Dried Ink

12

Kareema.

"Ammi, he keeps telling me to go see his mother and I personally think it's wrong. It looks immoral" I said to Ammi.

I had just gotten off a call from Anas. He insisted I go see his mother today.

Lara's mother, Ammi thinks nothing is wrong with going to see his mom.

"Well if he was around, I'd have preferred you go together but since he's not here, you and Lara should go" Ammi adviced.

"I don't know Ammi" I said unsure.
"Lara what do you think?" I asked. She nodded frantically.

"It's fine. Nothing wrong in going to see her, she won't bite would she?" the words coming out of Lara's mouth made sense as opposed to the fact that she wasn't even concentrating on what we were saying.

"What time should we go?" I asked Ammi.

"After asr would be better. I'm sure she'd be less busy then" Ammi said and I nodded.

I turned to Lara wanting to ask her for clothing advices but she was more interested in her phone-or whoever she was texting- than her mother and best friend.

"Ammi let me go and find something presentable to wear" I said standing up and leaving the room.

I laid out few of my choices on the bed and stared at them.
My choices included; a plain beige coloured material sown into a normal bou-bou gown, an ankara material sown into a tight fitting gown, and another Ankara material which Lara and I had identical styles. It was sown into a normal peplum blouse and a straight wrapper.

Someone knocked on the door and it flew open to reveal Asa, Lara's immediate older and only sister.

"I knew it! I smelled your intense oud the minute I entered this house. So since I married you both forgot you had a sister right?" Asa feigned hurt and sat on the bed.

"Haba Yaya Asabe. I would never" I sat down next to her.

She raised her left hand and smacked my arm.

"Uwarki Ammi ce Asabe ba ni ba" she scolded.

I frowned a little before my eyes fell on her slightly protuded belly. My eyes went wide and she smirked.

"Ya ilahi! You're pregnant" I cheered.

"Oh am I? Captain obvious!" Ya Asa sarcastically replied. She has always been on the sarcastic side.

"Oooh Alhamdulillah. Where is Captain Aliyu so I'd congratulate him? " I asked putting on my hijab. Lara and I referred to her husband as Captain Ali so we'd avoid calling him Yaya.

"He's downstairs with Ya Dj. Rabbi you and Lara are even more exited about the baby than we are"

I just laughed and rushed downstairs, Lara was already there gushing out baby names while Captain listened attentively.

"Yaya DJ! Captain!" I squealed calling attention to myself.

It's been long since I saw Lara's brother and brother in law.

"Heyyy. Sis! Heard you're going to Lasgidi" Ya Dj greeted.

Ugh. Lara and her big mouth, I pray she hasn't mentioned anything about Anas.

"And who's this Anas guy I've been hearing about?" Captain smirked.

Ya ilahi. Lara has killed me.

"Oh he's Lara's boyfriend's friend" I answered shyly. Lara's horrified face came into view and I winked.

"Who's he? What's his name? Where does he come from? And who the hell informed both of you that you could start dating?" Ya Dj snapped. The living room went silent.