ALWAYS ZAYN

63'

Unedited.

Nana has been waiting for this day since when Zayn told her about his birthday two months ago. '25th July' she has been waiting and it's finally twenty which means in less than 24hours, her husband will be thirty years old. After so much asking of advises from her sister in-laws, her best friend and Hannatu, she finally gather everything she'll need to make this his best birthday. She is very determined and will do anything to make him happy even though most of the things they advised her to do is beyond her head and imagination.

Zayn left just a few hours ago and now she has been walking in and out of the kitchen for an hour now. She can't even still to do something before going to the other. She's started decorating the backyard and the mini living room and bringing out the ingredients, checking Khumais whilst doing so. Now that she has set up the five colours of balloons -blue, purple, golden and brown- it looks very beautiful in the mini living room.

She's making Roti (Indian dish flat bread made from stoneground wholemeal flour) and Dosa (fermented crepe made from rice batter and black lentils) which she made sure she knew how to cook from her mother in-law for the past few weeks and brought all the necessary ingredients which was quite hard because it's not normally what a Nigerian will eat here but thank God for having Maaysa with her when she went to the market yesterday.

She's finished the Rotis since it is the easiest and has started the dosa. Heating up the pan, she spread the batter and started adding the ingredients, mash potatoes, masalas, onions, oil and butter, her brown tasty, crisp, delicious dosa. The smell has been wafting around the whole house after she was done so she fire the bakhoor and sandalwood so that Zayn would not smell it when he came in. She smiled at her handiwork that she decorated with flowers in the mini living room before feeding Khumais.

"Today's papa's birthday. We should celebrate huh?" She grinned at him to which he clapped his hands and grinned back.

She decide not to cook for them since they'll have the roti and dosa later. She made something light and kept it for them to eat but won't tell him there is something more to eat, this is not the first time after all. The doorbell rang and she put on her jilbaabs, not knowing if it's a male who will deliver the cake and true to her thought, a dark tall man stood with the huge cake in a white package. She paid for it and sign the sign his book before closing the door and taking it to the backyard where it will be safe.

At seven, she has already said her maghrib prayer and is only for Zayn with Khumais next to her on the couch playing with his robotic toys. She's dressed in elegant shape asymmetrical black lace cocktail dress she bought with Maaysa. They bought so many clothes yesterday that she know Zayn will see his money shut -he didn't allow her to use her own credit card since she has some money inside from her parents- since he didn't let her.

"Assalamu Alaikum!" She heard his deep, husky voice with a tinge of tiredness.

She immediately leap from her seat just like her heart did. She slowly walk towards him as she let him look at her new choice of clothing before finally reaching him and collecting the small briefcase he's holding. She pecked his lips before dragging him to their room and removing his waistcoat, dress shirt and tie. She walk to their walk in closet still not saying g a word and he also stood like a statue. She brought out a simple black sweatpants and white body hug shirt and gave it to him.

He changed his outfit and walk out to find her sitting on the bed with brownies and a cup of yoghurt by her side. He sat down and let her feed him slowly till they're done and didn't notice Khumais lying down on the bed behind them. He smiled and drew her closer to him, nibbling with her lower lips with his, still no words exchanged.

"You should sleep for a little while. Or will you wait after praying isha? It's just ten minutes away." The first words she said that evening.

"I'll wait!" He lie down on his back and draw her with him on top, just looking at her.