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CHAPTER 11- SAIMA

Laying on my praying mat after observing my Isha prayer, so exhausted that I can't even move a finger. Moments like this, a call from Mudassir would have worked the magic. OK, I admit, I miss him. God! I miss him so much!
Today is the best stressful day of my life, I feel accomplished. Especially as I remember what I saw in the faces of the Spin department team, I saw respect. Chioma and Martins gave me a look that spoke volumes. Gawd! That Legend-of-Awesomeness look. Allahmdulillah!!!
"Aunty, wai bacci kike?" (Aunty, are you sleeping?), Rahma queried.
"Ah-ah, Babyn Aunty. Me yafaru?" (No, what happened?), I replied Rahma.
"Kinsan Aunty Jos ta zo kuwa?" (Do you know Anty Jos is around?)
Till today I'm still in awe how Rahma talks like an adult.
"Kice Allah!" (Swear it!), I replied her.
"Ke!! Ai tun da rana tazo, ta chika sosai kaman an mata abu." (She came since, she looks very angry at something.)
"Ehe" (You don't mean it!)
"Wallahi kam, zo dakin Ummi ki ga mamaki" (Come to Ummis room and be amazed!)
As a girl growing in the Northern part of Nigeria her Hausa is almost boding to perfect. She speaks so fluent,  I'm afraid she speaks more than I do.
"Ai Aunty. She's lying!" Amir interrupted. "Kin iya surutu fah." (You are very noisy)
"Ni?" (Me?) Rahma asked, pointing at herself.
"Toh. Ya isa haka!" (That's enough!). I interrupted and faced Amir. "Amir, did I call you here?"
"Aunty Jos, da Ummi da Big mummy su na palor wai a kiraki" (Aunty Jos, Ummi & Big Mummy all call for you)
"Ni?" I mimicked Rahma's action and Amir had to laugh.
Let me break this down for you. Aunty Jos is Ummi's dear sister from another momma. Yes, they met 5yrs ago when we relocated to Lagos and they have become so close, you will think they know each other from Adam.

Big Mummy? Meet Hanna's mother and stepmother to Mudassir. No, don't get confused yet. She's also Ummi's immediate elder sister. The three of them together -- Aunty Jos, Ummi (my Mum) and Big Mummy -- we call them the Board of Directors. Don't ever get in trouble and be reported to them but I never get into trouble, Hanna will have to tell this story.
"Wai meya farune?" (What happened?) I asked.
"Bansani ba" (I don't know) Amir replied.
I checked the time, few minutes to 9o'clock. Big Mummy and Aunty Jos live relatively far, it must be important.

I walked into the living room greeting all of them respectively,  Henry Danger was playing on the TV but it was muted.
"Zo nan, Baby na" (Baby, come here)Big Mummy called. Yes, she calls me baby, LOL.
"Na'am?" (Ma?)
"Wani mumunan magana nake ji?" (What ugly story did I hear?) Mummy Jos stopped me. Now I stood in the middle of this three women, totally clueless as to what is going on in their heads.
Ummi looks pained, many reactions played in her face. My heart sank.
"Ummi...," I began.
"Is Mudassir joking or what?" She asked.
I wish so, I thought.
I dropped my head, twirling the edge of my nightie and counting the number of colors on the center rug. Wait! 9 colors? I asked myself within. I never knew.
"Sit down, my dear, "Anty Jos said quietly.
"Hanna's father is talking about going for introduction and obviously, it's not here."
My heart sank when i saw Ummi's face but now? My heart stopped beating. My eyes welled up with tears.
He was so perfect, I told myself.
"Mudassir is asking for another girl's hand in marriage when you have been with him for 3years?" I blinked back tears. "That's not the worst part, he says you understand. Tell me, kin gane?!" (Do you understand?)
"Ya zata gane, ke kuma?" (How can she understand?) Anty Jos fired.
Ummi was still quiet, very quiet
Mudassir is getting married. The ring! Ya Allah, the ring! I thought.
"Amma fah, Yaronan Dan iska neh, ya ajiye Yarinya na 3years? Ya kai gaisuwan gidan wata? Ai ban yafe ba," (This boy must be a stupid boy. Courting this girl for three years and now he's going for introduction in another house? I will not forgive him!!!) Aunty Jos said, her eyes red.
"Ha-ha! It has not come to that," Ummi rushed to add.
Somehow, I couldn't find my tears. I looked at Ummi's face and I saw pity, same on Aunty Jos and Big Mummy.
Hanna should have told me, she should have...
"I caused it, didn't I? Big Mummy, I should have stopped pushing. Babyna I'm sorry, Da na sani" (Had I known).
"Ya kai gaisuwa gidan wa?" (Where is he going for the introduction?) Ummi, my mom spoke inaudibly.
Big Mummy visibly flinched, "Tafida."
"I see," I really want to cry right now.
"Toh, every disappointment is a blessing. He's not yours, for Wallah, if something is yours, it will find you and if it not, it will never be yours"
Big Mummy hugged me "Allah zai kawo mijin ki, In fact, you know what? What do you want? I know it can't make up for what Mudassir did but..."

I looked at the three of them forcing smiles all dressed in Abaya except Ummi who was dressed in her nightie. Big Mummy screams all Yoruba sometimes, her accent too. She has been in Lagos for far too long, I'm scared one of these days I might wake up to a Yoruba Aunt but I know I won't love her less. Her striking resemblance to mom is sometimes shocking.
"I got a small appointment in my place of work," I began.
Small? Lol huge!! But let me pretend to be humble. I told myself.
"Well.. I'm still confused if I should take it or not," I continued.
Lies. Blatant lies but I was loving it.
"Why?" Big Mummy asked
"I will be managing my Boss for a while and it will be huge but because of the nature of his travels, I .."
"Wizkid?" Big Mummy interrupted me, removing her headtie and shifting in her seat to see me very well. LOL, she loves Wizkid a lot. She literally forced Mudassir to work a transfer for me from my old PR job where all I do was sign papers to Starboy. "We are not rejecting anything," Big Mummy added.
Ummi and Aunty Jos both looked lost.
I understand, they know nothing. Maybe Ummi might because Junaid is always singing Wizkid's praises.
"Big Mummy, he might travel and Ummi won't allow me," I said.
"Toh, I have allowed you." I almost began to dancing to express my happiness.
Ummi only laughed and stood to walk out. Aunty Jos was not even paying us any attention.
"Tell me at least you have seen him face-to-face?" Big Mummy asked.
"Yes, kai Big Mummy kin gan shi?" I replied, unable to hold back my excitement
"Ahhhh! My daughter has arrived!"
"I have oo!!"
Big Mummy stood up and began to dance and before long, we had joined her.
"Anything you need ehnn, call me. Ahhhh, ori iya mi o! Babyna, don't disappoint me in this job. The first concert ticket you get, call me"
I burst out in laughter. Mudassir has given her many, but till today I still don't understand why she doesn't attend. I'm sure it had something to do with her husband.

"Wait o! Babyna, do you even have new clothes for this big thing in MY life?" She asked, with emphasis on my.
No, it's my life, I thought to myself.
"No" I said quickly.
"Oya, my boutique sharp!! Tell them it's on me."
I hugged her. "Bless you, my daughter," she sighed. "Allah does not take anything from you without replacing it with something better. You just have to have Sabr(patience) to see it."
"Thank you, Big Mummy," I replied. She patted my back.

Every human is born with one Mother, but I got lucky, I got two.
I closed my eyes, Allah has replaced it with something better, I told myself. Sabr Ya Nafsi(Have patience, Oh my Soul)

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