SOOTHE

FOURTEEN

"Hey boss,the number you gave me hasn't been going through"
Ahmed thought for a while and remembered "oh! I'm so sorry. I forgot that she's a new number now. It's Zayd Building Materials Ventures now and the number is 08166980200"
"Saved! Those people at the site almost wanted to eat me alive"
"I'm so sorry. Thank you so much"
"Anything for you bro"

Just then Ahmed's phone rang.
"Yes miss orator"
"Did you plan on starving us ni brother moi? How can we come to a foodless house ehn! Is it water we'll be drinking?"
"Oh I forgot! I'll get something on my...."
Just then he heard Ni'mah's voice from the background
"Sis Rahmah,don't disturb him,please. We'll sort ourselves."
He just smiled.
"I'm sorry brother,your wife says she's on it"
"See,I don't have a weakling as a wife after all" he joked
"Yeah right"

"Now that you've said we shouldn't disturb your sweetie,what do we eat?"
"I told you I'm on it,didn't I?"  She dialled the number 08109559800 "Ronkus Kitchen. Yes ma'am. Please I need some foodstuffs from you. Yes .. I'll send my list. Okay,I'll give him the delivery fee. Jazaakumullahu khairan ma'am"
She sent the list immediately.
"You didn't include Maggie" Rahmah reminded
"Actually I stopped using that long ago"
"Really? How're the food and soups going to be tasty?"
"I use natural spices. Don't worry, you'll see" she winked
The doorbell rang just then and a delivery man came with every food items ordered and got paid.
"This Ronkus Kitchen is fast o"
"I've got Sharp shooters"
They got to work immediately. After lots of argument,they settled for pounded yam,egusi (melon) soup,beef and water melon juice. Rahmah made sure she stayed so close to Ni'mah because she still has her doubts regarding natural spices and tasty food. An hour later all was set. Since it was almost maghrib,the ladies went to freshen up in preparation for solat.
Ahmed almost home,called Rahmah to get Ni'mah prepared for his arrival. He wouldn't want to catch her unawares and put her in an uncomfortable mood. He decides to pray maghrib before heading home.
He knocked and Rahmah opened the door. He was greeted by the sweet aroma waiting in the air and he couldn't help but smile
"Please little miss,is this my house or another's?" He teased
"Ehn ehn, it's my house. Come in jare"
"That brother that will marry you better come to me so I can school him on how to handle you. Be nice and respectful for once, ah"
"Okay sir. Welcome back sir. Should I help take your bag or shoes inside sir?"
" No need,abeg. This your act is scary enough" He gave her a pat on the back and just ruffled her hair.
"As salaamu'alaykum,welcome home. How's work?"
This sounded like heaven. Like is this what I'll come home to everyday? Ya Allah,make this and more my reality. Ahmed was lost in thought.
"Ahmed.Ahmed!!"
He got snapped out of his thought.
"Oh! Wa'alaykumusalam wa Rahmatullahi. Jazaakillahu khairan and work was fine. You?"
"Walilahilhamd. I'm fine too. Food is ready. Aunty Rahmah should serve you but make sure to wash up and brush your teeth before eating. I'll be in the room. As salaamu'alaykum"
He almost wanted to call her back,to sit and talk to him,tell him about her day while he ate but he understood. Just two days,I can bear this.
"Egbon mi,you heard the captain o. If you no bathe,you no go chop" Rahmah said laughing.
Ahmed shook his head at her and made for his room and uttered "dish my food before I come back,please?"
He walked back to the sitting room and walked towards the dinning area and on the table stood a bowl of wrapped something,egusi soup with lots of meat,a jug of water melon juice and serving dishes. He looked at the wrapped meal "Rahmah what's this?"
"It's pounded yam o"
"You pounded?"
"Me ke! Me wey I no.get strength. So if them tell you,you go believe? Na your wonderful heartthrob pound am and egbon taste that soup,you won't believe that no artificial seasoning was used"
He tasted it and had his eyes so wide in surprise. He savored the taste and immediately dug spoon in to scoop some into his plate,unwrapped the pounded yam and devoured everything so quickly after saying "Bismillah". They both ate in silence.
"Has Ni'mah eaten?"
"She should be now. She took her food into the room because of her niqab,you know?"
"Yes I understand. Two days just seem so long"
"I can't wait too. Egnon I'm moving in with you after nikkah. I can give you like a week,then voila I'll become your housemate"
"Why now? But I've been asking you before now. Except.....ehn ehn,alapa ike. So you'll be getting free things,abi? Ya Allah! Rahmah! Awoof dey purge o"
"Is it your purge?" They both laughed and finished up with their meal. Just then Ni'mah came out uttering "Alhamdulilahi ladhi at'amaani adha wa razaqanihiy min ghayril awni minni wa quwa"
"I'm so.sorry,I didn't know you'd still be here. I'd just drop my plate" Ni'mah rambled while going into the kitchen to drop her wares.
Ahmed just smiled and thought "such a shy being and crazy too and a great cook at that"  "I heard that egnon mi"
"Did I speak out?" He asked surprised.
"Not too loud for her to hear but loud enough for me"
Ni'mah went back into the room said her 'Ishai solat and made to sleep.
Rahmah knocked and came in "sister Ni'mah,egnon mi said I should thank you so much and wanted to know if you'd want to watch the TV so he could leave for his room"
"It's a pleasure. I really don't want to. I'll just say my bedtime adhkar and sleep. The pounding tired me"
"Yeah,I get. I'll tell him. I'm sorry ma and thank you so much. You're the best cook after my mom though" She hugged her so tight. Ni'mah smiled and returned the hug.

Ahmed felt so uneaey having heard that the pounding made her tire. He'd need a pounding machine. He just doesn't want her stressed for anything. His mind also drifted to the message earlier and just wished AZ found the person out on time.
His phone beeped and a message from Ni'mah just made him smile "Jazaakumullahu khairan for having me in your house. Caring enough to be concerned about my safety. May Allah reward you with goodness. Now,don't go to bed without saying your adhkar and lay on your right side and don't forget that tomorrow is Thursday. Let's fast so the angels would take our deeds to our Rabb while we're fasting. Baarakallahu feeh"  He sighed- a woman who not only cares about my dunya but my akhirah. Alhamdulilahi
Another message from AZ alerted him "You won't believe what I found out? I'd have sent to you on WhatsApp but no data and it's quite late to get airtime"
Ahmed quickly got in touch with G Communications Services on 08167093740 to get him recharged. He immediately called via Whatscall
He called AZ immediately and listened attentively to his explanation.
"AZ,are you so sure she's the one? What does she want,really? How did she get to know her from.so far away?"
"Ammy,keep calm. Let's just make sure Ni'mah and her kids are protected on Saturday because I'm sure she'll be there and Sobur will be too. I'm also sure that they both don't know they will be there. You stay close to Ni'mah and don't tell her anything so she doesn't panick. I'll get two of my under cover cop friends to make sure they are within an arm's reach of the kids."
"Okay. That's settled. I just hope nothing happens to her and the kids AZ. I won't forgive' myself if anything happens to them"
"Ammy. You're a man and a tough one at that. Nothing will happen to them. She's so desperate. I'm sure she'll slip,trust me"
"Ok akhi. May Allah aid us"
"Aameen"
He's about sleeping and remembered Ni'mahs message and did as instructed with the intention of pleasing Allah and hoping she gets the reward as well. He sets his alarm for 3:30am as against 4:00am to get something prepared for sahur(pre Dawn meal).

3:30AM
He woke up,performed ablution, cleaned up and observed his qiyyamul layl.
One hour later,he made to wake Ni'mah up but was stopped by her recitation of Suratul Mumeenoon. He smiled and made for the kitchen. Since there was soup,he opted for rice and got it cooking. Thirty minutes later,he dished for himself and the ladies. He placed theirs on a stool close to their room,tapped on the door and called Rahmah to pick it up.
"Have you finished eating? Because I know you're a snail..."
"Ehm,no we haven't". He turned around in surprise since he thought it was Rahmah
"I'm sorry. I didn't know it's you. As salaamu'alaykum. Did you sleep well?"
" Wa'alaykumusalam. No problem. Walilahilhamd I did and thanks for the food. I just came for water"
"Oh I'm sorry. I should thank you more after all one good turn deserves another,right?"
"Yeah. Only few know. Let me hurry before the time is up"
They said their teslim. He looked at her retreating back from her covered head to her covered feet and felt happy,a conscious muslimah indeed. Alhamdulilahi.
He finished his meal and made for the mosque after making sure the ladies weren't sleeping to pray.
He kept thinking about AZ's findings. What does she want? She and Sobur,how come? Why's she been trailing her? I hope this puzzle gets fixed on time! He thought.
Who's the she? Will.she slip like AZ predicted? Will the missing dots be eventually connected? I personally can't wait!