'll become bloated. That I'm very sure of.

"Are you hungry? Is there anything you want to eat?" Yusuf asks me the third time for the last 25 minutes.

"Yusuf, I'm fine I ate an hour ago" I say smiling back.
"I'm aware Khadija don't forget you are eating for two" he says back.
I smile.

"So? What do you want to eat?" He asks again.
"Just water. Laila!" I call her.
She comes in a moment later.

"Please get me water. Diluted fah" I say.
She leaves.
"Well I have a meeting now but I'll be back by 5pm" he gets up.

"What do you want for dinner?" I ask following behind him as he opens the door.
"Anything is fine with me, just don't over-work yourself". He gives me a peck before he leaves.

I close the door and walk back in.
"Here you go" laila gives me a bottle of water.
"So where is Khalipha? Or even Khalid?" I ask.

"They're on their room" Laila answers back.
"Call any of them so they can buy some things for me so I can start cooking" I say.

She nods before she walks to the front door.
"I meant use your phone. How are you sure they don't have their friends over at that place"

"Oh okay let me get my phone".

•

We were sitting outside. Laila, Khalid, Khalipha and I.
"Seriously maybe you should try" Laila says trying to convince me.
"Khloe Kardashian and I aren't the same person, how do you expect me to exercise like she does she's used to it and I'm not" I say back.

"Come on you're perfect just the way you are" Yusuf says when he comes out.
"Thanks" I smile at him.

Just then rabiu our guard comes.
"Yes?" Khalipha asks.

"Someone is here to see you" he says back.
"Who?" Khalid asks this time.

"He says he knows You, Sir" he says back.
"Let me go check who it is" Khalipha says getting up.

"Aren't you going yourself? He did say that someone was looking for you" I say to Yusuf who was using his phone.

"He's coming" he smiles.
"Guess who?" Khalipha says when he comes back.

"Maryam!" I shout when I see her.
I hug her.
"Why didn't you tell me you were coming?" I ask still hugging her.

"I kinda promised I wouldn't that it would be a surprise" she answers back as I pull away.

I look at Yusuf and put on a wide smile.
"You love surprises, don't you" he asks.
I only smile stepping closer to him.

"Ya Maryam I would strongly advice you should leave, these two can get really nasty at times" Khalipha says.

"Let's go in" Laila drags Maryam with her.
"We out" Khalipha says as he puts on his head phones.
"Khalid let's go" he calls him.

"Oh okay" he puts his ear piece and leaves with his brother.
"Surprises ko?" I smile at Yusuf.
"You know i love them too" he says laughing.

•

"You had to see the movie it was a complete dreck" Maryam says to Ibrahim.
He came to town so we decided to go see aunty Halima.

"That's what you think of every movie" I say back.
"Ya Khadija you have to see it yourself, you have added weight fah" Maryam says laughing.

"I told her to exercise like khloe but said no" Laila says untangling her ear piece.
I lean my head against my seat in exasperation.

"Come on, you look better like this. You look more classy" Ibrahim says.

At times I wonder why Ibrahim and I are so close but when he does things Like this I get it. He understands me or he tries to anyway.
"I know right" I say laughing.

"Gosh I love this song" he says when Classic Man comes up.

"Ya Ibrahim, can I just connect my phone, your songs old school" Maryam says to him.

"Songs like what? Olamide? No way sis" he smiles shaking his head.

"No, not that. Please" she begs him.
"Just one song" he replies back after a moment.

I just sat there watching them. I love hanging out or talking with Ibrahim mostly because he's an extrovert.
She plugs her phone and turns on her song.

"What nonsense is this?" Ibrahim asks.
"Music. Rock Star one of my favorites" she says.

"Change this. Maryam I'm really being fair-minded but this song is horrible" he says looking annoyed.
"I was really hoping for a false dawn" he says changing his annoyed look to an irritated look.

I unplugged maryam's phone and plugged mine then I turn on the song I wanted.
"Mirrors" Laila says finally breaking her silence.

"I completely forgot you were in this car" I say.

"I have been trying to fix this duff ear piece" she says although I couldn't see whether she was frowning or smiling but I'm sure it's a frown.

•

We are all in the living room including auntie Halima and Adama, her daughter.
"Mama we're going outside" Adama says as she pulls Laila out.

"So it's 7months now right?" She asks me.
I nod.

"Ibrahim? when are you bringing Hanan? I want to meet the special girl that will miraculously change you" she says laughing.

"Haba Aunty, she's almost done. I'm a changed person not completely though" he joins her, they both continue laughing.

I think the three of us were seated there for two hours after auntie Halima decided to expound her views on marriage.

"I'm sorry but I have to go you know it's not easy. Let me send Adama with water" she smiles and walks out.

"My ass is numb" Ibrahim says moving side to side.
"Who told you to sit on the floor" I ask.

"Don't you see in those movies the guy sits on the floor but I didn't know they suffered this much" he says making me laugh.

"See who it is" Zarah says when she comes in.
The one reason I didn't like coming to auntie halima's house was this duffer in front of me her daughter.

"Khadija" she comes forward and hugs me.
"When did you get back?" Ibrahim asks surprised.

"Well I heard I was becoming an aunt soon and heard you were getting married too I had to come back plus I hate Yola" she says smiling.

I pick my phone and start scrolling down not even interested in anything this fiend had to say.
"Khadija you can't even pretend to be happy that I'm here?" She asks.

"What's the point of pretending when it's so clear I don't" I say not taking my eyes off my screen.

"Then we have different ways of really showing how we feel" she says back with a blank expression.
I nod smiling.

"So how are you?" Ibrahim asks.
"Well I have been doing great, anyway it was nice seeing you two" she says.

"Khadijah let's go it's getting late and you know how 'Mr I'm going to be a dad soon' acts" he says smiling.
"Ibrahim don't get on my bad side" I say.

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