When Hussein got home that evening, he vowed to go through the sums he'd just been tutored on. Thirty minutes later, he realized that it was true, Aaliyah wasn't lying when she said math was not that hard at all. She had taught him the sums from the easiest to the hardest, in that particular order. To say the least, arithmetic progression was never going to be a hard topic for Hussein ever again.
On the other side of town, Aaliyah was under her duvet watching Aladdin all over again. With tears in her eyes and a box of tissues by her side, she sang the song she oh so loved, as she awaited for the magical drop off as she called it.
🎶 "I can show you the world, take you wonder by wonder, over, sideways and underneath a magic carpet ride." 🎶
She was cut short when Mirah, the help, called her.
"Aaliyah! You're father is on the phone. He wants to talk to you."
Being 'daddy's little girl' she ran downstairs and took the phone from Mirah, "Baba! Assalamu Aleikum!" She said as she blew her nose.
"Waaleikum Salaam Aaliyah. Are you crying!? Is everything okay!?"
"Haha! Yeah baba. Everything's fine. I'm just rewatching Aladdin. You more than anyone know how much I cry when watching it. How are you though!? How's Nairobi so far!?"
"Alhamdulillah. Can't complain. Your sister is graduating tomorrow so we'll be back by Sunday In Shaa Allaah! Do you want me to get you anything!?"
"Candy baba! Candy! I want candy!!!"
"Hahaha okay! Settle down! And don't just watch animations habibty. Read your books and do your assignments okay!?"
"Okay. I love you."
"I love you more"
Aaliyah's father was very protective of his girls. He made sure to give them all that he could and express multitudes of affection towards them and so much more, to ensure that they never once doubted his love for them. But everyone knew that of all three girls, Aaliyah was his favorite. They did everything together! Market shopping, exercising and even traveling. No wonder this specific trip that they weren't together on, was taking it's toll on both of them.
From the forms of love that her father had expressed to her and her sisters, Aaliyah's standards - in regards to a future partner, were really high. Although her parents had divorced when they were really young, she strongly believed that you get back what you put out. So why put into the universe something other than what she'd been brought up with - never ending love. She went back upstairs, snuggled her penguin doll under the blanket and pressed play. Her mind drifted once more, to the fairytale that she hoped to live on day.
