Dried Ink

25

Karima

My brothers wedding date drew nearer as it was only in a week.
Adama fretted around the room throwing things around.

"Calm down, you're overreacting" Lara said.

"I'm overreacting?! How dare you say that?" she pointed a finger to her while Lara raised her hands in surrender.
"I'm just nineteen! I have one more year of school! I'm a kid! Why did I ever agree to Isah's ways" she whined stomping her foot.

I laughed harder. She turned to glare at me.
"You're next. I'm sure Ya Anas won't wait longer" she pushed her tongue out.

"You'll be twenty next week, be mature please" she rolled her eyes. "Besides I'm not as weak as you are and can't be bought with sweet words" I pushed my tongue out too.

"Results are out" Lara announced looking at her phone.
Adama made a beeline towards Lara and tackled her to the floor.

"let me deal with one thing at a time please" she begged before getting off her.

"Amarya! That is no way to act towards your guests" I scolded.

"Yen yen yen" she rolled her eyes.
Lara laughed.
"You guys are horribly ugly" she said standing up and running away.
Adama followed her while I picked the video call from Anas.

"Baby! Headscarf! Oh Ya Allah" he scolded.

"Ohkay, Ohkay........no need to overreact" I rolled my eyes reaching forward to grab Lara's turban.

"No need to overreact? Your hair is open, I'm not supposed to see your hair, I'm correcting you!" he started ranting.

For some reason, all Anas and I did these days was argue and fight about unnecessary things.

"I'm sorry Anas. It'll be the last time In Sha Allah" I apologized. He shrugged.

"How are you?" he asked.

"I'm fine Alhamdulillah. You?"

"Perfect, now that I've seen you." he smiled.
I bowed my head a little.

"You and Lara, everything you need, from shoes, jewelry, scarfs, clothes, everything. Please add it up and send the amount to me so I can send it on time" he ordered.

"Ummi already made the dresses for us, that's all I'll need. Thank you" I replied curtly.

"Just don't argue with me. I'm stressed out" he sighed.

"You're being selfish Anas" I said after gathering enough courage.

"wha........?"

"Yes. I'm stressed out too. This relationship is taking a toll on me. I won't know if you don't talk to me! I can't do this anymore" I cut him off.

He was speechless.
"When I call you, you don't pick but call me whenever you please. Are you just the one that wants to speak to me? You leave my messages hanging when you're online. My calls that aren't missed, when you pick up you say you'll call back. You don't have time for me anymore" I complained, tears already threatening to spill.

"That's because I'm always busy Karima!" he raised his voice.

"Am I not busy also? Or do you think I sit around all day doing nothing? I'm busy too, I'm helping Mama with her company and helping your sister prepare for her wedding. I'm almost always driving around the streets of Kano, do you know that?" I ranted.

"I didn't know that" he said slowly.

"that's because you never pick my calls" I replied.

"You don't expect me to pick calls when I'm with my patients. Do you?" he asked looking at me as if I had three heads.