Bound ✅

Edgware

Important⚠️⚠️⚠️

Please leave comments and vote. Thank you 😊

Halima stepped into the shop in Edgware after Summayah  who volunteered to come with. She wanted to gift her mother a really nice Abaya and Summayah volunteered a nice shop she knew in Edgware.

"Assalamualaikum." Halima lifted her eyes to the middle aged woman who greeted them. They'd been greeted by a smiling sales lady in a royal blue jilbab. But as soon as she saw Summayah's face, she broke into a wider smile.

"Ya Allah. My darling." Summayah put out her hands and the lady walked right into them. Hugging Summayah really tight.

"You haven't come to see me in so long." Summayah patted her back and replied with a shrug. "I missed you, but I was so busy with work and travel. In Sha Allah, I'll be here often." The lady nodded and wiped her kohl-lined eyes carefully. Halima looked round the shop while they exchanged pleasantries, seeing the many racks of Abaya, gowns, jilbabs and rows of beautiful scarves that called to Halima.

"Who is the guest you've brought with you?" The lady moved, drawing Halima's lost attention and she examined her with the patience of an Arab- that she was.

"This is Halima. She's been the one keeping Jariyah and Lubna while My mom tended Abba." The lady nodded and took Halima's left hand in hers.

"How do you do?" Halima's lips widened into a genuine smile that mirrored the lady's own.

"Halima, this is Jariyah's aunt. I call her Aunt Selma. Aunt Selma? This is Halima." Summayah made introductions and even though Halima's head whirled with many thoughts filling it, she kept a smile on her face.

"Let's go in my office."

When Aunt Selma walked forward, Halima pulled Summayah back and asked in a harsh whisper "Why did you bring me here?" Summayah smiled a cunning smile and just walked behind Jariyah's aunt.

"How's Jariyah this days. I saw her last when she was three." Halima's mind shifted gears as she absorbed that information. She had not seen Jariyah for four years! What was Jamal trying?

"Not for lack of wanting to see them though. Nadia and i agreed." She made a chop chop motion. "No kids. I'm not really a fan of screaming children, so don't sympathize with me."

Halima calmed down and sipped the tea that Summayah had poured for everyone.

"Summy dear, what bring you here today?"

*******

"Car seat?"

Summayah shouted check and Halima rushed down the stairs, sandals in hand. It was summer and they had things planned to keep Jariyah and Lubna busy during the holidays.

Halima buckled both kids into their seats and sat in the back with Summayah while the driver drove to convent garden. It was their next activity stop.

"Halima, I have inkling as to this desire you have for them to go see how chocolate mouldings are made, how I'll they use it? The swimming pool at the house is just wasting, and it's such a hot day." Halima looked up from the realtor she was looking through their page on Instagram and eyed the grumbling Summayah.

"It's obviously a skill you don't have, and because of your selfish interest, you'd rather stay in a swimming pool than go learn it. So much for being aunty Summayah." Summayah grumbled some more making Halima hiss quietly and return to looking through the realtor's page.

They arrived convent gardens quickly as traffic through Mayfair was light. When Halima stepped out of the car, Lubna was fast asleep whilst Jariyah was hopping on her feet in excitement. Summayah took her hand and remarked "Excited aren't we?"

Jariyah smiled at her aunt and crossed the road happily, not minding her aunt's gloomy face. "Emily, Sade, Fela and Fatima are coming. What's not to be excited about?"

Halima, from where she trugded the grass behind them laughed gaily at Jariyah's sass. Her aunt Summayah sure needed some.

"Hello. I'm Lina Potluck. Nice to meet you Mrs Abubakar." Halima smiled and moved to correct the chocolate maker's impression but Summayah interjected by asking Lina a question. Leaving Halima open-mouthed.

****

"Looks like they're having fun."

Halima nodded at Summayah's statement and texted Jamal with a photo of Jariyah with Chocolate on her nose and a big smile. Jamal replied with a kissing emoji Halima knew was meant for Jariyah.

"Y'all exchanging kissy emojis now, yeah?" Halima locked her phone before looking up to Summayah with pursed lips.

"It's for Jariyah." Summayah rolled her eyes as she thought Halima was quite blind.

"You can't tell me you're so visually impaired that you can't see that Jamal likes you? The man obviously hasn't hots for you, yeah?" Halima eyed her with her pursed lips.

"Im not ready for anything yet. I'm till growing." Summayah leaned in her seat and asked her what she meant.

"What I mean is, I'm not ready to deal. Infact, simply put, I do not have the emotional strength required to deal with a man right now." Summayah's eyes went wide.

"That man did quite a number on you didn't he?" Halima debated whether to talk or not since she knows it would get back to Jamal.

"I wasn't happy. You know it was the rape incident that made him marry me, or even offer for me at all. So, I took all the things that happened to me in stride. I let it happen." Summayah shook her head. At only twenty-eight, Halima had gone through enough to make her see the world differently.

"Your mom?" Halima scoffed and adjusted the sleeping Lubna on her lap.

"I couldn't keep running to her. She spent hee gratuity making sure I got good therapy. I mean the best therapy. That's why I can stand and talk to men, talk to people, walk on the street. My therapist and my mom were godsent to me.

I'd spent all my savings on getting good healthcare, making sure I didn't get pregnant. It was a private hospital and gulped quite a lot of money." Summayah picked out a wad of tissue Halima had picked for the kids and handed it to her to wipe the tears that had gathered in her eyes.

"I- Some mornings, there would be no food;  Especially when his sickness got severe. But his mother would cook - we stayed with her for the first three months-  indomie, make tea and only them would eat. I'd have to wait till nearly one pm to eat breakfast and lunch.

Food was essential commodity for me. Whatever my mother gave me I kept. I stopped buying clothes. I stopped having dreams to work in places I could only watch on television.

Even by the third month in, Summayah, I knew I was done for. I just knew it. When I prayed each rakat, I'd cry for Allah to save me.

But, what choices did I really have. Salisu's mother heard from someone that Muhsin and his brothers raped me and that! That was the power she had over me. She would remind me of it at every turn.

I didn't have peace." She stopped when Summayah pulled her as close as she could and wiped her eyes.

"I'll never ever look at many women the same way again. Never." Halima nodded, Summayah was a good friend.

******

Hi guys💃🏾💃🏾💃🏾

So, it was my birthday yesterday and i should have updated, but, y'all know a girl gotta do what she's supposed to do.

I had mad fun, thank you all so much for asking.

Also, what so you think of this chapter? I wanted you all to see Jamal's mind, the friendship between S and H, and most importantly Our Jammy baby like Halima 💃🏾💃🏾💃🏾💃🏾💃🏾💃🏾💃🏾💃🏾💃🏾💃🏾💃🏾💃🏾💃🏾💃🏾💃🏾💃🏾💃🏾💃🏾💃🏾💃🏾

Anyhoos, imma leave it here for y'all. Take care, enjoy your week. God bless.

TheOmoope.