MUNIFA (ON HOLD)

Episode 8

Munifa

Salim's POV

I didn't know what to get Munifa. So I decided to stop at Yusad and get her some chocolates and maybe sweets. It wouldn't be nice if I went empty handed. I arrived Munifa's apartment around 4:40pm and I called her to tell her I was at her doorstep. "Heyyy. You're here." She said with a warm and welcoming smile. "Come in" she ushered me into the sitting room. "Thank you" I said. "This is for you" I added handing over the leather bag I was holding. "Thanks a lot. You didn't have to stress yourself you know." She said smiling then she stood up and went into the kitchen.

She came out carrying a tray. "I didn't know what to cook so I made spaghetti and sauce. I don't know if you'll like it" she said while placing it close to me. "You didn't have to stress yourself too you know." I said with a smile "and don't worry spaghetti is my favourite." I added.

I ate as much as I could. The food was too delicious. We talked about anything and everything. "Remember the last time we met??" She asked "Yh I think I do. Baby Ayra's naming." I told her. "Yh and you were about telling me where we first met but I think I was called or something" she said. "Yh I remember." I said. "So would you mind telling me?" She asked politely. "Well yes. I first saw you at your sister's wedding. Faisal is a very close family friend." I said. "Wow that's nice" she said enthusiastically. "Yes. And we talked. I know you can't remember because it was at night. But I can't forget this your beautiful and ever smiling face." I said to her. "Oh wow. Thanks. But that's quite long. Almost 2 years now." She replied surprised. "Well Munifa I want to be honest with you. From the very first day I saw you, I knew you were whom I wanted. And I know you can't remember but I asked you out on that very day. I don't know if Faisal spoke to you about me but I definitely asked him about you. And I know this is all too much to take in at the moment, but I still want you to think about it." I confessed to her.

She was quiet for some minutes. Or rather we were both quiet for some minutes. "Munifa say something mana.." I said nervously breaking the silence. "Salim I don't know what to say. You took me by surprise." She said playing with her fingers. Obviously not comfortable.

"I know Munifa and that's why I need you to think through this very well. I'm not asking you out for jokes or something. I want things to be serious between us and In Sha Allah eventually get married someday." I said to her sincerely. I knew what I wanted and I knew this wasn't the right time but I still did it anyway. Munifa is everybody's dream girl. I wasn't ready to loose her.

"Salim I think I need time for now. To think and sort things out and...." "Munifa you can have all the time you need. And please make the best decision for yourself. I'm not going to force you into anything and whatever decision you make is fine with me." I explained cutting her off. "Alright then. No problem." She replied.

My phone rang almost immediately bringing an end to the awkward silence and I picked up. After the call, I told her I needed to be somewhere. She walked me to my car and we said our byes. I kept thinking of Munifa until I got home. The thing I did before sleeping was to call and hear her melodious voice.

Munifa's POV

Sayyid came in right after I had walked Salim to his car. "There's food in the kitchen if you're hungry." I said quietly. "Ok. I brought chicken. What did you cook?" He asked as he sat on the chair next to mine. "Spaghetti and sauce" I replied him. "Oh your signature spaghetti and sauce" he said as he stood up and headed to the kitchen. "Don't finish everything. Yusrah is coming over to eat." I spoke out loud enough so he could hear me.

Just as I laid down on my bed, Yusrah came in. "I thought you wouldn't come" I said to her. She dropped her bag and laid down close to me. "Oya stand up and gist me. What happened between you two?" She asked impatiently. I ignored her and kept mum but I knew Yusrah wasn't going to let it slide. She kept disturbing.

"He asked me out Yusrah" I blurted out. "Oh thank goodness. Finally." She said with a sigh of relief. "Finally?" I asked confused. "Yh finally. At least now he won't be disturbing Ya Ahmad and I about you." She said dragging a pillow to rest her head. "Wait what do you mean? So you knew this all along?" I asked more confused. "Well technically, Yes. Cos he kinda asked for my advice and I suggested he comes to visit you and tell you what's on his mind." She said without even looking at me for a sec.

I instantly got speechless. Questions kept running through my mind. Why would Yusrah do that? Nobody knew me the way she did. "Munifa you need to let go and move on with your life. Anwar was a good riddance to bad rubbish and common you have a life to live...." She said now facing me in the eye with so much emotions "give Salim a chance at least just to prove himself and In Sha Allah you won't regret it." She added. "Yusrah I have moved on. Moreover it hasn't been long since Anwar and I..." "Munifa it's been a year plus now. Just try and give someone a chance."she said cutting me off. "Yh I know. I'll try." I said. I stood up to get water when Yusrah called out. "Your phone is ringing. It's Salim. Here I've picked it."

Days passed so quickly. I decided to give Salim a chance even though I wasn't really into the whole idea but he Yusrah did talk me into it. "Why don't we start gradually? Maybe friends? At least we'll get to know each other more." I said to him earlier on. I began to enjoy Salim's company and I realised he wasn't all that bad. We would talk on the phone for almost an hour and still not get bored. And he would always visit when he had time to.

Mid semester came so quickly I couldn't even wait to go back home. We were gonna branch in kaduna to see Adda fiyya and baby Ayra before we left for Abuja. So we left Zaria on Thursday. "Sayyid you need to come out. We're getting late." I said loud enough so he could hear me. Sayyid never keeps to time. God knows I hate traveling with him. We were supposed to leave Zaria by 10am at most but here we were at 10:14am and Sayyid was just about to take his bath. I felt like crying.

We left Zaria around 11am. Adda fiyya had asked her brother-in-law to pick us from the park. "Yan makaranta ya hanya?" Adda fiyya asked coming out of the kitchen pushing baby Ayra in her pram. "Alhamdulillah fine." Sayyid answered. "Hey honey boo boo." I said to baby Ayra as I picked her up from the pram making a cute face. "So Ayra is the only person you're seeing here koh?" Adda fiyya asked trying to make the you've-hurt-me face. "Well no problem. Sayyid. There's food on the table for you. Let me help you with your bags." She said to Sayyid as she collected his bags and headed for the guest room. "Kai Adda you're jealous of your own daughter. Lallai kam kina da aiki." I said laughing while I sat on the sofa. "Whatever." Adda fiyya said giving me the hand.

"Adda fiyya are you free?" I asked coming into Ayra's nursery. "I want us to have a little talk." I said. "Oh yes. Come in. About what?" She asked. "I met a guy." I blurted out. "My goodness. Finally. You've gotten over Anwar." She said excited. "Kai Adda fiyya. I've been over him a long time ago. Besides I broke up with him not the other way round." I said with my voice full of pride. "Ok who's the new guy?" She asked anxiously. "His name is Salim and he said he is a family friend of Ya Faisal" I sitting next to her on the floor "you might even know him" I added. "How serious are you guys?" Adda fiyya asked with a serious face. "He wants to be serious but I want to get to know him first." I said. "Munifa. Take your time and don't rush things. Seek Allah's guidance and everything will be fine In Sha Allah." She said holding my hand. "Thank you" I replied hugging her. "Alright get up. Let's go and make dinner before Faisal gets back.

This mid semester break didn't go well as I had planned. I saw my life literally going down the drain. "Munifa its high time you got married. You're not getting any younger. Besides someone has asked for your hand in marriage." Ammi said one evening when she came into my room. "But Ammi I'm just 22 and..." I had tried to explain when she cut me off. "No buts Munifa. I really want to see you married. You can have 2 months from now to decide." She said and stood up to leave.

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