WISHES OF THE HEART

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Ignore all typos

Five years later......

Abuja, Nigeria.

Writer's POV
Everytime she steps out her door,cameras flash. And no matter where she goes, the paparazzi follow. On a typical workday, hibbatullah Aliyu abubakar has brave intrusive shutterbugs waiting outside her house,and take another long and crazy drive to asokoro in Abuja,where she works as a model with the Y-ray models international, a world class super model company.

Fashion and modelling in Nigeria is what Y-ray models international seek to offer.with their many years of experience in the fashion industry,they train models and promote them via shows, advert, brand promotion etc. They are seen as the best female modelling agency in Africa and have links with top fashion agencies in the world.

Today is one of those days that hibba has to go for work.

"Ummi I need to go am almost late" she shouted as she head for the door.

" Wait and eat something before you leave"her mom shouted back from the kitchen.

She stopped and grabbed an apple on the dinning table then kissed her mom goodbye and hopped into her car. She doesn't like much attention so she  left with only her driver.

She exchanged greetings with her co workers and went straight to her boss's office. She knocked at the door and waited for a response.
"Come in" Mr zayden an arab  based in Nigeria, a handsome man in his early 30s,with his curly hair that is always  gelled to perfection and a little bit strands of it brushing his forhead.
She settled down on the chair just in front of his desk.

"Good day Mr zayden" she greeted him smiling.

"Don't start with the formalities please it's zayden" he rolled his eyes something he learned from her.
They laughed so hard
" Be serious hiblah" he cleared his voice,while she tried to stop her laughter, squizing and closing her face in different funny ways, which made them burst into another round of laughter. After a while the laughter died down.

"I called you here to inform you about a business" she raised her brows up giving him a questioning look "what business?" she asked
"Exquisite models international contacted me saying they saw the advert you did for jalbab hilwaya and they seemed interested,so they are requesting for you to go to Qatar ...." He paused to look at her before he continued" here's the contract, your signature is the only thing required" she looked neutral, he couldn't tell whether she'll sign it.
2 minutes passed with none of them saying anything.
Hiblah shrilled and started jumping he looked scared at first.
"Are you kidding me? What are you waiting for pass me the paper" she finally sat down while he kept looking at her as if she's an alien from another planet.
"Haan pass it zayd" he passed the papers and she signed"woohoo qatar here I come" she whistled, he shook his head ' I wonder when this girl will grow up' he thought in his head.
"What's the need for you to jump, you are 22 years old for Allah's sake grow up!".
She ignored him and continue rejoicing.''what a dream come true, this is a big progress for this company"she sighed dreamily.
" Sir hibbatullah Aliyu is needed at the runaway right now" a voice said through the intercom.
" Madam you are needed oya now".

****
Hibbatullah's POV.

"Hy marc" i greeted,
" Hy, wondering why I called you huh?" He smirked.
" Yeah what's up".
" Well your mom is waiting for you" he said tilting his head to the other side.
"Oh shit" I cursed under my breath ummi and I are supposed to go out today but I forgot.

I quickly picked up my bag and ran to the parking lot where she was waiting, I sighted her in the car waiting.
"Ummi am really sorry, lemme go and tell zayden quickly" I ranted all in one breath.
" You'll never change hibbah why didn't u ask before coming out all at once, do u always have to suffer yourself" she shook her head.
" I'll just come back"and off I went.
Knock! Knock ! I knocked on the door.
"Come in" zayden shouted.
" Boss or is it zayd or maybe zayden watever ummi is waiting for me outside we are suppose to hang out together for the rest of the day can I go" I asked giving him my best puppy eyes even though he won't say no " let's go I want to greet her" he stood up and headed for the door while I trailed behind him like a tail, he paused and turned to look at me, I gave him the 'are u ok' look he continued walking then stopped again in front of the door, he turned the door knob and shifted a little I gave him a weird look.
"Ladies first mi lady" he said as he bowed down like a gentleman he is.i giggled, held my head up high and held a little part of my gown giving myself the princess look, I walked majestically outside.
When we both were out we bursted into laughter. We laugh  allot this days I wonder why?.

"Ina yini ummi" zayden greeted ummi with his funny hausa accent that always gives me laugh, three years in Nigeria and his accent still hasn't changed.
After their little greetings session. They started chitchatting. "Um um" I tried to grab their attention but they were all busy with their chitchats .
"Ummi ain't we supposed to be somewhere like right now" they ignored me because am sure the clearly heard me.
I scoffed and got into the car am tired of waiting outside, I logged into my IG, I have over 5m followers, I viewed some pictures, replied some messages and liked some pics.
"Ummi nikam please let's go, zayden is early taking my place in your heart" I said giving myself the perfect 'shagwaba'look. " Hello today is our mother-daughter picnic day, zayden don't ruin it for usnor should I say for me" I said again air quoting the 'me' at the same time giving him a murderous look.
He's coming along with us he's my son" ummi finally said.
He made a phone call and then sat in the front seat. The driver ignited the car to life and off we went, not before I mouthed" I'll take my revenge" to zayden.
He laughed it off anyways.

****
We reached BMT African garden which is tucked away from plain sight on the busy ademola adetokunbo district of wuse 2. BMT African garden is simply a wonderland of hidden treasures this beautiful park has everything.

Ummi arranged for everything for our picnic, we sprayed our picnic mat and sat down.
I closed my eyes and  took a long breath enjoying the fresh air, ohh how much I love nature. The green shrubs felt so soft under my hands.
After eating, laughing,catching some fun and playing games we finally left. Zayden called his driver while me and ummi left with our driver.

***
I was passing through the parlour to get some snack, after the shower I had when we came back, when I heard my name being called out from the TV, I went curiously to parlour to see for myself the snack long forgotten. Ummi was watching news and the headline goes like " the famous model hibbatullah aliyu abubakar popularly known as hiblah was spotted today at BMT African garden together with her boss zayden jalaluddeen and her mom having fun" urgh this paparazzi will not let one live a private life, being a celebrity sucks but trust me I love it."ummi goodnight" I kissed her cheek and went upstairs to sleep.

I logged into my account to while away time before sleep comes, I was met with pictures of us, us as in me and zayden today at BMT. One was I pointing at a peacock passing by while he looked at me lovingly it has the caption: couple crush. The other one was when we both were laughing at a joke ummi cracked.
They think we are dating,alot of people have commented on it.
I threw the phone to one side, and rested my head on the pillow.

I thought of how life is now for us and thanked God, if someone five years ago would tell me this is where my life is gonna be today I would have laughed right at his face and call him a liar bit surely Allah is the best of planners...
I remembered all that happened..  me gaining schlorship and flying abroad, leaving my ummi behind with hauwa's family in Abuja, they actually relocated to abuja as she was hoping for her brothers job was blessed and alhamdulillah he's now the MD of the company he's working in, it took me alot to be a model, with Soo much begging of ummi, and praying everything worked out.

Mr Saleem is married to eaman with 2 kids, nadra and badra.
We are still in contact with his family. They are such nice people...
How we met with zayden and how I got to join y- Ray models...

TO BE CONTINUED