Tale In The Red Sand

Chapter Three

"Lead the way." Abdihakeem picked up his toolbox, displaying his notorious smile that caused Hibaaq's nerves to bundle excitedly.

She rolled her eyes mockingly. "You know where the garden is."

Hibaaq leisured back on the basket chair with an old book resting on her stomach, though her eyes found it a hard time to read anything in it as they just wouldn't stray away from Abdihakeem. He hacked down ripe coconuts from the swaying palm trees. The weather was getting warmer than it already was in fact as April slowly rolled in. Her mouth virtually dried up like the Sahara desert as she witnessed the sweat dripping down his beautifully sculpted face, the ripples of his chest muscles, poorly hidden by his shirt, then down his thick well-trained arms. His deep brown skin glistened marvellously in the early noon sun. To Hibaaq's chargin, however, a tall shadow blocked her discreet view and she quickly looked up in annoyance, clearly in the middle of something.

"Enjoying the sights, Bella." Ercole remarked as he made himself comfortable on the basket seat next to hers.

Hibaaq quickly glanced away in humiliation, and raised the book she abandoned a fraction so that it appeared she was reading the whole time, despite shamelessly ogling the spectacle before her.

"I was reading... while enjoying the sun." She stated in defence.

She fanned herself from the heat of the sun as well as from the heat of her ignominy. Ercole sat there nonchalantly, adorning a wife-beater that clung to his narrow toned midsection like a second skin, fighting a smirk off his lips. He too was an eyeful with a lean and muscular figure, and a face that appeared to be chiselled with such perfection.

'Allahuma Barik'! Hibbaq could only think, this was Allah's creation after all. By the time Abdihakeem strode towards them, pulling up the hem of his shirt to wipe the sweat off his face, Hibaaq's cheeks were on fire, and she wished to dissipate into the chair she was sitting on, so that her words may not fail her when he came to speak to her.

However, Abdihakeem stared curiously at the white man beside her.

'He's probably Adeer Warsame's Gaal acquaintance', he thought inwardly, giving him a small nod of acknowledgement, though he was weary of the man's presence.

"The coconuts are all in the basket." Abdihakeem informed, patting the sweat on his forehead with the nook of his elbow. "I'm going to head home now, anything else you wanted your majesty?" He said jestingly, winking once he got to Hibaaq's eye level.

"No, you are dismissed for the day." Hibaaq waved her hands, playing along. "Oh wait, this is Ercole Aabo's... friend and Ercole this is Abdihakeem a family friend." She introduced.

She must've forgotten the Italian man beside her, who to her discomfort, silently watched their flirtatious exchange. Ercole nodded at Abdihakeem, his jaw ticking irritably. There was something he did not like about the man, whether it was the way he coquettishly smiled and purposefully lowered his eyelids to appear sultry, or the way he used those same lustful eyes to drink in Hibaaq and her entirety.

"Assalamualaikum." Ercole greeted, rising from the chair to shake his hand respectfully. Abdihakeem took Ercole's hand with a sturdy hold his eyes slightly narrowed upward. Ercole wouldn't describe himself as an arrogant man, though he couldn't help but inwardly cackle at the height difference, even if he was only half a foot taller. Old habits tend to stick around no matter the older one gets, clearly, his boyish swagger was one of them.

"Walaikumasalam, you're Muslim"? Abdihakeem had no choice but to abruptly ask in surprise.

It wasn't every day you see a white Muslim man in Somalia.

"Alhamdulillah." Ercole responded in contentment.

He converted to Islam three years prior because it felt firmly like the truth to him. Ercole lived in Qatar during a dark time, grievous due to his mother's death, he mourned in unspeakable ways, so when Islam entered his heart and blessed his life, it was like the world had miraculously flipped and his eyes opened up to it in a whole new light. He felt free from the shackles of depression.

It was a simple revelation as well that made him revert. Simply hearing the call to prayer that always rang out beautifully throughout Doha, a sound so pleasant and transcendental. From the little Arabic he spoke he could understand the powerful message. Hurry to prayer, Hurry to salvation is what caused his heart to shake violently the five times it was announced throughout the day.

"Ma Sha Allah", Abdihakeem replied with a kind smile. "I should really get going now." He told Hibaaq as he grabbed his toolbox from the wooden steps leading into the garden. He headed inside, nodding courteously once more to Ercole.

Hibaaq saw him out, dreamily watching as he walked down the driveway.

"Would you take me into town, Bella"? Ercole's voice ruptured her reflecting and startled her as she closed the front door.

He stood before her with his hands tucked into his dress pant pockets, waiting for her reply. Hibaaq was disconcerted with his cool attitude, and slowly narrowed her eyes at him in scrutiny.

"Maybe. If you stop doing that." She answered, crossing her arms over her chest.

Ercole began to laugh, though it quickly died down at her blank expression.

"What is it that I'm doing?" He asked genuinely as he had no idea what she meant.

"Coming up and scaring me. I get alarmed very easily, one day I will break something by accident because of you." She stated with a shake of her head.

This time Ercole laughed heartily. She was so adorable.

"I apologise for my stealthy behaviour, I'll make sure to announce myself from a distance before I approach you." He said, still chuckling.

Hibaaq's face instantly warmed at his teasing.

"Then I'll see you in twenty." She climbed the stairs afterwards, feeling his fierce gaze piercing the back of her head as she did.

'He was going to be a problem'. She thought.

---

'gaal acquaintance' again LOL

Adeer/ Abti- Uncle