Against All Odds

Chapter Five

By 6:15 am, i was done with my morning devotions, i left my room to start the house chores with assistance from Zaynab and Fateemah.

Muhammad and Zayd had gone to Qur'an class as early as 6am.

After the sweeping, cleaning and mopping, i entered the kitchen to make pap and akara, zaynab wash the beans while a prepare the pap and after washing the beans, i blended it with pepper.
Under 30 mins, food was ready.

The food was packed in  food warmers and kept on the dinning table.

     After the cooking, we went to the backyard to wash our dirty clothes, while zaynab assists me washing, Fateemah fetched water from the tap, it's fun!

We finished the washing in no time and went in to have our bath. I allowed them to do their bathing first, because they were getting late for their madrasa.

Fateemah, zaynab and Fareedah goes to Madrasa by 10am, every Saturday and Sunday, so they ate their food and left quickly to avoid being punished by their mallam.

After the girls left for madrasa, i arranged the room and took my bath, after which i went to the living room to have my breakfast.
I met dad and umma, having their breakfast (they don't eat from the same plate)

I greeted them and took my food,as  i can see they're having a serious discussion, so i took the food to my room to eat.

After eating, i searched my wardrobe for what to wear, i finally found a mint green satin gown with a matching hijab, i want to collect my clothes from my tailor in a nearby neighbourhood.

Daddy, salaam alaykum, i want to go and collect my clothes from aunty jummai, i said.

Ok dear, how much is the balance?, dad asked.

It's three thousand naira sir, i replied.

He gave me the money and i left for my tailor's place.

Habeebah, make sure you don't stay long, we shall be having some visitors after zuhr prayer today in shaa Allaah, umma informed me.

  OK má, i replied.

I took a bike to the tailor's place and got there in 17 mins
I tried all the 6 clothes she sewed for me and they're all perfect.

Aunty jummai, is a very talented fashion designer.

Aunty jummai, thank you so much, i have to go now, i said.

Haba! Habeebah, won't you stay and play with us for some time? Aunty asked.
Sorry, I won't be able to wait today, we're having some visitors after zuhr prayer today, i replied

OK dear, have a nice day, said aunty jummai.

On getting back home from the tailor's place, i found a silver Toyota camry, in front of the house, meaning that the visitors are here.

I entered with Salam and they all answered in unison.

There's a man in his 50s,his wife and a young man in his late 20s

Are they getting me married or what?
No! Dad can't do that

I was brought out of my thought by my step mother, saying "Bashir, meet my beautiful daughter Habeebah, she just got admission to study nursing at the Bayero University kano"

I can see Bashir looking at me from head to toe and from his look i know he doesn't like my appearance.
His mother was looking at me with bright smile

I excused myself to my room and drop the bag of clothes from the tailor on the bed.

Upon entering the kitchen, i found umma, arranging the food for the visitor.

Habeebah, go and serve the guest, umma said

I took the food to the dining table and invited the guest to come and eat.

While going up and down the living room to the kitchen, the young man never took his eyes away from me and i could see he was focusing on my chest, this made me feel really shy and left straight to my room.

I raised my hand to my Lord "Yah Allah! This is a proposal for me, do not leave me in charge of my own affairs even for a blink of an eye, you know what's best for me, guide my affairs, strengthen my my faith and make me steadfast, yah Rabbil alamin"

I didn't know, when I started crying and sobbing bitterly.

Can daddy do this to me?, i asked myself

No! He can't
This is umma at work, i know for sure.

I prayed zuhr and slept off, only to wake up at the sound of adhan from the nearby masjid.

I stood up and perform my ASR Salah, then went to the kitchen to fetch my own food, fried rice and chicken.

I was still eating, when dad and the boys came back from the masjid.

Olabisi, how are you? Dad asked
Am fine Alhamdulillah, i replied.

Zayd call your mother for me, dad instructed.
Just in time, umma entered the living room, na'am, Alhaji am here

Dad started "Habeebah, those visitors that just left are Alhaji ridwan shuaib family, they're umma's maternal family.

They young man with them is Bashir, he's a banker and works in Abuja, they're here to seek for your hand in marriage.

I'll like to know how you feel about it.
What do you feel about the proposal Olabisi?

Am asking you because your consent is important in Islam and it validate the marriage, dad concluded.

My step mother responded, since you're the father, and as parent we know what is best for them because we've seen life better than them.

Sakeenah, i understand you perfectly but Islam mandates parents to get their children's consent before giving out their hands in marriage, dad said.

Habeebah, let's hear from you, dad said

Honestly, daddy, i appreciate your love, i know marriage is half of Deen, and I am not a complete muslimah until i complete half of my deen.
Wallahi, umma, daddy, am not ready to venture into marriage now, please give me the privilege to face my studies for now and i can marry after school.
Am just 17 and getting married at 21 isn't bad.                             Please i beg in the name of Allah, i pleaded amidst tears.

You don't need to cry, nobody will force you into any marriage without your consent.

You can go to your room now!

I rushed to my room, falling in prostration to my Lord.
Alhamdulillah!!!

Sufyan

I have discussed and settled all plans on Habeebah's admission with my brother salman.
He promised to assist financially.

Ww also discussed about habeebah and her mother, and i promised to tell her all about her mother before she leaves.

Since Friday is the deadline for the payment of acceptance fees, she will be leaving for Kano on Wednesday night in shaa Allaah.

Another journey of life about to be embarked on by habeebah

Let's see how this goes

Thank you ❤ all for your time

Accept my apology for grammatical errors and mistakes. Perfection belongs to Allah alone

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