Hope for T

The video call

Travis's gray eyes shimmer through my phone screen. His waves shining. His light brown skin under the amber light.
It's 11:58 now and we've been on this video call for 3 hours and I just can't get enough of him.
"Happy anniversary!!!", he says out of nowhere. I check the time and it's 12:00.
Shit! I've been timing it. How the hell did I forget.
"Happy anniversary!!!", I say, blushing—just a bit though. "Wow!",I add.
"What?".
"It's just...".
"What is it?!", he's now looking confused.
"5 years with you?".
"Uhm?", a brow raised in confusion.
"Ewww!!! Disgusting!",I say and we burst into a fit of laughter. "Ok so what do you have planned for us?".
"What do I have planned?! You were meant to plan everything this year. Don't you remember?".
"Not at all".
"Last year, on this very day, you said, and I quote, 'T, you're horrible at planning stuff like this. Next year don't go through the trouble. I'll do everything', after paying for an "everything DAY" for us. I'm pretty sure that was the best day of your life".
I had completely forgotten about that. I can't believe he's going make me plan this. I go ahead to deny it anyway. "Nope, I can't remember a thing", I try to keep a straight face but it's doesn't work out and I laugh out loud. But he doesn't laugh me, instead he's giving me a look. "But...", my voice trails of when I notice he's still giving me that look. Five seconds later we both burst into a fit of laughter. I LOVE the way he laughs.
After the call, I call Siyamah, my favorite cousin, on Facetime. She's almost 3 years older than I am, but we're really close, and we also share the same anniversaryyy!!!. She doesn't answer so I go to the bathroom and come back to meet my phone ringing. I was kind of hoping it would be Travis, but I knew it wasn't. it was Siyamah. "SIMAAA!!!".
"NADIIINNN!!!", she whisper-shouts.
"Wait, where are you? Why're you all dressed up?".
"I'm on an anniversary date with Khalil. He said he wanted us to start our day with a celebration. I'm surprised Mama hasn't called to ask if I'm fine. It's past 12 already", she says a little too fast. She's really excited.
"Awww!!! Where is he? Take me to him let me warn him. He better not mess this up, 7 years is no joke", I say with huge smile on my face. She smiles with an "ok", and starts walking.
"It's so cu—", I'm interrupted by a muffled scream. Then I realize it came from my phone...Siyamah! I start worrying and I'm already on my feet as if it would change anything.
"Sima, Sima?! Ya Siyamah what's going on over there?!". All I can see are the delicate designs of her off-white dress. I can hear her crying. "Sima, what's wrong? Did something happen to Khali—", I stop mid-sentence as the phone rises, and just before she flips the camera I catch a glimpse of her face covered in tears...but she's smiling. I'm confused until I see the dimly lit room, only lit by the rows of candles set on either side of the red carpet leading down the room where Khalil is kneeling on one knee with what looks to me like a ring in his hand, with dim amber lights behind him. As the camera focuses I gasp in realization of what the lights spell out. It said, "MARRY ME, SIYAMAH", as if the ring wasn't enough of a sign for me.
The acrylic ceiling, exposing the bright stars, just before a set of fireworks go off and leave, "I LOVE YOU SIMA", and cute hearts around it. As she walks towards him, the lights grow brighter and I can see the faces surrounding them, as he fixed the ring on her finger. Sima's parents were there. No wonder she didn't call to check up on her. She was in on the whole thing. Asiya, Isra, Ya Junaid, Ya Rayyan, Ya Aryan and Imran all of which are her siblings. Her bestfriend Janan. Even some of our cousins made it.  By the time the lights were at their brightest, I could see Afif and Afaf with Ya Safi and Ya Jamal. Ya Najib and Ahlam are standing at the far end of the room. Siyama really is shameless. She actually hugged him in front of EVERYONE.

"Dindin, I need to go and thank everyone, so I'll give the phone to Ya Mubee so that you can talk to the Ahlam and the rest and I'll call you back later, okay?", she hands him the phone before I even get a chance to reply. She is really happy.
She speaks to Ya Mubarak briefly before handing him the phone. Ya Mubarak is awfully quiet, so I don't really know how he is. Sima stops by the twins, Afif and Afaf and speaks to them and points at us. They come over with Ahlam. Ya Mubarak hands them the phone and tells them to make sure they give it back to him when they're done, as Sima told him to.
"NADIN!!!", Ahlam says.
"YA NADIN!!!", the twins chorus.
I giggle. "Hey Ahlam, Afif, Afaf".
"Hello", they Chorus again.
"It's been so long. Wallah we miss you so much. When are you visiting us?!", she pouts. She's a lot like me in that we pout a lot.
"When last did you come to UK to see us. And I can't really say I enjoy the heat over there. And what's it with people and staring when I speak. Haven't they heard anyone with an accent before?", I complain and they all laugh.
"Dindin you have to come".
"Why?"
"Because you can't miss Ya Siyamah's wedding obviously. Everyone is gonna be there. You just have to come", Afif chips in.
Afif and Afaf are only 12. They lost their dad when they were little and their mom tried but she couldn't take care of them so Aunty Batool, Sima's took them in and now their like Sima's little sisters.
"Oh my days!! That's true. Of course I'm not gonna miss Sima's wedding. Don't worry about that". I talk to Ahlam for a while—she's one of the few family members that are my age—before she gives the phone back to Ya Mubarak. I don't think he knows the call is still going on because all I see are his legs. "Ya...Ya Mubarak!!! Umm...Yaya...". It's too noisy for him to hear. He's walking somewhere. Outside I think. Now it's more quiet, so I try again. "Ya Mubarak?".
The camera goes up to his face and he looks kind of relieved. "Na'am".
He has this kind of Arabian-ish accent with a hint of something else. I'm not quite sure. He doesn't sound Nigerian at all. "I didn't realize the call was still going".
"Oh", is all I manage to say.
"Okay, so how are you? How's everyone?".
"They're all good alhamdulillah".
"Ma shaa Allah".
"Ok then", I smile.
He just smiles back in return and the call ends soon after. He has this kinda shy feel to him, but also this silent confidence. His aura just oozes importance. He seems so odd when compared to his siblings. To the whole family actually. He just stands out. In a good way. I don't know much about him. I don't think anyone does. All I do know is that he's Sima's brother. I didn't spot him earlier though.

*****

After looking through some of the pictures Ahlam and Sima sent to me, I go to sleep.